1. Philippines

At the country level, the month-on-month growth rate of the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items went up to 0.2 percent in May 2021. This was the same monthly rate recorded in April 2021.

The month-on-month growth rates in the deseasonalized CPI in May 2021 were the same as their rates in April 2021 for the following commodity groups:

          a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.8 percent;
          b. Clothing and footwear, 0.2 percent;
          c. Health, 0.3 percent; and
          d. Recreation and culture, 0.1 percent.

On the other hand, month-on-month increases were higher in May 2021 in the seasonally adjusted CPI of the following:

          a. Non-food, 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent;
          b. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.6 percent from 0.3 percent;
          c. Education, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent; and
          d. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.5 percent from 0.4 percent.

Moreover, the seasonally adjusted CPI for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels picked up to 0.6 percent in May 2021, from zero growth in the previous month.

The seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages also decreased at a slower rate of -0.1 percent in May 2021, from -0.2 percent in April 2021.

The seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods and services during the season pushed down the indices of the following:

          a. All items;
          b. Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
          c. Non-food;
          d. Clothing and footwear;
          e. Health;
          f.  Recreation and culture; and
          g. Education.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house. Meanwhile, the index for restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services was not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 1)
 

2. National Capital Region (NCR)

The deseasonalized CPI for all items in NCR rose to 0.5 percent in May 2021, from -0.2 percent in April 2021.

Month-on-month growth rates went up in the seasonally adjusted CPI of the following:

          a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 0.2 percent from -0.3 percent;
          b. Non-food, 0.7 percent from -0.2 percent;
          c. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.9 percent from -0.6 percent; and
          d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.6 percent from -0.1 percent.

In addition, monthly hikes were higher in the seasonally adjusted CPI for alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.6 percent from 0.4 percent; and education, 0.7 percent from 0.2 percent.

On the other hand, the deseasonalized CPI for transport declined further to -0.3 percent in May 2021, from -0.1 percent in April 2021. Likewise, the seasonally adjusted CPI for recreation and culture fell by -0.1 percent during the month, from zero growth in the previous month.

The previous month’s rates were retained in the seasonally adjusted CPI of clothing and footwear at 0.1 percent; health, 0.2 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.7 percent.

The seasonal factor such as the degree of demand for selected goods and services during the season pushed down the indices of the following:

          a. All items;
          b. Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
          c. Non-food;
          d. Health;
          e. Transport; and
          f.  Education.

On the other hand, this seasonal factor pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

However, the indices of clothing and footwear; and recreation and culture were not affected by this seasonal factor. (Table 2)
 

3. Areas Outside National Capital Region (AONCR)

In AONCR, the seasonally adjusted CPI for all items in May 2021 moved at its previous month’s rate of 0.2 percent.

The deseasonalized CPI for clothing and footwear, and education maintained their month-on-month growth rate of 0.2 percent in May 2021. Similarly, the seasonally adjusted CPI for food and non-alcoholic beverages moved at April 2021’s monthly rate of -0.1 percent.

Month-on-month increments were higher in the seasonally adjusted CPI of the following:

          a. Non-food and health, both at 0.3 percent from 0.2 percent;
          b. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent;
          c. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent.

In addition, the seasonally adjusted CPI for recreation and culture inched up to 0.1 percent during the month, from zero growth in the previous month.

On the contrary, monthly upticks decelerated in the seasonally adjusted CPI for alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.8 percent from 0.9 percent; and furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 0.4 percent from 0.5 percent.

The seasonal factor like the degree of demand for selected goods and services during the season pushed down the indices of the following:

          a. All items;
          b. Food and non-alcoholic beverages;
          c. Non-food;
          d. Clothing and footwear;
          e. Health;
          f.  Education; and
          g. Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services.

This seasonal factor, however, pushed up the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels.

Meanwhile, this seasonal factor did not affect the indices of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; and recreation and culture. (Table 3)
 

See more at the Seasonally Adjusted Consumer Price Index main page.