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

•Year-on-Year

The year-on-year growth of General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level went up to 1.7 percent in September 2016. Last month, the index moved at 0.8 percent, while in September 2015, it dropped by 4.3 percent. The increase was due to higher annual increment in the heavily-weighted food index at 4.0 percent. Moreover, faster annual rates were also seen in the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels at 21.4 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 3.3 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 0.3 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 1.5 percent. Slower annual gain was, however, noticed in the beverages and tobacco index at 1.9 percent. On the other hand, the annual change in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index decreased by 4.8 percent while machinery and transport equipment index moved at its previous month’s rate of 0.2 percent (Table 1.2).
 

• On an annual basis, the GWPI in Luzon climbed 1.6 percent in September 2016. In August 2016, the rate was 0.4 percent and in September 2015, -4.9 percent. Higher annual upticks were observed in the indices of food at 3.6 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 22.5 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 4.0 percent; and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 0.5 percent. Meanwhile, movement in the beverages and tobacco index slowed down to 2.2 percent. In addition, annual adjustment of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index fell by 4.6 percent. Annual movements in the indices of machinery and transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured articles remained at 0.3 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively (Table 2.2).
   

• The annual gain of the GWPI in Visayas improved to 2.6 percent in September 2016. This was attributed to the continued decrease in the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at -0.8 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, -2.0 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, -0.5 percent. Likewise, lower annual growths were noted in food index at 5.9 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 1.2 percent. On the contrary, upward annual adjustment was noticed in the crude materials, inedible except fuels index at 15.2 percent. That for beverages and tobacco index remained at its last month’s rate of 1.3 percent and machinery and transport equipment index, 0.1 percent (Table 3.2).
   

• The annual growth of GWPI in Mindanao decelerated to 1.3 percent in September 2016. Negative annual rates were still registered in the indices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials at -11.3 percent and machinery and transport equipment, -0.1 percent. Moreover, slow-paced annual growths were seen in the indices of food at 4.7 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 12.9 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, annual add-on in manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index was higher at 0.8 percent and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.5 percent. For five consecutive months now, the index for beverages and tobacco remained at 0.5 percent (Table 4.2).

•By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
On a monthly basis, the GWPI at the national level increased by 0.4 percent in September 2016. Higher growths were noticed in the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels at 1.1 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 2.0 percent; machinery and transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured articles, both at 0.1 percent. The index for manufactured goods classified chiefly by material maintained its previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent while the rest of the commodity groups recorded flat growth (Table 1.1).
 

• Price hikes in gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, crude petroleum oil and LPG pushed the index for mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials by 2.3 percent in Luzon. Similarly, the group’s index in Visayas rose by 0.2 percent due to upward adjustments in the prices of gasoline. A flat growth was, however, noticed in the group’s index in Mindanao. For the Philippines, the group’s index advanced by 2.0 percent.
   

• The index for crude materials, inedible except fuels index in Luzon climbed by 1.0 percent due to the increments in the prices of copra and abaca fiber. Similarly, the group’s index in Visayas inched up 3.5 percent as copra was priced higher during the month. However, a 0.2 percent drop in the group’s index in Mindanao was observed. This was due to reductions in the prices of bamboo pole. The national index escalated by 1.1 percent.
   

• In Luzon, prices of cement, selected paper products and inner tubes for tire went up during the month. Thus, the index for manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials in the area inched up 0.1 percent. Higher prices of G.I. sheets were noted in Visayas. Hence, a 0.2 percent growth was observed in its group’s index. The group’s index in Mindanao, likewise, moved up 0.3 percent brought about by higher prices of cement, stamped, coated and engraved metals and inner tubes for tire. At the country level, the group’s index registered a 0.1 percent growth.
   

• The 0.1 percent growth in machinery and transport equipment index in Luzon was due to the increases in the prices of selected electrical apparatus and appliances. A flat growth was noticed, however, in the group’s index in Visayas and Mindanao. For the Philippines, it moved up by 0.1 percent.
   

• The 0.1 percent uptick in the miscellaneous manufactured articles index in Luzon was due to the upward adjustments in the prices of selected printed matters and office and school supplies. Likewise, the group’s index in Mindanao gained by 0.7 percent as prices of some clothing items, magazines and watches went up during the month. In Visayas, the group’s index recorded a flat growth. At the national level, the group’s index rose 0.1 percent.

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).