Central Luzon’s inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households decreased to 3.0 percent in November 2024 from 3.4 percent in October 2024. This marks a decrease of 0.4 percentage point from October 2024 and 2.8 percentage points from the inflation rate recorded in November 2023. (Figure 1)

Central Luzon ranked seventh among regions with the highest inflation rate for bottom 30 percent income households along with National Capital Region (NCR) in November 2024. Cagayan Valley recorded the highest inflation rate at 3.9 percent, followed by Bicol Region and Western Visayas at 3.8 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao retained its rank by having the lowest inflation rate at 1.6 percent. (Figure 2)

Furthermore, the headline inflation for bottom 30 percent income households in the Philippines also decreased from 3.4 percent in October 2024 to 2.9 percent in November 2024.

Figure 2 shows the annual inflation rates of the different regions in the Philippines in November 2024.

The deceleration in the inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households in Central Luzon could be attributed to the slower increments in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 4.5 percent in November 2024 from 6.3 percent in October 2024, food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.0 percent in November 2024 from 3.4 percent in October 2024, and clothing and footwear at 2.4 percent in November 2024 from 2.7 percent in October 2024.

Moreover, slower annual increments were also recorded in the following indices:
•    Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 
1.8 percent from 2.1 percent;
•    health at 1.9 percent from 2.0 percent; and
•    recreation, sport and culture at 5.1 percent from 5.7 percent.

On the other hand, faster annual increments were registered in the following indices;
•    alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 3.0 percent from 2.7 percent;
•    restaurants and accommodation services at 4.4 percent from 4.3 percent; and
•    personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.7 percent from 3.6 percent.

Additionally, equal annual increments were registered in the following indices:
•    transport, -1.2 percent;
•    information and communication, 0.3 percent;
•    education services, 3.0 percent; and
•    financial services, -0.1 percent.

The annual growth rate in the regional food index decelerated to 3.1 percent in November 2024 from 3.6 percent in October 2024. This could be mainly attributed to the slower increment in the index of cereals and cereal products at 2.1 percent in November 2024 from 7.7 percent in October 2024.

In addition, slower annual increments were registered in the following indices:
•    fruits and nuts at 4.9 percent from 11.3 percent;
•    milk, other dairy products and eggs at 3.4 percent from 4.9 percent; and
•    ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. at 4.6 percent from 5.1 percent.

Moreover, faster acceleration was recorded in the following indices:
•    meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 4.0 percent from 3.7 percent;
•    fish and other seafood at 0.7 percent from -0.1 percent;
•    oils and fats at 0.6 percent from -0.4 percent; and
•    vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 10.9 percent from -6.0 percent.

Furthermore, slower deceleration was recorded in the index of sugar, confectionery and desserts at -2.6 percent from -2.8 percent. (Table 2)

Relative to the October 2024 inflation rates for bottom 30 percent income households, four provinces (Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales) and one Highly Urbanized City (HUC) (City of Angeles) in the region exhibited lower inflation rates in November 2024. In contrast, Bataan, Bulacan, and Aurora exhibited higher inflation rates while City of Olongapo posted an equal inflation rate as the previous month. Nueva Ecija registered the largest decrease in inflation with a difference of 1.3 percentage points.

Among the provinces and HUCs in the region, City of Olongapo recorded the highest inflation rate for bottom 30 percent income households at 4.6 percent, followed by Pampanga at 4.1 percent. Meanwhile, Bulacan registered the lowest inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households at 1.9 percent, followed by Zambales and Bataan at 2.0 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. (Figure 3)

ARLENE M. DIVINO
Regional Director 
PSA RSSO 03

CPI Technical Notes