Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates of the CPI for the
Bottom 30% Income Households, All Items
In Percent
(2012=100)

1. Philippines

Inflation for the bottom 30% income households at the national level continued to move upward as it rose further to 3.8 percent in April 2022. This brings the national average inflation rate from January to April 2022 to 3.2 percent.

In March 2022, inflation for this income group of consumers was observed at 3.3 percent, and in the same month of the previous year, 4.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

The higher inflation at the national level during the month was primarily brought about by the higher annual uptick in the index of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.6 percent in April 2022, from 2.8 in March 2022.

Moreover, annual increases were faster in the indices of the following commodity groups in April 2022:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 6.4 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 2.2 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 5.6 percent;
d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 2.7 percent;
e. Transport, 4.5 percent;
f. Recreation and culture, 1.9 percent; and
g. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.2 percent.

Meanwhile, annual uptick is lower in the index of health at 2.6 percent. The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates. (Tables 3 and 4)

Inflation for food at the national level climbed further to 3.7 percent in April 2022, from 3.0 percent in March 2022. In April 2021, food inflation was observed at 4.1 percent. (Table 7)

Higher annual increments were observed in the indices of the following food groups during the month:

a. Other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 3.3 percent;
b. Fish, 4.9 percent;
c. Milk, cheese and eggs, 2.1 percent;
d. Oils and fats, 9.0 percent;
e. Vegetables, 7.3 percent;
f. Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 10.4 percent; and
g. Food products not elsewhere classified, 1.8 percent.

On the contrary, annual increases were slower in the indices of rice at 0.1 percent; corn at 8.8 percent; and meat at 6.4 percent. Furthermore, the index for fruits moved at its previous month’s annual rate of 2.1 percent. (Table 5)

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

Inflation in NCR similarly moved at a faster rate of 3.5 percent in April 2022, from 2.8 percent in March 2022. In April 2021, inflation in the area stood at 4.7 percent. (Tables A and 3)

The uptrend was primarily brought about by the higher annual growth rates in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.4 percent;

Other commodity groups with higher inflation rates compared with their last month’s annual growth rates were the following:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 6.3 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear at 1.0 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 4.8 percent;
d. Transport at 3.4 percent; and
e. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.5 percent.

On the other hand, slower annual growths were recorded in the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house at 1.1 percent; and recreation and culture at 0.5 percent. The rest of the commodity groups either retained their previous month’s rates or had zero growths. (Tables 3 and 4)

3. Areas Outside NCR (AONCR)

Following the trend at the national level and NCR, inflation in AONCR accelerated to 3.9 percent in April 2022. Inflation was lower at 3.3 percent in March 2022, while it was 4.9 percent in April 2021. (Tables A and 3)

The higher inflation in the area was primarily brought about by the faster inflation in food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.6 percent. In addition, higher annual gains were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 6.4 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, 2.3 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 5.6 percent;
d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 2.7 percent;
e. Transport, 4.6 percent;
f. Recreation and culture, 1.9 percent; and
g. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.2 percent.

On the other hand, lower annual inflation was recorded in the index of health at 2.6 percent in April 2022, from 2.7 percent in March 2022. The indices of the rest of the commodity groups remained at their respective previous month’s rates. (Tables 3 and 4)

Fourteen (14) regions in AONCR posted higher inflation for the bottom 30% income households in April 2022. The highest inflation during the month was observed in Region III (Central Luzon) at 5.4 percent, while the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) still had the lowest at 2.3 percent. (Table 4)

Note: CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by region is posted at the PSA website (https://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.