The Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists (SPMJ) together with the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently holds an auto forum to discuss the future of the Philippine automotive industry and the growth of local market for electric vehicles (EVs).
AVID, who host their second forum of the year, reaffirm its commitment to sustaining inter-sector dialogue on auto industry competitiveness amidst ever-shifting local, regional, and global socio-economic backdrops.
“What will be the growth track for this economy? This is something important to think about. And while we won’t stop talking and discussing, we should move on to action in the interest of the industry’s sustainability. The media can amplify our voice; let’s start with a more fruitful partnership today,” said Fe Perez-Agudo, AVID President, in her opening remarks.
The chief head of AVID was optimistic that its partnership with SPMJ will strengthen efforts to communicate auto industry policies to the general public.
Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba leads the agencies initiatives for establishing an inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in collaboration with other government agencies and businesses. She also oversees the formulation and implementation of the Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy (i3S), a national industry roadmap that emphasizes the importance of innovation.
“Our policy is to embrace the new technology arising from Industry 4.0… We need to adapt and adopt these new technologies to improve our competitiveness to prepare for the stiff competition that our industries face,” explained Undersecretary Aldaba.
In her presentation, she discussed the i3S strategy and inclusive innovation, as well as policy directions for creating a competitive EV industry in the Philippines.
According to the Undersecretary, this strategy comprises five pillars: new industries, human resource development, micro, small, and medium enterprise development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and ease of doing business. She noted that the manufacturing and assembly of electric motor components like batteries are one of the 12 priority markets for development.
She also emphasized the importance of encouraging EV adoption in the Philippines to cut
emissions and promote sustainable mobility.