Month-on-Month Growth Rates

• Philippines

At the national level, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items went up by 0.2 percent in May from 0.1 percent in April; education, 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.2 percent from zero growth. Likewise, the indices of non-food and recreation and culture both inched up by 0.1 percent from zero growth. Moreover, the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels index picked up by 0.1 percent compared from -0.1 percent in the previous month. On the other hand, the indices of clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health retained their previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent.

Seasonal factors like the traditional fiesta celebrations in some parts of the country and the production of some goods in preparation for the opening of classes raised the indices of non-food and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels relative to the expected trend. On the contrary, these seasonal factors pushed down the indices for all items; recreation and culture; and education. These seasonal factors did not affect the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Clothing and Footwear
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House
• Health
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services
  

• National Capital Region (NCR)

In NCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items and non-food moved at their respective April rates of 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent. Meanwhile, higher monthly increments were noticed in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.5 percent from 0.3 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and education, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. In addition, the indices of recreation and culture and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services rose correspondingly by 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent from zero growth in the previous month. The indices for food and non-alcoholic beverages, however, increased at a slower pace of 0.3 percent from 0.6 percent and health, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent while a zero growth was registered in clothing and footwear index during the month.

The seasonal factors such as traditional fiesta celebrations in selected areas and production of selected goods for the opening of classes pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All Items
• Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House
• Health
• Recreation and Culture
• Education

These seasonal factors, however, pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; non-food; clothing and footwear; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services relative to the expected trend.

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

The seasonally adjusted CPI for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels in AONCR inched up by 0.1 percent in May from zero growth in April and education, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent. On the contrary, the transport index decreased by 0.1 percent from 0.4 percent while a zero growth was recorded in non-food index. The following commodity groups retained their previous month’s rate:

• All Items
• Clothing and Footwear
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House
• Health
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services

Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factors such as traditional festivities and production of selected goods for the opening of classes this school year raised the indices of non-food; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and transport. On the contrary, these seasonal factors pushed down the indices for all items and education. However, the following commodity groups were not affected by these seasonal factors:

• Clothing and Footwear
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House
• Health
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services