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CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
for BOTTOM 30% INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
(2000=100)
FIRST QUARTER 2012
Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items
|
First Quarter 2012 |
Fourth Quarter 2011 |
Philippines |
2.8 |
5.3 |
NCR |
1.7 |
4.2 |
AONCR |
2.9 |
5.4 |
Inflation for the bottom 30% income households at the national level decelerated to
2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011. The
downtrend was attributed to the lower quarterly average inflation in the heavily-weighted
food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) index and in fuel, light and water (FLW) index.
Inflation in the first quarter of 2011 was 4.6 percent.
Likewise, inflation in NCR slowed down to 1.7 percent
in the first quarter of 2012 from 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. This was
effected by the slower annual increments in the indices of FBT, FLW and services.
Inflation in Areas Outside the National Capital Region
(AONCR) eased to 2.9 in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.4 percent in the last quarter of
2011 as all the commodity groups posted slower annual increases.
Quarter-to-Quarter Inflation Rates, All Items
|
First Quarter 2012 |
Fourth Quarter 2011 |
Philippines |
0.5 |
0.6 |
NCR |
-0.4 |
1.4 |
AONCR |
0.5 |
0.6 |
The quarter-to-quarter inflation for the bottom 30%
income households in the Philippines moved slower at 0.5 percent in the first quarter of
2012 from 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. This was primarily due to the general
downward price adjustments in vegetables in many regions including NCR during the quarter.
Moreover, price reductions in sugar and cooking oil were observed in most of the regions
in AONCR.
Year-on-Year
Inflation Rates in the Philippines, All Items
First Quarter 2007 - First Quarter 2012
Quarter |
Year |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
1st |
3.5 |
6.8 |
12.4 |
4.2 |
4.6 |
2.8 |
2nd |
2.8 |
14.3 |
5.4 |
3.5 |
5.4 |
|
3rd |
2.7 |
19.4 |
0.2 |
3.7 |
5.2 |
|
4th |
4.0 |
15.2 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
5.3 |
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Average |
3.2 |
13.9 |
5.1 |
3.6 |
5.1 |
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- By Region, Year-on-Year
Inflation in NCR slowed down to 1.7 percent in the
first quarter of 2012 from 4.2 percent in the last quarter of 2011.
Similarly, inflation in AONCR slid to 2.9 percent in
the first quarter of 2012 from 5.4 percent in the last quarter of 2011 as all the regions
recorded slower annual inflation rates. The lowest average inflation for the quarter at
0.6 percent was posted in Western Visayas while the highest was still in Northern Mindanao
at 7.5 percent.
- By Commodity Group, Year-on-Year
On an annual basis, the increase in the FBT index in
the Philippines was lower at 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.3 percent in
the last quarter of 2011; clothing index, 2.3 percent from 2.6 percent; housing and
repairs (H&R) index, 1.8 percent from 2.1 percent; FLW index, 7.4 percent from 9.9
percent; services index, 3.5 percent from 4.2 percent; and miscellaneous index, 2.7
percent from 2.8 percent.
The country’s inflation in the food alone index moved up at a
slower pace of 2.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.4 percent in the last
quarter of 2011 as the miscellaneous foods index declined by -4.7 percent from -1.1
percent. Except in the dairy products index whose annual change went up to 2.7 percent
from 2.6 percent, the annual increments in all the other food groups decelerated during
the period.
In NCR, the annual add-on in the FBT index slipped to
0.7 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 3.2 percent in the last quarter of 2011; FLW
index, 6.4 percent from 11.3 percent; and services index, 2.8 percent from 3.9 percent.
Meanwhile, the annual gains in H&R and miscellaneous indices correspondingly grew by
2.6 percent and 1.8 percent from 1.4 percent. The quarterly inflation in the clothing
index remained at 1.2 percent.
The annual uptick for the food alone index in NCR improved to 0.5
percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 3.1 percent in the last quarter of 2011. An
annual decline was observed in the rice index at -1.9 percent from -3.5 percent; fruits
and vegetables index, -0.4 percent from 20.7 percent; and miscellaneous foods index, -0.9
percent from 1.9 percent. Except in corn and egg indices whose annual growths
correspondingly climbed by 2.3 percent and 1.0 percent from their respective previous
quarter rates of 2.1 percent and -0.3 percent, the rest of the food groups had slower
gains during the quarter.
In AONCR, the annual hike in the FBT index slowed down
to 2.3 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011;
clothing index, 2.3 percent from 2.6 percent; H&R index, 1.8 percent from 2.1 percent;
FLW index, 7.5 percent from 9.9 percent; services index, 3.6 percent from 4.2 percent; and
miscellaneous index, 2.7 percent from 2.8 percent.
The annual gain in the heavily-weighted food alone index in AONCR was
lower by 3.2 percentage points to 2.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 5.4
percent in the last quarter of 2011. The annual rate in the miscellaneous foods index
further dropped by -4.8 percent from -1.2 percent. Slower annual growth rates were also
noted in all the other food groups except in dairy products index whose annual change went
up to 2.7 percent from 2.6 percent.
