The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up to 0.2 percent in December from -0.1 percent in November. This was attributed mainly to higher price increments in the indexes of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and miscellaneous construction materials at 5.0 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively from their corresponding previous monthÒ³ rates of 1.0 percent and -0.1 percent. Price gain in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index remained at 0.1 percent while the price increase in beverages and tobacco index eased to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent. Prices of crude materials, inedible except fuels, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment generally remained stable as their indexes recorded zero growth.

The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up to 1.4 percent in October from 0.4 percent in September. The 3.3 percent growth in the food index from 0.7 percent primarily brought about the uptrend. Higher price increases were also correspondingly noted in the indices of beverages and tobacco and machinery and transport at 0.2 percent and 1.6 percent from 0.1 percent and -0.6 percent, respectively, On the other hand, price hikes in chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats and miscellaneous manufactured articles indices were slower at 0.3 percent from 0.6 percent. Prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials also dropped by -0.6 percent from 0.1 percent while those for crude materials, inedible, except fuels and manufactured foods classified chiefly by materials remained stable as they recorded zero growth.