Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items | |||
| September | August | Year-to-date | |
| Philippines | |||
| Headline | 7.0 | 7.2 | 7.9 |
| Core | 6.5 | 6.6 | 7.4 |
| NCR | |||
| Headline | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| AONCR | |||
| Headline | 6.2 | 6.4 | 7.5 |
Year-on-year headline inflation rate at the national level decelerated to 7.0 percent in September from 7.2 percent in August. This was effected by the slower rates posted in the indices of food, beverages and tobacco (FBT), fuel, light and water (FLW) and miscellaneous items. Inflation a year ago was 7.2 percent.
Excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation slightly eased by 0.1 percentage point to 6.5 percent in September from 6.6 percent in August.
Likewise, inflation rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) slipped by 0.2 percentage point to 8.8 percent in September from 9.0 percent in August due to lower annual inflation rates registered in clothing, housing and repairs (H&R) and FLW.
Inflation rate in Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR) slowed to 6.2 percent in September from 6.4 percent in August as the annual rate of increases in the prices of FBT, services and miscellaneous items moved down.
Month-on-Month Inflation Rates, All Items | ||
| September | August | |
| Philippines | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| NCR | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| AONCR | 0.5 | 0.5 |
The month-on-month inflation decelerated to 0.4 percent in September from 0.5 percent in August brought about by the slower rate posted in the index for FLW.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
(2000=100)
SEPTEMBER 2005
l By Region, Year-on-Year
The inflation rate in NCR slid by 0.2 percentage point to 8.8 percent in September from 9.0 percent in August.
Inflation rate in AONCR at 6.2 percent in September decelerated by 0.2 percentage point from 6.4 percent in August. Eight regions registered lower inflation rates with the biggest slowdown of 1.1 percentage points (6.4 percent from 7.5 percent) observed in Southern Mindanao and Caraga. The lowest rate was seen in Central Luzon at 5.2 percent while the highest rate was still noted in Ilocos at 8.3 percent.
l By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year
The annual inflation rate for FBT slowed to 5.7 percent in September from 5.8 percent in August; FLW, 17.3 percent from 18.7 percent; and miscellaneous items, 3.2 percent from 3.3 percent. Inflation for clothing, H&R and services remained at their respective previous month’s rates of 3.5 percent, 4.8 percent and 10.0 percent.
The inflation rate for food alone further eased to 5.6 percent in September from 5.8 percent in August.
Slower annual rate of increments were seen in the prices of corn, 1.2 percent in September from 3.2 percent in August; cereal preparations, 7.4 percent from 8.0 percent; dairy products, 7.8 percent from 8.3 percent; eggs, 2.7 percent from 2.8 percent; fruits and vegetables, 2.0 percent from 2.2 percent; and miscellaneous foods, 5.8 percent from 6.2 percent. Meanwhile, annual inflation rate was higher in the price of rice at 7.9 percent from 7.6 percent; fish, 5.4 percent from 5.1 percent; and meat, 5.0 percent from 4.9 percent.
In NCR, inflation for clothing slipped to 2.9 percent in September from 3.2 percent in August; H&R, 7.2 percent from 7.4 percent; and FLW, 27.6 percent from 32.2 percent. However, inflation for FBT and services correspondingly moved up to 4.6 percent and 13.0 percent from 4.2 percent and 12.9 percent, respectively. Inflation for miscellaneous items retained its last month’s rate of 3.3 percent.
Inflation for food alone in NCR picked up to 4.5 percent in September from 4.1 percent in August.
Higher annual rates were recorded in the prices of rice, 4.8 percent in September from 4.7 percent in August; fish, 3.4 percent from 0.4 percent; and fruits and vegetables, 0.8 percent from -0.6 percent.
On the other hand, annual price addition in corn slowed to 4.5 percent from 9.8 percent; cereal preparations, 7.0 percent from 7.5 percent; and dairy products, 8.2 percent from 8.6 percent. The annual price increases in meat and miscellaneous foods remained at 6.0 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively. A negative annual rate of 0.7 percent was still posted in the price of eggs.
In AONCR, inflation rate for FBT slid to 6.0 percent in September from 6.2 percent in August; services, 8.4 percent from 8.5 percent; and miscellaneous items, 3.1 percent from 3.3 percent. Meanwhile, inflation from clothing climbed up to 3.7 percent from 3.6 percent. Inflation for H&R and FLW were at their respective last month’s rates of 3.0 percent and 12.4 percent.
Inflation rate for food alone eased to 5.9 percent in September from 6.3 percent in August.
