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Release Date :
Reference Number :
2015-006

FOURTH QUARTER 2014


  • Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items
  • Area

    Fourth Quarter 2014

    Third Quarter 2014

    Fourth Quarter 2013

    Year-to-date

    Philippines

    5.1

    6.8

    4.8 strong>

    6.0

    NCR

    3.6

    6.8

    3.5

    5.3

    AONCR

    5.1

    6.8

    4.8

    6.0

    • The country’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households slowed down to 5.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. It was posted at 6.8 percent in the previous quarter and 4.8 percent in the same quarter last year. This can be attributed to the negative annual rate in fuel, light and water (FLW) index together with the slower annual growths in the indices of food , beverages and tobacco (FBT), housing and repairs (H&R) and services.
    • The annual average inflation of the CPI for bottom 30% income households at the national level for the year 2014 accelerated to 6.0 percent. In 2013, it was noted at 3.7 per cent.
      • Annual inflation in the National Capital Region (NCR) decelerated to 3.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Last quarter, the annual growth was recorded at 6.8 percent and 3.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013. This was effected by the negati ve rates in the FLW index. Slowdowns in the annual increments in the heavily-weighted FBT and services also contributed to the downtrend.

      • The annual average inflation in NCR for the year 2014 jumped to 5.3 percent. Last year, it was registered at 2 .2 percent.

      • Inflation in Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR) improved to 5.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. It was pegged at 6.8 percent in the third quarter of 2014 and 4.8 percent during the same period last year. This was mai nly brought about by the negative annual adjustment in the FLW index. Moreover, the rest of the commodity groups except the clothing index had lower rates during the quarter.

      • The annual average inflation for the year 2014 in AONCR climbed to 6.0 perc ent from its 2013 figure of 3.7 percent.

  • Quarter-to-Quarter Inflation Rates, All Items
  • Area

    Fourth Quarter 2014

    Third Quarter 2014

    Philippines

    0.0

    1.9

    NCR

    -0.8

    1.8

    AONCR

    0.0

    1.9

    • Prices of items for consumers belonging to the bottom 30% income households were generally stable compared to 1.9 percent growth in the previous quarter as exhibited by its quarter-to-quarter change of zero percent. Rollbacks in the prices of gasoline, diesel, kerosene and LPG all over the country and lower charges in the electricity rates were noted in many regions during the quarter. Declines in the prices of food items in NCR such as fruits, vegetables, chicken, pork, crabs and shrimps were also observed.

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

    First Quarter 2007 - Fourth Quarter 2014

    Quarter

    Year

    2007

    2008

    2009

    2010

    2011

    2012 2013

    2014

    1st

    3.4

    6.9

    12.3

    4.2

    4.6

    2.7 3.5

    5.7

    2nd

    2.8

    14.3

    5.5

    3.5

    5.4

    2.4 3.1

    6.5

    3rd

    2.7

    19.3

    0.2

    3.7

    5.2

    3.1 3.5 6.8

    4th

    4.1

    15.1

    3.4

    3.1

    5.2

    3.0 4.8

    5.1

    Average

    3.3

    13.9

    5.4

    3.6

    5.1

    2.9 3.7

    6.0

    • By Region, Year-on-Year

    • Annual inflation in NCR eased to 3.6 percent in the fourth quarter.

    • Inflation in AONCR likewise improved to 5.1 percent during the fourth quarter. All the regions had annual slower growths with Caraga registering the lowest annual rate of 3.5 percent. Meanwhile, the highest annual growth of 7.9 percent remained in Eastern Visayas.

    • By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

    • At the national level, the year-on-year movement of the FLW index dropped by 2.2 percent. Moreover, slower annual gains were seen in the indices of FBT at 6.6 percent; H&R, 2.4 percent; and services, 1.5 percent. On the other hand, a higher annual growth of 2.2 percent was observed in the clothing index. That for miscellaneous index remained at its third quarter rate of 1.5 percent.

