1.  Philippines

     At the country level, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items went up by 0.1 percent in March 2020, from -0.2 percent in February 2020. Food and non-alcoholic beverages index picked up by 0.4 percent from zero growth. Moreover, higher monthly increments were recorded in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.6 percent, from 0.3 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent; and education, 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent. A 0.2 percent growth was still posted in the indices of clothing and footwear; health; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

     On the other hand, the indices of non-food; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels both went down by 0.3 percent during the month.

     Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods during the month 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.

     However, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices for all items; food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The index of clothing and footwear was not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 1)
 

2.  National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, the month-on-month growth rate of the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 0.4 percent in March 2020, from -0.2 percent in February 2020. In addition, higher mark-ups were observed in the indices of clothing and footwear at 0.2 percent from 0.1 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 1.7 percent from 1.1 percent. Likewise, from zero growth in the previous month, the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco picked up by 0.4 percent; and recreation and culture, 0.1 percent.

     The indices of restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, however, dropped by 0.3 percent in March 2020, from a 0.1 percent increase in February 2020; and non-food, -0.2 percent from -0.7 percent. The monthly rate of education index remained at 0.3 percent, while that for health index registered a zero growth from 0.2 percent.

     The seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods during the season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

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

      On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The indices of clothing and footwear and health were not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 2)

3.  Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     The seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in AONCR still recorded a zero growth in March 2020. The indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages inched up by 0.2 percent in March 2020 from -0.1 percent in the previous month; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.6 percent from 0.2 percent.

     Meanwhile, the monthly growth rates in the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house decelerated to 0.3 percent in March 2020, from 0.4 percent in February 2020, and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent.

     Moreover, the indices of non-food and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels both fell by 0.3 percent from zero growth; and transport, 1.5 percent from -0.7 percent. Movements in the indices of health remained at 0.2 percent; recreation and culture, 0.3 percent; and education, 0.1 percent.

     The seasonal factor during the season pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; housing, electricity, gas, and other fuels; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health relative to the expected trend. However, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All items;
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
• Transport;
• Recreation and culture; and
• Education.

The indices of non-food, and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 3)
 

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