Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the
Bottom 30% Income Households, All Items
In Percent
(2012=100)

1. Philippines

Inflation in the Philippines for the bottom 30 percent income households increased to 6.7 percent in September 2022, from 5.9 percent in August 2022. This is the highest recorded inflation for this income group of consumers since November 2018. This brings the national average inflation rate from January to September 2022 at 4.6 percent. In September 2021, inflation was recorded at 5.0 percent. (Tables A and B, and Figure 1)

The uptrend in the inflation was mainly brought about by the higher annual increase in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages at 6.5 percent. Also contributed to the higher inflation during the month were housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels whose index grew annually by 7.9 percent, and restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services by 5.2 percent. In addition, higher inflation rates than the previous month’s annual growth rates were seen in the following commodity groups:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.4 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 3.0 percent;
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 4.7 percent;
d. Transport, 10.8 percent; and
e. Recreation and culture, 3.8 percent.

On the other hand, communication index decreased by 0.4 percent, while indices for health and education retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)

For food inflation at the national level, it recorded a higher rate of 6.6 percent in September 2022, from 5.7 percent in the previous month. In September 2021, food inflation was observed at 5.8 percent. (Table 7)

The higher inflation for food in September 2022 was primarily due to the higher annual growths in the indices of fish and seafood at 7.8 percent; sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery at 47.3 percent; and corn at 11.1 percent.

Moreover, faster annual increments were posted in the indices of the following food groups during the month:

a. Rice, 1.3 percent;
b. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 7.5 percent;
c. Milk, cheese and eggs, 7.7 percent; and
d. Food products not elsewhere classified, 4.3 percent.

The index of meat, however, recorded a lower annual increase of 10.2 percent. The rest of the food groups retained their previous month’s annual rates. (Table 5)

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation in NCR increased to 7.9 percent in September 2022, from 6.1 percent in the previous month. In September 2021, inflation in the area stood at 4.2 percent. (Tables A and 3)

The uptrend in the inflation in the area was due to the higher annual increments in the indices for food and non-alcoholic beverages at 8.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 5.4 percent; and restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services at 10.3 percent. Higher annual increases were also noted in the indices of the following commodity groups, compared with their previous month’s annual growths:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 8.2 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 1.7 percent;
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 3.2 percent;
d. Health, 1.9 percent; and
e. Recreation and culture, 0.8 percent.

Meanwhile, annual increases slowed down in the indices for transport and communication, while the education index retained its previous month’s annual growth rate. (Tables 3 and 4)

3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Following the trend of the Philippines and NCR, inflation in AONCR increased to 6.6 percent in September 2022, from 5.9 percent in the previous month. Inflation in AONCR in September 2021 was observed at 5.1 percent. (Tables A and 3)

The higher inflation was primarily brought about by the higher annual growth in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 6.4 percent, from 5.5 percent in August 2022. The index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels with an annual growth of 8.1 percent, also contributed to the higher inflation during the month.

Annual upticks were also higher in the indices of the following commodity groups, compared with their previous month’s annual growths:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.4 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 3.0 percent;
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 4.8 percent;
d. Transport, 10.8 percent;
e. Communication, 0.5 percent;
f. Recreation and culture, 3.9 percent; and
g. Restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 4.8 percent.

The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)

Compared with their respective previous month’s rates, 14 regions in AONCR registered higher inflation in September 2022. The highest inflation remained in Region VII (Central Visayas) at 8.9 percent, while Region I (Ilocos Region) still had the lowest inflation rate at 4.6 percent.
(Table 4)

Note: CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by region are posted at the PSA website (http://openstat.psa.gov.ph/).

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

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