The year-on-year headline inflation rate in the Philippines decelerated to 6.6 percent in December from 7.1 percent in November. The slower annual inflation rates posted in the indices of all the commodity groups except for housing and repairs (H&R) and fuel, light and water (FLW) brought about the downtrend. Inflation a year ago was 8.6 percent. The average headline inflation rate for the year 2005 was 7.6 percent, higher by 1.6 percentage points than 6.0 percent in 2004.

The overall year-on-year headline inflation rate slowed down to 11.9 percent in September from 12.5 percent in August due to the slower annual price hikes of the heavily weighted food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) and services items. Inflation a year ago was 2.7 percent.

The year-on-year headline inflation rate in the Philippines continued to decelerate as it settled to 8.0 percent in December from 9.9 percent in November. This was effected by the negative annual growth rate posted in the fuel, light and water (FLW) index and the continued slowing down in the annual price increases of the heavily weighted food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) and the services index. Inflation a year ago was 3.9 percent.