Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items
April 2011 - April 2012

p - pleminary
r - revised

Year-on-Year

• The annual growth of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) in the country went up at a slower pace of 1.2 percent in April from 2.6 percent in March. This was effected by the decline in the annual rate of crude materials, inedible except fuels index at -26.3 percent from -15.9 percent and chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, -5.1 percent from -3.4 percent. Moreover, slower annual gains were recorded in the following indices: beverages and tobacco (2.5% from 3.0%); mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (4.3% from 8.6%); manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials (2.8% from 3.4%); and machinery and transport equipment (0.7% from 0.8%). On the other hand, the annual growth of the food index picked up to 2.1 percent from 1.1 percent while that for miscellaneous manufactured articles index moved at its last month's rate of 2.2 percent.
  

• The annual rate of increase of the GWPI in Luzon also improved to 1.2 percent in April from 2.9 percent last month. The corresponding annual hikes in the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels and chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats further dropped by -27.5 percent and -7.1 percent from -17.0 percent and -5.0 percent, respectively. Except for the food index whose annual change grew by 2.7 percent from 1.6 percent, the rest of the commodity groups posted slower annual upticks.
  

• In Visayas, the annual adjustment of the GWPI was still negative at -0.6 percent in April from -0.4 percent in March. The food index had an annual decrease of -1.0 percent in April from -2.2 percent last month; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, -20.0 percent from -8.9 percent; and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, -0.9 percent from 0.7 percent. In addition, the annual growth in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index slowed to 2.3 percent from 2.5 percent. Meanwhile, the annual movement in beverages and tobacco index inched up to 2.5 percent from 2.3 percent. The annual additions in the indices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment remained at their respective last month's rates of 1.8 percent and 0.4 percent while that for miscellaneous manufactured articles was zero.
  

• In Mindanao, the annual growth of the GWPI eased to 2.1 percent in April from 2.2 percent in March. The annual rate of change in crude materials, inedible except fuels index went down by -4.1 percent from -3.0 percent. Likewise, a slower annual gain was seen in beverages and tobacco index at 3.2 percent from 4.1 percent and mineral fuels, lubricants and related material index, 3.9 percent from 5.3 percent. Higher annual upticks were however observed in the indices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials (5.1% from 4.9%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (2.6% from 2.4%). The same previous month's annual rates were correspondingly registered in the indices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats and machinery and transport equipment at 4.4 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively while that for the food index was zero.
  

• By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

  On a monthly basis, wholesale prices of commodities at the national level generally remained stable as the GWPI had a zero growth during the month due to the offsetting price movements among the commodity groups. The heavily- weighted food index moved up by 0.5 percent in April from 0.2 percent in March. Meanwhile, slower monthly increases were noted in the indices of beverages and tobacco and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials (0.1 % from 0.3%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles index (0.1% from 0.5%). The crude materials, inedible except fuels index dropped by -1.3 percent from -2.7 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, -0.3 percent from 4.1 percent; and chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, -0.4 percent from 0.8 percent. No movement was seen in the machinery and transport equipment index.
  

  • Higher prices of some food items such as chicken, selected fresh fish species, cheese, milk and milk products, and canned goods pushed up the food index in Visayas by 0.8 percent and in Luzon, 0.6 percent. Movement in the group's index in Mindanao however was still negative at -0.4 percent as lower prices of rice, wheat flour and some fruits and vegetables were observed during the reference month. Price reductions in unprocessed animal feeds in the area also contributed to the decrease. The national index for food rose 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent.
    

  • Prices of selected office supplies and other miscellaneous manufactures were up in Mindanao hence, its index for miscellaneous manufactured articles advanced 0.3 percent. In Luzon and Visayas, the group's index had a zero growth. At the national level, the index gained 0.1 percent.
    

  • In Visayas, upward adjustments in the prices of some softdrinks raised the beverages and tobacco index by 0.2 percent. The monthly rate in the group's index in Luzon inched up 0.1 percent brought about by the price upticks in selected liquors. In Mindanao, prices of beverages and tobacco generally remained stable as its group's index had a zero growth. The group's index in the Philippines went up at a slower rate of 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent.
    

  • Price hikes were recorded in plywood, tiles, abaca rope, paper and paper products in Mindanao. Thus, the manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index in the area grew 1.0 percent. In Luzon, reductions in the prices of some paper products and paperboard manufactures were offsetted by the increments in the prices of plywood, cement, doors and windows. Hence, the group's index in the area had a zero growth. On the average, wholesale prices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials in Visayas were stable. At the national level, the group's index rose 0.1 percent.
    

  • The crude materials, inedible except fuels index in Visayas and Luzon declined by -5.8 percent and -0.8 percent, respectively. The downtrend was due to the lower prices of copra and charcoal during the month. In Mindanao, cutback in the prices of firewood and bamboo resulted to the -1.5 percent decline in its group's index. Thus, the national index dropped by -1.3 percent.
    

  • In Mindanao, the chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index grew 0.7 percent as prices of fertilizers and selected medical preparations were priced higher during the month. On the other hand, downward adjustment in the prices of coconut oil, some inorganic acids, fertilizers and other cleaning compounds pushed down the group's index in Luzon by -0.5 percent. Meanwhile, prices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats in Visayas generally remained stable as its group's index had a zero growth. These movements resulted to a decrease of -0.4 percent in the national index.
    

  • Price rollbacks on selected petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene were noticed in Luzon and Visayas. Thus, the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in Luzon decreased -0.2 percent and in Visayas,-1.0 percent. The group's index in Mindanao however had a zero growth while the national index posted a decline of -0.3 percent.
    

  • The index of machinery and transport equipment in the three areas and at the national level had a zero growth during the month.
    

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  Source: National Statistics Office
  Manila, Philippines
  
  Page last revised: June 19, 2012