Philippine factory output in November 2012, as measured by Volume of Production index (VoPi), slightly moved up at a slower growth rate of 9.6 percent, according to the results of the Monthly

Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (Missi) released by the National Statistics Office on Tuesday.

“This was mainly due to the slowdown in production outputs of the electrical machinery and basic metals sectors,” Missi said.

However, the survey noted that high production outputs were reported by eight out of 13 major sectors led by footwear and wearing apparel, registering a three-digit increase of 144.2 percent.

Other major sectors with two-digit increases were wood and wood products 42.4 percent; leather products, 31.6 percent; transport equipment, 22.6 percent; machinery except electrical, 14.7 percent; basic metals, 12.1 percent; paper and paper products, 10.9 percent and electrical machinery, 10.6 percent.

Month-on-month, it showed that VoPi slightly dropped by 0.4 percent in November 2012, because of the decreases in production output observed in 12 out of 20 major sectors.

On the other hand, total manufacturing as measured by the Value of Production Index (VaPI) expanded moderately at 6.3 percent in November 2012.

The Missi stated that this was caused by the slowdown in production growth, notably for the basic metals sector.

However, expansion in value of production was exhibited by footwear and wearing apparel with a three-digit increase of 137.9 percent, followed by other four major sectors that posted two-digit increments, namely: leather products; wood and wood products; transport equipment and food manufacturing.

On a monthly basis, the survey added that the VaPI slid 1.2 percent in November 2012, mainly because of the reduction in production values reported by 14 out of 20 major sectors.

It further said that the average capacity utilization in November 2012 for total manufacturing stood at 83.3 percent.

Capacity utilization
Missi continued that 11 of the 20 major sectors registered more than 80-percent capacity utilization rates led by petroleum products, basic metals, food manufacturing, non-metallic mineral products, machinery except electrical, electrical machinery, rubber and plastic products, chemical products, paper and paper products, miscellaneous manufactures, and wood and wood products.

The proportion of establishments that operated at full capacity was recorded at 19.4 percent in November and about 57.2 percent of the establishments operated at a 70-percent to 89-percent capacity, while 23.4 percent of the establishments operated at below 70-percent capacity.

Meanwhile, the survey mentioned that Volume of Net Sales Index (VoNSI) continued its two-digit growth rate, registering at 12.6 percent in November 2012. Footwear and wearing apparel contributed significantly to the increase with 157.5 percent growth. Month-on-month, VoNSI fell 1.7 percent.

On the other hand, Value of Net Sales Index (VaNSI), continued to grow, reflecting an annual increment of 9.2 percent in November 2012.This was attributed to the expansion in sales of 15 major sectors of manufacturing industry led by footwear and wearing apparel, with a three-digit growth of 150.9 percent. Month-on-month, the VaNSI went down 2.5 percent.