The Philippine market for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles over 5 tons gvw is estimated to have declined by over 26% to 2,889 units in the first quarter of 2020 from already weak year-earlier sales of 3,930 units. Sales in March plunged as exports, investment and domestic business activity dropped sharply due to the COVID19 coronavirus pandemic.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has re-launched and re-entered the light duty van / truck market with its L300 small truck in the Philippines at the end of September 2019, fitted with a new diesel engine which meets the country’s Euro IV regulations.

Competition in the Philippine light truck and bus market has intensified significantly in recent months with the launch of the Isuzu Traviz and the return of the Mitsubishi L300 at the end of September.

The Philippine market for pickup trucks continued to expand strongly in the first quarter, increasing by 26% year-on-year to 15,147 units after growth of over 16% to 12,026 units in the same period of last year.

Foton Motors Philippines Inc has launched two new light commercial vehicle models in the Philippines to meet booming local demand for public utility vehicles – the vehicles are built to government specifications and designed to eventually replace the ageing fleet of Jeepneys as the main local public transport vehicles.

The Philippine market for commercial vehicles over 2 tons gvw fell by 11% to 31,237 units in the fourth quarter of 2018 from strong year-earlier sales of 35,113 units, according to www.AsiaMotorBusiness.com analysis of data sourced from the industry.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines in November unveiled a production model of the Fuso Canter Commute, a light-duty bus designed to replace the Jeepney as the country’s main public utility vehicle.