By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year

   By Region, Month-on-Month

   By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month

• At the national level, consumer prices generally decreased by -0.1 percent in September from 0.8 percent in August. This was effected by the -1.1 percent drop in the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels. Improved monthly increases were also posted in four commodity groups. On the other hand, adjustment in restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services inched up 0.1 percent from zero percent. That for communication, recreation and culture and education indices was zero while health and transport indices retained their respective last month’s figure of 0.1 percent and 0.6 percent.

  • The vegetables index in NCR dropped by -3.1 percent in September from a double-digit growth of 21.0 percent in August. The downward price trend in vegetables can be attributed to their sufficient supplies in the markets brought about by the improved favorable weather conditions which boosted production of vegetables during the month. On the contrary, prices of vegetables in many regions in AONCR went up during the month. Thus, the group’s index in the area soared to 5.3 percent from 3.7 percent. These different price movements resulted to a 3.7 percent growth in the national index, slower than the 6.5 percent gain last month.

  • The increments in the prices of banana and papaya and some fruits that were out of season in selected regions raised the fruits index in the Philippines by 1.0 percent; NCR, 2.6 percent; and AONCR, 0.5 percent.

  • With nine regions having positive growths in the rice index, the AONCR’s aggregate index for rice registered a 0.1 percent increase during the month from 0.4 percent in August. Prices of rice in NCR likewise picked up 0.8 percent from 1.3 percent. Hence, the national index posted a 0.2 percent gain from 0.5 percent last month.

  • Uptick in milk, cheese and egg index in the three areas was 0.1 percent as prices of milk and milk products in selected regions generally went up during the month.

  • Price movements in sugar decelerated in most of the regions. Hence, growth in the indices for sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery in the Philippines and AONCR was pegged at 0.2 percent from 1.4 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively and in NCR, 0.1 percent from 2.2 percent.

  • Supply of aquaculture fish such as milkfish and tilapia and selected marine fish species like anchovy, round scad and other sea foods were sufficient during the month thereby pushing down their prices in the markets. The fish index in the Philippines dropped by -0.4 percent from 1.5 percent; NCR, -1.3 percent from 2.4 percent; and AONCR, -0.3 percent from 1.4 percent.

  • The continuous price reductions in cooking oil primarily effected a -0.7 percent decline in the oils and fats index in the Philippines; -0.4 percent in NCR; and -0.8 percent in AONCR.

• With lower charges for electricity rates in many regions, the index for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels in the Philippines dropped by -1.1 percent in September from 0.8 percent in August; NCR, -2.6 percent from 1.3 percent; and AONCR, -0.5 percent from 0.6 percent.

• The general upward adjustments in the prices of gasoline and diesel nationwide pushed up the transport index at the national level by 0.6 percent; NCR, 0.8 percent; and AONCR, 0.5 percent.

• The index of furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of house in the Philippines and AONCR picked up by 0.2 percent and NCR, 0.8 percent as prices of selected kitchen utensils and articles of cleaning generally increased during the month.

1. The second phase survey report from Zamboanga Sibugay was not received as of October 4, 2012.

2. CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic Indices and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).