Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. has not wavered from a commitment to deliver products and services under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program amid publicized complaints against Montero Sports units.
“This is temporary. We will soon get this over and then we’ll be able to focus on our intention to participate in the CARS program. This is just a blip in the radar screen but our commitment is constant,” MMPC first vice president Dante Santos said.
He added Mitsubishi’s commitment in the Philippines was long term.
The motorization of the Philippines, he noted, was a commitment of the company Mitsubishi and the whole Philippine automotive industry.
Under the CARS program, the government will grant as much as P27 billion in fiscal and non-fiscal incentives in six years.
The program requires three car manufacturers to deliver 200,000 car units each over the next six years with corresponding investments in car and spare parts manufacturing.
The Trade Department is yet to release the implementing rules and regulations of the program that will guide participating car companies.
Santo, meanwhile, noted an increase in awareness of the driving public following the alleged sudden unintended acceleration issue surrounding the Montero units.
“One good thing that arose from this issue on sudden unintended acceleration is that people now are more mindful of their driving habits. More people have become conscious of their driving sense regardless of what car brand they’re driving,” he said.
Automobile owners also started to take car maintenance seriously, he said.
Mitsubishi has supported the Trade Department’s recommendation to hire third party experts for an impartial technical assessment of the Montero units in question.
The company said only hard technical evidence would assure integrity of the units and the comnpany as a world-class brand.