- By Region, Quarter-to-Quarter
Consumer prices for this particular income group in NCR
declined -0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 1.4 percent in the last quarter of
2011. The decrease was due to the -2.8 percentage points drop in the FBT index (-1.0% from
1.8%). The rest of the commodity groups, however, posted higher quarterly average
inflation.
Prices of consumer items in AONCR went up at a slower
rate of 0.5 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of
2011. Lower quarterly increases were registered in the FBT index at 0.3 percent from 0.7
percent and miscellaneous index, 0.4 percent from 1.0 percent. Meanwhile, the rest of the
commodity groups have higher quarterly growth rates.
Three regions had negative quarterly rates while five
regions recorded lower rates. The lowest quarterly rate of -0.7 percent was posted in
Ilocos and Central Luzon while the highest rate was in Northern Mindanao at 1.9 percent.
On a quarterly basis, the price upticks in Visayas were
generally slower compared to those in Mindanao. Meanwhile, the offsetting price movements
among the regions in Luzon resulted to a zero growth in the area.
- By Commodity Group, Quarter-to-Quarter
Price hikes in the items for this particular group of
consumers in the Philippines decelerated to 0.5 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from
0.6 percent in the last quarter of 2011. The downtrend was attributed to the slowdown in
the quarterly growth of the heavily-weighted FBT index at 0.3 percent from 0.7 percent.
The quarterly increase in the miscellaneous index also slid to 0.5 percent from 0.9
percent. The rest of the commodity groups, however, posted higher quarterly rates.
The fruits and vegetables index in the Philippines dropped by -2.0
percent during the first quarter of 2012 from 6.4 percent in the last quarter of 2011;
NCR, -15.7 percent from 20.3 percent; and AONCR, -1.8 percent from 6.2 percent. This was
brought about by the continued flow of supplies of vegetables from various production
sites which lowered their prices in the markets. The weather condition that generally
prevailed during the quarter contributed to the sufficient production of vegetables.
The general downward price adjustments in sugar and cooking oil in most
of the regions pushed down the miscellaneous foods index in the Philippines and AONCR by
-0.9 percent in the first quarter of 2012 from -1.0 percent in the last quarter of 2011.
Reductions in the prices of selected spices and seasonings in many regions were also noted
during the quarter. On the contrary, the miscellaneous foods index in NCR rose 0.2 percent
from -1.0 percent as meals eaten outside the home were generally priced higher during the
quarter. Price gains in coffee, tea and margarine in the area also contributed to the
uptrend.
The meat index in the three areas moved up during the quarter:
Philippines, 0.2 percent from -0.1 percent; NCR, 0.4 percent from -0.6 percent; and AONCR,
0.1 percent from zero growth. Increases in the prices of chicken and beef were seen in
selected regions including NCR. Upward price adjustments in canned and processed meat in
NCR and in some regions were also observed during the quarter.
Lower production of eggs due to cold weather condition limited its
supplies in the markets thereby increasing their prices during the quarter. Thus, the egg
index in the national level and AONCR went up 0.8 percent and in NCR, 0.6 percent.
The fish index in the Philippines and AONCR jumped 2.3 percent and in
NCR, 3.0 percent. Higher prices of selected fish species was caused by the difficulty in
catching fish that usually settle deep in the waters during the cold months of January and
February, and the bigger demand as consumers shifted from meat to fish after the holiday
season. Moreover, the onset of the Lenten season also increased the demand for fish during
the quarter.
With higher quarterly growths in the prices of rice in most of the
regions, the rice index in the Philippines, NCR and AONCR grew 0.2 percent. The highest
quarterly rate of 2.1 percent was posted in SOCCSKSARGEN.
The index for corn in the Philippines and AONCR rose 1.2 percent in the
first quarter of 2012 from -0.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. Meanwhile, prices
of corn in NCR were generally stable during the quarter as its group’s index had a
zero growth.
The nationwide general upward price adjustments in LPG
and kerosene together with higher charges for electricity rates in many regions pushed up
the FLW index in the Philippines and AONCR by 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2012
from their corresponding rates of 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent in the last quarter of 2011
and in NCR, 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent.
The services index in the Philippines climbed 0.4
percent in the first quarter of 2012; NCR, 0.2 percent; and AONCR, 0.5 percent. This was
affected by the price hikes in gasoline and diesel nationwide. Higher charges for medical
and dental services and increased prices in medicines were also observed in selected
regions.
With price increments for some items for household
operations and personal care and effects in NCR and in some regions in AONCR, the
miscellaneous index in the Philippines gained 0.5 percent; NCR, 0.6 percent; and AONCR,
0.4 percent.
Note:
For detailed information about the series, please refer to the full
report entitled “The Consumer Price Index for Bottom 30% Income Households in the
Philippines, January 2010 - December 2010 (2000=100)” posted on the NSO website on
May 19, 2011. (http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/B30tx.html)
Source: National Statistics Office
Manila,
Philippines
Page last updated: June 2, 2012
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