1. CPI of Food, Beverages and Tobacco (FBT): National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)
   

   The seasonally adjusted CPI of FBT items in NCR and AONCR correspondingly recorded at 129.8 and 134.6 in April were higher than their respective March levels of 129.7 and 134.1.

   Sufficient supply of fish and vegetables due to the prevalence of favorable weather condition caused prices of fish and vegetables in NCR to decline during the month. Continued abundant supply of fruits in season also pushed down prices of fruits in two areas. In addition, the good weather resulted to more production of eggs, thus prices of eggs went down in NCR markets. All these seasonal factors generally pushed down prices of FBT items in NCR and AONCR relative to the expected trend.

   The month-on-month inflation of seasonally adjusted CPI for FBT items in NCR and AONCR correspondingly increased by 0.1 percent and 0.4 percent in April from their respective rates of 0.0 percent and 0.2 percent.

2. CPI of Non-FBT items: National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)

The seasonally adjusted CPI of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR posted at their corresponding April levels of 151.5 and 145.2 were higher than their respective March levels of 150.8 and 144.6. Prices of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR were pushed up by the seasonal factors such as the observance of fiestas in many areas during the month.

Additions in the prices of seasonally adjusted CPI for non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR at 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent respectively in April were higher from their corresponding last month's rate of 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent.

Page last updated: May 4, 2007