Vehicle sales rebounded 225.4 percent in June from the previous month, after the government eased the community quarantine in Luzon.
Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association showed that vehicle sales reached 15,578 units in June, up 225.4 percent from 4,778 units in May and nearly zero sales in April.
The June figure, however, was down 51 percent from 31,950 automotive sales in June 2019.
Passenger car sales declined 51 percent to 4,711 units in June from 9,532 units a year ago, while commercial vehicle sales plunged 51.5 percent to 10,857 units.
CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said he was cautiously optimistic amid the lingering social and economic risks and uncertainties the country was facing.
“This positive growth shows early signs that consumer demand for new cars is starting to improve albeit slowly. The auto industry recovery may take time as vehicle sales still remain a challenge,” Gutierrez said.
“The industry is also maximizing digital platforms as one of the avenues to strengthen campaigns for our sales promotional. This is one of the strategies to adapt to the new normal environment,” he said.
He said that on a monthly basis, commercial vehicle sales pulled up June’s performance with 10,857 units sold, or 69.76 percent higher than 3,399 units in the previous month. Passenger car sales also rebounded by 30.24 percent to 4,711 units from 1,389 units in May.
CAMPI said the effects of the pandemic were still very apparent in the automotive sector. Data showed that total sales in the half slid 51.1 percent to 85,041 units from 174,135 units in the same period last year.
Passenger car sales went down by 54.4 percent to 23,912 units in the first half from 52,418 units in a year ago.
Commercial vehicle sales also fell 49.8 percent to 61,129 units in the six-month period from 121,717 units a year earlier.