Month-on-Month Growth Rates
 

• Philippines

     The month-on-month growth of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items at the national level slowed down to 0.3 percent in October from 0.8 percent in September. Likewise, slower monthly increases were recorded in the indices of the following commodity groups: 

• Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages (0.2% from 1.4%);
• Clothing and Footwear (0.2% from 0.3%);
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (0.4% from 0.6%);
• Recreation and Culture (0.1% from 0.4%); and
• Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (0.2% from 0.4%).

On the other hand, higher monthly growth was posted in health index at 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent. Movements in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco remained at 1.0 percent; non-food, 0.4 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.3 percent. The education index registered a zero growth during the month.

     The seasonal factor such as higher production of selected goods in preparation for the holiday season pushed up the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages and recreation and culture relative to the expected trend. On the contrary, this seasonal factor pushed down 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;
• Health; and
• Education.

The indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 1).

• National Capital Region (NCR)

     In NCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for alcoholic beverages and tobacco went up by 0.9 percent in October from 0.8 percent in September; non-food, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.5 percent from 0.4 percent. On the other hand, increases in the indices of recreation and culture decelerated to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent and education, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent. The index of food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped by 0.6 percent from 1.4 percent, while that furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house index moved at its previous month’s rate of 0.1 percent.

     Relative to the expected trend, the seasonal factor like bigger volume of production of selected goods in preparation for the holiday season pushed up the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; recreation and culture; and education. This seasonal factor, however, pushed down the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and non-food.  The indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 2).  

• Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

     In AONCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items moved up at a slower pace of 0.3 percent in October from 0.9 percent in September. Moreover, lower increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups:  

• Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages (0.4% from 1.5%);
• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (0.9% from 1.0%);
• Non-food (0.3% from 0.5%);
• Clothing and Footwear (0.2% from 0.3%);
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels (0.3% from 0.7%); and
• Recreation and Culture (0.1% from 0.4%).

Movements in the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; health; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services remained at 0.3 percent. Similarly, education index still registered a zero growth.

     Seasonal factor such as higher production of selected goods in preparation for the holiday season pushed up the recreation and culture index relative to the expected trend. However, this seasonal factor pushed down 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;
• Health; and
• Education.

The indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services were not affected by this seasonal factor (see Table 3).

(Sgd) LISA GRACE S. BERSALES, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General