Aurora’s Inflation Dropped to 2.2 Percent

Aurora’s annual inflation declined to 2.2 percent in March 2025 which was 1.8 percent point lower from 4.0 percent in February 2025 and 0.2 percentage points higher from 2.0 percent in March 2024. (Refer to Figure 1)

Across regions, Cagayan Valley has the highest inflation rate recorded at 2.9 percent in March 2025, followed by Western Visayas at 2.7 percent and Central Visayas at 2.4. Meanwhile, SOCCSKSARGEN has the lowest inflation rate at -0.2 percent.

The headline inflation in the country decreased at 1.8 percent in March 2025.

Figure 2 presents the annual inflation rates of the different regions in the Philippines in March 2025.

In Aurora, the decrease in inflation could be mainly attributed to the lower increment posted by the index of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels at -6.4 percent from 5.5 percent in February 2025. This was followed by the index of Transport at -2.4 percent.

Listed below are the indices that recorded lower monthly increments:

•    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages (4.40% from 4.5%);
•    Restaurants and Accommodation Services (3.2% from 3.5%); 
•    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (2.9% from 3.6%); and
•    Recreation, Sport and Culture (2.5% from 3.8%).

On the other hand, higher monthly increments were recorded in the following indices:

•    Health (13.6% from 11.8%)
•    Information and Communication (0.1% from -0.1%);
•    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance  (1.6% from 1.4%) 
•    Clothing and Footwear (0.2% from 0.1%).

Lastly, the following indices showed same rate from that of the previous month:

•    Education Services (22.9%); 
•    Financial Services (0.0%); and
•    Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (2.4%). (Table 1)

The annual growth rate in the provincial food index posted a decrease in rate at 0.1 percentage points from 4.7 percent in February 2025 to 4.6 percent in March 2025. This trend was attributed by the lower monthly increments of the index of Vegetables, Tubers, Plantains, Cooking Bananas, and Pulses at 12.6 percent in March 2025 from 26.9 percent in February 2025. (Refer to Table 1.a)

Listed below are the following indices that recorded lower annual increments from February 2025 to March 2025:

•    Ready-made Food and Other Food Products N.E.C (5.3% from 6.3%); and
•    Corn (17.0% from 25.0%).

Meanwhile, lower annual increment was noted only in the following index:

•    Milk, Other Dairy Products, and Eggs (7.5% from 1.9%);
•    Fish and other seafood (3.2% from 2.4%); 
•    Flour, Bread and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, and Other Cereals (2.1% from 2.0%); 
•    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (8.6% from 7.8%)
•    Oils and Fats (6.5% from 5.2%);
•    Fruits and Nuts (41.0% from 36.6%);
•    Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts (3.7% from 1.7%); and 
•    Rice (-9.3% from -10.4%). 
(Refer to Table 1a)

For March 2025, Pampanga recorded the highest inflation rate in the region at 3.9 percent followed by Angeles City at 3.3 percent. Olongapo City and Aurora ranked 3rd at 2.2 percent. This was followed by Tarlac and Bulacan at 2.0 percent.

Nueva Ecija and Bataan recorded an inflation rate of 0.8 percent and -0.1 percent, respectively. Zambales still recorded the lowest inflation rate in the region at -0.2 percent. (Refer to Figure 3)

FERDINAND E. SANTIAGO
(Supervising Statistical Specialist) 
Officer-in-Charge
PSA Aurora