      The country’s annual adjustment in the food alone index settled to 6.8 percent during the fourth quarter of 2014. Last quarter, it was 8.7 percent.

      Lower annual hikes were noted in the following food groups: rice index, 9.4 percent; corn index, 6.2 percent; fish index, 4.5 percent; fruits and vegetables index, 6.8 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 6.7 percent. On the contrary, the annual rate in the cereal preparations index was higher at 3.4 percent; dairy products, 3.2 percent; and eggs index, 5.7 percent. The meat index retained its third quarter rate of 5.3 percent.

      The 2014 annual average growth of the food alone index at the national level went up to 7.5 percent. It was reported at 3.4 percent in 2013.

      The annual average rate of the FBT index accelerated to 7.4 percent in 2014 and FLW index, 2.1 percent. However, that for the clothing index eased to 2.2 percent in 2014; H&R index, 2.7 percent; services index, 1.9 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.6 percent.

      • In NCR, the annual growth in the FLW index went down by 7.0 percent during the fourth quarter of 2014. Moreover, the annual add-ons in the FBT and services indices correspondingly slowed to 6.0 percent and 1.3 percent. Meanwhile, the annual growth in clothing index picked up 2.0 percent and H&R index, 1.3 percent. That for the miscellaneous index remained at 3.4 percent.

        The annual mark-up in the food alone index in NCR slowed to 6.1 percent during the quarter. Its annual growth last quarter was recorded at 9.4 percent.

        A negative annual rate of 3.2 percent was noted in the fruits and vegetables index. In addition, the annual gain in the rice index moved slower at 14.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014; fish index, 3.2 percent, meat index, 6.7 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 3.6 percent. The rest of the food groups had faster annual rates with the cereals preparations index retaining its last quarter’s movement of 3.6 percent.

        The annual average growth of food alone index in NCR advanced to 7.2 percent in 2014 from its 2013 rate of 2.5 percent.

        The FBT index recorded an annual average rate of 7.0 percent in 2014; clothing index, 1.5 percent; H&R index, 0.9 percent; FLW index, 0.1 percent; services index, 1.3 percent; and miscellaneous index, 2.9 percent.

      • In AONCR, the annual movement in the FLW index decreased by 2.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. Lower annual increments were seen in the rest of the commodity groups except for the clothing index which posted a higher annual uptick of 2.2 percent.

        The annual increase in the food alone index in AONCR improved to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 from the previous quarter’s growth of 8.7 percent.

        The annual hike in the rice index decelerated to 9.4 percent in the fourth quarter as all the regions recorded lower rates during the quarter. The lowest annual change of 4.8 percent was in SOCCSKSARGEN while the highest was in MIMAROPA at 14.6 percent.

        A slower annual gain was seen in corn index at 6.2 percent; fish index, 4.5 percent; fruits and vegetables index, 6.9 percent; meat index, 5.2 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, 6.8 percent.

        The annual average growth of the food alone index in AONCR increased to 7.5 percent in 2014 from a rate of 3.4 percent in 2013.

        The annual average adjustment of FBT index in AONCR moved up to 7.4 percent in 2014 and FLW index, 2.1 percent. On the other hand, the annual average mark-up in clothing index eased to 2.2 percent; H&R index, 2.7 percent; services index, 1.9 percent; and miscellaneous index, 1.5 percent.

    • By Region, Quarter-to-Quarter

    • Compared to a quarter ago level, prices of items for this particular group of consumers in NCR went down by 0.8 percent in the fourth quarter. The FBT index declined by -0.2 percent; FLW index, -5.4 percent; and services index, -0.5 percent. Moreover, the quarterly add-ons in H&R and miscellaneous indices were slower at 0.1 percent. That for the clothing index was higher at 0.5 percent.

