• Month-on-Month

  The monthly growth of the wholesale price index of selected construction materials in the National Capital Region (NCR) was recorded at 0.1 percent in January, same rate posted last month. This was effected by the 0.6 percent uptick in the fuels and lubricants index in January from -0.4 percent in December. Moreover, from zero growth, the indices of the following commodity groups went up during the month: sand and gravel, concrete products, G.I. sheet and plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks, 0.3 percent; structural steel, 0.6 percent; and asphalt, 1.2 percent. Meanwhile, slower monthly gains were noted in the indices of plywood and painting works at 0.5 percent from 1.0 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively; and electrical works, 0.1 percent from 0.5 percent. On the other hand, declines were correspondingly seen in the indices of cement and reinforcing steel at -1.6 percent and -0.9 percent while the rest of the commodity groups had a zero growth.

• Year-on-Year

  The annual increase in the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index in NCR further slowed down to 7.5 percent in January from 8.3 percent in December. It resulted from the -4.3 percent drop in the cement index in January from -2.6 percent in December. Likewise, slower annual rates were observed in the following indices: concrete products (6.1% from 6.6%), hardware (6.0% from 6.4%), lumber (7.4% from 7.9%), reinforcing steel (8.7% from 10.2%), tileworks (6.7% from 7.3%), doors, jambs and steel casement (7.5% from 7.8%), PVC pipes (2.5% from 3.0%), and fuels and lubricants (12.1% from 14.9%). However, the annual growths in the indices of sand and gravel, plywood, G.I. sheet, structural steel, painting works and asphalt moved up during the period. The same previous month's annual rates were registered in the indices of glass and glass products, electrical works and plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks while that for machinery and equipment rental was still zero.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: February 21, 2012