Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates
for the Bottom 30% Income Households, All Items
In Percent
(2018=100)

1. Philippines

The inflation for the bottom 30% income households in the Philippines retained its previous month’s rate of 9.7 percent in February 2023. In February 2022, the inflation rate was recorded at 3.5 percent. (Tables A, B, 5, 6, 12, and Figure 1)

Varied annual movements were observed in the indices of the commodity groups for this income household during the period. Compared with their previous month’s annual growth rates, higher annual increases were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

          a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 10.3 percent;
          b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 11.9 percent;
          c. Clothing and footwear, 5.0 percent;
          d. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 5.9 percent;
          e. Health, 3.5 percent;
          f.  Recreation, sport and culture, 5.2 percent;
          g. Restaurants and accommodation services, 7.9 percent; and
          h. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 5.7 percent.

On the other hand, slower annual increases were posted in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 12.2 percent; and transport at 9.0 percent.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 5 and 6)

Food inflation in the Philippines for this income group inched up to 10.5 percent in February 2023, from 10.4 percent in January 2023. In February 2022, the inflation for food was recorded at 2.9 percent. (Table 9)

The uptrend in the food inflation was mainly due to the higher annual increment in the index of fish and other seafood at 11.1 percent during the month, from 7.1 percent in the previous month. In addition, milk, other dairy products and eggs index recorded a year-on-year increment of 12.3 percent, which also contributed to the uptrend of food inflation.

Moreover, higher annual upticks were noted in the indices of flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 10.9 percent; fruits and nuts at 8.5 percent; and ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 8.2 percent.

Meanwhile, the indices of the rest of the food groups registered slower annual increases relative to their respective previous month’s annual growth rates. (Table 7)


 

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation for the bottom 30% income households in NCR, likewise, remained at 9.7 percent in February 2023. In the same month of the previous year, inflation in the area was recorded at 1.5 percent. (Tables A, 5, and 6)

Faster year-on-year growth rates were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

          a. Clothing and footwear, 2.8 percent;
          b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 8.3 percent;
          c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 5.2 percent;
          d. Recreation, sport and culture, 3.7 percent;
          e. Restaurants and accommodation services, 10.9 percent; and
          f.  Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.7 percent.

In contrast, slower annual increments were recorded in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 11.2 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 7.1 percent; and transport at 16.5 percent. Meanwhile, the health index exhibited a decline in its annual growth rate at -0.7 percent during the month.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s rates. (Tables 5 and 6)


3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Similar to the inflation at the national level and in NCR, inflation for this particular group of consumers in AONCR also retained its previous rate of 9.7 percent. Inflation in February 2022 for this group was registered at 3.6 percent. (Tables A and 5)

Annual hikes continued to increase in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

          a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 10.3 percent;
          b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 12.1 percent;
          c. Clothing and footwear, 5.1 percent;
          d. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 6.0 percent;
          e. Health, 3.7 percent;
          f.  Recreation, sport and culture, 5.3 percent;
          g. Restaurants and accommodation services, 7.6 percent; and
          h. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 5.9 percent.

In contrast, lower year-on-year annual increases were noted in the  indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 12.3 percent, and transport at 8.7 percent. The indices of the rest of the commodity groups remained unchanged compared with their previous month’s growth rates. (Tables 5 and 6)

In February 2023, six regions in AONCR recorded higher inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households relative to their respective inflation rates in the previous month. The highest inflation rate among the regions outside NCR during the month was recorded in Region VI (Western Visayas) at 12.2 percent, while the lowest inflation was still observed in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) at 6.8 percent. (Table 6)

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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