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 continued its uptrend movement as it further increased to 7.3 percent in October 2022, from 6.7 percent in September 2022. This brings the year-to-date inflation for this particular income group of consumers at the national level to 4.8 percent. In October 2021, inflation rate was recorded at 4.8 percent. (Tables A and B, and Figure 1)

The higher annual increment in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 7.5 percent in October 2022, from 6.5 percent in the previous month, primarily contributed to the higher inflation in the country for the bottom 30 percent income households. Also contributed to the acceleration were restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services with 5.5 percent inflation; and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenace with 5.9 percent inflation.

In addition, faster annual increases were recorded in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 10.1 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 3.2 percent;
c. Health, 2.7 percent; and
d. Recreation and culture, 4.4 percent.

Meanwhile, the annual growth rates in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 7.8 percent; transport at 9.8 percent; and communication at 0.3 percent, were slower than their corresponding inflation rates in the previous month. On the other hand, education index retained its previous month’s annual growth rate of 7.4 percent. (Tables 3 and 4)

Food inflation at the national level recorded a higher rate of 7.7 percent in October 2022, from 6.6 percent in September 2022. In the same month of the previous year, food inflation was observed at 5.4 percent. (Table 7)

The higher annual increase of 9.3 percent in the index of vegetables in October 2022 primarily caused the higher inflation for food. In addition, the annual increments in the indices of sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery at 54.9 percent, and rice at 1.6 percent also contributed in the uptrend of the food inflation for the bottom-30 percent income households.

Higher annual increments were also posted in the indices of the following food groups:

a. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 8.1 percent;
b. Meat, 10.7 percent;
c. Milk, cheese and eggs, 8.1 percent;
d. Oils and fats, 17.3 percent; and
e. Food products not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.), 5.7 percent.

On the other hand, the indices of corn, fish and seafood, and fruits recorded lower annual increases of 10.5 percent, 7.7 percent, and 6.2 percent, respectively. (Table 5)

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation in NCR moved at a faster rate of 9.1 percent in October 2022, from 7.9 percent in September 2022. In October 2021, inflation in the area was posted at 3.0 percent. (Tables A and 3)

The higher inflation in the area was mainly brought about by the higher annual growth of the food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 10.5 percent in October 2022, from 8.6 in the previous month. Higher annual increases were also recorded in the indices of the following commodity groups compared with their previous month’s annual growths:

a. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 3.3 percent;
b. Transport, 18.9 percent;
c. Recreation and culture, 1.0 percent; and
d. Restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 11.0 percent.

Meanwhile, annual increases were slower in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and health at 4.4 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.

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

3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Following the trend at the national level and NCR, inflation for this particular consumer group in AONCR rose to 7.2 percent in October 2022, from 6.6 percent in September 2022. Inflation in AONCR in October 2021 was recorded at 4.9 percent. (Tables A and 3)

The uptrend was primarily influenced by the faster inflation in food and non-alcoholic beverages at 7.4 percent in October 2022, from 6.4 percent in the previous month. Higher annual increments were also observed in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 10.1 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 3.2 percent;
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 6.0 percent;
d. Health, 2.7 percent;
e. Recreation and culture, 4.4 percent; and
f. Restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 5.1 percent.

On the other hand, lower annual growths were noted in the indices of housing, water electricity, gas and other fuels at 8.0 percent; transport, 9.5 percent; and communication, 0.4 percent. The education index retained its previous month’s annual growth of 7.5 percent. (Tables 3 and 4)

Relative to their inflation rates in the previous month, 13 regions in AONCR exhibited higher inflation for the bottom-30 percent income households in October 2022. Region VII (Central Visayas) remained the region with the highest inflation rate of 9.1 percent, while Region XIII (Caraga Region) posted the lowest inflation rate of 5.8 percent during the month. (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

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