MANILA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' manufacturing output increased in October, with the value of production index (VaPI) rising 1.7 percent year-on-year from 1.6 percent in September, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Tuesday.
The volume of production index (VoPI) increased by 1.4 percent from 0.8 percent in the previous month.
The manufacturing sector's VaPI growth in October accelerated largely due to a sharp rise in the manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products, which grew 16.8 percent and accounted for 60.1 percent of the sector's overall uptrend.
Additional support came from a slower annual decline in chemicals and chemical products at 23.5 percent and a rebound in wood, bamboo, cane, and rattan manufacturing at 15.1 percent.
Of the remaining 19 industry divisions, 13 posted annual increases while six recorded declines.
The leading contributors to the year-on-year growth of the manufacturing VaPI in October were the manufacturing of computer, electronic, and optical products, food products, and basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations. ■
