By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter
[ manilatimes.net ] July 19, 2011
PRICES of construction materials in Metro Manila climbed last month because of costlier fuels, lubricants and steel, the National Statistic Office (NSO) said.
The NSO said wholesale prices rose 8.4 percent in June from 4.2 percent in the same month last year.
The agency blamed the uptick on higher prices of fuels and lubricants at 18.7 percent; reinforcing steel, 8.6 percent; hardware, 5.3 percent; structural steel, 8.9 percent; tileworks, 3.6 percent; and concrete products, 7.2 percent.
Price hikes, however, were slower for lumber at 8.2 percent; G.I. sheet, 1.7 percent; plywood, 11.3 percent; electrical works, 7.8 percent; and painting works, 4.5 percent.
Inflation for sand and gravel, glass and glass products, doors, jambs and steel casement, plumbing fixtures and accessories/waterworks, PVC pipes and asphalt remained at previous month’s rates while that for cement contracted by 5.4 percent from the 2.2 percent decline previously.
The NSO said there was no movement in the machinery and equipment rental index as it still registered zero growth.
On a monthly basis, prices of construction materials went up 0.3 percent in June from 0.1 percent in May.
It resulted from the higher monthly gain recorded in the index of cement at 0.3 percent in June from -3.0 percent in May.
Last month, the country’s biggest cement-maker, Holcim Philippines Inc. raised prices by 6 percent or P10 for its 4-kilogram bag in Luzon.
Prices of reinforcing steel went up 1.3 percent from 0.6 percent; and concrete products, 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent.
Slower increases were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups: sand and gravel; hardware and structural steel; plywood; tile works; electrical works and painting works.
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