1. Philippines
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The Philippines’ inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households eased further to 4.8 percent in October 2021, from 5.0 percent in September 2021. It was recorded at 2.9 percent in October 2020.
The average inflation for this particular group of consumers at the national level from January to October 2021 was posted at 4.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)
The deceleration was mainly driven by the slower annual rate observed in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 5.1 percent during the month. Also, annual increases slowed down in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.7 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 2.5 percent;
c. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and recreation and
culture, 1.8 percent; and
d. Education, 0.9 percent.
On the contrary, annual upticks were higher in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 3.9 percent; transport, 4.4 percent; and communication at 0.4 percent.
The same annual rates as in the previous month were recorded in the indices of health, and restaurant and miscellanous goods and services. (Tables 3 and 4)
The country’s food inflation for the bottom 30% income households slowed down to 5.4 percent in October 2021. In the previous month, food inflation was recorded at 5.8 percent and in the same month of the previous year at 1.5 percent. (Table 7)
The index of food products not elsewhere classified posted an annual drop of -0.6 percent during the month, from an annual growth of 0.1 percent in the previous month.
Moreover, annual increments were slower in the indices of the following food groups during the month:
a. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 1.8 percent;
b. Meat, 15.2 percent;
c. Fish, 9.4 percent; and
d. Vegetables, 12.7 percent.
On the other hand, annual upticks were higher in the indices of corn at 7.9 percent; fruits, 3.9 percent; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery at 2.1 percent.
Moreover, the index of rice registered an annual increase of 0.4 percent, from an annual decline of -0.3 percent in the previous month.
The indices of milk, cheese, and egg; and oils and fats retained their corresponding previous month’s annual growth rates of 1.6 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively. (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 – October 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 | 4.3 |
| July | 1.9 | 6.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.4 |
| August | 2.3 | 6.9 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 5.3 |
| September | 2.5 | 8.0 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 5.0 |
| October | 2.7 | 8.1 | -0.1 | 2.9 | 4.8 |
| 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 of consumer items for the bottom 30% income households in NCR, likewise, decelerated further to 3.0 percent in October 2021, from 4.2 percent in September 2021. Inflation of consumer items for this income group and region, in October 2020, was noted at 3.7 percent. (Tables A and 3)
Annual hikes slid in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 3.2 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 13.0 percent;
c. Clothing and footwear, 0.6 percent;
d. Education, 0.2 percent; and
e. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 1.8 percent
On the other hand, annual increments were higher in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 2.8 percent; health, 2.1 percent; and transport at 1.5 percent.
The indices of the rest of the commodity groups such as furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; communication; and recreation and culture retained their previous month’s annual growth rate of 0.6 percent. (Tables 3 and 4)
3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)
Similar to the trend at the national level and NCR, inflation for the bottom 30% income households in AONCR eased further to 4.9 percent in October 2021, from 5.1 percent in September 2021. In October 2020, inflation for ths particular group of consumers in AONCR was recorded at 2.9 percent. (Tables A and 3)
Annual increases were slower in the indices of the following commodity groups during the period:
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 5.2 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.6 percent;
c. Clothing and footwear, 2.6 percent;
d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and recreation and culture, 1.8 percent; and
e. Education, 0.9 percent.
However, annual upticks were higher in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 4.0 percent; transport, 4.5 percent; and communication at 0.3 percent.
Meanwhile, the indices of the rest of the commodity groups posted the same annual growth rates as in their previous month. (Tables 3 and 4)
Among the regions outside NCR, inflation for the bottom 30% income households were slower in nine regions in October 2021. BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) remained as the region with the lowest inflation at 2.2 percent during the month, while both Region II (Cagayan Valley) and Region V (Bicol Region) had the highest inflation at 6.4 percent. (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/).
See more at the Consumer Price Index for Bottom 30% Income Households Main page.
