May 2020

1. Philippines

At the country level, the seasonally adjusted consumer price index (CPI) for all items went up by 0.3 percent in May 2020, from -0.1 percent in April 2020.

Higher monthly increases were posted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 1.0 percent in May 2020, from 0.8 percent in April 2020; education, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent. Moreover, the indices of non-food picked up by 0.3 percent from -0.6 percent; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.4 percent from -0.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the monthly increment in food and non-alcoholic beverages index eased to 0.1 percent in May 2020, from 0.6 percent in the previous month. The same previous month’s rates were noted in the indices of clothing and footwear at 0.1 percent, and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and health, both at 0.2 percent. The index for recreation and culture registered a zero growth during the month from a 0.2 percent uptick in the previous month.

The seasonal factor like the degree of demand on selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels. However, this seasonal factor pushed down the index for all items and the following commodity groups:

          a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
          b. Clothing and footwear;
          c. Health;
          d. Recreation and culture; and
          e. Education.

The indices for non-food; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 1)
 

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

In NCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages and clothing and footwear correspondingly declined by 0.4 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively in May 2020, after they exhibited respective increments of 0.4 percent and 0.1 percent in April 2020. Moreover, the monthly gains decelerated in the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and education at 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, from their previous month’s rates which were both at 0.3 percent.

On the other hand, higher monthly increases were noted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.7 percent in May 2020, from 0.5 percent in the previous month; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent. Likewise, the index of non-food picked up by 0.8 percent during the month, from -0.7 percent in the previous month. The health index retained its previous month’s rate of 0.2 percent, while that for recreation and culture index still had a zero growth during the month.

The seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

          a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
          b. Non-food;
          c. Clothing and footwear;
          d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and
          e. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; health; recreation and culture; and education. (Table 2)
 

3. Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

The seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in AONCR rose by 0.1 percent in May 2020, from zero growth in April 2020.

Higher monthly increments were noted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 1.0 percent from 0.9 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent; and education, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. Similarly, the indices of non-food inched up by 0.1 percent from -0.6 percent; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.2 percent from -0.7 percent.

On the other hand, monthly gains were slower in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.2 percent from 0.8 percent, and recreation and culture, 0.1 percent from 0.3 percent. A downward movement was still registered in the transport index as its rate dropped by 0.3 percent in May 2020 from -3.7 percent in April 2020. Meanwhile, a 0.2 percent growth was still observed in the indices of health, and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

The seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and transport. This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the index for all items and the following commodity groups:

          a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
          b. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
          c. Heath;
          d. Recreation and culture;
          e. Education; and
           f. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

Meanwhile, the index for non-food was not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 3)

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