The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City eased to 2.6 percent in February 2025, from 4.4 percent in January 2025. In February 2024, the inflation rate was lower at 2.2 percent.

The downtrend in Lucena City’s overall inflation rate in February 2025 was primarily driven by the slower annual increase of the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages, at 7.8 percent during the month, down from  
11.5 percent in January 2025.

Moreover, lower inflation rates were observed in the following commodity groups:

a. Clothing and footwear at 0.1 percent, from 0.5 percent; 
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at  
0.2 percent, from 0.6 percent; 
c. Health at 0.2 percent, from 0.6 percent; 
d. Transport at -1.6 percent, from 1.1 percent; 
e. Information and communication at 0.0 percent, from 0.3 percent; 
f. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.0 percent, from 0.2 percent; 
g. Restaurants and accommodation services at 1.3 percent, from 3.7 percent; and 
h. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.1 percent, from 0.8 percent.

In contrast, the following commodity groups recorded higher inflation rates during the month: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.9 percent, from 0.3 percent; and 
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at -0.6 percent, from -0.8 percent in the previous month. 
Meanwhile, inflation rates for the following commodity groups remained unchanged from the previous month:

a. Education services at 2.2 percent; and 
b. Financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City eased to 8.6 percent in February 2025, down from  
12.5 percent in January 2025. In February 2024, food inflation was lower at 0.5 percent.

The deceleration of food inflation in the city was primarily driven by the lower inflation rate of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses which dropped at  
5.9 percent, from 31.5 percent in the previous month.

Also contributing to the decline in food inflation were the following: 
a. Rice at 7.3 percent, from 11.1 percent; 
b. Corn at 36.3 percent, from 54.5 percent; 
c. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at    
0.3 percent, from 0.6 percent; 
d. Fish and other seafood at 10.1 percent, from 13.1 percent;  
e. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 7.4 percent, from 7.5 percent; 
f. Fruits and nuts at 8.7 percent, from 22.2 percent; and 
g. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 1.8 percent, from 3.2 percent.

In contrast, higher annual growth rates during the month were recorded in the indices of the following food groups: 
a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 14.3 percent, from  
14.0 percent; 
b. Oils and fats at 16.8 percent, from 15.7 percent; and 
c. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at 0.8 percent, from 0.6 percent.

(SGD.) AIRENE A. PUCYUTAN 
Provincial Statistics Officer 
PSA Quezon

NDP/MGF/SCNG