April 2005
Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items
April 2004 - April 2005
| Month | Philippines | Luzon | Visayas | Mindanao |
| 2004 | ||||
| April | 7.7 | 7.7 | 3.3r | 11.4r |
| May | 8.2r | 8.5 | 3.4 | 11.5r |
| June | 9.2r | 9.3 | 4.9 | 13.5r |
| July | 9.5 | 9.5 | 4.4 | 13.9 |
| August | 9.8 | 10.0 | 4.8 | 12.4 |
| September | 9.8 | 10.3 | 5.3 | 10.9 |
| October | 10.4 | 10.8 | 5.6 | 11.4 |
| November | 9.5r | 9.8r | 5.9 | 11.3 |
| December | 9.6r | 9.7r | 5.8 | 12.0r |
| 2005 | ||||
| January | 10.3r | 10.8r | 5.4r | 11.4 |
| February | 10.2r | 10.8r | 5.1r | 9.8 |
| March | 10.7r | 11.7r | 5.2 | 8.0 |
| April | 10.9 | 12.0 | 5.7 | 8.2 |
r - revised
Year-on-Year
Year-on-year inflation rate based on the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level went up to 10.9 percent in April from 10.7 percent in March.
Annual price increments were higher in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials at 38.1 percent in April from 33.8 percent in March; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 7.0 percent from 6.8 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 8.0 percent from 7.7 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 5.1 percent from 3.4 percent. However, inflation rates for food items slowed to 6.9 percent from 7.8 percent; beverages and tobacco, 5.1 percent from 7.1 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 4.5 percent from 5.0 percent. Annual inflation for crude materials, inedible except fuels further declined to -3.3 percent from -0.1 percent.
Similarly, inflation rate in Luzon advanced to 12.0 percent in April from 11.7 percent in March. Inflation rate for mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials increased to 39.2 percent from 34.8 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 6.6 percent from 6.5 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 8.8 percent from 8.4 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 5.1 percent from 3.0 percent. On the other hand, annual movements in the prices of food items eased to 7.6 percent from 8.9 percent; beverages and tobacco, 5.4 percent from 7.8 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 5.5 percent and 6.0 percent. Inflation for crude materials, inedible except fuels still posted negative rate of 4.7 percent from -1.3 percent.
In Visayas, inflation rate rose to 5.7 percent in April from 5.2 percent in March. Annual growth rates in the prices of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials grew to 33.0 percent from 25.5 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 1.9 percent from 1.8 percent; and crude materials, inedible except fuels, 0.7 percent from zero growth. Meanwhile, prices of food items recorded slower rate of increments of 3.7 percent from 4.4 percent; machinery and transport equipment, 0.1 percent from 0.7 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 0.5 percent from 1.2 percent. Inflation for beverages and tobacco and chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats correspondingly remained at 0.4 percent and 4.9 percent.
Inflation rate in Mindanao picked up to 8.2 percent in April from 8.0 percent in March. Annual add-ons in the prices of food items were at 5.8 percent from 4.7 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 29.3 percent from 27.0 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 11.8 percent from 10.0 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 8.4 percent from 8.3 percent. Slower annual inflation rates were however noted in the prices of beverages and tobacco, 8.2 percent from 9.0 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 22.9 percent from 34.4 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 5.4 percent from 7.3 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 1.7 percent from 2.6 percent.
By Commodity Group, Month-on- Month
The month-on-month inflation slowed by 0.6 percentage point to 1.0 percent in April from 1.6 percent in March.
Prices of meat products, fish and selected fruits and vegetables went down in Luzon. Thus, the food index in the area decreased by 1.0 percent. On the contrary, decreases of the same food items in Visayas and Mindanao correspondingly raised their group's index by 0.3 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. At the national level, the group's index declined by 0.5 percent.
Prices of beverages and tobacco in all areas generally remained stable during the month as the group's index posted a zero growth.
Higher prices of copra caused the index of crude materials, inedible except fuels in Luzon to grow by 3.0 percent. The group's index in Visayas also advanced by 0.7 percent due to price increases in pebbles, bamboo, sand and gravel. Likewise, higher price of pulpwood in Mindanao pushed up its index by 1.4 percent. Thus, the overall index went up by 2.7 percent.
The continued uptrend in the prices of petroleum products pulled up the index for mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials in the Philippines by 4.0 percent; Luzon, 3.9 percent; Visayas, 8.1 percent; and Mindanao, 2.1 percent.
Price hikes in coconut oil, varnish, plastic products and selected medicines in Luzon effected the 1.2 percent growth in the chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index. Similarly, the group's index in Mindanao was up by 2.8 percent due to the upward adjustments in the prices of inorganic acids, fertilizer, cosmetic preparations and medicinal and pharmaceutical products. In Visayas, prices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats generally remained stable as they posted zero growth during the month. Overall, the group's index at the national level picked up by 1.2 percent.
Higher prices of bars and angles, glass and glass products and fabricated wire products noted in Luzon and Mindanao triggered a 0.8 percent uptick in the group's index for manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials in Luzon and Philippines and 0.4 percent in Mindanao.
Lower prices of selected electrical appliances caused a 0.4 percent drop in the machinery and transport equipment index in Luzon. However, the group's index in Visayas and Mindanao slightly moved up by 0.1 percent due to upward adjustments in the prices of electrical apparatus. At the national level, the group's index dropped by 0.2 percent.
The miscellaneous manufactured articles index climbed by 2.0 percent in Luzon due to the price gains in sanitary fixtures, furniture, photofilm, watch and newspaper. Likewise, the group's index in Visayas went up by 0.2 percent. This was attributed to the upward adjustments in the prices of newspaper and office supplies. The 0.1 percent increase in the group's index in Mindanao was brought about by price additions in garments, footwear, textbooks and photofilm. All these factors contributed to the 1.7 percent uptick in its national index.
Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines
Page last revised: August 13, 2005
