Year-on-Year Growth Rates, All Items
November 2015 - November 2016

•Year-on-Year

The annual adjustment of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level further picked up by 3.1 percent in November 2016. In the previous month, its annual growth was recorded at 3.0 percent, while in November 2015, it dropped by 2.1 percent. Higher annual hike was noted in the index of machinery and transport equipment at 0.2 percent. In addition, the annual movement of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index went up by 0.3 percent from -1.0 percent in the previous month. Lower annual increments were, however, registered in the indices of food at 4.1 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 9.9 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 2.0 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s rate (Table 1.2).
 

• On an annual basis, the GWPI in Luzon likewise accelerated by 3.3 percent in November 2016. In October 2016, its annual growth was 3.2 percent. Meanwhile, in November 2015, the annual rate was recorded at -2.4 percent. The annual add-on in beverages and tobacco index was higher at 2.3 percent; and in machinery and transport equipment index, 0.3 percent. Moreover, the index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials rose by 0.6 percent from -0.6 percent. The rest of the commodity groups either recorded slower annual increases or retained their previous month’s rate (Table 2.2).
   

• The annual gain of GWPI in Visayas was slower at 2.6 percent in November 2016. It was pegged at 3.0 percent in October 2016 and -0.7 percent in November 2015. Negative annual rates were still registered in the indices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials at -2.2 percent and miscellaneous manufactured articles, -0.5 percent. In addition, lower annual mark-ups were observed in the indices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials at 0.7 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 0.9 percent. Other commodity groups either had higher annual upticks or moved at their last month’s rate (Table 3.2).
   

• The annual movement of GWPI in Mindanao further climbed by 1.7 percent in November 2016. In the previous month, it rose by 1.1 percent while in November 2015, it went down by 1.4 percent. Higher annual uptick was noticed in manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index at 1.0 percent. On the other hand, the annual increment in food index slowed down to 4.5 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 9.0 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 0.5 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.3 percent. The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials continued to drop as it posted an annual decline of 6.3 percent during the month. A zero growth was recorded in the indices of beverages and tobacco and machinery and transport equipment (Table 4.2).

•By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
 

On a monthly basis, the increase of GWPI at the national level decelerated to 0.3 percent in November 2016. In October 2016, it gained by 1.4 percent. A negative monthly rate of 1.0 percent was noted in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index. Moreover, the monthly growth in the indices of food eased to 0.4 percent and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 0.9 percent. On the other hand, the index of crude materials, inedible except fuels moved up by 1.4 percent compared to -0.1 percent in the previous month. From zero growth in the previous month, the index of beverages and tobacco likewise, inched up by 0.1 percent. Movements in the indices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment retained their previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent while that for miscellaneous manufactured articles index had zero growth (Table 1.1).

• The food index in Luzon picked up by 0.4 percent in November 2016. Selected food items such as pork, beef, fruits, vegetables, sugar, copra meal and desiccated coconut were priced higher during the month. In Visayas, upward price adjustments in beef, fish and fruits raised its food index by 0.4 percent. Meanwhile, lower prices of live weight hogs, fruits, sugar and rice bran in Mindanao resulted to a 0.2 percent decrease in its food index. At the national level, the group’s index moved up by 0.4 percent during the period.
   

• The index of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials in Luzon picked up by 1.1 percent. This was brought about by the price hikes in gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, bunker fuel, crude petroleum oil and LPG. Similarly, the group’s index in Mindanao accelerated by 2.8 percent due to upward adjustment in the price of gasoline. However, the group’s index in Visayas fell by 3.4 percent as prices of gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene went down in the area. For the Philippines, the group’s index advanced by 0.9 percent.
   

• Higher prices of copra pushed up the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels in Luzon and Visayas by 1.5 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the group’s index in Mindanao had zero growth. At the country level, the index recorded 1.4 percent growth during the month.
   

• In Luzon, prices of selected tires and inner tubes, G.I. pipe, nails and barbed wire went up during the month. Thus, the index for manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials in the area inched up by 0.1 percent. A zero growth was noticed, however, in the group’s index in Visayas and Mindanao. At the national level, the group’s index rose by 0.1 percent.
   

• A 0.1 percent growth in machinery and transport equipment index in Luzon was due to higher prices in battery and electrical lamps. The group’s index in Visayas and Mindanao, however, had zero growth during the period. For the Philippines, the group’s index moved up by 0.1 percent.
   

• The index of beverages and tobacco in Luzon gained 0.1 percent brought about by higher prices in selected liquors and cigarettes. On the other hand, the group’s index in Visayas and Mindanao posted zero growth. At the country level, the group’s index increased by 0.1 percent.
   

• The index of chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats in Luzon declined by 1.2 percent as the price of coconut oil was lower in the area during the month. In Visayas, the group’s index likewise, dropped by 0.2 percent. This was due to price reduction in fertilizer. Declines in the prices of selected medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations also pushed down the group’s index in Mindanao by 0.1 percent. For the Philippines, the group’s index decreased by 1.0 percent.
   

• A 0.1 percent uptick in the miscellaneous manufactured articles in Mindanao was due to the upward adjustments in the prices of selected clothing products. A zero growth was noticed, however, in the group’s index in Luzon and Visayas. At the national level, the group’s index recorded zero growth.

NOTE: GWPI by sub-group for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and at the national level are also available upon request at PSA, Price Statistics Division (Telephone Number: 376-1959).