Year-on-Year Growth Rates, All Items
September 2013 - September 2014
| Month | Philippines | Luzon | Visayas | Mindanao |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ||||
| September | 2.2p | 2.2p | 3.3 | 1.9p |
| 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 |
| October | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 8.9 |
| September | 2.2 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 8.7 |
p - preliminary
Year-on-Year
The annual growth of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) further decelerated to 2.2 percent in September. It was posted at the same rate in September 2013 and 3.1 percent last month. The mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index further declined by -4.8 percent. Moreover, a slower annual increment was registered in the heavily-weighted food index at 6.9 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 12.4 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 4.8 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 3.2 percent. However, higher annual gains were seen in beverages and tobacco index at 4.0 percent and in manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.6 percent. The miscellaneous manufactured articles retained its previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent.
The annual change in the GWPI in Luzon eased to 2.2 percent in September as the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index further went down by 5.2 percent. In addition, slower annual hikes were noted in food index at 7.6 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 11.9 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 5.6 percent. Meanwhile, higher annual growths were seen in beverages and tobacco index at 4.7 percent and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.5 percent. Movement in the machinery and transport equipment index remained at 3.9 percent while that for miscellanoeus manufactured articles index was zero.
In Visayas, the GWPI in September moved at its last month’s rate of 3.3 percent. The crude materials, inedible except fuels index went up at a faster pace of 22.5 percent and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.1 percent. On the other hand, a negative annual rate of 0.1 percent was still registered in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index. Moreover, the annual mark-up in the food index improved to 5.0 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 2.4 percent. The beverages and tobacco index retained its last month’s rate of 0.5 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 3.1 percent; and machinery and transport equipment index, 1.9 percent.
The annual growth of the GWPI in Mindanao slowed to 1.9 percent in September. It resulted from an annual decline of 3.0 percent in the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index and in machinery and transport equipment index, -0.1 percent. Lower annual rates were noticed in the food index at 4.5 percent; beverages and tobacco index, 2.9 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 0.3 percent. Meanwhile, a higher annual increase was posted in crude materials, inedible except fuels index at 3.4 percent and in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 1.6 percent. That for manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index remained at 1.8 percent.
By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
At the national level, the GWPI grew by 0.2 percent in September. Faster upward monthly gains were recorded in beverages and tobacco index at 2.8 percent; crude materials, inedible except fuels index, 1.6 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, 0.2 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 0.4 percent; and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 0.3 percent. On the contrary, a 0.1 percent monthly decrease was seen in the food index. The machinery and transport equipment index moved at its last month’s rate of 0.1 percent while the miscellaneous manufactured articles index remained stable as it recorded a zero growth.
Prices of brewery products in Luzon and Mindanao went up during the month. Likewise, higher prices of selected liquors and cigarettes were registered in Luzon. Thus, the beverages and tobacco index in the area advanced by 3.6 percent and in Mindanao, 0.2 percent. In Visayas, no change was noticed in the group’s index during the month. These factors resulted to a 2.8 percent increase in the group’s index at the national level.
Upward adjustments in the prices of copra pushed up the crude materials, inedible except fuels index in Luzon by 1.9 percent and in Visayas, 0.2 percent. Increments in the prices of stone, sand and gravel in the two areas also contributed to the growth. Prices of bamboo, firewood and charcoal were also on the uptrend in Visayas. In Mindanao, no movements were posted in the prices of crude materials, inedible except fuels. In the Philippines, the group’s index picked up 1.6 percent.
In Luzon, a 0.5 percent gain was observed in chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index as prices of some medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations, washing and cleaning compounds and fertilizers increased during the month. A 0.1 percent uptick in the group’s index in Visayas and Mindanao was brought about by higher prices of washing compounds in Visayas and add-ons in the prices of fertilizers, selected paints and other chemical products in Mindanao. At the national level, the group’s index rose 0.4 percent.
Add-ons in the prices of lumber, plywood, paper products, cement, glass products, aluminum sheets and some structural metal products moved up the manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index in Luzon by 0.4 percent. In Visayas, prices of plywood were on the uptrend while there was a reduction in the prices of rubber tires. Prices of cement, deformed bars, angle bars, abaca rope and barbed wires were higher in Mindanao while G.I. pipes and fabricated wire products were priced lower. These offsetting price movements resulted to a zero growth in the group’s index in the two areas. At the national level, the group’s index inched up by 0.3 percent.
A 0.7 percent uptick in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in Luzon was due to price hikes in crude petroleum oil. On the other hand, rollbacks in the prices of gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene further pushed down the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in Mindanao by 5.7 percent and in Visayas, -1.1 percent. Price cuts in LPG also contributed to the decline in the group’s index Mindanao. These mixed price trends effected a 0.2 percent growth in the group’s national index.
A 0.1 percent increase in the index for machinery and transport equipment in Luzon and at the national level was due to price additions in selected electrical appliances and some electrical lamps and fixtures. Meanwhile, prices of machinery and transport equipment generally remained stable in Visayas and Mindanao.
Downward adjustments in the prices chicken, pork, meat, some fish species, selected vegetables, corn and desiccated coconut were observed in Luzon. Thus, the food index in the area declined by 0.2 percent. Lower prices of copra meal also contributed to the decrease in the group’s index in Luzon. A negative monthly rate of 0.1 percent was also noticed in the group’s index in Visayas as price reductions were seen in beef, some vegetables and selected fish species in the area. However, price mark-ups in eggs, instant noodles, milk, fruits, some preserved fruits and vegetables raised its group’s index in Mindanao by 0.1 percent. These factors resulted to a 0.1 percent drop in the group’s national index.
Prices of miscellaneous manufactured articles in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and at the national level generally remained stable as their group’s 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).
