The multisectoral Fair Trade Alliance (FairTrade) asked President Gloria Arroyo to revoke the recently signed order that paved the way for the new auto industry development program.
“As the last legacy of your Presidency, we earnestly hope that you recall EO [Executive Order] 877 and come up with an amended one which will in fact ensure sustained growth of the industry,” Wigberto Tañada, FairTrade lead convenor, said in a letter to President Arroyo dated May 26.
The EO or the Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP) was signed last month.
The former senator said the new auto development program “clearly allows” the importation of used vehicles, as provided under Article 2, Sections 2, 3c, 3d, 5 and 6 and Article 7, Section 1.
This would encourage smuggling and importation of used vehicles, Tañada said.
“Upon our deeper analysis of EO 877, we believe that this new policy will not only erode the industry’s competitiveness but will also put at greater risk existing jobs, income and investments,” he said.
FairTrade claimed that the Board of Investments (BOI)—the agency which spearheaded the drafting of the new MVDP—had said that the preceding order, EO 156, was a “failure” since it did not help grow the domestic auto sector.
Tañada said that the new MVDP will negatively affect future and even existing investment in the industry” as the new EO did not retain the requirement for investors to infuse at least $10 million for the assembly of passenger cars and $8 million for commercial vehicles, which were provided under EO 156.
“These provisions were included in EO 156 precisely to entice investment in CKD [completely knocked down] operation and therefore create more jobs and value-adding activity in the country. But with the new EO, we are afraid that investment in CKD operation will slow down and turn some of the auto companies as just importer and distributor of completely built up [CBU] automotive units,” Tañada said.
He said an amendment to EO 877 should be made via a transparent and multisectoral process. –Ben Arnold O. De Vera, Manila Times
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
