Agree? I think so. Pinoys need a reliable and affordable AUV!

http://www.malaya.com.ph/08162010/busi4.html

Tamaraw, Fiera revival sought
BY IRMA ISIP
Government is prodding vehicle assemblers into reviving Tamaraw, Fiera and Harabas-like utility vehicles for export to less developed economies like Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Africa and East Timor.

Cristino L. Panlilio, Board of Investments (BOI) managing head, said the agency will likely come up with an "embellished" automotive export program (AEP), or a motor vehicle development program (MVDP) II geared at encouraging exports.

The spun off MVDP would hopefully address the weaknesses of the AEP, which attracted only one company, Ford Group Philippines, into the export of locally assembled vehicles.

According to Panlilio, less classy multipurpose vehicles like Tamaraw which was developed by Toyota, Fiera by Ford and Harabas have a local market which can serve as a launching pad for exports.

He said local assemblers are facing stiff competition from Thailand, especially for its pick-up vehicles, in the export market.

Other assemblers have shunned exporting due to the additional costs in transporting parts and components.

Panlilio said due to the size of the local market today, the parts manufacturing industry has dwindled, thus diminishing its ability to supply assemblers. Local sales have dropped from a record of 160,000 to just about 100,000.

"The MVDP II is the next stage of development of the industry. While we need to expand the local market, we have to provide the incentives to encourage export," Panlilio said.

He said this would also lift the capacity of the five major assemblers from 60 percent.

Leading assembler Toyota Motor Philippines Corp (TMP) would only bite if the local assemblers are able to serve the local market first.

"We have to satisfy the domestic market as our base before we go to export," said Rommel Gutierrez, company vice president.

Gutierrez said TMP can increase its capacity provided there is a "proper environment,"

TMP is batting for "production-based" incentives by rewarding players in the completely-knocked down operations proportionate to their output.

This encourages assemblers to increase their CKD assembly.