1. CPI of Food, Beverages and Tobacco (FBT): National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)
   

   The seasonally adjusted CPI of FBT items in NCR and AONCR correspondingly went up to 152.4 and 157.0 in February from their respective January levels of 151.8 and 156.2.

   Prices of FBT items in NCR slightly slowed down to 0.4 percent in February from 0.5 percent as favorable weather condition that prevailed during the month pushed down prices of some food items like eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables and meat. For AONCR, prices of FBT items went up to 0.5 percent in February from -0.3 percent last month as the favorable weather condition pulled up prices of eggs relative to the expected trend.

2. CPI of Non-FBT items: National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside the National Capital Region (AONCR)

The seasonally adjusted CPI of non-FBT items in NCR and AONCR respectively picked up to 189.6 and 184.6 in February from their corresponding January levels of 189.0 and 183.7.

The month-on-month inflation of the seasonally adjusted CPI for non-FBT items in NCR decelerated to 0.3 percent in February from 0.7 percent in January as the rate of increase in the purchased power adjustment (PPA) for electricity in the area slowed down. For AONCR, prices of non-FBT items grew to 0.5 percent from 0.3 percent brought about by higher charges for electricity along with the price increases in LPG, kerosene, diesel and gasoline.

Page Last Updated: March 11, 2003