Isuzu to join govt talks on duty measures
Credit to Author: Anna Leah E. Gonzales| Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2019 18:19:22 +0000
ISUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC) on Tuesday is hoping there will be a healthy discussion on the safeguard measures application for imported automobiles.
“We have to start discussion with government very carefully,” IPC President Hajime Koso said during the Isuzu Traviz launch held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo earlier said the Department of Trade and Industry is assessing the application for safeguard duty on imported automobiles filed by the Philippine Metal Workers Alliance.
The reported surge in the volume of imported vehicles that enter the country prompted the filing of safeguard duty application.
The application of safeguard measure, Koso said, will have both positive and negative impact on car manufacturers.
“Not only Isuzu [will be affected]. All companies will be affected good, affected bad, depends on manufacturer,” he said.
Koso also said Isuzu currently imports 60 percent of it sales volume. The company has an assembly plant for trucks in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
To establish assembly plants for its other vehicles, Koso said IPC is seeking incentives from the government that may be in the form of tax breaks, lower excise tax, or any kind of support that can be given.
“We have potential to assemble this [Traviz] in the country. If we plan to assemble this, we need something, incentive and also we need some big support from suppliers,” said Koso, adding Isuzu is targeting to sell 8,000 units of Traviz by 2020 or 2021.
Traviz, Isuzu’s newest lightweight truck that is currently produced in facilities in Indonesia, caters to those who are in the food businesses, utility companies, cargo and logistics, and transport and delivery services.