Tacloban City: Slower jumps in food prices in Eastern Visayas resulted in a further slowdown of the inflation rate from 0.6 percent in April to 0.4 percent in May, marking the lowest rate since 2019.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released data showing that the food index registered an annual price decrease of 0.9 percent in May 2025, following a 0.6 percent drop in April of the same year. This was primarily influenced by a faster annual price decrease of rice, which fell by 14.3 percent compared to an 11.9 percent decline in April.
PSA Eastern Visayas Director Wilma Perante attributed the decline in the food index to the slower inflation rate of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses, which recorded an 8.4 percent rate in May 2025, compared to 9.5 percent in April 2025. During a press briefing, Perante addressed questions regarding the impact of the San Juanico Bridge load limit on the prices of goods, stating that it had not been reflected in their May 2025 report.
Perante clarified that data collection from the provincial capital and sample municipalities took place in the first week of May, prior to the implementation of the San Juanico Bridge restriction on May 15. She noted that any price adjustments resulting from the bridge crisis would be evident in the June report.
Two of the region's six provinces experienced lower inflation rates and even deflation in May: Leyte's rate decreased to 1.1 percent from 1.5 percent, while Southern Leyte saw a negative rate of 0.6 percent from zero percent. Tacloban City, the regional capital, also posted a lower inflation rate of 0.7 percent from 0.9 percent.
Conversely, the province of Biliran recorded a slight increase in inflation, rising to 1.2 percent from 1.1 percent in April. Eastern Samar's rate increased to 0.6 percent from 0.5 percent, Northern Samar's rose to 0.5 percent from 0.1 percent, and Samar experienced a marginal change with a rate of -0.8 percent from -0.9 percent.
The inflation rate reflects the annual rate of change or year-on-year variations in the consumer price index, indicating the speed of price changes over two time periods. Perante emphasized that low inflation does not necessarily equate to a decrease in commodity prices; rather, it signifies that prices continue to rise, albeit at a slower pace.
The PSA compiled the data by establishing baseline information for prices in the base year 2018 and regularly monitoring these prices. Data collection for the consumer price index is conducted by the PSA provincial office twice a month, with petroleum products being monitored weekly on Fridays.
