• Month-on-Month

  On a monthly basis, the growth in the Construction Materials Wholesale Price Index (CMWPI) in the National Capital Region further went up to 0.8 percent in March from 0.6 percent in February due to higher increments in the indices of most of the commodity groups. That for sand and gravel index picked up to 1.3 percent in March from 1.1 percent in February; cement, 1.5 percent from -0.3 percent; hardware, 0.6 percent from 0.1 percent; plywood, 0.3 percent from -0.6 percent; lumber, 0.4 percent from -0.1 percent; electrical works, 0.9 percent from 0.4 percent; painting works, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent; PVC pipes, 0.5 percent from 0.1 percent; and structural steel and doors, jambs and steel casement, 0.7 percent from their corresponding last month's rates of 0.3 percent and 0.2 percent. From zero growth, the indices of concrete products and tileworks also grew by 0.6 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, a slowdown in the rate of increase was noted in the index of G.I sheet (0.7% from 0.9%); reinforcing steel (0.3% from 0.4%); plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks (0.1% from 0.3%); and fuels and lubricants (2.2% from 3.1%). The monthly movement in the other commodity groups was zero.

  Price hikes were recorded in sand and gravel, cement, selected concrete products, hardware, plywood, coco lumber, good lumber, steel bars, angle bars, G.I. sheets, flush type and PVC doors, selected electrical works, plumbing fixtures, PVC pipes, paints, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil.

• Year-on-Year

  The annual increase in the wholesale prices of selected construction materials in the NCR eased to 5.2 percent in March from 6.8 percent in February. A negative annual rate was still posted in cement index at -3.4 percent from -4.6 percent. Moreover, annual gains in the indices of fourteen commodity groups decelerated while those for G.I. sheet and tileworks were higher during the month. The same previous month's annual rate was observed in asphalt index and that for machinery and equipment rental was still zero.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines

Page last revised: April 12, 2012