Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines

     The increment of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items at the national level slowed down to 0.1 percent in August 2019 from 0.2 percent in July 2019. The index for food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped by 0.1 percent, from zero growth in the previous month. Likewise, the index of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels fell by 0.1 percent during the month, which was also the rate in July 2019. Moreover, increases in the indices of non-food decelerated to 0.1 percent, from 0.3 percent; health, 0.2 percent from 0.4 percent; and education, 0.8 percent from 2.0 percent. Meanwhile, alcoholic beverages and tobacco index picked up by 1.9 percent from 0.7 percent. The same previous month’s rate was noted in the indices of clothing and footwear at 0.4 percent, and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.3 percent. The index of recreation and culture registered zero growth during the month, from 0.1 percent in July 2019.

     The lean season of August pushed down the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels. On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
• Health;
• Recreation and culture; and
• Education.

The indices for all items; non-food; clothing and footwear; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 1).
 

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages went down by 0.1 percent in August 2019, from 0.2 percent in July 2019; and non-food, 0.2 percent from zero growth. The indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house moved up at a slower pace of 0.1 percent, from 0.2 percent; and education index, 0.7 percent from 0.8 percent. On the contrary, a higher monthly increment was posted in alcoholic beverages and tobacco index at 1.7 percent during the month, from 0.7 percent in the previous month. The index of restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services moved up at 0.3 percent, while the index of recreation and culture had zero growth this month, from 0.3 percent uptick in the previous month.

     Relative to the expected trend, the lean month of August pushed down the index of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. However, this seasonal factor pushed up the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; recreation and culture; and education. The indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; non-food; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were generally not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 2).    
 

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     In AONCR, the growth of seasonally adjusted CPI for all items remained at 0.2 percent in August 2019. The index of restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services posted a 0.3 percent increase during the month. Higher monthly gains were noted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 1.8 percent, from  0.8 percent; clothing and footwear, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, increments in the indices of non-food slowed down to 0.1 percent from 0.5 percent; health, 0.3 percent from 0.5 percent; and education, 0.9 percent from 2.4 percent. The index of food and non-alcoholic beverages declined by 0.1 percent in August 2019 from zero growth in the previous month, while the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and recreation and culture posted zero growth this month.

The lean month of August did not affect the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All items;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels;
• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
• Health; and
• Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

     This seasonal factor, however, pushed up the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; clothing and footwear; recreation and culture; and education (see Table 3).

See more at the Seasonally Adjusted Consumer Price Index main page.