DESPITE the unrelenting oil price increases, auto manufacturers reported a 13-percent increase in sales during the first eight months of the year.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said they sold a total of 83,196 units from January to August this year, compared to 73,563 units during the same period last year.

However, sales in August fell to 14.9 percent to 9,906 units from 11,636 in July, the auto manufacturers said.