DAVAO CITY — The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Davao Oriental has reported a 2.1 percent inflation rate in the province in December 2025, higher than the 1.0 percent recorded in November 2025 and the 0.7 percent posted in December 2024.
While supply-and-demand factors generally drive inflation fluctuations, PSA Davao Oriental chief statistical specialist Emily P. Tomogdan noted that the recent series of earthquakes with epicenters in the province significantly contributed to the increase in the inflation rate.
“Naa siyay effect since nag-close ang mga supermarket, so ang tendency nag-panic buying ang mga tao (The series of earthquakes had an effect since supermarkets closed, which led people to panic buy),” Tomogdan said during the recent online inflation report.
She added, “Possible ang changes (Changes are possible) in demand and supply. Price volatility, especially in agricultural products, since dali lang sya ma-apektuhan sa (they easily get affected by) calamity or bad weather, and their availability in the province.”
Despite this slight increase, the province’s average inflation rate in 2025 remained low at –1.1 percent, significantly lower than the 3.7 percent recorded in 2024.
Tomogdan said the primary driver of the acceleration in the province’s inflation rate in December 2025 was the faster year-on-year increase in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which posted a 2.2 percent inflation rate and accounted for 89.3 percent of the upward movement in the overall inflation rate.
She added that the same commodity group also posted a 2.2 percent inflation rate in December 2025, accounting for a 55.8 percent share of the province’s overall inflation for the month.
Within this commodity group, fish and other seafood recorded a 7.8 percent inflation rate, meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals posted a 5.8 percent inflation rate, and vegetables, tubers, plantains, and cooking bananas registered a 3.8 percent inflation rate.
Meanwhile, Tomogdan said housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels emerged as the second-largest contributor to overall inflation in December 2025. This commodity group recorded a 3.6 percent inflation rate and contributed 26.4 percent to the province’s general inflation for the month.
Under this group, electricity posted a 10.4 percent inflation rate, while maintenance of the dwelling recorded a 0.4 percent inflation rate.
Moreover, Tomogdan said that the third commodity group with the largest contribution to general inflation in December 2025 was personal care and miscellaneous goods and services, with 3.3 percent inflation and a 7.5 percent share of the province’s general inflation for the month.
Pressed on the significant price changes in the market due to inflation, Tomogdan said the price change varies. Some commodities increased by a few pesos, depending on the magnitude of the inflation, except for commodities that have no significant inflationary movement.
“Naga-vary ‘sya, naa po’y centavos lang. Para sa mga food and agricultural products pwede pod walay change, pero more than pod peso ang changes if naa man. Halimbawa for rice, sa December 2024, P57 ‘sya per kilo, nag-abot ‘sya sa P59 per kilo atong December 2025, for corn white from P33 in December 2024, nahimo siyang P37.25 sa December 2025 ((It varies, sometimes only by a few centavos. For food and agricultural products, there may be no change at times, but if there is, the increase can be more than a peso. For example, the price of rice was P57 per kilo in December 2024 and rose to P59 per kilo in December 2025. Meanwhile, white corn increased from P33 in December 2024 to P37.25 in December 2025),” she shared.
Tomogdan explained that inflation is measured using the Consumer Price Index, which indicates the change in the average prices of goods and services commonly purchased by consumers relative to a base year.
In Davao Oriental, Tomogdan said the data used to compute the province’s inflation rate are gathered from various outlets across the province, including Baganga, Manay, Mati City, Lupon, and Governor Generoso. (ASO/PIA Davao Oriental)