The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City eased to 0.6 percent in June 2025, from 1.5 percent in May 2025. This brings the average inflation rate of the city from January to June 2025 to 2.0 percent. In June 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 4.9 percent.

The downtrend of inflation was primarily driven by the slower annual increase in the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages group, which registered at 2.4 percent in June 2025, down from 3.9 percent in the previous month. Also contributing to the decline in the city’s inflation was the slower year-on-year increase in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which registered at -2.0 percent in June 2025 from 0.2 percent in the previous month.

In contrast, higher annual growth rates were recorded in the indices of the following commodity groups in June 2025:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 3.5 percent, from 3.2 percent;  
b. Clothing and footwear at 0.4 percent, from 0.3 percent; 
c. Transport at -4.0 percent, from -5.1 percent; 
d. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.7 percent, from 0.5 percent; and 
e. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.6 percent, from 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual rates: 
a. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.5 percent; 
b. Health at 0.3 percent; 
c. Information and communication at 0.0 percent; 
d. Education services at 2.2 percent; 
e. Restaurants and accommodation services at 2.2 percent; and 
f. Financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City decreased to 2.5 percent in June 2025, from 4.1 percent in May 2025. This was significantly lower compared to the 8.1 percent food inflation rate recorded in June 2024.

The slowdown in food inflation in June 2025 was mainly influenced by the lower year-on-year increase in the indices of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, which dropped to -7.9 percent from 8.4 percent in the previous month, and fish and other seafood which recorded an inflation rate of 5.1 percent, down from 11.1 percent in May 2025.

Slower annual increases were also observed in the following food groups: 
a. Rice at -15.2 percent, from -13.3 percent; and 
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 7.1 percent, from 7.9 percent.

On the other hand, the following food groups recorded higher annual growth rates during the month: 
a. Corn at 21.4 percent, from 0.4 percent;  
b. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 0.5 percent, from 0.4 percent; 
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 14.5 percent, from 12.2 percent; 
d. Oils and fats at 30.6 percent, from 27.9 percent; 
e. Fruits and nuts at 22.0 percent, from 13.4 percent; and 
f. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 2.4 percent, from 2.1 percent.

Meanwhile, the index of sugar, confectionery and desserts retained its previous month’s annual rate of -1.8 percent.

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

NDP/SCNG