The Philippines is finally stepping into the world of hybrid vehicle production. Mitsubishi Motors has confirmed it will start building hybrid electric cars at its factory in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
This will be the first time the country produces its own hybrid vehicles. The Japanese company plans to use its existing plant to set up a dedicated assembly line for these cars.
The news came after a meeting at the presidential palace. Mitsubishi’s chief executive, Takao Kato, sat down with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Finance Secretary Frederick Go to talk about the investment.
Secretary Go called the project a game changer. He said it could even turn the Philippines into an exporter of hybrid cars. Mitsubishi is now studying that possibility.
Local officials believe producing hybrids will help cut air pollution in cities and provinces. It will also reduce how much fuel the country needs to import. The move supports the national law called the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, which encourages the use of electric and hybrid vehicles.
To attract more electric vehicle investments, the Board of Investments is finishing a new incentives plan. It will go to a review board and then to the President for final approval.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing the government to move faster. He said rising fuel prices caused by Middle East tensions make electric vehicles more important than ever.