PH automakers’ group enjoy sustained sales uptrend in July
While the local automotive industry has yet to fully rebound from the huge slump caused by the turnout of events earlier this year, a major local carmaker’s group has opened the third quarter on a significantly positive note.
Based on the joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), vehicles sales for July reached 20,542, representing a 31.9 percent jump over the 15,578 units sold back in June.
However, it is still down by 35.4 percent when compared to the 31,810 units delivered in the same month last year.
On a year-to-date comparison, the group only rolled out 105,583 units—which is a 48.7 percent drop from the 205,945 units attained for the first seven months of 2019.
Despite all the negative numbers, CAMPI President Atty. Rommel Gutierrez expressed high hopes with the recent sales achievement that the group garnered.
“It is understandable that achieving the industry’s average monthly pre-COVID-19 level remains elusive and a challenge at the same time amid this pandemic and the recent pronouncement of economic recession. But this month-on-month of nearly 32% growth is what the industry needs at this point to achieve its sales forecast of 240,000 units for this year,” Gutierrez said.
The CAMPI chief claimed that the massive decline in sales can have an adverse effect in the operations of the country.
“This volume reduction can have serious operational and financial impact on the automotive industry. We have submitted some recommendations for industry support, which are now under study by the DTI,” Gutierrez revealed.
“The industry is doing all it can to sustainably provide sales promotions to encourage customers amid another stricter community quarantine for this month”.
Further, the industry “is ensuring that all the necessary safety measures are strictly observed to protect both our customers and our front liners.”
Last June 2020, vehicle sales skyrocketed by as much as 225.4 percent with 15,578 units sold, versus the lowly 4,788 units sold back in May.
Photo/s from Ruben D. Manahan IV
