Philippine vehicle sales dropped sharply in August as heavy rains, flooding and weather-related disruptions interrupted the automotive market’s recovery seen in the previous two months.
The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported combined sales of 29,611 vehicles in August, down 20.7% from July’s 37,319 units and 18.1% from the 36,174 units sold in August 2025.
The decline came after vehicle sales strengthened in June and July. Industry groups attributed the August setback to adverse weather that disrupted dealership operations and limited consumer activity, particularly amid heavy rainfall and flooding.
Commercial vehicles bore most of the decline, with sales falling 20.1% year on year to 22,827 units. Passenger-car sales dropped 10.6% to 6,784 units. Commercial vehicles accounted for more than three-quarters of CAMPI-TMA sales during the month.
Despite the overall slowdown, electrified vehicles continued to post strong growth. CAMPI-TMA members sold 7,066 electrified vehicles in August, up 214.9% from 2,244 units a year earlier. Battery-electric vehicles reached 2,449 units, hybrids 3,000 units, and plug-in hybrids 1,617 units.
For the first eight months of 2026, CAMPI-TMA members recorded 271,336 vehicle sales, down 11.1% from 305,381 units during the same period last year. Including estimated sales from brands outside CAMPI and TMA, the broader Philippine automotive industry reached approximately 300,550 units from January through August.
Electrified vehicles have nevertheless become an increasingly significant part of the market. CAMPI-TMA xEV sales reached 45,403 units from January to August, representing a 146.2% increase from the previous year. Including other brands, industry-wide xEV sales were estimated at 74,600 units over the same period.
Toyota Motor Philippines remained the leading CAMPI-TMA seller in August with 14,594 units, followed by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines with 3,570, Suzuki Philippines with 1,350, Honda Cars Philippines with 1,097 and Ford Group Philippines with 930.
Industry officials said the August decline reflected temporary weather-related disruptions, while the continued expansion of electrified-vehicle sales points to a major shift in consumer demand within the Philippine automotive market.
