• Similarly, inflation in NCR continued to move at a slower pace at 0.6 percent in June. Last month, it was recorded at 0.7 percent and in June 2014, 3.6 percent. The index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels still declined. Slowdowns in the annual growths were also posted in all the other commodity groups except in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; communication; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

• Similarly, inflation in Areas Outside NCR (AONCR) trended downward at 1.4 percent in June. It was pegged at 1.8 percent in May and 4.7 percent during the same month a year ago. This was effected by the negative annual rates in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; transport; and communication. Moreover, the indices for food and non-alcoholic beverages; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; health; recreation and culture; and education had lower annual gains.

• A 0.1 percent growth in the country’s consumer prices during the month was brought about by the tuition fee hikes in all the regions. Contributing also to the uptrend were the general upward price adjustments in gasoline nationwide and higher prices in clothing and footwear items, school supplies and some goods for personal care in many regions.

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  CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
  (2006=100)
  JUNE 2015

By Region, Year-on-Year

• Inflation in NCR further eased to 0.6 percent in June.

• Inflation in AONCR likewise decelerated to 1.4 percent in June. All the regions had lower annual rates except CAR and Zamboanga Peninsula. The lowest inflation of 0.6 percent was noted in CALABARZON while the highest was in Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao Region at 2.5 percent.

By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

• At the national level, the indices for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and communication correspondingly declined by 1.3 percent and 0.1 percent in June. Slower annual hikes in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.1 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.5 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 1.9 percent; health, 2.2 percent; and education, 3.7 percent were likewise observed. On the other hand, faster annual gains were recorded in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and transport at 3.8 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The other commodity groups retained their last month’s rate.

  The food alone index in the Philippines further slowed to 2.1 percent in June. Its annual change last month was posted at 3.2 percent and in June 2014, 7.8 percent.

  The indices of corn and vegetables correspondingly decreased by 0.3 percent and 3.1 percent. Moreover, slower annual mark-ups were seen in all the other food groups except for the indices of food products not elsewhere classified and other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products. The index for food products not elsewhere classified had a higher annual growth of 5.3 percent while that for other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products index remained at 1.2 percent.

• In NCR, the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels dropped by 1.4 percent. Except for the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; communication; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, the other commodity groups exhibited lower annual upticks. The indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and recreation and culture had faster annual add-ons of 2.2 percent while the indices of communication and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services retained their last month’s growth.

  • The food alone index in NCR further improved as its growth settled to 0.8 percent in June. Last month, the rate was shown at 2.1 percent and in June 2014, 7.8 percent.

  • Annual rates in the indices of meat and vegetables fell by 0.4 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively. In addition, lower annual increments were seen in all the other food groups except for the index of food products not elsewhere classified which had a higher annual growth of 3.0 percent.

• In AONCR, the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels declined by 1.3 percent and transport and communication, 0.2 percent. Moreover, the food and non-alcoholic beverages index decelerated to 2.3 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house index, 2.2 percent; health index, 1.8 percent; recreation and culture index, 0.7 percent; and education index, 3.2 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their last month’s rates.

  • The food alone index in AONCR further dipped to 2.4 percent in June. The growth was pegged at 3.4 percent last month and in June 2014, 7.8 percent.

  • The annual growth of the rice index slowed to 2.1 percent as all the regions either had negative annual rates or lower annual gains. The lowest rate of -3.1 percent was in SOCCSKSARGEN while the highest remained in Central Luzon at 5.4 percent.

  • Annual declines or slower annual mark-ups were recorded in all the other food groups except for the index of food products not elsewhere classified which had a higher annual growth of 5.7 percent. Annual movement in the group’s index for other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products remained at 1.1 percent.

By Region, Month-on-Month

By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

• Prices of consumer items in the Philippines generally increased by 0.1 percent. This was primarily brought about by the 3.5 percent growth in the education index. Moreover, higher upticks were seen in the indices of clothing and footwear and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.2 percent and recreation and culture, 0.3 percent. The transport index however, decelerated to 0.2 percent while the food and non-alcoholic beverages and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels correspondingly declined by 0.1 percent and 0.6 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their last month’s rate.

  • Ginger and calamansi exhibited price mark-ups during the month. This was brought about by smaller supplies in the markets. Thus, the food products not elsewhere classified index in the Philippines leaped by 2.3 percent; NCR, 0.6 percent; and AONCR, 2.6 percent. Prices of other spices and condiments also went up in some provinces.

  • The index for sugar, jam, chocolate and confectionery picked up by 1.3 percent in the Philippines; 0.6 percent in NCR; and 1.4 percent in AONCR as prices of sugar remained higher in all the regions.

  • Upticks in the prices of corn in many regions resulted to a 0.9 percent growth in its group’s index in AONCR and in the Philippines. On the contrary, the corn index in NCR decreased by 0.9 percent.

  • Prices of tomatoes and onions were higher in many regions as their end of production season resulted to smaller volume of supplies in the markets. Upward price adjustments were also noted in cabbage, garlic, carrot and potato. All these factors contributed to the 0.4 percent growth in the vegetables index in the Philippines and AONCR and 0.6 percent in NCR.

  • The fish index in the Philippines declined by 0.4 percent; NCR, -1.1 percent; and AONCR, -0.3 percent. The prevalence of good weather conditions which favored fishermen in catching fish continuously brought big volume of supplies in the markets.

  • Abundant supplies of in-season fruits lowered their prices in the markets. Thus, the fruit index in the Philippines went down by 2.2 percent; NCR, -0.7 percent; and AONCR, -2.6 percent.

  • The rice index in AONCR and in the Philippines dropped by 0.1 percent due to the negative monthly rates posted in nine regions. Meanwhile, the rice index in NCR inched up 0.2 percent as prices of commercial rice in the area were generally higher during the month.

• The education index in the Philippines advanced by 3.5 percent; NCR, 5.5 percent; and AONCR, 2.9 percent due to tuition fee hikes in June, the beginning of the school year.

• With price increments in selected items for personal care in many regions, the index for restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services in the Philippines and AONCR rose 0.2 percent and NCR, 0.1 percent. Meals eaten outside the home were also priced higher in selected provinces.

• The transport index in the Philippines and AONCR grew by 0.2 percent and NCR, 0.1 percent as prices of gasoline generally moved upward nationwide.

• Higher prices of clothing and footwear items effected the 0.2 percent growth in its group’s index in the Philippines and AONCR and 0.1 percent in NCR.

• The index for recreation and culture went up by 0.3 percent in the Philippines; 0.6 percent in NCR; and 0.1 percent in AONCR. It resulted from increases in the prices of school supplies in many regions. Prices of books were also observed higher in NCR and in most of the provinces.

• Lower charges in the electricity rates in most of regions primarily pushed down the index for housing, electricity, gas and other fuels in the Philippines and AONCR by -0.6 percent and NCR, -0.8 percent. Price rollbacks in LPG nationwide and in kerosene in many provinces also contributed to the downtrend.

Notes:

1. The second phase survey report from Sulu was not received as of July 6, 2015.
   
2. CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are also available upon request at Philippine Statistics Authority, Economic Sector Statistics Services, Economic Indices and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).

(Sgd.) LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph.D.
National Statistician