Month-on-Month

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) moved at a slightly slower rate of increase of 0.5 percent in March from 0.6 percent in February. Increments in the prices of interior electrical fixtures and devices and electrical rough-in materials decelerated to 0.6 percent and 0.8 percent from 1.9 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively. On the other hand, growth rates in the prices of lumber, plywood, hardware, metal pipes, paints and tileworks are on the uptrend. The rest of the commodity groups posted a zero growth this month.

Year-on-Year

Year-on-year inflation rate based on the CMWPI in NCR eased to 11.3 percent in March from 12.7 percent in February. Lower rates were seen in the prices of the following commodity groups: sand and stone, 12.9 percent in March from 13.9 percent in February; cement, 14.3 percent from 15.4 percent; fuel and lubricants, 19.3 percent from 20.1 percent; hardware, 14.0 percent from 18.2 percent; concrete products, 8.0 percent from 8.2 percent; paints, 17.7 percent from 18.2 percent; reinforcing steel, 12.2 percent from 17.5 percent; structural steel, 5.5 percent from 9.2 percent; and G.I. sheets, 16.7 percent from 21.0 percent. Annual price gains were however higher in the prices of lumber, plywood, metal pipes, plumbing fixtures, interior electrical fixtures and devices, tileworks and electrical rough-in materials. Annual rates recorded in the prices of asphalt, aluminum and other metal products, blasting materials, machinery and equipment rental and UPVC water pipes were zero. The annual inflation for the rest of the commodity groups were still similar with their previous month's rates.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines