MANILA, Philippines – Inflation slowed further in March to a six-month low of 1.8 percent, driven mainly by easing price pressures from food and non-alcoholic beverages.

“The primary reason for the lower inflation rate in March 2025 compared with Feb 2025 is the slower growth rate of food and non-alcoholic beverages,” National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said during a press conference.

Mapa said food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for a little more than half of the overall slowdown in the inflation rate.

Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday saw inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), settle at 1.8 percent from 2.1 percent in February.

This put the average price growth in the first three months of the year at 2.2 percent, well within the official target of 2 to 4 percent.

On an annual basis, it was also significantly down from the 3.4 percent in March 2024.