Month-on-Month Growth Rates

• Philippines

The seasonally adjusted CPI for all items and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at the national level both went up by 0.3 percent in November. It was the same rate recorded in October. Likewise, the indices of clothing and footwear and health retained their previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent and education, 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, higher increments were noted in indices of non-food at 0.3 percent in November from 0.2 percent in October; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent. The index of recreation and culture moved up at a slower pace of 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent.

Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor like higher production of selected goods in preparation for the Christmas season pushed up the indices for all items and education. This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Non-Food;
• Clothing and Footwear;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House;
• Health; and
• Recreation and Culture.

The index for restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services was not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 1).

• National Capital Region (NCR)

The monthly gain of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in NCR decelerated to 0.3 percent in November from 0.4 percent in October and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.4 percent from 0.5 percent. Similarly, a 0.2 percent growth recorded in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and education was slower during the month compared from their corresponding previous month’s rates of 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent. The indices of health and recreation and culture also moved up at a slower rate of 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, increases were higher in the indices of non-food at 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent; clothing and footwear, 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.9 percent from 0.8 percent. The index of food and non-alcoholic beverages posted a decrease of 0.1 percent during the month from a growth of 0.4 percent in October. Movement in furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house index remained at 0.2 percent.

The seasonal factor like the on-going production of selected goods in preparation for the coming Christmas season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All Items;
• Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages;
• Recreation and Culture;
• Education; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and health while it did not affect the indices for non-food and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house (see Table 2).

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

In AONCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for clothing and footwear went up by 0.2 percent in November from 0.1 percent in October and transport, 0.3 percent from -0.1 percent. The same previous month’s rates were registered in the following commodity groups:

• All Items (0.3 percent);
• Non-food and Education (0.2 percent);
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (0.4 percent); and
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House; Health; and Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (0.1 percent).

The seasonal factor like the increase in production of selected goods in preparation for the coming holiday season pushed up the indices for all items and education relative to the expected trend. On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Non-food;
• Clothing and Footwear;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House;
• Health;
• Transport; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (see Table 3).