1. Philippines
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Inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households at the national level slowed down to 4.9 percent in April 2021, from 5.5 percent in March 2021. It was recorded at 2.9 percent in April 2020. (Table A and Figure 1)
The index of recreation and culture continued to move downward as its annual rate declined by -0.2 percent during the month.
Moreover, slower annual increments were posted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the period:
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 3.9 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 13.0 percent;
c. Health, 2.6 percent;
d. Communication, 0.4 percent; and
e. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 4.3 percent.
On the other hand, annual increases were higher in the indices of clothing and footwear at 2.7 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 2.5 percent; and transport, 23.1 percent.
The indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and education retained their previous month’s annual growth rates of 1.7 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively. (Tables 3 and 4)
Inflation rate for food index at the country level eased further to 4.1 percent in April 2021. In the previous month, the annual rate of food index was at 5.5 percent and in April 2020, 2.2 percent. (Table 7)
The annual rate of the index for food products not elsewhere classified dropped to -1.1 percent, from an annual increase of 4.9 percent in the previous month.
In addition, annual hikes slowed down in the indices of the following food groups during the month:
a. Rice, 0.2 percent;
b. Corn, 3.9 percent;
c. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 1.9 percent;
d. Milk, cheese and egg, 2.4 percent;
e. Oils and fats, 5.2 percent;
f. Fruits, 6.1 percent; and
g. Vegetables, 1.0 percent.
Meanwhile, annual upticks were higher in the indices of meat at 20.3 percent; fish, 6.7 percent; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 0.3 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 – April 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 | |
| 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)
Similarly, inflation of consumer items for the bottom 30% income households in NCR slowed down further to 4.7 percent in April 2021, from 5.0 percent in March 2021. Inflation in the region for this income group of consumers in April 2020 was posted at 1.7 percent. (Tables A and 3)
Annual increases decelerated in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 5.4 percent; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 12.9 percent.
On the contrary, annual increments were higher in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:
a. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 1.0 percent;
b. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.9 percent;
c. Health, 1.9 percent;
d. Transport, 26.2 percent; and
e. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 1.8 percent.
The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)
3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)
Similar to the trend at the national level and NCR, inflation for this particular income group of consumers in AONCR slowed down to 4.9 percent in April 2021, from 5.5 perent in March 2021. In April 2020, inflation for the bottom 30% income households in AONCR was recorded at 2.9 percent. (Tables A and 3)
The index of recreation and culture posted an annual drop of -0.2 percent during the month.
Moreover, annual hikes slid in the indices of the following commodity groups in April 2021:
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 3.8 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 13.0 percent;
c. Communication, 0.4 percent; and
d. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 4.5 percent.
On the other hand, the indices of the following commodity groups registered higher inflation in April 2021:
a. Clothing and footwear, 2.7 percent;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 2.6 percent;
c. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 1.8 percent; and
d. Transport, 22.9 percent.
Meanwhile, health and education retained their previous month’s annual growth rates. (Tables 3 and 4)
Thirteen regions in AONCR exhibited slower inflation for the bottom 30% income households in April 2021. The lowest inflation among the regions outside NCR during the month was still observed in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) at 1.9 percent, while the highest inflation was seen in Region V (Bicol Region) at 7.0 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.
