The year-on-year growth rate of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) in the Philippines further dropped to -1.6 in February from -0.7 percent in January. This was effected by the continued reductions in the corresponding annual growth rates of crude materials, inedible except fuels and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at -16.7 percent and -27.4 percent from -10.8 percent and -25.2 percent, respectively. The annual growth rate for chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats index slowed down to 3.5 percent from 6.5 percent. On the other hand, higher annual growth rates were correspondingly recorded in beverages and tobacco and machinery and transport equipment index at 7.4 percent and 1.9 percent from their respective last month's rates of 7.0 percent and 1.7 percent. Annual price increases in food, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and miscellaneous manufactured articles index remained at their January rates of 10.8 percent, 7.5 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.

The year-on-year growth rate of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) in the Philippines continued to post a slower rate of 1.8 percent in December from 4.4 percent in November. This was effected by the negative annual growth rates correspondingly registered in the crude materials, inedible except fuels and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at -1.7 percent and -15.0 percent in December from their respective November rates of -0.8 percent and -3.7 percent. In addition, annual growth rates for chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats and machinery and transport equipment continued to slow down at 3.8 percent from their corresponding last month's rates of 6.2 percent and 3.9 percent. On the other hand, higher annual growth rates were correspondingly noted in food and manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index at 9.9 percent and 7.7 percent from 9.6 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively. Annual price increases in the beverages and tobacco and miscellaneous manufactured articles index remained at their corresponding November rates of 6.7 percent and 3.9 percent.

The annual growth rate of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level further slowed down to 11.8 percent in October from 16.0 percent in September. This was due to the slower movement posted in the annual growth rate of crude materials, inedible except fuels index at 1.9 percent from 20.6 percent. Except for miscellaneous manufactured articles index which has a higher annual growth rate of 3.9 percent, all the commodities recorded slower annual price increases. The annual growth rate in the food index decelerated to 9.3 percent in October from 11.2 percent in September; beverages and tobacco, 6.7 percent from 6.8 percent; mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 28.2 percent from 42.5 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 7.3 percent from 9.1 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 7.4 percent from 8.0 percent; and machinery and transport equipment, 3.4 percent from 3.6 percent.