Year-on-Year

The year-on-year change of the Construction Materials Retail Price Index (CMRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) picked up by 2.3 percent in March 2018. Its annual rate in the previous month was pegged at 2.1 percent while in March 2017, it was recorded at 1.7 percent. Higher annual increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Carpentry Materials (2.8%);
• Electrical Materials (1.1%);
• Masonry Materials (2.8%); and
• Plumbing Materials (1.0%).

Meanwhile, the index of miscellaneous construction materials posted a slower annual rate of 8.7 percent. Annual movements in the indices of painting materials and related compounds remained at 1.8 percent and tinsmithry materials, 1.4 percent (see Table 2).

Month-on-Month

Measured from a month ago level, the CMRPI in NCR went up by 0.4 percent in March 2018. In the previous month, its rate was registered at 0.1 percent. The indices of electrical materials rose by 0.2 percent and plumbing materials, 0.6 percent after they recorded negative rates in the previous month. Higher increments were also observed in the indices of carpentry materials at 1.1 percent; painting materials and related compounds; 0.4 percent; masonry materials and miscellaneous construction materials both at 0.3 percent. On the other hand, the increase in tinsmithry materials index slowed down to 0.1 percent (see Table 3).

Upward adjustments were posted in the prices of lumber, plywood, lawanit, common wire nails, electrical switch, PVC pipe, cement, hollow blocks, G.I. pipes, corrugated G.I. sheets and plain round steel bars. Lower prices were however, noted in hinges and lockset during the month.