Construction materials prices slightly higher in May in Metro Manila

Construction materials were sold at higher prices in the National Capital Region last month, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday show.

 

The construction materials retail price index rose to 179.6 points in May from over 179.4 points in April, mainly driven by the slight increase in the prices of electrical and painting materials.

 

Prices of electrical materials, including wires and some wiring devices, generally increased 0.6 percent while painting materials and related products were priced 0.5 percent higher. The price index for masonry materials also increased 0.1 percent in May.

 

Plumbing and tinsmithry materials, meanwhile, were 0.1 percent and 1.2 percent more costly while prices for carpentry materials and miscellaneous construction materials remained the same.

 

Construction materials, however, were priced higher in the region during the same month in 2014. The latest index was 0.2 percent lower, on the back of a 2.3 percent and 5.9 percent decline in prices of electrical and miscellaneous construction materials.

 

The index for plumbing and tinsmithry materials were also slightly lower by 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The price increase in carpentry materials slowed down to 2.3 percent. 

 

Painting materials and related compounds were 2.5 percent more expensive while prices for masonry materials were 1.6 percent higher in May 2014.  — Keith Richard D. Mariano/ELR, GMA News