Philippine Manufacturing Week (PMW) 2026 brought the automotive aftermarket and precision-engineering sectors together at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City.

The three-day event combined the third Auto Parts and Vehicles Expo Philippines, or APVE, with the 12th Philippine Die and Mould Machinery and Equipment Exhibition, or PDMEX.

Organizers positioned the joint event as a business platform that covered automotive components, aftermarket services, die and mould machinery, and related manufacturing technologies.

APVE gathered exhibitors from several countries, with international pavilions representing China, Taiwan, and Thailand. The show focused on parts, equipment, and services used in the automotive aftermarket.

PDMEX, meanwhile, centered on precision tooling and machinery used in the production of automotive components, electronics, and other manufactured goods.

The exhibition was co-organized by the Philippine Die and Mold Association and Informa Markets.

The combined event allowed visitors to see how tooling, component production, distribution, and aftermarket services connect within the wider manufacturing chain.

Rungphech Chitanuwat, country general manager of Informa Markets Philippines, said holding APVE and PDMEX under one event gave exhibitors and visitors a broader view of the sector.

She said the arrangement linked precision tooling and component manufacturing with aftermarket distribution and service. It also gave companies more opportunities to meet suppliers, discuss possible partnerships, and exchange technical knowledge.

Government officials at the opening ceremony also spoke about the role of manufacturing in the Philippine economy.

Vivian Santos, deputy director general for operations of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), discussed the agency’s support for the sector through incentives, infrastructure, and policy measures.

PEZA is working to improve the country’s position as a manufacturing base in Southeast Asia.

Ferdinand Jesus Ortega, chairperson of the Cooperative Development Authority, focused on support for transport cooperatives and automotive businesses.

He cited capacity-building programs and financing options that can help cooperatives and smaller enterprises take part in the sector.

The conference program covered electric vehicle technology, charging infrastructure, automotive trends, aftermarket opportunities, fleet management, robotics, welding, precision engineering, and digital tools for manufacturing.

Sessions also discussed loan programs offered by the Small Business Corporation for transport cooperatives and the role of locally made auto components in the manufacturing industry.

Organizers expected around 8,000 industry professionals to attend the event. Participants included manufacturers, distributors, engineers, procurement specialists, government representatives, and other industry workers.

The Department of Science and Technology and PEZA were among the government agencies supporting the event.

Philippine Manufacturing Week showed how closely the automotive aftermarket depends on the manufacturing sector behind it.

Replacement parts and service equipment may be what customers see, although their production still begins with tooling, machinery, engineering, and a reliable supply chain.