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Logistics sector growth in the Philippines contracted in September due mainly to the worsening transportation conditions and tighter consumer spending, according to the World Research Institute
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The country’s Logistics Growth Index registered 48.1 in September 2026, a drop of 0.5 from 48.6 in August, the lowest in four months
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Of the Of the 42 economies covered by the LGI, the Philippines ranked 39th and was at the bottom of the 16 within Asia Pacific
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WRI principal economist Stephen Poh said port disruptions and cancelled sailings were the biggest drag in September
Logistics sector growth in the Philippines contracted in September due mainly to the worsening transportation conditions and tighter spending as consumers grapple with faster inflation and other economic pressures, according to the World Research Institute (WRI).
The country’s Logistics Growth Index (LGI™) registered 48.1 in September 2026, a drop of 0.5 from 48.6 in August, the lowest in four months.
WRI’s Logistics Index is a monthly indicator for global goods movement – a GDP-weighted diffusion index across four regions and 42 economies that turns before the official trade and output data. A reading above 50 signals expansion, and below 50 a contraction.
“Disrupted ports and cancelled sailings were the biggest drag in September, cutting available capacity, while faster-rising prices led households to focus their spending on essentials,” WRI principal economist Stephen Poh, said in a statement.
READ: Manila’s Cargo Crisis — When Sea and Air Feel the Squeeze
Of the 42 economies covered, the Philippines ranked 39th and was at the bottom of the Asia Pacific list of 16.
The Philippine LGI was above 50 in the first four months of the year, then dropped dramatically in May and has since stayed below 50. Its three-month average was 48.3 while the nine-month range was 47.9 to 52.2.
Amid the contraction, Poh said the e-commerce sector has remained buoyant and propping up the storage segment.
“Warehousing was a rare bright spot, with e-commerce operators still taking up space,” he noted.
READ: PH warehousing steady in Q1 as regional growth gains momentum
