• Inflation for the bottom 30% income households in the Philippines jumped to 4.8 percent in the fourth quarter from 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2013. The uptrend was brought about by the higher annual mark-ups in the heavily-weighted food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) index and in fuel, light and water (FLW) index. The fourth quarter average inflation in 2012 was 3.0 percent.
  
• The annual average inflation of the CPI for bottom 30% income households at the national level for the year 2013 accelerated to 3.7 percent from 2.9 percent in 2012.

  • Similarly, inflation in National Capital Region (NCR) advanced 3.5 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013. This was effected by the higher annual growths in FBT and FLW indices.

  • The annual average inflation in NCR for the year 2013 picked up 2.2 percent from 1.8 percent in 2012.

  • Following the same trend, inflation in Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR) leaped to 4.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from 3.5 percent in the previous quarter due to higher annual increments in FBT and FLW indices.

  • The annual average inflation for the year 2013 in AONCR climbed to 3.8 percent from 2.8 percent in 2012.

• Higher prices in LPG and increased charges in electricity rates were observed during the quarter in many regions. Upward price adjustments in the heavily-weighted food items such as rice, fruits, vegetables and fish were also noted. Hence, the quarter-on-quarter inflation in the CPI for bottom 30% income households in the Philippines moved up by 1.6 percent in the last quarter of the year. This was however, slower than the 1.7 percent growth recorded in the third quarter.

Year-on-Year Inflation Rates in the Philippines, All Items

First Quarter 2007 - Fourth Quarter 2013

• By Region, Year-on-Year
  

• Annual inflation in NCR rose to 3.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from 1.1 percent in third quarter.

• Inflation in AONCR likewise grew by 4.8 percent during the fourth quarter from 3.5 percent in the third quarter. All the regions posted higher inflation rates with Northern Mindanao recording the highest annual rate at 6.2 percent. Meanwhile, Central Luzon and ARMM registered the lowest annual inflation at 3.2 percent.

• Among the regions in AONCR, the highest annual average inflation for the bottom 30% income households in 2013 was in Central Visayas at 6.4 percent while ARMM had the lowest annual average inflation at 1.5 percent.
  

• By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

  At the national level, the annual rate in FBT index went up to 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from its previous quarter growth of 4.1 percent and in FLW index, 2.4 percent from 1.9 percent. On the other hand, slower annual mark-ups were observed in clothing index at 1.9 percent from 2.1 percent; services index, 2.1 percent from 2.2 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.7 percent from 1.8 percent. The index for housing and repair (H&R) retained its third quarter’s rate of 2.5 percent.

  The country’s annual adjustment in the food alone index jumped to 4.8 percent during the fourth quarter from 3.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013.

  The annual hike in the rice index moved faster at 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter from 4.1 percent in the third quarter; fish index, 3.9 percent from 3.1 percent; fruits and vegetables index, 4.8 percent from 3.8 percent; meat index, 3.1 percent from 3.0 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 0.7 percent from -0.1 percent. On the contrary, the annual uptick in cereal preparations index decelerated to 2.5 percent from 2.6 percent and in dairy products index, 1.1 percent from 1.3 percent. Inflation for corn and eggs indices remained at 4.9 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

  The 2013 annual average inflation for food alone index at the national level went up 3.4 percent compared to 2.4 percent in 2012.

  The annual average inflation of FBT index accelerated to 4.2 percent in 2013 from 2.6 percent in 2012. The annual average inflation in clothing index however eased to 2.3 percent in 2013 from 2.6 percent in 2012; H&R index, 3.1 percent from 3.2 percent; FLW index, 2.0 percent from 5.6 percent; services index, 2.0 percent from 2.7 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.9 percent from 2.2 percent.
  

  • In NCR, annual inflation in FBT index grew faster at 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from 2.0 percent of the previous quarter and in FLW index, 0.8 percent from -2.2 percent. Meanwhile, the annual increments in clothing and H&R indices slowed to 0.6 percent from their corresponding last quarter’s rates of 0.8 percent and 0.9 percent. The annual rates in services and miscellaneous indices remained at 0.7 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

    The food alone index in NCR posted an annual inflation of 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013.

    Double-digit annual increases were correspondingly noted in rice and fruits and vegetables indices at 12.6 percent and 11.4 percent. Moreover, a higher annual gain was registered in corn index at 6.9 percent from 2.1 percent; fish index, 1.1 percent from 0.3 percent; meat index, from 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 1.0 percent from 0.6 percent. The annual hike in cereals preparations index however improved to 1.4 percent from 1.7 percent while the eggs index retained its last quarter’s rate of 0.6 percent. An annual decrease of 1.1 percent was still recorded in the dairy products index from -2.0 percent.

    The annual average inflation for food alone index in NCR advanced to 2.5 percent in 2013 from 1.4 percent in 2012.

    The FBT index gained 3.2 percent in 2013 from 1.6 percent in 2012. On the contrary, the annual average inflation for clothing index eased to 1.4 percent from 1.8 percent; H&R index, 1.3 percent from 3.4 percent; services index, 0.6 percent from 1.3 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.3 percent from 2.3 percent. The FLW index had an annual average decline of 1.3 percent from a growth of 2.4 percent in 2012.

  • In AONCR, the annual hike in FBT index was recorded at 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from 4.0 percent in the third quarter and FLW index, 2.5 percent from 2.0 percent. The rest of the commodity groups, however, either had lower annual inflation or retained their last quarter’s rate.

