The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City continued to decrease at 1.2 percent in April 2025, down from 2.0 percent in March 2025. This brings the average inflation rate of the city from January to April 2025 to 2.5 percent. Moreover, the inflation rate in April 2024 was higher at 4.5 percent.

The continued downtrend in Lucena City’s overall inflation rate in April 2025 was primarily driven by the slower annual increase in the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages, which eased to 3.8 percent from 5.7 percent in the previous month.

Also contributing to the decrease in overall inflation were the lower annual increments in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

     a. Transport at -4.6 percent, from -2.7 percent; and 
     b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at -0.9 percent, from -0.6 percent.

In contrast, the following commodity groups recorded higher inflation rates: 
     a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 2.5 percent, from 1.3 percent; and 
     b. Restaurants and accommodation services at 1.9 percent, from 1.6 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation: 
     a. Clothing and footwear at 0.3 percent; 
     b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.5 percent; 
     c. Health at 0.3 percent; 
     d. Information and communication at 0.0 percent; 
     e. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.2 percent; 
     f. Education services at 2.2 percent; 
     g. Financial services at 0.0 percent; and 
     h. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.3 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City further decreased to 4.1 percent in April 2025, from 6.2 percent in March 2025. This was also lower compared to the 7.3 percent food inflation rate recorded in April 2024.

The deceleration of food inflation was mainly driven by the significant drop in the inflation rate of rice, which declined to -9.5 percent, from -3.3 percent in the previous month.

Other food groups that contributed to the decline in food inflation were the following: 
     a. Corn at 17.0 percent, from 39.1 percent; 
     b. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 0.3 percent, from 0.4 percent; 
     c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 12.9 percent, from 13.0 percent; 
     d. Fish and other seafood at 8.6 percent, from 14.5 percent;  
     e. Fruits and nuts at 5.2 percent, from 6.7 percent; 
     f. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -1.5 percent, from -0.1 percent; and 
     g. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 1.5 percent, from 1.7 percent.

In contrast, the following food groups recorded higher annual growth rates during the month: 
     a. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 7.8 percent, from 7.7 percent;  
     b. Oils and fats at 22.6 percent, from 17.8 percent; and 
     c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 4.5 percent, from 1.8 percent.

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

NDP/MGF/SCNG