From 6.4 percent in March 2009, the year-on-year headline inflation rate for all items in the Philippines decelerated to 4.8 percent, the lowest since January 2008. The headline inflation rate in April 2009 in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Areas Outside NCR (AONCR) were 2.2 and 5.8 percent respectively. The core inflation rate which excludes price change of selected food and energy items, also slowed down to 5.0 percent in April 2009 from the previous month’s rate of 5.6 percent

The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index (SACPI) of Food, Beverages and Tobacco (FBT) in NCR for April 2009 remained at 0.3 percent. On the other hand, the April 2009 SACPI for non-FBT items in NCR went up by 0.9 percent from minus 0.3 percent in the previous month. In contrast, the April 2009 SACPI for FBT in AONCR decreased by 0.2 percent from 0.7 percent in March 2009, while the SACPI for non-FBT items in AONCR grew slightly by 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent in March 2009.

The generation of the CPI, inflation rates based on the CPI and the seasonally-adjusted CPI are designated statistical activities of the NSO under Executive Order 352, Designation of Statistical Activities That Will Generate Critical Data for Decision-Making of the Government and the Private Sector, issued on July 1, 1996.  Per EO, data on CPI and seasonally-adjusted CPI should be made available five days and ten days, respectively, after the reference month.  The NSO released the April 2009 data on CPI and seasonally-adjusted CPI on May 5, 2009.  The CPI uses 2000 as base year.

For further inquiries, please contact Ms. Rosie B. Sta. Ana, Chief of the Economic Indicators and Indices Division of the NSO, at telefax numbered 716-39-35 or e-mail address R.Staana@census.gov.ph.

Link to data sources:
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2009/cp0904tx.html
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2009/cpsa0904tx.html