The country’s motor vehicle and motorcycle production continued to decline in the first half of 2019.
Based on an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Automotive Federation report, The STAR said that Philippine motor vehicle production fell by 0.9 percent to 40,608 units from January to June, versus 40,982 units in the same period last year. Motorcycle production fell by 7.6 percent from 631,647 in the first half of 2018 to 583,484 units from January to June this year.
Among the countries which assembled fewer motor vehicles in the first semester are Vietnam, only producing 91,928 units by the end of June, which is 9.4 percent lower than the 101,459 units compared in 2018, according to The STAR. Indonesia’s production also dipped with 591,731 units in the first half, down 6.7 percent from last year’s 633,988 units.
On the other hand, Thailand had a slight 0.9-percent uptick to 1.07 million units as of end-June from 1.06 million units in 2018. Malaysia recorded a 1.5-percent increase to 285,028 units from 280,947 units from the previous year, while Myanmar had a 62.7-percent growth to 7,620 units from last year’s 4,683 units.
Total motor vehicle units assembled in the ASEAN region declined by 1.7 percent to 2.08 million units from January to June from 2.12 million units last year.
Meanwhile, the Philippines posted growth in terms of motor vehicle sales but still lagged behind most of its Asian neighbors.
Motor vehicle sales in the country climbed by 1.5 percent to 174,135 units as of end-June from 171,590 units in 2018, performing better than Indonesia whose sales declined by 13 percent to 481, 577 units in the first half from the previous year’s 553,651 units. Singapore’s sales also hiked up by 1.3 percent to 49,094 units from last year’s 48,443 units.
The STAR also reported that the Philippines was behind its other neighbors such as Brunei, which had a 2.1-percent growth in sales to 5,812 units from 5,690 units in 2018. Malaysia recorded a 2.3-percent uptick to 296,334 units from 289,599 units in the previous year, while Thailand had a 7.1-percent increase to 523,770 units from 489,118 units last year. Vietnam rose by 21.3 percent to 154,273 units from 127,200 units in 2018, while Myanmar picked up by 29.1 percent to 8,859 units from last year’s 6,860 units.
In terms of motorcycle and scooter sales, the Philippines recorded an eight-percent increase to 830,987 units in the January to June period from last year’s 768,609 units.
Thailand’s sales, however, dipped by 4.4 percent to 893,846 units from 934,698 units last year, while Indonesia registered a 7.5-percent increase in sales to 3.23 million units from three million units from the previous year.
Singapore, on the other hand, registered a huge 144-percent jump in sales to 9,778 units from 4,001 units in the previous year; Malaysia sold 257,480 units, 20 percent higher than the 214,758-unit tally in 2018.
ASEAN’s total motorcycle and scooter sales rose six percent to 5.22 million units as of the first semester from 4.92 million units a year ago, according to The STAR. – With Louella Desiderio/STAR