Car importers ask Aquino to recall CMVDP

MANILA, Philippines – The Alliance of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) is asking President Aquino to recall one of last Executive Orders signed by former President Arroyo because the Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Development Plan (CMVDP) was allegedly done in haste.

In a letter to President Aquino dated July 2, the vehicle importers said that the CMVDP will favor locally manufactured vehicles versus imported vehicles.

“The CMVDP, once implemented will discriminate against certain importations, contrary to our commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) which require that imported goods must be similarly treated as locally manufactured,” the letter said.

AVID said that Executive Order 877-A was done in haste as evidenced by the irregularity in the publication of the EO last June 16 in The Philippine STAR.

In the EO published in STAR, the signatories were President Arroyo and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. The EO was dated June 3. However, Ermita resigned as executive secretary February 23.

The STAR has already published an erratum the day after stating that the executive secretary should have been Leandro R. Mendoza and not Ermita.

Upon close examination, the signature in the published EO was by Mendoza and not Ermita’s. An interview with the advertising department of Star said that sometimes the EOs are retyped but the erratum has already corrected the matter.

“This glaring faux pas, among other facts such as the need for them to issue an amended EO 877 just shortly after it was first signed, is strongly indicative of the incomprehensible haste with which the policy was crafted,” the letter said

“Such irregularity should render the EO legally ineffective, to say the least,” it added.

The letter was signed by Hyudai Asia Resources, CATS Motors, Inc., The Covenant Car Co. Inc., United Asia Automotive Group Inc, PGA Cars Inc., Focus Ventures Inc., and British United Automobiles Inc. –Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star)