Industrial, output up in January.

The manufacturing sector started the year 2000 on the right track as reflected by the latest Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The NSO said manufacturing production, as measured by the value of production index (VaPI), went up 16.7% in January, a complete turnaround from the 10.4% contraction in the same month last year.

Likewise, the volume of production index (VoPI) jumped 11.6%, a reversal from a 19% contraction last year.

The January indices, based on responses of 309 establishments surveyed, grew at a slower pace than in December, however - the December output value grew by 21.8% while output volume expanded by 12.9%. Also, comparing the indices with the previous month, manufacturing VaPI dipped 6.5% while VoPI, 4.3%.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Felipe M. Medalla yesterday pointed out the month-on-month slowdown in the …