MANILA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Year-on-year headline inflation in the Philippines was posted at 4.5 percent in April year, the same rate as in March, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Wednesday.
"This brings the average inflation at the national level from January to April 2021 to 4.5 percent," PSA head Dennis Mapa said in an online press conference.
Inflation in April last year was registered at 2.2 percent.
Mapa said annual increases were higher in the commodity groups such as housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, at 1.5 percent; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house, 2.1 percent; health, 3.1 percent; transport, 17.9 percent; communication, 0.3 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.4 percent.
Meanwhile, inflation slowed down in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.8 percent; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 12.0 percent, he added.
Excluding selected food and energy items, Mapa said core inflation decelerated to 3.3 percent in April 2021, from 3.5 percent in the previous month. Enditem