By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

   By Region, Month-on-Month

   By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

• At the national level, prices of consumer items accelerated 0.8 percent in April from 0.2 percent in March. Higher monthly increments were seen in all the commodity groups except in education index which still posted a zero growth.

  • Price gains in selected fresh fish species, shrimps and crabs pushed up the corresponding fish indices in the Philippines and AONCR to 1.9 percent and 2.1 percent from 0.4 percent and in NCR, 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent. This was due to bigger demand for fish as consumers shifted from meat to fish in observance of the Lenten season.

  • The milk, cheese and egg index in the AONCR and in the Philippines climbed 0.7 percent during the month due to the increased prices of processed eggs and milk in many regions. Similarly, higher prices of these items were observed in NCR. Thus, the group’s index in the area picked up by 0.9 percent from 0.4 percent.

  • The low-priced NFA rice in NCR pulled down the rice index in the area by -0.5 percent during the month. On the contrary, the rice index in AONCR rose by 0.3 percent due to upward price adjustments in rice including the glutinous rice in selected regions. Among the regions in AONCR, the biggest uptick in the group’s index at 2.4 percent was seen in Cagayan Valley. These mixed price trends resulted to a slower monthly growth in the rice index in the Philippines at 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent.

  • The acceleration in the prices of selected condiments and seasonings raised the index for food products not elsewhere classified in NCR by 3.0 percent and in AONCR, 1.6 percent. At the national level, the group’s index jumped by 1.9 percent.

  • The index for sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery in AONCR went up by 1.4 percent in April from -0.4 percent in March brought about by the price upticks in sugar and sugar products in many regions. In NCR, the group’s index inched up by 0.1 percent from -1.2 percent as ice cream was priced higher during the month. The national index gained 1.2 percent from -0.5 percent.

  • With the upward price adjustments in selected processed and canned meat in NCR, the meat index in the area advanced by 0.4 percent in April from -0.1 percent in March. Likewise, the meat index in AONCR moved up by 0.2 percent as higher prices of pork, beef and selected processed meat products were observed in some regions. The growth in the group’s national index was also at 0.2 percent.

• Higher prices of selected construction materials along with the increased charges for electricity rates in many regions pulled up the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels in AONCR by 1.7 percent from 0.8 percent. Price hikes in firewood and charcoal and higher rental rates in selected regions also contributed to the uptrend. Similarly, the group’s index in NCR climbed 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent due to the increments in the charges for electricity rates. The national index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels accelerated by 1.3 percent from 0.6 percent.

• The 1.2 percent growth in the transport index in AONCR was effected by the land transport fare hikes in selected regions together with the price add-ons in engine oil. The transport index in NCR likewise went up 0.3 percent resulting from the implementation of the jeepney transport fare increase. In the Philippines, the group’s index registered a growth of 1.0 percent.

• The index for restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services in the NCR gained 0.1 percent and in AONCR, 0.7 percent. This can be attributed to the price additions in selected items for personal care and effects observed during the month along with the higher prices of meals eaten outside the home in some provinces. The national index picked up by 0.5 percent from 0.2 percent.