THE March sales showed a continuous growth in the industry as 36,880 units got gobbled up by car buffs still cuffed on revenge-buying binge.
That was a huge 24.2-percent increase over the 29,685 units sold in the same period in 2022, data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed.
CAMPI President Rommel Gutierrez said: “Achieving the 36,880-unit sales in March is good news as the industry continues to hinge on strong consumer demand for new motor vehicles, which hopefully will further improve in the coming months. It is worth noting that the March 2023 sales performance is the second highest monthly performance in a post-pandemic time, after the more than 37,000-unit sales level recorded in December last year.”
For the first quarter, CAMPI-TMA sold 97,284 units, equivalent to 30.1 percent growth compared with the same period last year.
A friend of mine, so “starved” at not being able to purchase his dream car since 2020, ordered three vehicles last February.
“I was told to wait from three to six months for all three,” he said.
He got his first purchase (Elite Grandia) on April 10. His dealer assured him he could get the second (Land Cruiser) before the end of the month and the third one (the 11-seater GL) by mid-May.
In February alone this year, the Philippines produced 9,706 cars, which was higher than the 5,805 units churned out in the same month in 2022.
This was a whopping 67.2 percent increase as the country continued to outpace its five rival Southeast Asian nations.
That growth was more than double over the mere 24.4 percent growth of second-running Malaysia, according to data from the ASANAF (Association of Southeast Asian Nations Automotive Federation).
Indonesia was third at 7.8 percent and Thailand fourth at 6.4 percent. But horribly, Myanmar suffered a decline of 90.5 percent and Vietnam 90.2 percent.
With trade winds now blowing smoothly in our midst—chips issues notwithstanding—the industry looks rosy going into the second quarter?
You bet.
PEE STOP I had my driver’s license renewed (10 years!) in 17 minutes flat April 14 at the LTO branch in SM Annex North Edsa. Credit goes to Topher Bautista, the franchise’s humble owner, whose motto is: “Fast service is our business.” May your tribe increase, Topher. Disclosure: Topher and I are Beatlemaniacs…Happy birthday to Dr. Lito Durante and Jake P. Ayson (both on April 17). Cheers!
