Manufacturing indices up for 10 straight months

December 5, 2018

The Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) of the Philippine Statistics Authority for October 2018 reported manufacturing’s Volume of Production Index (VoPI) rose by3.9 percent while the Value of Production Index (VaPI) climbed by 3.3 percent, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Wednesday.

VoPI and VaPI have been on positive territory for 10 consecutive months since January 2018.

Increases in the production of petroleum, export-oriented products and non-metallic mineral products drove the expansion of manufacturing output in October.

NEDA expects manufacturing of construction-related products, such as iron and steel and cement, will be driven up by government’s spending on infrastructure and other capital outlay, and the sustained growth in private construction activities.

“Over the near-to medium-term, we see that the Build, Build, Build program and the recently signed Regular Foreign Investment Negative List will help in raising the productivity of the manufacturing sector,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

Aside from increasing foreign participation in contracts for construction and repair of locally funded public works, the Regular Foreign Investment Negative List  allows foreign-owned training centers that specialize in skills development, upgrading the proficiency of the local workforce. DMS