Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines

     At the country level, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items went up at a slower pace of 0.4 percent in January 2020, from 0.8 percent in December 2019. The increments in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages decelerated to 0.5 percent from 1.0 percent; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.2 percent from 1.4 percent. On the other hand, increases were higher in the seasonally adjusted CPI of non-food at 0.5 percent from 0.3 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent; and recreation and culture, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. A 0.2 percent growth rate was still observed in the indices of clothing and footwear; health; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. Similarly, the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, and education retained their previous month’s rates of 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

     Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor like the practice of implementing business changes at the start of the year pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All items;
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco;
• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and
• Health.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices of non-food; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and education. Meanwhile, the indices of clothing and footwear; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 1)
 

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 0.2 percent in January 2020, from 1.4 percent in December 2019; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.5 percent from 1.2 percent. In addition, the monthly gain in non-food index slowed down to 0.4 percent in January 2020, from 0.5 percent in December 2019. On the other hand, clothing and footwear index rose by 0.2 percent from zero growth in the previous month. Moreover, monthly growth rates were higher in the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.8 percent from 0.3 percent;
• Health, 0.6 percent from 0.4 percent;
• Education, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent; and
• Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent.

Meanwhile, movement in recreation and culture index remained at 0.2 percent during the month.

     The seasonal factor like the practice of implementing business changes during the beginning of the year pushed up the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; and health. On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Non-food;
• Furnishing, household, equipment and routine maintenance of the house;
• Education; and
• Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

However, this seasonal factor did not affect the indices of clothing and footwear, and recreation and culture. (Table 2)

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     In AONCR, the monthly increment of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items eased to 0.5 percent in January 2020, from 0.7 percent in December 2019. Slower increases were noted in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.6 percent from 1.1 percent; alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.3 percent from 1.5 percent; and transport, 0.3 percent from 0.7 percent. On the other hand, higher mark-ups were posted in the indices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent. The index of health also picked up by 0.2 percent during the month from zero growth in the previous month. Meanwhile, movements in the indices of non-food remained at 0.3 percent; and recreation and culture, and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, both at 0.2 percent. No movement was still recorded in education index as it posted a zero growth during the month.

The seasonal factor such as the practice of implementing business changes at the beginning of the year pushed up the indices for all items; food and non-alcoholic beverages; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health relative to the expected trend. On the contrary, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Non-food;
• Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels;
• Transport; and
• Education.

This seasonal factor, however, did not affect the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. (Table 3)
 

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