General Retail Price Index in the National Capital Region (1978=100) : March 2008

The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) picked up to 1.4 percent in March from -0.1 percent in February. This was attributed mainly to the increments in the prices of the heavily weighted food index at 1.4 percent in March from -0.5 percent in February. In addition, the monthly price increases in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials were higher at 2.0 percent in March from -1.3 percent in February; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 0.4 percent from 0.3 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 1.9 percent from 0.6 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 0.6 percent from 0.5 percent. Prices of machinery and transport equipment remained stable as the group's index recorded a zero growth while the rest of the commodity groups posted slower positive growth rates.

General Retail Price Index in the National Capital Region (1978=100) : February 2008

The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went down by -0.1 percent in February from 0.2 percent in January. Prices of food items and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials correspondingly dropped by -0.5 percent and -1.3 percent from -0.1 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. In addition, slowdowns were observed in the price increments of crude materials, inedible except fuels at 1.2 percent from 2.3 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 0.3 percent from 0.6 percent; machinery and transport equipment, 0.4 percent from 0.6 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 0.5 percent from 1.0 percent. On the other hand, price gains in beverages and tobacco and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials were correspondingly higher by 1.7 percent and 0.6 percent from their respective last month's rates of 0.9 percent and 0.1 percent.

General Retail Price Index in the National Capital Region (1978=100) : January 2008

The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) decelerated to 0.2 percent in January from 1.7 percent in December. This was mainly due to the decline in the prices of the items in the heavily weighted food index at -0.1 percent in January from 2.2 percent in December. Likewise, slowdowns were correspondingly registered in the price increments of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and miscellaneous manufactured articles at 0.4 percent and 1.0 percent from their respective December rates of 3.1 percent and 2.6 percent. Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity groups posted higher positive monthly growth rates.

General Retail Price Index in the National Capital Region (1978=100) : December 2007

The month-on-month growth rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) gained by 1.1 percentage points to 1.6 percent in December from 0.5 percent in November. Higher monthly price adjustments were noticed in food items and beverages and tobacco at 2.2 percent and 0.5 percent respectively from 0.3 percent. On the other hand, price increments in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials and miscellaneous manufactured articles were correspondingly slower at 3.1 percent and 0.1 percent from 3.8 percent and 0.6 percent respectively. Prices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment remained stable as their group�s index recorded a zero growth.

General Retail Price Index in the National Capital Region (1978=100) : November 2007

The month-on-month inflation rate of the General Retail Price Index (GRPI) in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up at a slower pace to 0.5 percent in November from 1.1 percent in October. This was mainly due to the slowdown in the monthly rates posted in the corresponding indices of food and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials at 0.3 percent and zero growth from 1.3 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. Add-ons in the prices of chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats remained at 0.1 percent. On the other hand, the rest of the commodity groups posted higher monthly positive rates.

National Statistics Office

GRPI