CENTRAL Visayas’ inflation rate remained at 2.5 percent in February 2025, unchanged from January 2025 and an improvement from the 2.7 percent recorded in February 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on March 10, 2025.
The steady inflation rate was primarily driven by food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 2.8 percent; and transport at 3.8 percent.
Despite the decline in food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation from 2.9 percent to 2.6 percent, the increase in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels (2.6 percent to 2.8 percent) and transport (3.2 percent to 3.8 percent) contributed to maintaining Central Visayas’ overall inflation rate at 2.5 percent from January to February.
Some commodity groups maintained their inflation rates from the previous month, including Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Household Maintenance (4.3 percent), Information and Communication (0.6 percent), Education Services (6.1 percent), and Financial Services (0.0 percent).
Meanwhile, food inflation slowed to 2.7 percent in February from 3.0 percent in January.
Rice prices saw a deeper decline, with inflation dropping to -4.5 percent from -2.9 percent last month. This slower deflation contributed to the steady overall inflation rate, meaning prices are still falling but at a slower pace than before.
While February 2025's inflation rate remained unchanged from January, newly appointed PSA Central and Eastern Visayas OIC Director II Wilma Perante clarified that a steady inflation rate does not mean prices have stopped changing.
“The 2.5 percent remaining there doesn’t mean zero lang talaga sa prices of goods and services, so we have major contributors. Ibig sabihin, may mga commodities na nag increase din. Syempre pag binalance mo, in-average mo, meron pa rin,” Perante said.
(The remaining 2.5 percent doesn’t really mean zero when it comes to the prices of goods and services. So, we have major contributors, meaning there are commodities that also increased. Of course, when you balance it and take the average, there's still an increase and decrease in rates.)
Bohol and Cebu provinces saw slight inflation increases, with Bohol rising from 2.7 percent to 2.9 percent and Cebu from 3.2 percent to 3.5 percent, according to the latest report.
Significant inflation decreases were observed in other provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUC).
Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City also saw inflation decreases, with Negros Oriental leading the drop, plunging from 1.0 percent in January to just 0.2 percent in February. (Cian Napalit, BiPSU Comm intern)