Inquirer
PH inflation slowed to 1.8% in March, a near 5-yr low
Inflation in the Philippines eased to a six-month low of 1.8% in March 2025, the lowest rate since May 2020.
This rate is down from 2.1% in February 2025 and 2.9% in January 2025, falling within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' target range.
The easing was primarily driven by slower price increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages, particularly a substantial decrease in rice prices.
Rice prices declined by 7.7% annually in March, the biggest percentage drop since March 2020, due to lower import tariffs and global commodity prices.
Core inflation also eased to 2.2% in March.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan stated that these results show the effectiveness of the government's proactive measures to stabilize prices.
He committed to monitoring risks like anticipated electricity rate hikes and higher prices of fish and meat.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Analysts anticipate that inflation in the Philippines further slowed in March due to decreasing food prices and reduced transportation expenses.
Read more →
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecasts March inflation to be between 1.7% and 2.5%.
+2
Read more →
Inflation in the Philippines significantly slowed to 1.8% in March 2025, the lowest in nearly five years, driven largely by a decrease in rice prices.
Read more →
House Speaker Martin Romualdez hailed the March inflation rate dropping to 1.8 percent, its lowest in nearly five years, as a positive development for Filipinos.
Read more →
Share prices surged on Thursday, marking a strong start to the second quarter for the local stock market, driven by positive expectations for the country's March inflation data.
+1
Read more →