Vehicle sales up 45% in June

VEHICLE SALES in June jumped 45% compared with the same month last year as the auto industry continues to grapple with the impact of the pandemic.

Sales increased by 44.8% to 22,550 units in June compared with 15,578 units sold a year ago, a joint report from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) released on Tuesday showed.

Sales in June 2020 tripled compared with the previous month as Luzon-wide lockdown restrictions eased and dealerships reopened, although sales figures remained more than 50% lower than the 31,950 units sold in June 2019.

CAMPI President Rommel R. Gutierrez said in a statement that the industry has been recording double-digit yearon-year growth, but the monthly increase was “measly” at 2.2% from the 22,062 units sold in May.

“This is a respite amid the less buoyant consumer outlook for big-ticket items for the second quarter of this year according to a government survey,” he said.

“The auto industry continues to adjust to the effects of the pandemic at the same time striving to strike a balance between its contribution to the economy and keeping its stakeholders safe and healthy during these unprecedented times.”

Commercial vehicle sales went up 39.6% to 15,168 units in June compared with the same month last year, while also increasing 4.9% from the May figure.

Commercial vehicle sales accounted for two-thirds of total sales by CAMPITMA members for the month.

Passenger car sales went up 56.7% to 7,382 units compared with last year, but slipped 2.86% from the May figure.

For the first half, vehicle sales went up 56.1% to 132,767 units from 85,041 in the same six months last year.

Year to date, commercial vehicle sales increased 47.8% to 90,361 units, while passenger car sales rose 77.3% to 42,406 units.

Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. (TMP) continued to have the highest sales in June with 11,242 units sold or 49.85% market share.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. followed with 2,933 units sold, with a 13.01% market share, while Suzuki Philippines, Inc. sold 1,795 units, with a 7.96% market share.

The car industry could recover to pre-pandemic sales as late as 2023, Mr. Gutierrez said earlier this year. —