Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines
 

     The monthly change of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items at the national level increased by 0.6 percent in March 2018. It was the same rate recorded in the previous month. Likewise, the same previous month’s rates were noted in the indices of non-food at 0.5 percent; recreation and culture, 0.1 percent; and education, 0.2 percent. Higher monthly increments were however, posted in the following commodity groups:   

• Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages (1.1% from 0.7%);
• Clothing and Footwear (0.3% from 0.2%);
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (0.6% from 0.5%);
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House and Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (0.5% from 0.4%); and
• Health (0.4% from 0.3%).

The alcoholic beverages and tobacco index moved up at a slower pace of 2.0 percent in March from 4.5 percent in February.

     The graduation season brought bigger demand for some goods during the month. This seasonal factor pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All Items;
• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House;
• Health; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. The clothing and footwear index was not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 1).

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, increments were higher in the seasonally adjusted CPI for non-food at 0.8 percent in March from 0.5 percent in February and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.6 percent from 0.4 percent. From 0.1 percent growth in February, the indices of recreation and culture likewise inched up by 0.2 percent and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.9 percent. On the other hand, slower monthly gains were registered in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 1.7 percent from 4.8 percent and education, 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent.Movement in the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages remained at 0.8 percent.
 

      Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor like bigger demand for selected goods during the graduation season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups;

• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

On the contrary, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education (see Table 2).

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     In AONCR, the growth in the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items decelerated to 0.5 percent in March from 0.7 percent in February. Similarly, lower monthly upticks were recorded in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 2.1 percent from 4.5 percent; non-food, 0.3 percent from 0.5 percent; clothing and footwear, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.3 percent from 0.4 percent. On the other hand, a higher rate of 1.1 percent was noted in food and non-alcoholic beverages index during the month from 0.7 percent. The indices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and health likewise went up by  0.5 percent from 0.4 percent. However, the indices of recreation and culture and education both retained their respective previous month’s rates of 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent.
 

     The seasonal factor like bigger production of selected commodities for the graduation season pushed up the indices of the following commodity groups:

• All Items;
• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco;
• Non-food;
• Clothing and Footwear;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House;
• Health; and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services.

However, this seasonal factor pushed down the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education (see Table 3).

Note :  Accompanying this report are the summary tables showing the Seasonally Adjusted CPI for the 2006-based series.