Year-on-Year Growth Rates, All Items
November 2013 - November 2014
| Month | Philippines | Luzon | Visayas | Mindanao |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ||||
| November | 0.0p | -0.3p | 1.1 | 1.3 |
| October | 1.0p | 0.8p | 2.8 | 1.5 |
| September | 1.7 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 1.9 |
| August | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| July | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
| June | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
| May | 5.2 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 6.8 |
| April | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 7.0 |
| March | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 7.8 |
| February | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 6.7 |
| January | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 7.6 |
| 2013 | ||||
| December | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 9.2 |
| November | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 8.9 |
p - preliminary
Year-on-Year
On an annual basis, the country’s General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) generally remained stable as it recorded a zero growth in November. It resulted from the mixed trends among the commodity groups. Higher annual hikes were noted in the machinery and transport equipment index at 3.7 percent and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.5 percent. On the other hand, a negative annual rate was still seen in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at 12.4 percent. Moreover, annual gains decelerated in the indices of food at 5.1 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 5.0 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 4.0 percent; and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 2.1 percent. The beverages and tobacco index retained its previous month’s rate of 6.6 percent.
In Luzon, the annual change in the GWPI registered a negative annual rate of 0.3 percent as the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index further went down by 12.7 percent. Contributing also to the downtrend was the slowdown in the growth of the heavily-weighted food index at 5.2 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 4.5 percent; and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 4.7 percent. However, higher annual upticks were posted in the machinery and transport equipment index at 4.5 percent and miscellaneous manuactured articles index, 1.6 percent. Those for the indices of beverages and tobacco and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials remained at 7.9 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.
The annual gain of the GWPI in Visayas improved to 1.1 percent in November. This was attributed to the continued decrease in the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at -7.0 percent. Likewise, lower annual growths were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: food, 2.8 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 11.9 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 1.7 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 3.1 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 1.8 percent. On the contrary, an upward annual adjustment was noticed in the beverages and tobacco index at 1.6 percent. The miscellaneous manufactured articles index moved at its last month’s rate of 1.3 percent.
Similarly, the annual increment in the GWPI in Mindanao eased to 1.3 percent in November as the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index further declined by 14.0 percent. Moreover, slow-paced growths were seen in crude materials, inedible except fuels index at 1.6 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 1.3 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.6 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 0.1 percent. Meanwhile, the food index went up by 6.3 percent and machinery and transport equipment index, 0.2 percent. For three consecutive months, the beverages and tobacco index retained its previous month’s rate of 2.9 percent.
By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
The month-on-month growth of the GWPI at the national level was still negative at 0.4 percent in November. Monthly decreases were noted in the food index at -0.1 percent and in mineral, fuels, lubricants and related materials index, -2.4 percent. Likewise, slower monthly mark-ups were observed in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index at 0.6 percent and indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 0.1 percent. The machinery and transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured articles indices had faster monthly growths of 0.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. The monthly movement in the beverages and tobacco index was zero.
A series of price rollbacks in gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene and LPG pushed down the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in the Philippines by 2.4 percent; Luzon, -2.2 percent; Visayas; -4.9 percent and Mindanao, -4.1 percent.
Reductions in the prices of liveweight hogs, eggs, chicken, selected fish species, rice and some fresh vegetables triggered a negative monthly rate of 0.3 percent in the food index in Luzon. On the other hand, the group’s index in Visayas grew by 0.3 percent as prices of milk, some fruits, vegetables and canned fruits were on the uptrend. Likewise, the food index in Mindanao rose to 1.0 percent. This was brought about by the increments in the prices pork, calamansi, carrots, ginger and other vegetables. Price upticks were also noticed in poultry feeds in Mindanao. At the national level, the group’s index dropped by 0.1 percent.
Additions in the prices of sanitary fixtures, selected clothing, undergarments, footwear, photographic equipment and some textbooks raised the miscellaneous manufactured articles index in Luzon by 1.3 percent. Likewise, a 0.3 percent add-on in its index in Visayas was due to higher prices of mattress in the area. In Mindanao, the group’s index inched up 0.1 percent as prices of photofilms and some office supplies were higher during the month. All these factors effected the 1.2 percent increase in the national index.
A 0.8 percent growth in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index in Luzon was due to price mark-ups in selected vitamins, antibiotics, paints and cosmetics in the area. On the other hand, lower prices of fertilizers in Mindanao and some washing compounds in Visayas pushed down its group’s index in the two areas by 0.1 percent. At the national level, the group’s index rose 0.6 percent.
Price gains in communication apparatus, electrical lamps and insulated wires were seen in Luzon. Hence, the machinery and transport equipment index in the area advanced by 0.6 percent. In Visayas and Mindanao, a 0.1 percent hike in the group’s index was brought about by add-ons in the prices of selected electrical appliances during the month. The monthly change in the group’s national index advanced 0.5 percent.
Upward adjustments in the prices of rubber tires, plywood, doors, windows and other millworks, steel bars and fabricated wire products pushed up the manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index in Luzon by 0.2 percent. Price additions in plywood and knitted fabrics also raised its group’s index in Visayas by 0.1 percent. However, lower prices of G.I. sheets in Mindanao pushed down its group’s index by 0.1 percent. These mixed price trends caused a 0.1 percent growth in the national index.
In Visayas, a 0.3 percent increment in the crude materials, inedible except fuels index was attributed to higher prices of pebbles. Moreover, the group’s index in Luzon grew by 0.1 percent as prices of gravel and sand went up during the month. However, no price movements were seen in the index in Mindanao. Movement in the group’s index at the national level was posted at 0.1 percent.
The beverages and tobacco index in Visayas moved up by 0.8 percent. This was due to price hikes observed in cigarettes, liquors and selected softdrinks in the area. Meanwhile, prices of beverages and tobacco in Luzon and Mindanao generally remained stable during the period. The group’s national index had a zero growth.
Notes:
GWPI by sub-group for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and at the national level are also available upon request at PSA, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic Indices and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).
