Manufacturing output in the Philippines expanded by 2.7% year-on-year in January 2026, slightly slower than the upwardly revised 2.8% recorded in December. The deceleration was largely driven by the food products sector, where growth eased sharply to 0.8% from 14.8% in the previous month, even though it still accounted for 53.2% of the overall annual increase in manufacturing.
Activity also softened in several other categories: other non-metallic mineral products (5.4% vs 30.2% in December), transport equipment (-0.7% vs 7.1%), other manufacturing and repair and installation of machinery and equipment (12.1% vs 12.9%), and paper and paper products (2.4% vs 7.8%).
By contrast, output growth strengthened in computer, electronic and optical products (26.8% vs 15%), beverages (20.2% vs 4.1%), and wood, bamboo, cane, rattan articles and related products (28.7% vs 3.9%).
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, industrial production rose by 2.7% in January, down from a 4.7% increase in December.