Despite pandemic, over 244K cars were sold in PH in 2020

Romar Fernando

March 9, 2021

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  Photo Credit: Bloomberg

  The numbers look big, but it’s actually not.

  The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) have announced that there were only 244,274 car units were sold in the country in 2020.

  Looking into the data, there was a significant drop on sales compared on 2019 where 457,110 car units were sold, equivalent to -53% decline.

  Despite the rough year, CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez disclosed that car sales significantly bounced back in December 2020 with 19.1% compared to the month prior.

  “It is noteworthy that the holiday season has contributed to the uptick in demand for auto sales in December amid the improving business and consumer confidence,” Gutierrez said.

  It surely helped the local auto industry afloat in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  The reasons of acquiring a vehicle amid the pandemic are pretty obvious. First, a personal vehicle provides a safer and more convenient mode of transportation rather than public commuting. Next is the limited capacity of public transportation. Government agencies and private companies have acquired to shuttle their employees from residence to workplace and vice versa. And lastly, a person can have the freedom to drive wherever and whenever necessary without hassle. Well, taking advantage of promos, left and right, is another part of the story.

  

  Photo Credit: ABS-CBN News

  AVID noted that complacency should be set aside because there are still challenges ahead.

  “Automotive was among the hard-hit sectors in this pandemic and we continue to feel the impact as sales, after-sales and auto-related services remain lackluster. Despite the hurdles, the industry quickly adapted to the new normal, survived, and are finally seeing some signs of revival. However, we see more headwinds in the coming months,” AVID president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said in a statement.

  On the recent data, Toyota remains the top car brand in the country. It has 100,019 units sold in 2020. Next to the list are Mitsubishi, Nissan, Hyundia, Suzuki, Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Foton and Hino.

  Are you planning to buy a car this year? Share your thoughts.

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