1.    Headline Inflation

The headline inflation in the province of Surigao del Norte decrease to 0.5 percent in April 2025, from 1.6 percent in March 2025. This is the lowest inflation since year 2020. On the other hand, the average inflation for the past 12 months of the year stood at 2.1 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

For comparison, the provincial headline inflation is lower compared with the regional and national headline inflation in April 2025.

1.1    Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Headline Inflation

The decrease in the inflation of the province in April 2025 was mainly brought about by the annual decrease in the Food and Non-Alcoholic

Beverages; Transport; and Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services. Aside from these commodity groups; Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco; Clothing and Footwear; and Recreation, Sport and Culture also present a decrease in their year-on-year inflation rate. (Table 10)
On the other hand, an increase in the year-on-year inflation rate of the five commodity groups namely: Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels; Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance; Health; Information and Communication; and Restaurants and Accommodation Services was observed.

The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates or had zero percent annual growth rates. These are:

a.    Education Services; and
b.    Financial Services;

1.2    Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation

The top three commodity groups contributing to the April 2025 overall inflation were the following: (Table 11)

a.    Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 81.7 percent share or 0.41 percentage points;
b.    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco with 30.2 percent share or 0.15 percentage points; and
c.    Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services with 14.9 percent share or 0.07 percentage points.

Among the three, the Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels is the only commodity group with an increasing trend in the inflation rate, which is 0.0 in March 2025 to 2.2 in April 2025.

2.    Food Index

This month’s food index, which is -1.0 has shown a decrease from 2.1 in March 2025. In April 2024, the food index was higher at 4.7 percent. (Table 7)

2.1    Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Headline Food Inflation

The three major contributors to the decreasing trend of the food inflation rate from March to April 2025 are fish and other seafood; cereals and cereal products; and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses. Aside from these commodity groups; meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals; oils and fats; sugar, confectionery and desserts; and ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. also present a decrease in their inflation.

On the other hand, all the other two food groups namely; milk, other dairy products and eggs; and fruits and nuts have increased in their inflation rate from March to April 2025. (Table 12)

2.2    Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation shared 45.2 percent to the overall inflation. The top three food groups in terms of contribution to the food inflation during the month were the following: (Table 13)

d.    Cereals and cereal products with 497.7 percent share or -4.98 percentage points;
e.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 16.9 percent share or -0.17 percentage points; and
f.    Oils and fats with -1.2 percent share or 0.01 percentage points.

3.    Purchasing Power of Peso

The purchasing power of peso is 0.79. This would mean that the amount of Php 100.00 in 2018 is now equivalent to Php 79.00. Moreover, this would also mean that you will need Php 127.00 to purchase the same goods and services worth Php 100.00 in 2018.

Approved for release:

(Sgd.) VIRGILIO G. AVELINA, JR
(Supervising Statistical Specialist) 
Officer-in-Charge
PSA Surigao del Norte