MANILA, Philippines — For a change, various local automotive organizations have banded together to give the lethargic industry the needed shot in the arm to attain an objective the Philippines as an alternative automotive production hub in ASEAN.

This developed as the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), the Philippine Automotive Federation Inc. (PAFI), Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), and the Philippine Automotive Competitiveness Council Inc. (PACCI) rallied behind the crafting of a progressive local automotive industry roadmap.

CAMPI president Atty. Rommel Gutierrez said that “CAMPI will continue to work closely with the government particularly the Board of Investments under the Department of Trade and Industry, and other industry associations under the Philippines Automotive Federation, Inc. (PAFI) such as Philippine Automotive Competitiveness Council Incorporated or PACCI and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) in re-crafting the new Motor Vehicle Development Program or MVDP.

The proposal of CAMPI will also take off from the roadmap which was drafted by PAFI. CAMPI showed its support in the recently concluded 3rd PACCI Summit which identified opportunities for market expansion and also highlighted the importance of enhancing the competitiveness of the local auto manufacturing sector to be able to entice auto manufacturers to provide additional investments in the country.

The immediate concern of the local automotive sector is to capture a sizeable share of the ASEAN when it is consolidated in a single market in 2015 and as an alternative ASEAN production hub on the manufacture of motor vehicles and auto parts.

Currently ASEAN economies are in the process of harmonizing vehicle standards and establishing Mutual Recognition Arrangement to achieve free flow of goods in the single market.

This roadmap, when finalized, will be formally presented to BOI outlining the steps to be taken to expand the domestic production and sales of motor vehicles and eventually lead to export of completely built up units and parts and components by increasing competitiveness by reducing cost through government's timely policy support.