The inflation rate of the Philippines settled at 1.8% for the month of March this year based on the latest details released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), according to the news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). The confirmed inflation rate was the lowest since June 2020.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Inflation rate in March 2025 settled at 1.8 percent, marking a nearly five-year low, mainly due to slower price increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages, particularly lower prices of rice.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa said in a press briefing Friday that last month’s inflation was lower than the rate in February 2025 at 2.1 percent and the 3.7 percent in March 2024. PSA data showed that the inflation last month was the lowest since June 2020.
The PSA attributed the slower pace of price increases in March 2025 to the easing of food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation at 2.2 percent from 2.6 percent a month ago. Mapa said this commodity group shared 50.2 percent to the downtrend in inflation.
In particular, cereals and cereal products recorded a deflation, or decrease in prices, of 5.2 percent last month from a deflation of 3 percent in February 2025.
This commodity group includes rice, which recorded negative inflation for the past three months: -2.3 percent in January, -8.4 percent in February, and -7.7 percent in March.
Mapa said that since the Executive Order 62 took effect in July 2024, which reduced the tariff on imported rice, prices of the staple have substantially declined.
“Kung i-compare natin noong—say, base natin noong July 2024, kung saan nagsimula ‘yong reduction sa tariff, bumaba na rin substantially ‘yong presyo ng bigas per kilo [If we compare it to—(let’s) say, based on July 2024, when the tariff reduction started, the price of rice per kilogram has substantially decreased],” he said.
Citing PSA data, Mapa said comparing the prices from July 2024 to March 2025, average price reduction for regular milled rice was at PHP4.90, or from PHP51.11 per kilo to PHP46.09 per kilo.
Well milled rice also declined in the same period by PHP4.19 per kg., or from PHP56.44 per kg. to PHP52.25 per kg., and by PHP2.60 per kg. for special rice, or from PHP64.75 per kg. to PHP62.15 per kg., the national statistician added.
Aside from food and non-food beverages, inflation in transport group recorded -1.1 percent in March 2025 from -0.2 percent in February 2025.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you surprised that the inflation rate of the country settled at less than 2% for the month of March 2025? Do you think inflation will remain stable for the next six months?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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