Month-on-Month

On a monthly basis, the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up 0.3 percent in March from a decline of -0.3 percent in February. The monthly adjustment in crude materials index increased to 0.3 percent in March from 0.1 percent in February; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, 3.0 percent from 1.9 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats and machinery and transport equipment indices, 0.5 percent from their corresponding previous month's rates of 0.2 percent and 0.4 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 0.1 percent from zero growth. The same last month's rate was observed in beverages and tobacco index at 0.6 percent while that for the food index was still negative at -0.1 percent from -1.4 percent in February.

Price hikes were noted in gravel, sand, gasoline, LPG, diesel fuel, kerosene, floorwax, paints, selected medicines, cement, steel bars, selected nails, electrical wires and wiring devices, clothing and footwear. On the other hand, price decreases were noticed in foodstuffs such as chicken, selected fish species, fresh fruits, sugar and vegetables. 
 

Year-on-Year

The annual increment in the GRPI in NCR advanced to 1.3 percent in March from 0.9 percent in February. Annual gain in crude materials, inedible except fuels index grew by 0.5 percent in March from 0.3 percent in February; machinery and transport equipment index, 1.3 percent from 0.7 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.4 percent from 1.3 percent. While the food index still recorded a negative annual rate of -0.1 percent from -1.1 percent, the rest of the commodity groups have slower annual growth rates.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: May 14, 2012