1. Philippines
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The country’s inflation for the bottom 30% income households decelerated further to 4.5 percent in May 2021, from 4.9 percent in April 2021. It was posted at 2.9 percent in May 2020.
The average inflation for this particular group of consumers from January to May 2021 was recorded at 5.0 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)
The annual decrease in the index of recreation and culture remained at -0.2 percent during the month.
Slower annual increases were also posted in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.4 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 12.7 percent; and transport, 22.1 percent.
On the contrary, annual increments were higher in the indices of the following commodity groups during the period:
a. Clothing and footwear, 2.8 percent;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 2.9 percent;
c. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 1.8 percent;
d. Health, 2.7 percent;
e. Communication, 0.5 percent; and
f. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 4.4 percent.
The index of education retained its previous month’s annual rate of 1.5 percent. (Tables 3 and 4)
Inflation of food index at the national level slowed down further to 3.6 percent in May 2021. Its annual rate in the previous month was observed at 4.1 percent and in May 2020, 2.2 percent. (Table 7)
Annual declines were recorded in the indices of rice at -0.5 percent; vegetables, -2.5 percent; and food products, not elsewhere classified, -0.4 percent.
Moreover, lower annual increments were also noted in the indices of corn, at 2.7 percent; milk, cheese and eggs, 2.3 percent; and fruits, 4.5 percent.
On the contrary, higher annual upticks were seen in the indices of the following food groups in May 2021:
a. Meat, 21.3 percent;
b. Fish, 7.5 percent;
c. Oil and fats, 5.5 percent; and
d. Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 0.7 percent.
The annual rate in the index of other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta, and other bakery products remained at 1.9 percent during the month. (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 – May 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 | |
| July | 1.9 | 6.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | |
| August | 2.3 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 2.7 | |
| 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 in NCR for this particular group of consumers, likewise, decelerated further to 4.4 percent in May 2021, from 4.7 percent in April 2021. Inflation of consumer items for this income group in the region in May 2020 was noted at 1.9 percent. (Tables A and 3)
The indices of the following commodity groups exhibited slower annual upticks during the month:
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 5.0 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 12.8 percent;
c. Health, 1.8 percent; and
d. Transport, 16.4 percent.
However, annual hikes were higher in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 1.4 percent; recreation and culture, 0.7 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.5 percent.
The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Table 3 and 4)
3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)
Following the same trend as in the national level and in NCR, inflation for the bottom 30% income households in AONCR slid further to 4.5 percent in May 2021, from 4.9 percent in April 2021. In May 2020, inflation for this particular group of consumers in AONCR was observed at 2.9 percent. (Tables A and 3)
Annual decline of -0.2 percent was still recorded in the index of recreation and culture in May 2021.
In addition, annual increases slowed down in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.4 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 12.7 percent; and transport, 22.2 percent.
On the other hand, inflation were higher in the indices of clothing and footwear; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, both at 2.9 percent; health, 2.8 percent; and communication, 0.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the indices of furnishing, household equipment, and routine maintenance of the house; education; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)
Among the regions outside NCR, inflation for the bottom 30% income households were slower in 12 regions in May 2021. The lowest inflation remained in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) at 1.6 percent, while the highest inflation was still noted in Region V (Bicol Region) at 6.8 percent. (Table 4)
Note:
CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by province and selected city 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.
