Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items, Nueva Ecija
In Percent
(2018=100)

Nueva Ecija’s Headline Inflation Rate Rises to 2.5% in January 2025

Nueva Ecija’s annual inflation rate began in 2025 at 2.5 percent, accelerating from 2.1 percent in December 2024. However, it remained lower than the 4.1 percent inflation rate recorded in January 2024. (Table A and Figure 1)

Among the provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Central Luzon, Pampanga recorded the highest inflation rate in January 2025 at 5.5 percent, while Zambales registered the lowest at 1.4 percent. Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija had the third-lowest inflation rate in the region at 2.5 percent. On the other hand, Central Luzon’s annual inflation rate slightly increased, rising to 3.4 percent in January 2025 from 3.3 percent in December 2024. (Table A and Figure 2)

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Group:
Nueva Ecija (2018=100)
(In Percent)

Headline Inflation

The inflation rate in Nueva Ecija rose to 2.5 percent in January 2025, up from 2.1 percent in December 2024. The following commodity groups posted a faster annual increase:

a.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 2.5 percent from 1.9 percent;
b.    Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels with 4.8 percent from 4.7 percent;
c.    Health with 4.1 percent from 4.0 percent;
d.    Furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance at 3.3 percent from 3.2 percent;
e.    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco with 2.2 percent from 1.4 percent;
f.    Recreation, sport, and culture with 3.1 percent from 1.9 percent; and
g.    Transport with -0.9 percent from -2.1 percent.
 

In contrast, a decrease in the annual inflation rate in January 2025 was registered by the following commodity groups:

a.    Information and communication with 0.0 percent from 0.7 percent; and
b.    Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services with 3.0 percent from 3.3 percent.

Moreover, the inflation rates for the clothing and footwear and education services commodity groups remained unchanged at 3.9 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the indices for restaurants and accommodation services, as well as financial services, held steady at zero percent in January 2025. (Table B)
 

Table C. Major Contributors to the Year-on-Year Inflation in Nueva Ecija:
January 2025

Major Contributors to the Headline Inflation

Nueva Ecija’s inflation in January 2025 was primarily influenced by the following commodity group:

a.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages with a 38.3 percent share or 0.96 percentage points;
b.    Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels with a 38.2 percent share or 0.95 percentage points;
c.    Health with a 5.6 percent share or 0.14 percentage points; 
d.    Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services with a 5.5 percent share or 0.14 percentage points;
e.    Clothing and footwear with a 4.5 percent share or 0.11 percentage points; and
f.    Furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance with a 4.0 percent share or 0.10 percentage points. (Table C)
 

Table D. Year-on-Year Changes in Inflation Rates on
Food Commodity, Nueva Ecija
(2018=100)

Food Inflation Accelerates to 2.7 Percent in January 2025

Nueva Ecija's food inflation expanded to 2.7 percent in January 2025 from 
2.0 percent in December 2024. However, it remained lower compared to January 2024, when food inflation stood at 5.1 percent.

Main Drivers to the Uptrend of Food Inflation

The rise in Nueva Ecija’s food inflation in January 2025 was primarily driven by the accelerated annual growth in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses, which recorded an inflation rate of 41.5 percent, up from 
29.6 percent in December 2024.

Additionally, inflation rates increased for fish and other seafood, meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, as well as oils and fats compared to the previous month.

In contrast, a slower increase was observed in the following food groups:

a.    Cereals and cereal products: -7.9 percent, down from -5.7 percent;
b.    Milk, other dairy products, and eggs: 2.1 percent, down from 4.3 percent;
c.    Fruits and nuts: 4.6 percent, down from 4.9 percent; and
d.    Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c.: 4.3 percent, down from 4.4 percent. (Table D)

Table E. Major Contributors to the Year-on-Year Food Inflation in Nueva Ecija, January 2025
 

Major Contributors to Food Inflation

With a food inflation rate of 2.7 percent, the commodity group contributed 38.5 percent, or 0.96 percentage points, to Nueva Ecija’s overall inflation in January 2025. The food groups that made the highest contributions to food inflation during the month were:

a.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses with 121.7 percent share or 3.28 percentage points;
b.    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with 47.7 percent share or 1.29 percentage points;
c.    Fish and other seafood with 18.3 percent share or 0.49 percentage points:
d.    Ready-made food and other food products, n.e.c. with a 7.6 percent share or 0.21 percentage points; 
e.    Fruits and nuts with 6.2 percent share or 0.17 percentage points; and
f.    Milk, other dairy products, and eggs with 6.1 percent share or 0.16 percentage points. (Table E)
 

Table F. Consumer Price Index, Inflation Rate Month-on-Month Percent Change, Purchasing Power of Peso in Nueva Ecija
(2018=100)
 

Consumer Price Index Registers at 135.1 in January 2025

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed to 135.1 in January 2025, up from 133.8 in December 2024. This means that PhP100.00 in 2018 was equivalent to PhP135.10 in January 2025, indicating a 35.1 percent increase in the average retail prices of a standard basket of goods and services. In comparison, the CPI in January 2024 was lower at 131.8. (Table F)

Nueva Ecija’s Purchasing Power of Peso Declines at PhP 0.74

The Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) in Nueva Ecija declined to PhP 0.74 in January 2025 from PhP 0.75 in January 2024. This means that using 2018 as the base year, one peso in 2018 was equivalent to only 74 centavos in January 2025. (Figure 3 and Table F)


 

Technical Notes

Approved for release:

GIRLIE G. DE GUZMAN
Officer-in-Charge
(Supervising Statistical Specialist)