The Philippines’ factory output, both in value and volume, expanded in April despite the disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Friday.
Results of the PSA Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries showed that the value of production index (VaPI) registered a faster annual increase of 14.7 percent in April from 13.1 percent in March.
In April last year, the VaPI for manufacturing contracted by 2.2 percent.
The PSA attributed the accelerated VaPI growth to the surge in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products at 60.8 percent during the month from 4.6 percent in March.
The PSA said 15 other industry divisions posted annual growth, while six suffered contractions in VaPI.
Contributing to the overall year-on-year growth rate of VaPI on top of coke and refined petroleum products, were the manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical and food products.
Meanwhile, the volume of production index (VoPI) this month grew by 12 percent from 10.2 percent in March 2026, and marks a reversal in the 2.4 percent contraction posted in April 2025.
Driving the VoPI was a double-digit rebound in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products at 52.7 percent from the 3.4 percent decline in March 2026.
The value of net sales index (VaNSI), on the other hand, registered a slower year-on-year increase of 6.8 percent in April from 8 percent the previous month.
In April 2025, the VaNSI for manufacturing rose by 6.3 percent.
The slowdown was attributed to a slower annual increase in the manufacture of food products at 5.5 percent during the month from 12.2 percent in March.
The PSA said the manufacture of food products contributed 41.1 percent to the deceleration in the annual growth rate of VaNSI for the manufacturing sector.
Other main contributors include the decline in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products at 10.9 percent in April 2026 from a 4.2 percent growth in the previous month, and the slower annual increase in the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products at 4.7 percent during the month from 12.3 percent in March 2026.
Capacity utilization rate for the manufacturing sector was at 78.4 percent, down from 78.6 percent in March, but still higher than 76.5 percent in April 2025.
About one-third of the 623 responding establishments operated at 90 percent to 100 percent capacity during the month.
The top three industry divisions in terms of reported capacity utilization rate were manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products at 91.8 percent, manufacture of leather and related products, including footwear, at 82.6 percent, and other manufacturing and repair and installation of machinery and equipment at 81.8 percent. (PNA)
