PHOTO / FREEPIK.COM
THOUGH the number of passenger cars sold from January to September is still 1.1% less than that recorded during the same period in 2018 — or 80,317 units this year versus 81,182 units last year — the segment indicates a recovery as it grows 3.0% in September compared to the same month a year ago, or 9,721 units this year against 9,441 units last year.
The result was bared in a report jointly filed on Tuesday by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA).
The same report showed the groups’ member companies delivered a total of 31,820 vehicles in September, 2.3% more than the 31,116-unit tally seen during the same month in 2018. Last month’s figure is also 7.5% more than August’s result.
The number of commercial vehicles sold in September was 2.0% up over September 2018, or 22,099 units this year versus 21,675 units last year.
CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez, also a first vice president at Toyota Motor Philippines, said the growth was not surprising given the group did expect a recovery coming in the last quarter of the year.
“September is traditionally the start of an upward trend in sales as the public begins to spend for the upcoming holiday season,” Gutierrez said.
“[W]e welcome this positive growth as this is a good indicator of the increasing and widening demand for vehicles that has been the trademark of our industry. We are optimistic that the industry is well-positioned and prepared to progressively get back on track towards strong positive growth in the coming months,” he added.
CAMPI and TMA member companies sold a total of 267,364 vehicles in the first nine months of the year, representing a 2.4% increase from the 261,161 vehicles sold during the same period in 2018. Sales of commercial vehicles reached 187,047 units for the same nine-month stretch this year, 3.9% above the 179,979-unit tally in 2018’s comparable period.
Another domestic auto industry group, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, reports its sales figures separately.
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