    • Prices of consumer items for the bottom 30% income group in AONCR was generally stable as its quarter-on-quarter growth was zero in the fourth quarter. Positive quarterly growths were recorded in FBT index at 0.2 percent; clothing index, 0.3 percent; H&R index, 0.1 percent and miscellaneous index, 0.2 percent. These were however, offset by the negative rates in FLW and services indices at -2.7 percent and -0.1 percent, respectively.

    • Nine regions had negative rates while the rest recorded slower quarterly movements. The lowest rate was in SOCCSKSARGEN at -2.5 percent while the highest was in Eastern Visayas at 1.0 percent.

    • Among the three big areas of the country, prices of consumer items generally declined in Mindanao compared to Luzon and Visayas.

    • By Commodity Group, Quarter-to-Quarter

    • Measured from the previous quarter level, prices of consumer items at the national level for this particular group recorded a zero growth in the fourth quarter. Negative rates were noted in the FLW and services indices at -2.7 percent and -0.1 percent, respectively. The quarterly rates of the rest of the commodity groups decelerated during the quarter.

      Prices of ginger and garlic generally went down in many regions. Hence, the miscellaneous foods index in the Philippines and AONCR decreased by 1.7 percent and in NCR, -1.0 percent.

      With twelve regions registering either lower or negative rates, the corn index in the Philippines and AONCR declined by 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter. The corn index in NCR however, went up to 7.6 percent.

      Cheaper prices of fruits such as banana and papaya primarily pushed down the fruits and vegetables index in NCR by 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014. In AONCR, upticks in the prices of eggplants and ampalaya were tempered by the decreases in the price of tomatoes, cabbage and banana. Hence, the fruits and vegetables index in AONCR slowed to 2.3 percent. At the national level, the group’s index likewise moved at a slower pace of 2.2 percent.

      The dairy products index in NCR picked up by 1.3 percent and in AONCR, 0.6 percent as milk and milk products were generally priced higher during the quarter. The group’s index in the Philippines grew by 0.6 percent.

      Lower prices of sea foods such as crabs and shrimps in NCR markets mainly resulted to the 0.2 percent reduction in the fish index in the area. Likewise, shrimps and crabs were also priced lower in selected regions. However, the difficulty in catching fish due to cold mornings and bad weather conditions brought by typhoon “Ruby” limited the volume of fish supply in many regions. Hence, the fish index in AONCR and at the national level gained 0.6 percent.

      The meat index in NCR dropped by 1.5 percent due to price cuts in pork and chicken in the area during the quarter. In AONCR, higher prices of chicken and preserved meat in many regions were softened by the decreases in prices of pork and beef in selected regions. Hence, the meat index in AONCR and in the Philippines eased to 0.3 percent.

      Price hikes in eggs noted in most of the regions resulted to the 2.1 percent growth in its group’s index in AONCR; 2.4 percent in NCR; and 2.1 percent in the Philippines.

    • Lower charges in the electricity rates in many regions together with lower prices in kerosene and LPG nationwide pushed down the FLW index in the Philippines and AONCR by 2.7 percent and in NCR, -5.4 percent.

    • The series of price rollbacks in gasoline and diesel were observed nationwide. Thus, the services index in the Philippines and AONCR declined by 0.1 percent and in NCR, -0.5 percent.

    • Upticks in the prices of clothing and footwear items generally caused a 0.3 percent growth in the clothing index in the Philippines and in AONCR and in NCR, 0.5 percent.

    • Movement in the H&R index in the three areas was pegged at 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter due to price increments in selected construction materials.

    • The miscellaneous items index in NCR inched up 0.1 percent and in the Philippines and AONCR, 0.2 percent. This was brought about by the price increases in some items for household operations and personal care and effects.


    Note:

    1. The first and second survey reports for the CPI for bottom 30% income households from Basilan for October, November and December 2014 were not received as of January 28, 2015.
    2. Monthly CPIs for the bottom 30% income households by province and selected cities are also available upon request at PSA, Economic Sector Statistics Services (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).

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