By Genesis Gabriel P. Baculbas | PTV DMIS intern
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Board of Investments (BOI), announced a 4.9% growth in the Philippine manufacturing sector’s output in May, marking its fastest growth in 10 months. This rapid expansion indicates a significant upturn in economic activity and the potential for job creation across the nation.
According to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the physical output produced by factories overtime, measured by volume of production index (VoPI) rose to 4.9% year-on-year in May 2025, up from 4.3% in April.
DTI Secretary and BOI Chairperson Cristina Roque noted that rising industrial production and growing investor confidence are key to creating job opportunities for Filipinos.
“The surge in manufacturing output in the Philippines shows how we are taking advantage of opportunities to serve growing markets and, importantly, to provide jobs and income for our people,” Secretary Roque stated, emphasizing that the manufacturing sector is capitalizing on market demand to provide jobs and income.
The growth was largely driven by a 15.7% increase in the food products subsector, which marked an acceleration from its 11.2% rise observed in April. It was complemented by a 13.5% rise in transport equipment manufacturing, nearly doubling the 7.4% growth recorded in the previous month.
This positive momentum is translating into tangible investments and jobs, with BOI approving P15.02 billion worth of manufacturing projects from January to June 2025, projected to generate over 5,000 new jobs.
Such achievement echoes the 65.8% labor force participation rate (LFPR) reported by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) on July 8, the highest since April 2005, which is indicative of the government’s continuing success in uplifting the domestic labor market.
-dac/av
