NSO price index of income households for April site a decrease

By Edna A. Bagadiong

Friday 8th of June 2012

VIRAC, Catanduanes, June 8 (PIA) -- The provincial inflation rate in Catanduanes registered a decrease of 2.3 percentage points from 4.7 percent in April 2011 to 2.4 percent in April 2012.

By commodity group, inflationary effects were noted in Education (10.31%); Maintenance of the House (7.36%); Rest. & Misc. Goods & Svs. (5.01%); Health (3.21%); Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (1.86%); Recreation & Culture (1.56%); Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (1.44%); Clothing & Footwear (1.38%); Housing Water, Elec .Gas & other Fuels (1.69%); Transport (0.88%) and Communication (-2.10%);

On a month-on-month basis, the Consumer’s Price Index for all income households was registered at 137.3 in April 2012, higher by 0.8 index point over the 136.2 index in March 2012.

Across commodities under the Food, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Index, upward trends were noted in the following: Corn (24.56%); Oils & Fats (11.20%; Fish (4.93%); Food (0.86%); Non-Alcoholic Beverages (0.77%); Alcoholic Beverages (0.75%)Food Products N.E.C. (0.34%): Bread & Cereals (0.27%); Rice (0.13%). Negative percentage changes were noted in Meat (-0.71%); Fruits (-6.73%); Sugar, Jam, Honey and Chocolate and Confectionery (-1.49%). Tobacco and Milk, Cheese and Eggs were stationary at zero percent.

With regards to non-food commodity/service group, price increments were recorded in Rest. & Misc Goods Svs (3.52% change from 161.8 to 167.7); Health ( 1.52 % change from 116.7 to 118.5); Furnishings, Hse Equipt Routine Maintenance of House (1.47% change from 127.2 to 129.1); Clothing & Footwear (0.49 % change from 122.9 to 123.5).

Communication (0.09% change from 114.1 to 114.0) and Transport (0.07 percent change from 136.6 to 136.7). Recreation and Culture (-83%) and Housing, Water and Elec, Gas, and other Fuels (-0.15) exhibited price decrement while Education remained stationary at zero percent.

With the price trends reported above, the Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) for the province of Catanduanes maintained its value at P0.73. (EAB/NSO 5, Catanduanes)