Year-on-year, the general level of prices went up by 6.7 percent in April 2001, similar to the growth in March. Inflation a year ago was 3.7 percent.

Inflation in Metro Manila (MM) picked up to 8.1 percent in April from 7.7 percent in March brought about by the increase in the prices of food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) and services.

Meanwhile, inflation in Areas Outside Metro Manila (AOMM) slowed down to 6.2 percent in April from 6.3 percent in March due to deceleration in prices of housing and repairs (H&R), fuel, light and water (FLW), and services.

Month-on-month inflation rose to 0.3 percent in April from 0.1 percent in March due to higher prices of H&R and services.

Inflation in AOMM moved up by 0.1 percent from zero growth in March. It also ticked up in Metro Manila, to 0.5 percent from 0.3 percent.

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
(1994=100)
APRIL 2001

l By Region, Year-on-Year

® Inflation rate for MM advanced to 8.1 percent in April from 7.7 percent in March.

® Inflation in AOMM slowed down slightly to 6.2 percent in April from 6.3 percent in March. Seven regions recorded lower inflation rates. The biggest decrease of 0.5 percentage point was in Central Luzon and Western Mindanao followed by 0.4 percentage point in Central Visayas. The lowest rate was registered in Central Mindanao at 4.0 percent while the highest rate was still observed in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at 9.3 percent.

l By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

è The rate of FBT increased to 4.2 percent in April from 4.0 percent in March and miscellaneous items, 7.6 percent from 7.4 percent. Meanwhile, the inflation rate for H&R decelerated to 6.8 percent from 7.0 percent and FLW, to 13.8 percent from 14.3 percent. The indices for clothing and services moved at their respective March rates of 3.8 percent and 13.9 percent.

l By Region, Month-on-Month

• Prices in MM accelerated by 0.5 percent from its March rate of 0.3 percent. FBT prices went up by 0.5 percent from –0.4 percent in March; clothing, 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent; FLW, 1.4 percent from 1.3 percent; and services, 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent. A slower uptick was noted in housing and repairs, 0.1 percent from 1.2 percent; and in miscellaneous items, 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent in March.

• A slight upward movement in prices was observed in AOMM with a month-on-month rate of 0.1 percent from zero growth last month. Prices of miscellaneous items were higher at 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent in March. FBT prices were still on the downtrend but faster at –0.1 percent compared to –0.4 percent in March. Slowdowns were recorded in the prices of clothing and H&R, 0.1 percentage point; and FLW, 0.6 percentage point. Services remained at its March rate of 0.3 percent. Eight regions registered higher rates compared to last month with the highest in Ilocos at 0.7 percent and the lowest in Western Mindanao at –0.3 percent.

l By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

Þ Slowdowns in H&R, to 0.3 percent from 0.8 percent, and FLW, 0.7 percent from 1.1 percent, plus the increase in services to 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent brought a higher inflation rate of 0.3 percent from 0.1 percent in March. FBT also picked up to 0.1 percent from –0.4 percent while rates for clothing and miscellaneous items remained at their previous rates.

• The fruits and vegetables index increased in Metro Manila to 1.9 percent in April from -1.7 percent in March due to seasonal (Holy Week) demand along with supply bottlenecks. However, in AOMM many vegetables were still sold cheaper. Discounts were also noted in the prices of mangoes, bananas, pineapple and papayas in the markets due to continued abundant supply. The group index in the Philippines and AOMM declined by 1.9 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively. These rates were however higher than their corresponding rates in March.

• The price of pork went up in many areas as consumers shifted from beef to pork due to the mad cow disease scare. The meat index increased to 0.6 percent in the three areas, also due to higher demand.
• Fish prices during the month were higher in almost all the regions due to seasonal demand. The index picked up to 0.4 percent in the Philippines, 0.1 percent in MM and 0.5 percent in AOMM from their negative rates last month.
• The price of rice has been slowly increasing nationwide with the end of the harvest season. The indices for the Philippines and AOMM were slightly up to 0.2 percent from –0.3 percent posted in March.

® The FLW index increased by 0.4 percent in AOMM brought about by higher charges for electricity consumption and increased prices of LPG and charcoal in many regions. In MM higher purchased power adjustment (PPA) and currency exchange rate adjustment (CERA) for electricity along with price hike in LPG raised the FLW index to 1.4 percent from 1.3 percent in March. In the Philippines, the index grew by 0.7 percent from 1.1 percent last month.

Õ Result of the 2^nd phase survey was not received from Lanao del Sur.