MAY 2020

1. Philippines

The inflation for the bottom 30% income households at the national level was recorded at 2.9 percent in May 2020. The same rate was observed in April 2020, while in May 2019, inflation was posted at 3.2 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

Mixed annual movements in the indices of the commodity groups were observed during the month.

Annual growth rates were higher in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 20.7 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.8 percent than their respective annual rates in the previous month.

On the other hand, annual increases slowed down in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Clothing and footwear, 2.5 percent;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and furnishing, household
equipment and routine maintenance of the house, both at 1.6 percent;
c. Health, 3.5 percent;
d. Communication, 0.1 percent; and
e. Recreation and culture, 3.1 percent.

Inflation in the indices of heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages, and education remained at 2.3 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the annual rate of transport index dropped further by 2.3 percent in May 2020. (Tables 3 and 4)

Food inflation in May 2020 was recorded at 2.2 percent. This was the same annual rate posted in April 2020 while in May 2019, it was registered at 2.6 percent. (Table 7)

Annual growth rates were higher in the indices of the following food groups during the period:

• Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 2.9 percent;
• Milk, cheese and eggs, 4.5 percent;
• Oils and fats, 2.1 percent; and
• Fruits, 11.6 percent.

On the contrary, annual increments slowed down in the indices of meat at 1.5 percent; fish, 8.1 percent; vegetables, 6.1 percent; and food products, not elsewhere classifed, 9.9 percent. Moreover, annual decreases were still observed during the month in the indices of rice at 2.8 percent; corn, 0.6 percent; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 1.0 percent. (Table 5)

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation of consumer items for this particular income group in NCR picked up by 1.9 percent in May 2020. Inflation in the area in April 2020 was 1.7 percent, and in May 2019, 3.5 percent.

The overall inflation in NCR was pushed up by the higher annual rate in the transport index at 6.0 percent during the month, after exhibiting an annual drop of 2.3 percent in April 2020. In addition, the annual rate of restaurant and miscellaneous good and services index moved up at a faster pace of 1.0 percent.

On the other hand, annual hikes decelerated in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.3 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 19.4 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 2.0 percent; and recreation and culture, 0.8 percent. Moreover, negative annual rates were still recorded in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 2.2 percent; and communication, 0.3 percent.

The indices of other commodity groups such as clothing and footwear, health, and education retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)

3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Following the same trend as that of the national level, inflation for the bottom 30% income households in AONCR in May 2020 moved up at 2.9 percent, the same annual rate as in the previous month. In May 2019, inflation for this income group in AONCR was posted at 3.2 percent.

The annual rate of alcoholic beverages and tobacco index went up by 20.8 percent during the period. On the contrary, annual upticks slowed down in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a. Clothing and footwear; 2.5 percent;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 1.8 percent;
c. Health, 3.5 percent;
d. Communication, 0.2 percent; and
e. Recreation and culture, 3.1 percent.

In addition, the annual rate of transport index declined further by 2.6 percent during the month. The same annual growth rates as in the previous month were noted in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.3 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 1.6 percent; education, 5.1 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.9 percent. (Tables 3 and 4)

Ten (10) regions in AONCR had slower inflation in May 2020. Among the regions in AONCR, Region X (Northern Mindanao) still had the lowest inflation at 0.9 percent during the month, while Region XI (Davao Region) and Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) recorded the highest inflation of 4.2 percent. (Table 4)

Note:

1. CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by province and selected cities are posted at the Philippine Statistics Authority website (http://openstat.psa.gov.ph/).

2. The PSA was able to collect prices from the sample markets/outlets even during the Coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) pandemic period. Normally, face-to-face interview or visit to sample markets/outlets is done to collect prices. However, when face-to face interview was not possible in some areas, alternative approaches such as phone call/text to sellers of the sample outlets; email to sample outlets, and other alternative approaches/strategies were done to collect prices.

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