The Philippine car industry will recover this year with sales increasing by 7 percent to 177,000 units from 165,000 in 2011, Rommel Gutierrez, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines president, told GMA News Online.
Gutierrez, also corporate affairs vice president of Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP), on Wednesday said the industry expects a stable supply of vehicles, both completely knocked down and completely built units.
New models of all types of vehicles will also be introduced, Gutierrez noted.
“Some of the sales are carry-over from last year — customers who ordered last year but had to wait for their vehicles this year,” he said.
Last year, domestic sales fell 4 percent to 144,600 units because of disasters that hit Japan and Thailand, where most vehicle parts come from.
With this positive mood, TMP Foundation, Gawad Kalinga, and Sta. Rosa City launched on Wednesday the Gawad Kalinga Village project in barangays Pulong Sta. Cruz and Malitlit.
TMP foundations P20-million donation will build 158 houses on an 8,000-sqm property. It will benefit hundreds of families in slums near the TMP Sta. Rosa plant.
Starting next month, construction will start in 5,000-smq of the property and a park, school, and community and multipurpose centers will be built on 3,000-sqm. The project will be completed next year.
“The donation is Toyota's way of giving back to the community,” said TMP president Michinobu Sugata. “We help people living in areas where we operate.”
“Our employees, dealers and suppliers will help build the houses,” he added.
TMP sold 54,593 vehicles last year, accounting for 38.55 percent market share in the Philippines. — VS, GMA News
25 comments