• The country’s annual headline inflation was pegged at 1.1 percent in April 2016. It was the same rate recorded last month, while in April 2015, inflation reached 2.2 percent. Mixed movements in the annual growths were observed among the commodity groups. Higher annual gains were noted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; health; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. On the other hand, the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels continued to register annual decline. Growths for the rest of the commodity groups remained at their previous month’s rates (Table 8).

• In NCR, inflation was, however, higher at 0.4 percent in April 2016. A month ago, it was recorded at 0.2 percent and in April 2015, 1.5 percent. This was due to higher annual increments in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; health; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

• Inflation in Areas Outside NCR (AONCR) remained at 1.3 percent in April. It was posted at 2.3 percent in April 2015. Annual growths were higher in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; health; transport; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. The other commodity groups retained their last month’s rates with the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels still registering annual decrease (Table 8).

• Consumer prices in the Philippines went up by 0.2 percent in April 2016. Last month, it was recorded at 0.1 percent. This was due to higher charges in electricity rates and upward adjustments in the prices of kerosene and selected construction materials in NCR and in many provinces. Higher charges for water rates were also noted in NCR. In addition, food items such as selected vegetables, fruits, spices, condiments and fish species were priced higher during the month. Prices of some alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and some items for personal care and effects also increased in NCR and in many provinces.

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  CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
  (2006=100)
  APRIL 2016

By Region, Year-on-Year

• Inflation in NCR rose 0.4 percent in April.

• Inflation in AONCR, however, remained at 1.3 percent in April. Eight regions had higher annual gains. The highest annual growth of 3.2 percent was seen in Davao Region while the lowest rate of -0.1 percent was noted in CALABARZON and Bicol Region.

By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

• Higher annual mark-ups were registered in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco in the Philippines at 5.2 percent in April; clothing and footwear, 1.9 percent; health, 2.2 percent; recreation and culture, 1.3 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.1 percent. Meanwhile, the annual increment in furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house index slowed down to 1.4 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month's rates (Table 8).

  The annual change of the country’s food alone index climbed by 1.7 percent in April 2016. It was pegged at 1.6 percent in March 2016 and 4.0 percent in April 2015 (Table 13).

  Annual upticks were higher in the indices of corn at 2.7 percent; other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products, 1.3 percent; meat, 1.8 percent; oils and fats, 1.2 percent; fruits, 3.9 percent; and vegetables, 9.6 percent. On the contrary, the rice index continued to post annual decrease at -1.3 percent. The rest of the food either had slower annual growths or retained their last month’s rates (Table 10).

• In NCR, annual upward adjustments for the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages and tobacco were both higher by 2.6 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.6 percent; health, 1.7 percent; recreation and culture, 2.0 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 1.2 percent. On the other hand, the indices for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels dropped by 3.3 percent and transport, -1.1 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s rates (Table 8).

  • The annual adjustment of the food alone index in NCR increased by 2.7 percent. A month ago, it went up by 2.2 percent and in April 2015, 3.6 percent (Table 13).

  • Double-digit annual increments were correspondingly noticed in the indices of corn and vegetables at 42.4 percent and 11.0 percent. Moreover, the annual growth of other cereals, flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products index was higher at 1.5 percent; meat index, 3.8 percent; fish index, 2.3 percent; oils and fats index, 0.9 percent; and fruits index, 8.9 percent. On the contrary, those for the indices of rice and food products not elsewhere classified fell by 1.6 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively (Table 10).

• In AONCR, the annual gains in the indices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco were higher at 5.6 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.0 percent; health, 2.3 percent; transport, 0.3 percent; recreation and culture, 1.1 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.4 percent. The rest of the commodity groups retained their last month’s rate with the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels still recording negative annual rate at -0.7 percent (Table 8).

  • The annual mark-up in the food alone index in AONCR eased to 1.5 percent in April 2016. It was 1.6 percent a month ago and 4.1 percent in April 2015 (Table 13).

  • Slower annual growths were seen in the corn index at 1.3 percent; fish index, 1.2 percent; sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery index, 7.0 percent; and food products not elsewhere classified index, 2.3 percent.

  • With 11 regions still posting annual declines, the rice index continued to register negative rate at -1.2 percent. The lowest annual rate of -9.2 percent remained in Bicol Region. The highest annual growth of 3.6 percent was still noted in ARMM (Table 10).

By Region, Month-on-Month

By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

• Consumer prices in the Philippines inched up 0.2 percent in April. This was primarily brought about by the 0.5 percent growth in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels index. The heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages index also moved up faster by 0.1 percent; clothing and footwear and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house indices, 0.2 percent; and health and recreation and culture indices, 0.3 percent. Slower increments were, however, noticed in the indices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The rest of the commodity groups had a zero growth (Table 7).

  • Lower production of selected vegetables brought about by long dry spell limited its supplies in the markets. This factor raised its prices during the month. Hence, the vegetables index in NCR accelerated to 2.0 percent and in AONCR, 0.6 percent. The group’s index at the national level moved up by 0.9 percent.

  • Higher prices of fruits such as banana, mango and papaya during the month raised the group’s index in NCR by 4.1 percent and AONCR, 0.6 percent. Decreases in production lowered their supplies in the markets. For the Philippines, the group’s index advanced by 1.3 percent.

  • The food products not elsewhere classified index in NCR escalated by 2.2 percent and AONCR, 0.7 percent. Higher prices of selected spices and condiments, particularly ginger and calamansi were observed during the month. At the national level, the group’s index climbed by 0.9 percent.

  • Lower production of corn in the country due to dry spell experienced in many regions pushed up its prices in April. Thus, the group’s index in NCR jumped by 5.0 percent and in AONCR, 0.7 percent. For the Philippines, the index went up by 0.9 percent.

  • The fish index in NCR fell by 0.9 percent and in AONCR, -0.5 percent. This was attributed to downward price adjustments in selected fish species and sea foods. The national index shrank by 0.5 percent.

  • The index for rice in NCR declined by 1.1 percent as prices of glutinous rice and regular-milled rice were generally lower during the month. In AONCR, the index inched up by 0.1 percent. The group’s index at the country level dropped by 0.1 percent (Table 9).

• Higher charges in the electricity rates and increased prices of kerosene and selected construction materials in NCR and in many provinces raised the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels by 0.7 percent in NCR and 0.5 percent in AONCR. Upward adjustments in the charges for water rates in NCR were also recorded during the month. At the national level, the index went up 0.5 percent.

• The index for restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services in NCR rose 0.2 percent due to increments in the prices of selected items for personal care and effects. Likewise, the group’s index in AONCR advanced by 0.2 percent as prices of meals eaten outside the home and some selected items for personal care and effects were higher in some provinces. For the Philippines, the index moved up 0.2 percent.

• Selected alcoholic beverages were priced higher in NCR and in many regions during the month. Higher prices of cigarettes were also observed in many provinces. Thus, the index for alcoholic beverages and tobacco picked up by 0.4 percent in NCR and AONCR. At the country level, the group’s index gained by 0.4 percent.

• Rollbacks in ship and taxi fares in NCR pushed down the transport index in the area by 0.5 percent. On the other hand, price upticks in gasoline and diesel and higher air fares in many provinces resulted to a 0.2 percent growth in the transport index in AONCR. Hence, the national index recorded a zero growth in April (Table 7).

Note: CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are also available upon request at Philippine Statistics Authority, Economic Sector Statistics Service, Price Statistics Division (Telephone Number: 376-19-59).

LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph.D.
National Statistician