Year-on-Year Growth Rates, All Items
April 2012 - April 2013

Year-on-Year

The annual movement in the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level continued to register a negative rate of 1.3 percent in April from -1.5 percent in March. The annual movement in the fuels and lubricants index dropped by 10.7 percent in April from -9.8 percent in March; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, -22.0 percent from -23.0 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, -2.8 percent from -3.0 percent. On the contrary, a higher annual gain was noted in the food index at 3.6 percent from 2.8 percent; beverages and tobacco index, 20.4 percent from 19.8 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.2 percent from 1.0 percent; machinery and transport equipment index, 2.2 percent from 2.1 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 0.7 percent from 0.3 percent.

• The annual change in the GWPI in Luzon went down by 2.1 percent in April from -2.3 percent in March. This can be attributed to the continuous annual decreases in the indices of the following commodity groups: crude materials, inedible except fuels, -23.9 percent from -24.4 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, -11.2 percent from -10.4 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, -3.8 percent from -4.2 percent. A higher annual increase was however observed in the food index at 3.2 percent from 2.7 percent; beverages and tobacco index, 18.6 percent from 17.9 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.0 percent from 0.6 percent; machinery and transport equipment index, 2.6 percent from 2.5 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent.

• On an annual basis, the GWPI in Visayas further declined by 0.8 percent in April from -0.2 percent in March as the index of crude materials, inedible except fuels went down by 16.7 percent from -20.7 percent and fuels and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, -10.1 percent from -7.6 percent. Slower annual additions posted in the heavily-weighted food index at 0.1 percent from 1.0 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index at 0.7 percent from 1.1 percent also contributed to the downtrend. Meanwhile, the annual adjustment in beverages and tobacco index rose 27.3 percent from 25.8 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 0.9 percent from 0.6 percent; machinery and transport equipment index, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.4 percent from 1.1 percent.

• On the other hand, the GWPI in Mindanao moved up at faster pace of 5.7 percent in April from 4.3 percent in March. Higher annual growths were noted in the following commodity groups: food index, 9.8 percent from 5.7 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 10.4 percent from 8.2 percent; machinery and transport equipment index, 2.1 percent from 1.8 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 3.2 percent from 1.0 percent. However, the annual rate of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index further went down by 2.0 percent from -0.8 percent. Likewise, the annual increment in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index eased to 1.5 percent from 2.2 percent and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 2.9 percent from 3.9 percent. The beverage and tobacco index remained at 27.9 percent.

• By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

  The monthly adjustment in the GWPI was at -0.3 percent in April from -0.5 percent in March. It resulted from the decreases in the indices of the following commodity groups: crude materials, inedible except fuels, -0.1 percent from -2.0 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, -3.3 percent from -1.8 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, -0.2 percent from 0.3 percent. In contrast, the food index jumped by 1.2 percent from -0.4 percent and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent. From zero growth, the monthly hikes in the indices of beverages and tobacco and miscellaneous manufactured articles also advanced to 0.6 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively. The machinery and transport equipment index retained its last month’s rate of 0.1 percent.

  Rollbacks in the prices of gasoline, kerosene, diesel and LPG pushed down the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in Luzon by 3.4 percent; Visayas, -3.8 percent; Mindanao, -1.1 percent; and Philippines, -3.3 percent.

  The declines in the indices of chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats in Luzon at 0.2 percent and in Visayas at -0.3 percent were due to the downward adjustments in the prices of coconut oil in the two areas. On the other hand, a growth of 0.1 percent was noted in the group’s index in Mindanao as selected paints were priced higher during the period. The national index dropped by 0.2 percent.
  

  Reductions in the prices of copra and firewood were seen in Visayas. Thus, movement in crude materials, inedible except fuels index in the area was still negative at 1.0 percent. On the contrary, upward adjustments in the prices of charcoal, gravel and sand raised its group’s index in Mindanao by 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, the price gains in charcoal, gravel, sand and pebbles in Luzon were offsetted by the lower prices of copra during the month. Hence, the group’s index in the area posted a zero growth. At the national level, movement in the group’s index was recorded at -0.1 percent.
  

  The index for food climbed 3.3 percent in Mindanao and 1.1 percent in Luzon. This was due to price mark-ups in some food items like fruits, vegetables, chicken, pork, milk and milk products and desiccated coconut. However, the group’s index in Visayas decreased by 0.2 percent as lower prices of some fish species, sugar and selected vegetables were observed in the area. In the Philippines, the group’s index accelerated 1.2 percent from -0.4 percent.

  Upward adjustments in the prices of selected liquors triggered the 1.4 percent monthly uptick in the beverages and tobacco index in Visayas and in Luzon and Philippines, 0.6 percent. Meanwhile, prices of beverages and tobacco in Mindanao generally remained stable as its group’s index had a zero growth.

  Prices of selected footwear, clothing, undergarments and some office supplies raised the miscellaneous manufactured articles index in Mindanao by 2.5 percent. Similarly, a 0.3 percent increment in the group’s indices in Luzon and Visayas was effected by the price hikes in some sanitary fixtures, undergarments, selected school and office supplies and some miscellaneous manufactured items in the two areas. These factors resulted to a 0.5 percent growth in the group’s national index.
  

  The manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index in Luzon grew by 0.4 percent in April from 0.1 percent last month as add-ons were noticed in the prices of lumber, cement, hollow blocks, ceramic tiles, G.I. sheets, and other electrical wires. Likewise, price gains in cement and some paper and paper products pushed up the group’s index in Visayas by 0.3 percent. In Mindanao, the group’s index inched up 0.1 percent. This was attributed to upward movement in the prices of some travelling bags, paper and paper products, concrete materials and hardware items. The group’s national index increased by 0.3 percent.

  A 0.3 percent growth in the index for machinery and transport equipment in Mindanao was due to price additions in some electrical appliances in the area during the period. Higher prices of selected electrical wires and fixtures were also seen in Luzon and Visayas. Hence, the group’s indices in the two areas and in the Philippines rose 0.1 percent.

  Notes:

GWPI by sub-group for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and at the national level are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).