MANILA — The country’s Factory Output in April 2018 rose 31.1 percent, constituting a huge improvement from its flat growth in April 2017.
The Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Tuesday that 15 manufacturing subsectors registered a two-digit growth in April this year, except for printing which production volume surged by 182.8 percent.
Double-digit growth in output was recorded in petroleum products, miscellaneous manufactures, machinery except electrical, textiles, beverages, food manufacturing, electrical machinery, non-metallic mineral products, chemical products, leather products, rubber and plastic products
“We’re getting the goods coming in. We’re seeing increased production of manufacturing,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Rosemarie Edillon said in a press briefing Tuesday.
Likewise, value of production index (VaPi) increased to 31.7 percent in April this year, a turnaround from a 1.6-percent decrement in the same month last year.
Average capacity utilization rate of factories in April 2018 was at 84.3 percent, as 60 percent of the major industries operated their facilities at 80 percent and above capacity.
These industries that operated with highest capacity utilization include petroleum products at 89.7 percent; basic metals at 88.9 percent; non-metallic mineral products at 86.8 percent; machinery except electrical at 86 percent; food manufacturing at 85.5 percent; and electrical machinery at 85 percent.
Industries that operated at below 85 percent of capacity utilization in April were paper and paper products at 83.5 percent; rubber and plastic products at 83.3 percent; printing at 81.7 percent; wood and wood products at 81.4 percent; and textiles at 80.7 percent.
The factory or manufacturing output measures the combined output of all facilities producing goods within a country. (Kris Crismundo/PNA)
