Factory output expands further in October

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December 10, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s manufacturing output continued to accelerate in October due to robust expansion in electronic and pharmaceutical industries, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Preliminary PSA data showed that the sector’s volume of production index (VoPI) grew by 1.4 percent in October, faster than the 0.8 percent recorded in the previous month.

The latest figure also signals a clear rebound from the 1.2-percent contraction logged in October last year, based on the PSA’s monthly integrated survey of selected industries released yesterday.

On a year-to-date basis, however, the average VoPI for the manufacturing sector saw a 0.3-percent decline.

PSA Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa attributed the faster VoPI growth in October to the improved output of three industry divisions.

In particular, the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products climbed by 18 percent, up from 4.2 percent in September.

Basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical operations registered a 22.6-percent jump from a 10.6-percent rise in the previous month.

Despite easing slightly month-on-month, food product manufacturing still registered an annual increment of nine percent.

Of the remaining 19 industry divisions, 11 experienced positive annual growth rates, while eight posted declines during the month.

The industries that exhibited increases include beverages (4.9 percent); other non-metallic mineral products (4.5 percent); wood, bamboo, cane, rattan articles and other related products (15.8 percent); other manufacturing and machinery and equipment repair and installation (11 percent); tobacco (4.9 percent); leather (19.4 percent); rubber and plastic (1.5 percent); furniture (7.3 percent); textiles (5.5 percent) and electrical equipment (0.3 percent).

On the other hand, printing and reproduction of recorded media saw a decrease of 4.2 percent; paper, -1.4 percent; coke and refined petroleum products, -0.8 percent; wearing apparel, -17.5 percent; transport equipment, one percent; fabricated metal products, -11.7 percent; machinery and equipment, -11.3 percent; chemicals, -24.3 percent and basic metals, -23.6 percent.

According to Mapa, the average capacity utilization rate in October stood at 77.5 percent, slightly higher than the previous month’s 77.2 percent.

“All industry divisions reported capacity utilization rates of more than 65 percent during the month,” Mapa noted.

Those with the highest capacity utilization rates were other manufacturing and repair and installation of machinery and equipment at 82.7 percent, coke and refined petroleum products at 82 percent, and computer, electronic and optical products at 80.9 percent.

Of the total number of responding establishments, one-third operated at full capacity (90 to 100 percent) in October.

Meanwhile, 43.2 percent operated at 70 to 89 percent capacity, with 23.4 percent running below 70 percent.