Toyota donates 35 brand new vehicles to President’s Office

MANILA, Philippines — Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. donated 35 brand new cars to the Office of the President as it commemorated the 35th anniversary of its operations in the country yesterday.

President Marcos received the vehicles during his visit to the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

The donation of the vehicles is “an expression of gratitude for the enduring partnership and commitment to revitalizing the local automotive manufacturing industry,” Radio Television Malacañang said in a Facebook post.

Toyota Motor Corp. chairman Akio Toyoda handed over to Marcos the keys of the 35 vehicles, which consisted of 10 units of Hiace Ambulance 3.0 M/T-ZD-24; five 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; three units of Yaris Cross 1.5 S HEV CVT 2T PC-BC-2 and two units of Coaster customized for the “Lab for All” program of the Office of the First Lady.

“The Philippines is lucky to have Toyota as a partner, according to Marcos, citing the car manufacturer’s contributions to the country’s development. “We are always talking about the transformation of the economy. We have always seen Toyota as being an important partner in everything, in our development in the Philippines. And now, especially in these difficult times, these are the partnerships that we think – that I am certain will be of benefit not only to the Philippines, but also to Toyota and even for our partners in Japan,” he said.

“We have to recognize the contributions that Toyota Motor Corp. has brought to the Philippines. We have to recognize the help that it has given – that a plant such as this has given us and our people,” he added.

The President emphasized that the Filipino employees of Toyota are “very highly trained” and are “extremely steeped in the Japanese culture of production.”

Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. and the Toyota Group have cumulatively invested P73.7 billion since 2000.

“We request your continued support to the auto industry, not only for vehicle manufacturing but to the entire supply chain, especially our domestic parts suppliers. With more conducive government policies, Toyota Aisin Philippines and other local part-makers can expand and do so much more in our country to help generate more jobs for Filipinos,” Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. chairman Alfred Ty said in a statement.

Marcos toured the automotive manufacturing plant of Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. as well as the manual transmission plant of Toyota Aisin Philippines and observed the technologies and workforce that produce the local models Vios and Innova and later the Next Generation Tamaraw.