Without consulting official statistics, a cursory observation of the traffic on EDSA strongly suggests that vehicle sales in the country have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, possibly even surpassing them. The Covid-19 lockdowns emphasized the paramount importance of vehicle ownership. Remarkably, the phenomenon of 'revenge shopping' extended to high-value items such as personal transportation.

Regrettably, the majority of new vehicles sold in the country are completely built units (CBUs) manufactured abroad. Due to our geographical location, the bulk of vehicles sold here originate from countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and China, with a small number imported from North America and parts of Europe. These foreign manufacturing plants not only provide livelihoods for entire provinces but also support crucial industries.