Mitsubishi PH presents first Filipino-made Mirage Hatchback

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) announced last Thursday the mass production of its Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback model in its Sta. Rosa plant.

In the past, the Mirage hatchback was imported as a CBU (completely built up) unit from Thailand. It will now be produced at MMPC’s new P4.3 billion production facility.

Last February, MMPC presented the first Mirage G4 sedan manufactured in the Philippines to President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacañang Palace.

Both the Mirage G4 sedan and hatchback variants are Mitsubishi Motors’ entry into the government’s Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program.

With the CARS program, it aims to position the Philippines as Southeast Asia’s newest car assembly hub, which will potentially attract new investment into the sector and eventually generating increased demand for vehicles in the country.

Mitsubishi is Japan’s first automaker, with the Model A as its first car that it ever produced in 1917.

Locally, MMPC has been engaged in the local manufacturing of vehicles for more than 50 years now.

Mitsubishi is the second largest automaker the country, with a market share of 16 percnet with a strong dealer network over 50 local commercial partners and dealerships.

Under the CARS program and the transfer of Mirage production to the Philippines, it will generate new jobs within MMPC, and the OEM industry will also benefit some 31 local businesses which were awarded to supply a total of 255 parts for the car.

MMPC’s advocacy is to actively work on its parts localization activities to further increase the local content ratio.

“MMPC will continue to exert great efforts to make a contribution to Philippine society and the economy to support the government in its effort to promote the entire automotive industry,” said MMPC incoming president and CEO Mutsuhiro Oshikiri.