Tarlac’s Inflation Decreases to 2.6 Percent

Inflation in the Province of Tarlac greatly decreased to 2.6 percent in February 2025 from 4.5 percent in January 2025. With this month’s inflation, the province’s average inflation from January to February 2025 at 3.6 percent. In February 2024, inflation rate was posted at 3.4 percent. (Figure 1 and Table A) 

The increased in the province’s inflation was mainly brought about by the decrease in the index of the following commodity groups:

a.    Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 2.5 percent, with 4.1 percent decrease from 6.6 percent in the previous month;
b.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.9 percent, with a 2.7 percent decrease from 6.6 percent in the previous month;
c.    Furnishings,    household    equipment    and    routine    household    maintenance    at
3.0  percent, with a 0.9 percent decrease from 3.9 percent in the previous month;
d.    Information and Communication at -0.6 percent, with a 0.9 decrease from 0.3 percent in the previous month;
e.    Recreation, sport and culture at 1.5 percent, with a 0.9 percent decrease from 2.4 percent in the previous month;
f.    Transport at -0.1 percent with a 0.7 percent decrease from 0.6 percent in the previous month;
g.    Restaurants and accommodation services at 0.8 percent; with a 0.5 percent decrease from 1.3 percent in the previous month; and
h.    Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.9 percent; with a 0.3 percent decrease from 2.2 percent in the previous month.

On the other hand, the commodity group that increase in their index are the following:

a.    Education services at 0.3 percent; with a 2.0 percent increase from -1.7 percent in the previous month;
b.    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 6.3 percent, with a 0.6 percent increase from 5.7 percent in the previous month;
c.    Health at 0.8 percent, with a 0.3 percent increase from 0.5 percent in the previous month; and
d.    Clothing and footwear at 0.4 percent, with a 0.1 percent increase from 0.3 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, Financial Services retained its inflation rate from previous month’s inflation at
0.0 percent.
 

The items for food commodity groups that showed a decrease during the month were: (Table C)

a.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 11.7 percent, with a 26.2 percent decrease from 37.9 percent in the previous month;
b.    Cereals (ND) at -6.6 percent, with a 1.7 percent decrease from -4.9 percent in the previous month;
c.    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 6.8 percent, with a 1.8 percent decrease from 8.6 percent in the previous month;
d.    Fruits and nuts at 7.1 percent, with a 1.6 percent decrease from 8.7 percent in the previous month; and
e.    Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 2.0 percent, with a 1.4 percent decrease from 3.4 percent in the previous month.

On the other hand, the following food groups exhibited an increase in annual growth during the month: (Table C)

a.    Oils and Fats at 6.2 percent, with a 1.4 increase from 4.8 percent in the previous month;
b.    Milk, other dairy products, and eggs at 0.7 percent, with a 0.9 percent increase from -0.2 percent in the previous month;
c.    Fish and other seafood at 9.8 percent, with a 0.8 percent increase from 9.0 percent in the previous month;
d.    Ready-made food and other food products N.E.C. at 4.0 percent, with a 0.6 percent increase from 3.4percent in the previous month; and
e.    Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -1.0 percent, with a 0.5 percent increase from -1.5 percent in the previous month.
 

In Central Luzon, the province of Pampanga had the highest inflation rate for the month of February 2025 with 5.0 percent. This was followed by the province of Aurora with 4.0 percent, province of Tarlac with 2.6 percent, province of Bulacan with 2.0 percent, Nueva Ecija with 0.8 percent and province of Bataan with 0.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the province of Zambales had the least inflation rate posted at -0.2 percent. (Figure 2)
 

Approved for Release:

HERMAN J. VITAL
Chief Statistical Specialist PSA Tarlac

/BJDU/EBAN/ACO