Annual upward price adjustments in the price of corn decelerated to 1.1 percent in September from 3.1 percent in August; cereal preparations, 7.5 percent from 8.2 percent; dairy products, 7.6 percent from 8.3 percent; fish, 5.9 percent from 6.2 percent; fruits and vegetables, 2.3 percent from 3.1 percent; and miscellaneous foods, 6.7 percent from 7.2 percent. Higher annual price gain was however noticed in meat at 4.6 percent from 4.4 percent. Annual add-on in the price of eggs remained at 3.9 percent.
On an annual basis, the price of rice grew by 8.4 percent in September from 8.0 percent in August as twelve regions registered higher annual rates. The biggest jump of 2.2 percentage points (8.7 percent from 6.5 percent) was seen in Southern Mindanao followed by Ilocos at 1.7 percentage points (14.8 percent from 13.1 percent).
l By Region, Month-on-Month
Prices in NCR generally inched up to 0.2 percent in September, the same rate posted in August. Prices of FBT items picked up to 0.4 percent from zero growth; services, 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent; and miscellaneous items, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. On the other hand, increments in the prices of clothing and H&R items slowed to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent. Prices of FLW items dropped to -1.4 percent from 0.4 percent.
Prices in AONCR moved at its August rate of 0.5 percent. Higher prices were observed in clothing and FLW items at 0.4 percent and 0.9 percent in September from 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent in August. Meanwhile, upward adjustments in the prices of FBT and services items correspondingly slowed to 0.5 percent and 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent and 0.9 percent. Price movements of H&R and miscellaneous items were still at 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent. The highest month-on-month inflation at 1.0 percent was recorded in CAR while the lowest rate of 0.1 percent was noted in Southern Mindanao and Central Mindanao.
l By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
The month-on-month inflation rate at the national level slightly decelerated to 0.4 percent in September from 0.5 percent in August as increases in the prices of FLW items eased to 0.1 percent from 0.4 percent. However, prices of FBT and clothing items went up to 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent from their corresponding August rates of 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent. Prices of H&R, services and miscellaneous items still moved upward at 0.2 percent, 0.7 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.
The heavy rains experienced during the month caused delays in the delivery of vegetables from production areas to wet markets in NCR thereby increasing their prices. Moreover, higher prices of selected fruits not in season were still noted. Hence, the group’s index for fruits and vegetables in the area further climbed up to 4.1 percent from 2.9 percent. Likewise, prices of fruits and vegetables in AONCR were up by 1.4 percent. This was however slower than its last month’s rate of 1.6 percent. Overall, the national index moved up to 2.1 percent from 1.9 percent.
The general upward adjustments in the prices of cooking oil, powdered tonic drink, coffee, sugar and selected spices and seasonings raised the miscellaneous foods index in the Philippines by 0.3 percent; NCR, 0.2 percent; and AONCR, 0.4 percent.
The price of rice in NCR slightly grew to 0.1 percent in September from a 0.1 percent drop in August. However, with the onset of harvest season of palay in selected provinces, the increments in the price of rice at the national level and in AONCR at 0.3 percent and 0.4 percent were slower than their last month’s rates of 1.0 percent and 1.2 percent.
Prices of fish in NCR went down by 0.8 percent as the inclement weather condition during the month had minimal effects on the fishing operations. On the contrary, prices of fishery products in the Philippines and AONCR moved upward by 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent.
The sufficient supply of corn pulled down its index in the three areas: Philippines and AONCR, -1.7 percent and NCR, -0.8 percent.
Add-ons in the prices of flour, bread, biscuits and noodles raised the index for cereal preparations in the Philippines by 0.4 percent; NCR, 0.3 percent; and AONCR, 0.5 percent.
Uptick in the prices of medicines, gasoline, diesel and engine oil were still noticed during the month. Moreover, higher charges for some personal, medical and dental services were registered in selected regions. All these factors pushed the services index up in the three areas by 0.7 percent.
The H&R index in the Philippines and AONCR rose by 0.2 percent and in NCR, 0.1 percent. This was effected by the upward adjustments in the prices of selected construction materials like cement, plywood, gravel, sand, nails and paints. Increased rental rates in NCR and in some provinces also contributed to the uptrend.
A 0.3 percent growth in the index for miscellaneous items in the three areas can be attributed to the rising adjustments in the prices of detergent soap, insecticides and other selected items for household operations, household furnishings and personal effects.
NOTES:
The second phase survey reports from Cagayan and Western Samar were not received as of October 5, 2005.
CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic Indices and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47, E-mail address: r.staana@census.gov.ph).
| (Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA Administrator |
Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines
