Carmakers urged: Tell the truth

The Association of Philippine Auctioneers (APA) urged major carmakers this week to "stop telling lies" on their alleged losses due to the importation of used motor vehicles into the country.

In a statement, APA president Romulo Armamento said the claim of the Philippine Automotive Federation Inc. (PAFI) of possibly selling another 20,000 units last year if not for the continued importation of used motor vehicles is nothing but a blatant lie.

"Their claim is similar to the claim of people in the boondocks when you run over their chicken. They will charge you a million bucks for that because they would claim that the chicken could have produced a poultry farm had you not run over it," Armamento said.

PAFI earlier issued a statement saying that local carmakers could have sold 20,000 more vehicles and paid the government P2 billion in taxes if not for the influx of second-hand vehicles.

"I hope they stop this disinformation drive once and for all," said Armamento. "They are not fooling anyone since buyers perfectly know that they (carmakers) cannot even cope with the present demand for brand new cars."

Armamento’s group lauded the government, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry, for relaxing the laws on importation of second-hand trucks. He said such a move will be a big boost to the economy.

The auctioneers are not the only ones praising the DTI for lowering the limit on imported second-hand trucks to 2.5 tons. In a separate statement, the Association of Logistics Providers (ALP) said the government obviously understands that those who buy used trucks from auction houses are mostly small-time businessmen or even former overseas Filipino workers wanting to put up their own business.

"Let us not deprive these people of livelihood opportunities to go into small business, and doing so means depriving potential small businessmen and their families of surviving in this hard times," said Martin Noval, ALP president.

"The government’s move is an indication that it has seen and recognized the potential of small and medium enterprises as partners in nation building considering that they remain to be the backbone of various industries," he added.

Noval noted that with limited capital, former overseas workers who venture into small business provide much needed jobs and revenues for the government.

"Most of these overseas workers have ventured in business as contractors, haulers, fish dealers or farmers, among others," he explained.