Auto sales reach new record in PH

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MANILA — The country’s automotive sector reached a new record-breaking sales with 131,465 units sold in the first half of the year.

“We just ended the first semester on a very strong note,” Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) President Rommel Gutierrez said in a statement issued Thursday.

A joint data from Campi  and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed that the current record is 21 percent higher than the 108,957 units sold in the same period last year.

“Our automotive industry is riding with the other industries’ growth. Micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises are expanding which made for the robust demand for AUVs (Asian utility vehicles), SUVs (sports utility vehicles) and light commercial vehicles,” he said.

In the same joint data, passenger car sales increased by 30 percent to 52,778 units, while commercial vehicle sales grew by 15 percent to 78,687 units.

Guiterrez said that the growth is owing to the marketing efforts and new model introductions of car companies.

He added that the ongoing growth of the constructing industry and the stronger demand for heavy duty vehicles also contributed to the overall increase in auto sales.

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) continues to be the leading local auto sector in terms if sales with 57,717 units sold.

“Our first-semester performance proved to be encouraging as Toyota’s sales continue to increase with the second quarter growing by 7 percent versus the first quarter of 2015 due to the high demand of new vehicles over the summer season. As we enter the second half of the year, our priority as a brand is to remain steadfast to our customers’ needs such as providing the best deals we can offer, making it easier for Filipinos to own a Toyota,” TMP president Michinobu Sugata said.