How does PH car sales compare with those of SE Asia neighbors?

FIGURES released this week by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed their member companies’ deliveries from January to May this year remained almost flat when compared against the groups’ results during the same five-month stretch in 2018.

Combined CAMPI and TMA sales reached 142,185 units in the first five months of the year, or a negligible 0.04% dip from the 142,240-vehicle tally the groups reported for the comparable period last year.

Another domestic auto industry group, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, reports its sales figures separately.

The latest CAMPI/TMA statistics follow a similar decline the local car sector experienced in April.

When this January-April performance is compared to those posted by the nine other Southeast Asian markets which report vehicle sales (and production) results to the ASEAN Automotive Federation (AAF), the Philippines emerged as one of two countries which suffered a decline.

April is the latest month for which the Southeast Asian markets’ data are available. Though no Philippine data for the year appears in the AAF statistics, the group has for decades reflected the sales and production figures of CAMPI and TMA.

From January to April 111,187 vehicles were sold in the Philippines, a 0.4% slide from the first four months of 2018. This decline was topped only by the Indonesian market’s, which suffered a 14.3% drop during the same period when sales totaled 337,892 units.       

In terms of growth, Myanmar posted the strongest with a 49.8% rise in unit sales. This, however, represents only 5,574 vehicles.

The other traditionally robust Southeast Asia markets continued to register increases. Vehicle deliveries in Thailand grew 10.5% on-year with 349,625 units sold. Vietnam’s 99,247-vehicle tally from January to April this year was a solid 23.0% spike.

Malaysia’s 193.028 take for the same period amounted to a 6.0% rise while the 33,702 cars sold in Singapore meant a 20.3% increase for the city state. Brunei’s consumption also expanded 5.4% with 3,764 vehicles delivered.