Manila: The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported Thursday that it started the year with a 10.4 percent increase in sales. A joint report by CAMPI and TMA showed the industry groups sold a total of 37,604 units last month, up from 34,060 units sold in January 2024.

According to Philippines News Agency, this growth was largely driven by a 16.6-percent increase in sales of commercial vehicles, which made up 79 percent of total sales in January. The segment sold a total of 29,875 units in the previous month, surpassing the 25,614 units sold in the past 12 months.

While commercial vehicle sales surged, the sales of passenger cars saw a decline of 8.5 percent, falling to 7,729 units in January 2025 from 8,446 units sold in January 2024. Despite this dip, CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez expressed optimism about reaching a sales target of 500,000 units this year, after last year’s record sales of 467,252 units fell short of the 468,300 to 500,000 target.

Gutierrez stated that CAMPI is confident in its goal, citing newly rolled-out models and the anticipated introduction of new models as key factors for achieving this target. Additionally, early this week, Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Secretary Frederick Go announced a new government initiative. The proposed Revitalizing the Automotive Industry for Competitiveness Enhancement (RACE) program aims to bolster the industry with a maximum incentive of PHP3 billion for each enrolled car model producing 100,000 units in the country.