By Alden M. Monzon
The country’s vehicle output started strong this year, revving up by 60.3 percent year-on-year last January, thereby outpacing other countries in Southeast Asia.
Data from the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Automotive Federation, an umbrella group of industry associations from member economies of the regional bloc, showed the Philippines produced 8,886 motor vehicle units during the month compared to the 5,543 units manufactured in the same month in 2022.
The Philippines led in terms of growth, trailed by Malaysia with 36.2 percent, Indonesia with 10.7 percent, and Thailand at 7 percent.
In contrast, Myanmar’s production was cut by 98.7 percent while Vietnam produced 53.1 less compared to their January 2022 output.
In terms of production volume, Thailand retained the top spot by producing 162,237 vehicle units during the first month of 2023.
Indonesia followed with 132,163 units, Malaysia with 58,527 units and Vietnam with 8,998 units.
The Philippines’ production level stood at fifth place, while Myanmar settled for last place having produced only eight units in Jan. 2023.
Last year, the Philippines also ranked fifth among these countries in terms of annual vehicle output, producing a total of 92,223 vehicle units, up 10 percent compared to the 83,846 vehicle units produced in the whole of 2021.
The Southeast Asian country produced 67,297 units in 2020, 95,094 units in 2019, and 79,763 in 2018.
Of the three Southeast Asian countries with available data, the Philippines ranked first in terms of growth and second in terms of motorcyle production volume. Local producers assembled 123,786 units of these two-wheeled vehicles, up 55.4 percent compared to the January 2022 production of 79,651 units.
Thailand, which led in terms of production with 193,910 units, grew by 14.6 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
Malaysia stood in second place with a production output of 54, 211 units, which meant a 23.8- percent increase year-on-year.
