Month-on-Month

The Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) registered a slower rate of increment of 0.1 percent in March from 0.6 percent in February as prices of structural steel declined to -1.4 percent from zero growth. Moreover, increases in the prices of fuels and lubricants decelerated to 0.7 percent in March from 4.3 percent in February; hardware, 0.1 percent from 1.0 percent; paints, 0.5 percent from 1.4 percent; reinforcing steel and interior electrical fixtures and devices, 0.4 percent from 0.9 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively; and electrical rough-in materials, 0.5 percent from 0.7 percent. On the other hand, higher rates were registered in the prices of sand, stone and gravel (0.7 percent from 0.4 percent) and cement (0.8 percent from 0.6 percent). From zero growth, prices of PVC pipes and UPVC water pipes went up to 1.1 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. Prices for the rest of the commodity groups generally remained stable as they posted zero growth during the month.
 

Year-on-Year

The annual inflation rate based on the CMWPI in NCR eased to 8.0 percent in March from 8.5 percent in February. Annual price decreases were correspondingly observed in plywood and structural steel at -2.1 percent and -4.5 percent from -1.0 percent and -3.1 percent, respectively. In addition, annual price adjustments were slower in lumber, fuels and lubricants, hardware, metal pipes, concrete products, plumbing fixtures, paints, G.I. sheets, interior electrical fixtures and devices, tileworks, and electrical rough-in materials. Higher annual gains were however seen in the prices of sand, stone and gravel, cement, PVC pipes, reinforcing steel and UPVC water pipes. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month�s rates.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: May 11, 2006