Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines

At the country level, the month-on-month growth of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in March 2019 remained at 0.1 percent. Likewise, the indices of health and recreation and culture still retained their February monthly rate of 0.2 percent. On the other hand, the indices of non-food; clothing and footwear; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels moved up by 0.3 percent in March from 0.2 percent in February. The index of restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services also went up at a faster pace of 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent. Increases in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, however, slowed down to 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent from 0.6 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. The indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages and education both dropped by 0.2 percent from their corresponding previous month’s rates of -0.1 percent and zero growth.

     Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor like the bigger demand for selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels;
• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
• Health; and
• Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

On the contrary, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education while the indices for all items and clothing and footwear were not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 1).
 

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, the monthly change of the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages moved upward by 0.2 percent in March after it recorded a decline of 0.2 percent in February. Moreover, higher monthly increments were posted in the indices of recreation and culture at 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent. On the other hand, the index of alcoholic beverages and tobacco decreased further by 0.5 percent from -0.3 percent. The index of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, likewise, went down by 0.1 percent during the month from zero growth in the previous month. Meanwhile, the indices of non-food and education both retained their previous month’s rate of 0.2 percent.

     Seasonal factor like higher production of selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; non-food; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. However, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The index for furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house was not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 2).

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     The seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in AONCR inched up by 0.2 percent in March from 0.1 percent in February, and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent. Likewise, a higher rate of 0.3 percent was observed in the indices of clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health from 0.2 percent growth in the previous month. The increase in alcoholic beverages and tobacco index was, however, slower at 0.5 percent from 0.7 percent. On the contrary, the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages and education both went down by 0.3 percent during the month from their respective previous month’s rates of zero growth and -0.1 percent. Movements in the indices of non-food remained at  0.3 percent; recreation and culture, 0.2 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.1 percent.

     The seasonal factor like the bigger demand of selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
• Clothing and footwear;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels;
• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
• Health;
• Education; and
• Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices for all items; food and non-alcoholic beverages; and recreation and culture. The index for non-food was not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 3).

See more at the Seasonally Adjusted Consumer Price Index main page.