Factory output rose faster in January 2025 on higher food and equipment production, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Friday.
The volume of production index (VoPI) for the manufacturing sector registered a faster year-on-year increase of 3.2 percent from its annual increment of 0.4 percent in December 2024. In January 2024, the VoPI declined 0.3 percent.
Manufacture of food products rose 9.4 percent in January, rebounding from a 0.3-percent decline in December 2024. Machinery and equipment production increased 62.1 percent year-on-year in the same month.
Meanwhile, the value of production index also registered a faster annual increase of 4.0 percent in January 2025 from 0.4 percent in December 2024. In January 2024, the VaPI decreased 1.4 percent.
“The acceleration in the annual rate of VaPI for manufacturing in January 2025 was mainly attributed to the annual increase in the manufacture of food products at 9.3 percent during the month from an annual increase of 1.4 percent in the previous month,” the PSA said.
The manufacture of food products contributed 31.5 percent to the trend of VaPI for the manufacturing section in January 2025.
The PSA said that based on responding establishments, the average capacity utilization rate for the manufacturing section in January 2025 at 75.9 percent, up from the 75.6 percent in December and 74.5 percent a year ago.
All industry divisions reported capacity utilization rates of more than 60.0 percent during the month.
