AUGUST 2018

YEAR-ON-YEAR

Philippines

The country’s year-on-year inflation for the bottom 30% income households went up by 8.0 percent in August 2018. This was higher than the 7.3 percent annual increase in July 2018 and 3.0 percent in the same month of the previous year. The indices of all the commodity groups posted higher annual rates during the month, except for fuel, light and water (FLW) index whose annual increment slowed down to 10.2 percent (see Tables 3 and 4).

The annual rate of the food alone index at the country level likewise, picked up by 7.8 percent in August 2018. Its annual rate was pegged at 6.9 percent in the previous month and 3.0 percent during the same month in 2017(see Tables 5 and 7).

Relative to the annual growth rates in the previous month, higher annual mark-ups were also observed in the indices of all the food groups in August 2018, except for the index of corn which registered a slower annual hike of 3.0 percent this month (see Table 5).

National Capital Region (NCR)

Compared to a year ago level, prices for this particular group of consumers in NCR accelerated by 8.3 percent in August 2018. In the previous month, inflation settled to 7.6 percent, while in August 2017, the annual rate was observed at 4.7 percent. Contributing to the uptrend was the 8.1 percent annual mark-up noted in the heavily-weighted food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) index. Moreover, higher annual increases were also exhibited in the indices of clothing at 1.8 percent and services, 2.2 percent. Compared to their previous month’s rate, the indices of housing and repairs (H&R), FLW and miscellaneous posted lower annual gains this month (see Tables 3 and 4).

A higher annual increment of 7.3 percent was registered in the food alone index in the area during the month. In the previous month, its annual rate was posted at 6.1 percent and in August 2017, 4.7 percent (see Tables 5 and 7).

Relative to the annual rate in the previous month, annual upticks recorded in the indices of the following food groups were higher during the month:

• Rice (3.6%);
• Cereal preparations (3.0%);
• Fruits and vegetables (15.0%);
• Meat (7.2%); and
• Miscellaneous foods (7.9%).

Meanwhile, the annual rates in the indices of eggs fell by 5.2 percent and corn, 4.5 percent with the indices of dairy products and fish retaining their corresponding previous month’s rates of 8.7 percent and 12.3 percent (see Table 5).

Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Inflation in AONCR for the bottom 30% income households likewise, picked up by 8.0 percent in August 2018. Inflation was posted at 7.3 percent in the previous month and 3.0 percent in August 2017. Compared from their annual rates in July 2018, all the commodity groups registered higher annual gains in August 2018, except for the index of FLW which registered a slower annual hike of 10.1 percent during the period (see Tables 3 and 4).

Relative to their annual increases in the previous month, higher annual add-ons were observed in all regions in August 2018, except for Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) and Region X (Northern Mindanao), which exhibited lower annual rates of 6.9 percent and 8.1 percent, respectively, this month. Among the regions, the lowest annual increment was posted in Region VII (Central Visayas) at 5.3 percent, while the highest was observed in Region II (Cagayan Valley) at 11.0 percent (see Table 4).

Year-on-year change for the food alone index in AONCR rose by 7.8 percent this month. The annual rate picked up by 6.9 percent in July 2018 and 2.9 percent in August 2017 (see Tables 5 and 7).

Except for the index of corn whose annual gain decelerated to 3.0 percent, all the food groups recorded higher annual upticks during the month (see Table 5).

Note:

Monthly CPIs for the bottom 30% income households by province and selected cities are also available upon request at PSA, Price Statistics Division (Telephone Number: 376-1959)

See more at the Consumer Price Index for Bottom 30% Income Households Main page.