Guimaras Sees Cheaper Food Prices for Second Straight Month

Food prices in Guimaras dropped again in April 2025, giving consumers some relief as inflation for all-income households fell to -2.1%, while low-income households saw an even bigger decrease at -2.2%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

This marked the second consecutive month of food price deflation in the province, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The downward trend was primarily driven by price drops in major food staples, especially rice and sugar.

“For low-income households in Guimaras, the continued drop in food inflation was mainly driven by rice, which plunged to -11.0% in April from -4.3% in March, contributing a substantial 86.0% to the downward trend,” said Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare.

“This was followed by onions and shallots (fresh or chilled), which dropped to -12.3% from 53.4%, contributing 7.5%, and cane sugar, which declined to -7.1% from -4.2%, with a 1.9% share in the overall decrease,” she added.

For all-income households, the same commodities led the decline: rice eased to -10.8% from -4.5%, contributing 83.1%; onions and shallots dropped to -12.3% from 53.4%, contributing 8.7%; and cane sugar fell to -7.1%, contributing 1.9%.

The 8.3% inflation in ready-made food and other food products also helped lower inflation among low-income households.

Similarly, slower inflation in oils and fats (4.6%) and ready-made foods (2.7%) eased food inflation for all-income groups.

“Notably, the inflation rate for oils and fats remained steady among low-income households, indicating a consistent price trend within this segment,” Losare said.

However, price increases were observed in meat, fish and other seafood, and milk, dairy products and eggs across all income groups.

The cost of fruits and nuts also continued to rise for both low- and all-income households.

Losare noted that for all-income households, the top contributors to April’s food inflation were cereals and cereal products at 127.5% or -2.68 percentage points, followed by vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 20.7% or -0.43 points, and fish and other seafood at 12.5% or -0.26 points.

“For the bottom 30% income households, cereals and cereal products accounted for 169.4% or -3.73 percentage points, followed by vegetables and similar products at 17.8% or -0.39 points, and sugar, confectionery and desserts at 6.9% or -0.15 points,” she said.

In Western Visayas, food inflation continued to decline in April, with most provinces and highly urbanized cities posting reduced or negative rates.

Aklan and Antique recorded the sharpest deflation at -4.6% and -4.4%, respectively.

Guimaras also sustained its downward trend with -2.1%, following -0.9% in March.

Negros Occidental posted a low food inflation rate of 1.2%, continuing its easing trajectory.

Among highly urbanized cities, Bacolod City recorded 0.8%, down from 1.6% in March, while Iloilo City held steady at 2.9% for the third straight month.

Capiz and Iloilo Province posted positive food inflation rates at 3.1% and 2.3%, respectively, but at slower paces than previous months.

“These figures highlight the region’s broad movement toward food price stability, with Guimaras emerging as one of the provinces achieving consistent and notable relief for consumers,” Losare said.