Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines

     At the national level, the monthly growth of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items and clothing and footwear both moved up at a slower pace of 0.2 percent in May from 0.3 percent in April. Likewise, increases in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages and health decelerated to 0.1 percent in May from 0.4 percent in April; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.0 percent from 1.5 percent; and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and recreation and culture, both decelerated to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent. On the other hand, higher increments were observed in the indices of non-food at 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent and education, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent. Movements in the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services remained at their previous month’s rates of 0.3 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.

     Relative to the expected trend, seasonal factors such as the traditional fiesta celebrations in some parts of the country and the production of selected goods in preparation for the opening of classes pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

These seasonal factors, however, pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The indices for all items; clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health were not affected by these seasonal factors (see Table 1).
 

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     The month-on-month growth of the seasonally adjusted CPI for alcoholic beverages and tobacco in NCR slowed down to 0.7 percent in May from 1.3 percent in April. Moreover, increases were lower in the indices of non-food and recreation and culture at 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.2 percent from 0.4 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.5 percent from 0.6 percent. The index for education, however, moved up at a faster rate of 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent while food and non-alcoholic beverages index dropped by 0.8 percent from 0.6 percent.

      Seasonal factors like traditional fiesta celebrations in selected areas of the country and higher production of some goods for the opening of classes pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; non-food; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house relative to the expected trend. On the contrary, these seasonal factors pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The index of restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services was not affected by these seasonal factors (see Table 2).

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     In AONCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items went up by 0.3 percent in May. It was the same rate recorded in the previous month. Meanwhile, higher increments were registered in the indices of the following commodity groups:

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

On the other hand, slower rates were posted in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.3 percent from 0.4 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.0 percent from 1.4 percent; clothing and footwear, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent; and health, 0.2 percent from 0.4 percent.

     Seasonal factors like traditional festivities and production of selected goods for the opening of classes pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

However, these seasonal factors pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. These seasonal factors did not affect the indices for all items; clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health (see Table 3).

Note :  Accompanying this report are the summary tables showing the Seasonally Adjusted CPI for the 2006-based series.

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