Food, Beverages and Tobacco (FBT) and Non-FBT Items
(NCR and AONCR - December 2008)

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 in NCR and AONCR correspondingly increased to 147.8 and 160.6 in December from their respective November levels of 147.7 and 160.2.

   The difficulty in catching fish species during the cold weather conditions that coincided with the moonlight nights limited the volume of fish supply in the markets, hence, fish prices went up. Moreover, higher demand for meat and meat products during the holiday season raised their prices. All these seasonal factors pushed up prices of FBT items in NCR. However, these seasonal factors did not pull up prices of FBT items in AONCR.

   Prices of seasonally adjusted CPI of FBT items in NCR and AONCR picked up by 0.2 percent in December from their corresponding November rates of 0.1 percent and -0.1 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 were correspondingly lower at 159.2 and 156.1 in December from their November levels of 162.9 and 158.4, respectively.

Seasonal factor such as bigger production of selected goods during the holiday season pulled down prices of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR.

The monthly rate of change of the seasonally adjusted CPI for non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR respectively went down by -2.3 percent and -1.5 percent in December from their corresponding November growth rates of -0.9 percent and -0.6 percent.

For technical notes and other related information,
please visit:
http://www.census.gov.ph
or contact the Economic Indicators and Indices Division, NSO
at telephone number 716-3935

Page last updated: January 6, 2009