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Release Date :
Reference Number :
2021-380

1. Philippines

Bottom 30%

The country’s inflation for the bottom 30% income households accelerated further to 5.2 percent in August 2021, from 4.4 percent in July 2021. It was observed at 2.7 percent in the same month of the previous year.

The August 2021 inflation brings the national average inflation rate for this particular group of consumers from January to August 2021 to 4.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

Inflation at the national level during the month was primarily pushed up by the higher annual uptick of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 5.6 percent in August 2021, from 4.1 percent in July 2021.

Moreover, annual increases were higher in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 11.1 percent;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 3.2 percent;
c. Health, 2.8 percent; and
d. Education, 1.9 percent.

The annual rate of recreation and culture index also went up to 1.6 percent in August 2021, after registering five successive months of annual decreases.

On the other hand, the annual hike of transport index decelerated further to 10.4 percent during the month.

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

Meanwhile, inflation for food index at the national level picked up further to 5.8 percent during the month, from 4.2 percent in the previous month. In the same month of the previous year, its annual rate was recorded at 1.1 percent. (Table 7)

Annual increments were higher in the indices of the following food groups during the month:

a. Corn, 6.6 percent;
b. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 1.8 percent;
c. Fish, 12.4 percent;
d. Oils and fats, 6.1 percent;
e. Vegetables, 13.5 percent; and
f. Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 1.4 percent.

In addition, annual declines in the indices of rice, and food products not elsewhere classified during the month were smaller at -0.5 percent and -0.7 percent, respectively, compared with their corresponding annual decreases in the previous month at -0.6 percent and -0.8 percent.

However, annual increases were slower in the indices of meat at 17.4 percent, and fruits at 3.9 percent; while the index of milk, cheese and egg moved at its previous month’s annual rate of 1.8 percent. (Table 5)

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates of the CPI for the
Bottom 30% Income Households in the Philippines, All Items
January 2017 – August 2021
(2012=100)

Month

Year

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
January 2.0 3.6 5.2 2.3 4.9
February 2.2 4.4 4.3 2.1 5.5
March 2.2 5.0 3.4 2.4 5.5
April 2.4 5.2 3.1 2.9 4.9
May 2.1 5.4 3.2 2.9 4.5
June 2.1 5.4 3.1 3.0 4.3
July 1.9 6.2 2.5 2.9 4.4
August 2.3 6.9 1.7 2.7 5.2
September 2.5 8.0 0.2 2.8
October 2.7 8.1 -0.1 2.9
November 2.6 7.3 0.7 3.6
December 2.7 6.3 1.9 4.3
Average 2.3 6.0 2.4 2.9

Source: Survey of Retail Prices of Commodities for Consumer Price Index, Philippine Statistics Authority

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation of consumer items for the bottom 30% income households in NCR, likewise, picked up further—from 4.3 percent in July 2021 to 5.1 percent in August 2021. In August 2020, inflation in the region was observed at 3.0 percent. (Tables A and 3)

Annual hikes were higher in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 7.7 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 13.6 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 2.0 percent; and
d. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.1 percent.

On the contrary, annual uptick slowed down in the index of transport at 0.8 percent in August 2021, from 3.5 percent in July 2021.

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

3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Similar to the trend at the national level and NCR, inflation for the bottom 30% income households in AONCR also increased further—from 4.4 percent in July 2021 to 5.2 percent in August 2021. In August 2020, inflation in AONCR was recorded at 2.7 percent. (Tables A and 3)

Annual increments were higher during the month in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 5.5 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 11.0 percent;
c. Health, 2.9 percent; and
d. Education, 1.9 percent.

Moreover, the index of recreation and culture posted an annual increase of 1.7 percent during the month, from an annual drop of -0.4 percent in the previous month.

However, the annual rate of the transport index at 10.8 percent during the month was slower than its 11.7 percent annual growth in the previous month.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups exhibited the same annual growth rates as in the previous month. (Tables 3 and 4)

All regions in AONCR, except MIMAROPA, registered higher inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households in August 2021. The highest inflation during the month at 7.5 percent was noted in Region V (Bicol Region), while the lowest remained in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) at 2.5 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/).

See more at the Consumer Price Index for Bottom 30% Income Households Main page.

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