Motor vehicle production up 11% in 4 months

Philippine motor vehicle production expanded by 11 percent from January to April compared to a year ago, making the country the third fastest growing market in Southeast Asia for vehicle assembly operations.

- LOUELLA DESIDERIO

Data from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Automotive Federation (AAF) showed motor vehicles assembled in the Philippines rose to 42,395 units in the first four months from 38,274 units in the same period last year.

Myanmar posted the highest growth in motor vehicle production at 687.5 percent from January to April to 630 units from just 80 units in the same period a year ago, while Malaysia placed second with its motor vehicle output rising by 11.6 percent.

All the ASEAN countries tracked by the AAF registered declines in motor vehicle production in the January to April period such as Indonesia (down by 21.3 percent), Thailand (down by 17 percent) and Vietnam (down by 13 percent).

A total of 1.24 million motor vehicles were made in the region in the first four months, 12.7 percent lower than the 1.42 million units assembled in the same period a year ago.

In terms of sales in the first four months, motor vehicles sold in the Philippines climbed by nearly 15 percent to 146,920 units from the previous year's 127,927 units.