PH inflation further eases to 1.4% in April

THE Philippines’ headline inflation further eased to 1.4 percent in April 2025, the lowest since November 2019.

In a statement, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said 39.5 percent of the April inflation was contributed by the commodity group of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; 24.6 percent was food and non-alcoholic beverages; and 15.2 percent was from restaurant and accommodation service.

The PSA noted that the downtrend in the overall inflation was brought about by the slower annual increment in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.9 percent from 2.2 percent in the previous month and in the transport index at 2.1 percent.

The food inflation also further slowed down to 0.7 percent from 2.3 percent in March 2025 primarily due to the faster year-on-year decline of rice index at 10.9 percent from a 7.7 percent, as well as of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 2.3 percent; and fish and other seafood at 4.3 percent from 5.5 percent in the previous month.

The top three food groups that contributed to the food inflation were the meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals; fish and other seafood; and milk, other dairy products and eggs.

The inflation, however, accelerated in the National Capital Region (NCR) to 2.4 percent from 2.1 percent during the month prior.

The main driver for the increase in inflation rate in the area was the higher annual increment in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 5.1 percent during the month from 2.2 percent in March 2025.

Faster annual growth rates were also recorded in the indices of health at 1.6 percent in April 2025 from 1.5 percent in the previous month, and restaurants and accommodation services at 1.9 percent during the month from 1.8 percent in March 2025.

“Relative to their respective March 2025 inflation rates, all regions in areas outside NCR recorded lower inflation rates in April 2025, with Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) registering a zero percent annual rate in April 2025 from a 0.6 percent inflation rate in March 2025,” the PSA said.

“The highest inflation rate was observed in Cordillera Administrative Region and Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), both with 2.0 percent inflation. On the other hand, Barmm and Region 12 (Soccsksargen) registered deflation (negative inflation) or annual decline in their overall consumer price indices at 1.3 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, with Region 12 marking its third consecutive month of having a negative inflation,” it added.

In a statement, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), formerly the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), welcomed the significant decline in inflation, seeing it as a “positive sign” that the administration’s policy interventions are working.

DEPDev Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Group Rosemarie Edillon vowed to continue implementing strategies to vigilantly monitor price shocks and proactively temper inflationary pressures, including the close monitoring of agricultural production and market prices, particularly for high-value crops such as vegetables, which are vulnerable to the ongoing extreme summer heat and are primarily sourced from northern regions.

“We must continue to push for decisive coordination to ensure price stability, especially for essential commodities. Our goal is not only to reduce inflation but to ensure that its benefits are felt by every Filipino household -- through lower food costs and improved access to basic goods,” Edillon said.

“With the expanded mandate, DEPDev is now better positioned to unify and align the country’s socio economic goals. We are committed to developing forward-looking, strategic policies that promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth, generate quality jobs, manage inflation, and protect the purchasing power of Filipinos,” she added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)