Starting February 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all income households to base year 2018, from base year 2012 as announced in the press release number 2022-01 dated 04 January 2022. The CPI series for all income households for January 2023 onwards will be 2018-based.
 

A. Philippines

The country’s inflation rate has slowly decreased to 1.3 percent in May 2025 from 1.4 percent in April 2025. The country’s inflation rate in May 2024 was higher at 3.9 percent. (Table A)

B. Negros Island Region

Negros Island Region’s inflation rate has increased to 1.7 percent in May 2025 from 1.5 percent in the previous month. In May 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 4.1 percent. (Table A)

C. Province of Negros Oriental

1. Headline Inflation

The headline inflation or the overall inflation in Negros Oriental has slowly decreased to -0.2 percent in May 2025 from -0.1 percent in April 2025. The inflation rate in May 2024 was observed at 3.6 percent. (Figure 1)

The province’s inflation rate was lower than the region’s inflation rate. (Table 1)

1.1 Main Drivers to the Headline Inflation

The overall inflation in May 2025 was primarily brought about by Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other fuels at -0.6 percent from -0.2 percent. This was followed by Transport at -4.1 percent from -3.3 percent. Health ranked third at 0.8 percent from 0.9 percent.

On the contrary, higher inflation rates were observed in the indices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at -0.1 percent from -0.2 percent; and Clothing and Footwear at 0.6 percent from 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, following commodity groups have retained their previous month's inflation rates:

     a. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 2.4 percent;
     b. Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance at 0.0 percent;
     c. Information and Communication at 0.0 percent;
     d. Recreation, Sport and Culture at 0.2 percent;
     e. Education Services at 10.2 percent;
     f. Restaurants and Accommodation Services at 0.0 percent;
     g. Financial Services at 0.0 percent; and
     h. Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 0.5 percent.

1.2 Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation

The top 2 commodity groups contributing to the May 2025 provincial inflation rate of -0.2 percent were the following:

a. Transport at 157.7 percent or -0.32 percentage point; and
b. Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other fuels at 72.0 percent share or -0.14 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation at the provincial level has slowly increased to -0.1 percent in May 2025 from -0.2 percent in April 2025. In May 2024, food inflation was higher at 5.6 percent. (Tables 6 and 7)

2.1 Main Drivers to the Food Inflation

The main driver to the inflation of Food was brought about by Fish and other seafood (ND) at 9.1 percent from 3.8 percent. This was followed by Fruits and Nuts (ND) at 3.9 percent from 0.9 percent. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (ND) at 4.5 percent from 3.8 percent.

Moreover, lower inflation rates during the month were also observed in the indices of the following food groups: (Table 5)

     a. Cereals and cereal products (ND) including rice and corn at -7.2 percent from -6.0 percent;
     b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs (ND) at 1.1 percent from 1.4 percent;
     c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 1.9 percent from 9.1 percent; and
     d. Sugar, confectionery and desserts (ND) at -0.8 percent from -0.5 percent.

Only Oils and Fats (ND), and Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. (ND) have retained its previous month’s inflation rates at 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

In terms of contribution to the May 2025 provincial inflation rate, food shared 
19.6 percent or -0.04 percentage point. Of the food groups, the top contributors to inflation were the following:

     a. Cereals and cereal products, with 2,371.2 percent share or -2.37 percentage points;
     b. Sugar, confectionery and desserts (ND), with 25.7 percent share or -0.03 percentage point; and
     c. Oils and Fats (ND), with -4.2 percent or 0.00 percentage point.
 

TECHNICAL NOTES

The Philippine Statistics Authority generates and announces the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) based on a nationwide survey of prices for a given basket of goods and services. Two important indicators, the inflation rate and purchasing power of the peso (PPP), are derived from the CPI which are important in monitoring price stability and the value of the country’s currency.  

The CPI is an indicator of the change in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by households relative to a base year.

Retail Price is the price at which a commodity is sold for spot in small quantities for consumption.

Base Period/Base Year is the period, usually a year, at which the index number is set to 100. It is the reference point of the index number series.

Market Basket is a term used to refer to a sample of goods and services that are commonly purchased and bought by an average Filipino household.

Weight is a value attached to a commodity or ground of commodities to indicate the relative importance of that commodity or group of commodities in the market basket.

Inflation Rate is equivalent to a decline in the purchasing power of the peso. It is the change in the CPI over a specific period of time (usually a month or a year). That is,

where:     

CPI1 - is the CPI in the previous period 
CPI2 - is the CPI in the current period

The Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) is a measure of the real value of the peso in a given period relative to a chosen reference period. It is computed by getting the reciprocal of the CPI and multiplying the result by 100. That is, 
 

Headline Inflation is the rate of change in the weighted average prices of all goods and services in the CPI basket.

Prepared by:

(SGD.)
ELMER T. BARING                   
Statistical Analyst          

Approved by:

(SGD.)
ARIEL T. FORTUITO
Chief Statistical Specialist