Education costs push September CPI up 0.54%

From start of the year, September was among the months seeing prices rise over 0.5%. 10 out of 11 commodity groups saw CPI rise this month.  Only post and telecommunications enjoyed price reduction at 0.07%.

The main reasons for the increase came from administrative decisions, especially those on education. This group saw the biggest price rise among the 11 commodities and services groups for CPI calculation.

Following the Government’s Decree on tuition fees adjustment, the price index of the education group soared 7.19% against August, contributing 0.43% to the overall CPI rise.

In addition, this month’s fuel price adjustment led to the 0.55% increase in transportation costs, contributing 0.05% to the total CPI rise.

The country’s winning a contract of shipping 150,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines in the end of August made prices of domestic rice recover after three months of consecutive reduction.

Heavy rain this month pushed up fresh vegetable prices from 10-15% due to limited supply, making price index of food products soar 0.1% month on month./.