23-8-2023 (MANILA) Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. marked its 35th anniversary of operations in the country with a generous gesture, donating 35 brand new vehicles to the Office of the President. The handover took place during President Marcos’s visit to the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.
This substantial donation of vehicles serves as “an expression of gratitude for the enduring partnership and commitment to revitalizing the local automotive manufacturing industry,” as announced by Radio Television Malacañang through a Facebook post.
During the ceremony, Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corp., presented President Marcos with the keys to the 35 vehicles, which included a variety of models:
- 10 units of Hiace Ambulance 3.0 M/T-ZD-24
- 5 units each of Lite Ace 1.5L Pickup MT-VB-3, Innova 2.8J M/T-DM-6, Vios 1.3 XLE CVT-EK-29, and Lite Ace 1.5L Cargo MT-V2-5
- 3 units of Yaris Cross 1.5 S HEV CVT 2T PC-BC-2
- 2 units of Coaster customized for the “Lab for All” program of the Office of the First Lady
Expressing his appreciation for Toyota’s contributions to the Philippines’ development, President Marcos described Toyota as a valuable partner in the country’s transformation and development journey. He acknowledged the significance of Toyota’s role in the Philippines, particularly during challenging times, and emphasized the mutual benefits of this enduring partnership between the Philippines and Toyota.
President Marcos also commended the highly trained Filipino employees of Toyota, noting their deep immersion in the Japanese culture of production. He recognized Toyota Motor Corp.’s substantial contributions to the Philippines and its people.
Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. and the Toyota Group have collectively invested a significant amount of P73.7 billion since 2000, underscoring their commitment to the Philippines and its automotive industry. Chairman Alfred Ty of Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. used the occasion to call for continued support for the auto industry, particularly for domestic parts suppliers. He emphasized the potential for expansion and job generation in the Philippines with more conducive government policies.
During his visit, President Marcos had the opportunity to tour the automotive manufacturing plant of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and the manual transmission plant of Toyota Aisin Philippines. He observed the advanced technologies and skilled workforce responsible for producing local models like the Vios and Innova, as well as the Next Generation Tamaraw. The visit underscored the importance of the automotive sector in the Philippines and the enduring partnership between the country and Toyota.