    The annual change in food alone index in AONCR climbed to 4.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 from 3.1 percent in the third quarter.

    The annual adjustment in rice index went up 8.4 percent from 4.1 percent as all the regions recorded higher annual rates. The biggest jump of 7.4 percentage points was noted in Bicol (13.0% from 5.6%).

    The annual movement in eggs index grew by 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.4 percent in the third quarter; fish index, 3.9 percent from 3.1 percent; fruits and vegetables index, 4.7 percent from 3.9 percent; meat index, 3.2 percent from 3.0 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 0.7 percent from -0.2 percent. Except in corn index whose annual adjustment remained at 4.9 percent, the rest of the food groups had slower annual rates.

    The annual average inflation in the food alone index in AONCR increased to 3.4 percent in 2013 from 2.4 percent in 2012.

    The annual average inflation for FBT index in AONCR moved up to 4.3 percent in 2013 from 2.6 percent in 2012. On the other hand, annual average mark-ups in clothing index slackened to 2.4 percent from 2.6 percent; FLW index, 2.0 percent from 5.7 percent; services index, 2.0 percent from 2.8 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.9 percent from 2.2 percent. That for the H&R index remained at 3.2 percent.
    

• By Region, Quarter-to-Quarter

  Compared to a quarter ago level, prices of items for this particular group of consumers in NCR climbed 2.3 percent from 1.2 percent in the third quarter. The quarter-on-quarter inflation in the heavily-weighted FBT index accelerated by 2.7 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.4 percent in the third quarter; FLW index, 2.0 percent from 1.2 percent; and miscellaneous index, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent. The rest of the commodity groups either retained their third quarter’s rate or had zero growth.

  Price hikes in consumer items for the bottom 30% income group in AONCR eased to 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.7 percent in the third quarter. This was due to slower quarterly increments in all the commodity groups except in FBT and FLW indices.

  Seven regions had slower quarterly growth rates. The biggest slowdown of 1.7 percentage points (0.9% from 2.6%) was registered in SOCCSKSARGEN.

  Among the three big areas of the country, price gains in consumer items were generally slower in Mindanao compared to Luzon and Visayas.

• By Commodity Group, Quarter-to-Quarter

  On a quarterly basis, price increases at the national level decelerated to 1.6 percent in the fourth quarter from 1.7 percent in the third quarter of 2013. It resulted from the lower annual growths in all the commodity groups except in FBT and FLW indices.

  The rice index in the Philippines went up by 3.6 percent and in AONCR, 3.5 percent during the quarter. Higher quarterly growths were seen in nine regions with Bicol registering the highest rate of 6.8 percent. The group’s index in NCR likewise grew by 6.4 percent.

  The meat index in the AONCR moved up by 0.4 percent and in NCR, 0.2 percent as fresh and processed meat were generally priced higher during the quarter. At the national level, the group’s index inched up by 0.3 percent.

  Higher prices of milk and milk products observed in many regions during the quarter effected a 0.1 percent growth in the dairy products index in the Philippines and AONCR and in NCR, 0.3 percent.

  The unfavorable weather conditions experienced in many regions during the last quarter of the year limited supplies of fruits and vegetables thereby raising their prices in the markets. This factor caused the group’s index in the three areas to accelerate during the quarter: Philippines, 2.6 percent; NCR, 12.3 percent; and AONCR, 2.5 percent.

  The fish index in the Philippines and AONCR advanced 1.6 percent and in NCR, 2.5 percent. This was due to limited supplies of selected fish species in the markets due to difficulties in catching fish brought about by typhoons and tropical depressions experienced during the quarter.

  With eight regions registering higher quarterly rates, the corn index in the Philippines and AONCR went up 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter. The corn index in NCR likewise climbed by 4.3 percent.

  Price hikes in eggs noted in many regions pushed up the group’s index in the Philippines by 0.4 percent; NCR, 0.2 percent; and AONCR, 0.5 percent.

  The miscellaneous foods index in the Philippines and AONCR moved by 0.7 percent and in NCR, 0.5 percent as price increments in selected spices and seasonings and cooking oil were priced higher in many regions.
  

• Higher demand for footwear and wearing apparel during the holiday season resulted to a 0.3 percent growth in the clothing index in the Philippines and AONCR and 0.1 percent in NCR.

• The H&R indices in the Philippines and AONCR gained 0.3 percent due to price hikes in selected construction materials in many regions. In NCR, the group’s index had a zero growth during the quarter.

• Increased charges for medical services were observed in selected regions. Upward price adjustments in selected medicines and medical supplies were also noted. Thus, the services indices in the Philippines and AONCR inched up 0.1 percent. A zero growth for the group’s index was however posted in NCR.

• With increments in the prices for some items for household operations, the miscellaneous index in the Philippines and AONCR rose 0.3 percent during the quarter and in NCR, 0.2 percent.

• Higher price adjustments of LPG, charcoal, candles and in charges in electricity rates in many regions during the last quarter of the year raised the FLW indices in the Philippines and AONCR by 1.8 percent and in NCR, 2.0 percent.

Note:

1. The second survey reports from Basilan and Tawi-tawi for December 2013 were not received as of January 29, 2014.
   
2. Monthly CPIs for the bottom 30% income households by province and selected cities are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).