JUNE AND MAY 2011

• Upward adjustments in tuition fees and higher prices of food items particularly chicken, cooking oil, fruits and vegetables raised the overall month-on-month growth of the consumer prices at 0.5 percent in June from 0.2 percent in May. Increased charges for electricity rates and price gains in alcoholic beverages and tobacco and selected construction materials noted in many regions including NCR also contributed to the uptrend.

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  CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
  (2006=100)
  JUNE 2011

By Region, Year-on-Year

• The annual inflation in NCR advanced to 4.7 percent in June from 4.4 percent in May.

• The annual inflation in AONCR likewise went up to 5.3 percent in June from 5.1 percent in May due to higher annual rates recorded in eight regions. The biggest uptick of 0.9 percentage point was observed in Caraga (7.2% from 6.3%) and with the highest annual rate. Meanwhile, the lowest inflation remained in CAR at 3.3 percent.

By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

• At the national level, a higher annual increase was posted in alcoholic beverages and tobacco index at 6.0 percent in June from 5.3 percent in May; clothing and footwear, 3.8 percent from 3.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 5.8 percent from 5.0 percent; transport, 6.8 percent from 6.6 percent; recreation and culture, 1.2 percent from 1.1 percent; education, 5.0 percent from 4.3 percent; and restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.0 percent from 2.8 percent. The annual growth in food and non-alcoholic beverages index was however slower at 5.9 percent from 6.1 percent. A negative annual rate of adjustment was still registered in communication index at -0.3 percent while that for furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and health indexes remained at their respective May rates of 2.5 percent and 3.7 percent.

  The annual gain in the overall food alone index decelerated to 6.1 percent in June from 6.3 percent in May.

  Annual increase in meat index eased to 2.0 percent in June from 2.1 percent in May; milk, cheese and egg, 2.7 percent from 2.8 percent; vegetables, 9.3 percent from 11.5 percent; sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 10.6 percent from 14.9 percent; and food products not elsewhere classified, 3.8 percent from 4.5 percent.

  The oils and fats index however continued to register a double-digit annual growth at 37.7 percent in June from 36.6 percent in May. Moreover, annual uptick in rice index was higher at 5.9 percent from 5.8 percent; corn, 7.3 percent from 5.7 percent; fish, 7.1 percent from 6.8 percent; and fruits, 6.6 percent from 6.4 percent.

• In NCR, a higher annual increment was posted in clothing and footwear index at 3.0 percent in June from 2.9 percent in May; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 5.4 percent from 4.0 percent; transport, 7.2 percent from 7.0 percent; and education, 3.8 percent from 3.7 percent. The rest of the commodity groups either moved at their respective last month’s rates or were slower except for communication index whose annual adjustment was still negative at -0.3 percent from -0.4 percent.

  • Annual inflation for food alone index in NCR eased to 6.0 percent in June from 6.1 percent in May.

  • A negative annual rate was still recorded in corn index at -7.8 percent in June from -9.9 percent and food products, not elsewhere classified, -0.3 percent from 0.3 percent. Moreover, annual increment in rice index was slower at 9.8 percent from 11.6 percent; vegetables, 11.2 percent from 11.9 percent; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 12.4 percent from 14.5 percent. All the other food groups either recorded higher or remained at their May rates.

• In AONCR, the annual growth in alcoholic beverages and tobacco index was higher at 6.5 percent in June from 5.7 percent in May; clothing and footwear, 4.2 percent from 3.8 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 6.2 percent from 5.5 percent; transport, 6.8 percent from 6.5 percent; recreation and culture, 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent; education, 5.5 percent from 4.4 percent; and restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.6 percent from 2.2 percent. The rest of the commodity groups either moved at slower pace or had negative annual rate.

• The annual price change in the food alone index in AONCR slowed down to 6.1 percent in June from 6.3 percent in May.

• The annual increase in meat index was slower at 2.2 percent in June from 2.4 percent in May; milk, cheese and egg, 2.8 percent from 3.0 percent; vegetables, 8.9 percent from 11.5 percent; sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 10.3 percent from 14.9 percent; and food products not elsewhere classified, 4.7 percent from 5.5 percent.

• The annual adjustment in rice index however was higher at 5.4 percent in June from 5.1 percent in May as nine regions posted higher annual rates. The biggest jump of 1.1 percentage points was noted in CALABARZON (5.5% from 4.4%).

• Higher annual rates were also recorded in the rest of the commodity groups.

By Region, Month-on-Month

By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

• Compared to May 2011, prices of consumer items at the national level picked up to 0.5 percent in June from 0.2 percent. Higher monthly uptick was recorded in food and non-alcoholic beverages index at 0.2 percent in June from zero growth in May; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.9 percent from 0.4 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 0.8 percent from 0.2 percent; communication, 0.1 percent from -0.1 percent; recreation and culture, 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent; and education, 4.3 percent from zero growth. On the other hand, a slower monthly hike was noticed in furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house index at 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent; health, 0.4 percent from 0.6 percent; and restaurants and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.3 percent from 0.5 percent. A decline was registered in the transport index at -0.1 percent from 0.5 percent while that for clothing and footwear remained at 0.3 percent.

  • The heavy rains and weather disturbances experienced during the month brought about by typhoons Dodong, Egay and Falcon adversely affected fish supply in the markets, thus raising fish prices during the month. The index of fish in the Philippines and AONCR went up correspondingly to 0.3 percent and 0.4 percent from their respective last month’s rates of -0.4 percent and -0.3 percent. On the contrary, volume of deliveries of milkfish and tilapia in NCR markets dropped significantly as consumers refrained from buying them due to “Fish Kill” scare. These resulted to the price reductions of selected fish species in the area. The fish index in NCR continued to post a negative rate at -0.2 percent from -1.6 percent.

  • The shifting of consumer’s preference for chicken pushed up their prices during the month. The meat index in the Philippines went up by 0.5 percent; NCR, 1.3 percent; and AONCR, 0.2 percent.

  • Upward adjustments in the prices of cooking oil and margarine pulled up the oils and fats index in the Philippines by 1.4 percent; NCR, 3.0 percent; and AONCR, 0.9 percent.

  • The index for rice at the national level and AONCR correspondingly advanced by 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent as eight regions recorded positive growths in their indexes. Among the regions in AONCR, the highest monthly rate of price increment in rice was posted in ARMM at 0.9 percent. The rice index in NCR however further declined by -0.4 percent from -0.2 percent.

  • With downward price movement in sugar, the group’s index for sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery further dropped in the three areas: Philippines, -3.3 percent from -2.3 percent; NCR, -1.9 percent from -0.3 percent; and AONCR, -3.5 percent from -2.6 percent.

• Increased charges for electricity rates and price hikes in selected construction materials in many regions including NCR pushed up the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels index in the Philippines by 0.8 percent; NCR, 1.0 percent; and AONCR, 0.7 percent.

• The education index in the Philippines accelerated by 4.3 percent; NCR, 3.8 percent; and AONCR, 4.5 percent. This was due to higher tuition fees recorded during the month being the opening of the school year.

• With the general increments in the prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, the group’s index went up to 0.9 percent in the Philippines, 0.2 percent in NCR; and 1.0 percent in AONCR.

NOTE: CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic Indices and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last updated: July 5, 2011