Month-on-Month

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) registered a slower rate of increment of 0.6 percent in February from 0.9 percent in January as prices of G.I. sheets further declined to -0.4 percent from -0.2 percent. Moreover, price increases in cement and interior electrical fixtures and devices decelerated to 0.6 percent in February from 6.3 percent and 2.1 percent in January; lumber, 0.4 percent from 4.5 percent; wood products, 1.7 percent from 2.6 percent; and electrical rough-in materials, 0.7 percent from 2.5 percent. On the other hand, price additions in sand, stone and gravel were higher at 0.4 percent from -3.0 percent; plywood, 0.6 percent from -0.3 percent; fuels and asphalt, 4.3 percent from 0.3 percent; glass and glass products, 1.0 percent from 0.5 percent; hardware, 1.9 percent from 0.6 percent; paints, 1.4 percent from -0.2 percent; reinforcing steel, 0.9 percent from -2.3 percent; and exterior electrical equipment/supplies, 2.1 percent from 0.5 percent. Prices of the rest of the commodity groups generally remained stable as they posted zero growth during the month.
 

Year-on-Year

The annual inflation of the CMWPI in NCR at 8.6 percent in February was the same rate recorded in January. Higher annual positive rates were seen in the prices of the following commodity groups: cement, 10.1 percent from 10.0 percent; lumber, 12.3 percent from 12.1 percent; wood products, 18.5 percent from 17.1 percent; fuels and lubricants, 33.8 percent from 31.4 percent; glass and glass products, 9.0 percent from 7.9 percent; hardware, 7.4 percent from 5.4 percent; metal pipes, 15.4 percent from 15.3 percent; paints, 4.8 percent from 3.7 percent; and exterior electrical equipment/supplies, 9.7 percent from 7.4 percent. Slower annual movements were however observed in the prices of sand, stone and gravel, concrete products, plumbing fixtures, reinforcing steel, G.I. sheets, interior electrical fixtures and devices, tileworks and electrical rough-in materials. Annual corresponding price decreases in plywood and structural steel were at -1.0 percent and -3.1 percent from -1.3 percent and -2.9 percent, respectively. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month�s rates while inflation for blasting materials and machinery and equipment rental were zero.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: April 26, 2006