Hyundai PH opens its first-ever expo for commercial vehicles

Aside from CVs, Hyundai passenger vehicles used in law enforcement were on display at the expo

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai trucks and buses as well as passenger cars in the Philippines, opened the three-day Hyundai Power Solutions Expo at the Laus Group Event Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga yesterday.

This will be the first of a series of its Hyundai Power Solutions which will be the inaugural platform of Hyundai’s commercial vehicle (CV) expo that started off in the Northern Luzon area and will be a series of Hyundai business expositions in strategic locations all over the Philippines. With a strong CV line up, the expo highlights the brand’s total solutions package, boasting a complete line of trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles, with a more intimate engagement to its prospective customers and markets.

According to HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, HARI’s push into the local CV arena is most timely and “symbolic of Hyundai’s support for nationwide efforts to enhance our infrastructure, modernize public transport, reduce our carbon footprint, and on the whole, contribute to bolstering our country’s reputation as the investor’s destination of choice in Southeast Asia.”

Agudo also pointed out the significance of holding the kick off of Hyundai Power Solutions in San Fernando City. “San Fernando is the premier commercial and industrial center in Pampanga, located in the heart of Region 3, the 3rd biggest contributor to Philippine GDP outside of the National Capital Region. San Fernando is also at the crossroads of three main drivers of commercial and industrial growth in Central Luzon, namely, Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Pampanga, Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Zambales, and Bataan Export Processing Zone in Mariveles, Bataan. Therefore, Hyundai is poised to put our customers at the forefront of the drive towards progress in Central and North Luzon, through its complete lineup of quality and innovative commercial vehicles that meet the region’s need for mass transport and payload solutions that can sustain the movement of goods, services, and people at an accelerated and productive pace.”

Hyundai Power Solutions also unveiled Hyundai’s prototype Modern Jeepney, and showcase the versatility of current best-seller, the highly-customizable H350 luxury van. The Hyundai Modern Jeepney’s innovative design is product of the Hyundai “Jeep It Up” design competition which was held in partnership with the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Architecture and Interior Design, and the College of Engineering earlier this year. The prototype was built in partnership with pioneering local trucks and buses body manufacturer, Del Monte Motor Works, Inc.

Various transport groups and DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade witnessed the signing of an MOU between HARI and its supplier partners for the PUJ initiative

Present as guest of honor and main speaker was DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, who announced that the government is throwing its full support on the PUV modernization program and will be backed up with a viable financing scheme. “Sometimes, when there are accidents that occur, the first thing that comes to mind is to ask how many were injured and how many died. You know why? Because the attitude is bahala na, a fatalistic attitude with no specific measure of comfort or regard for safety. With the modernization program, we want safety features and we want to breath clean air. Today I say to you, we have the financing facility to support your program, in partnership we will have a modernization program! I call the program 5, 6, 7 and 80,000 scheme, which means 5% interest, 5% equity, 6% interest, 7 years term and P80,000 equity,” said Sec. Tugade.
He added that when the operator will sell their old and dilapidated jeepneys at scrap value, it will be sufficient to fund the equity portion of the new PUV unit.

Underscoring Hyundai’s mission to provide total customer mobility and payload solutions to businesses, HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo affirmed, “The debut of the new Hyundai Modern Jeepney reflects the company’s steadfast commitment to support the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP). We believe that fleet modernization is an important step towards the economic progress of the Philippines, and we have been working closely with the Department of Transportation to ensure that this vision becomes a reality.”

HARI further announced that it is pouring some P1.2 billion into boosting its CV dealership facilities and sales and after-sales expertise. HARI’s CV dealership network now totals 11, situated in key locations all over the country, and will grow to at least 20 by year 2020. “We believe in the huge potential of tapping into this vibrant new market and expect satisfying returns,” said Agudo. This was shown in the first eight months of 2018, which saw a boost in industry sales of Category IV light-duty trucks by 37.1% compared to the same period in 2017.

The Hyundai modern PUJ

In less than 3 year after being appointed the official Philippine distributor of Hyundai trucks and buses in February 2016, HARI bagged the 2017 Regional Excellence Award for Asia & Pacific, besting the region’s other 15 commercial vehicle distributorships, and was commended for revitalizing customer confidence in Hyundai CV After-sales Service through its CV marketing campaign headlined by the Call for Service Inspection (CSI) program, the service hotline to highly trained technicians who bring Hyundai’s tried-and-tested CV maintenance and repair right to the customer’s doorstep.

As part of its efforts make its entry in the PUV modernization program more viable and sustainable, Hyundai has initially allocated 800 units to support the transport requirements of various groups in key regions. Hyundai targets to provide the first 400 units of its modern jeepneys to its first batch of partners and key transport cooperatives. These transport groups that comprise the Public Transport Alliance of General Santos (PTAG) in South Cotabato; the three transport cooperatives from Tanay, Rizal, specifically: Isabela Tourist Transport Service Cooperative, Jardan Transport Services and Development Cooperative, and Amore Transport Cooperative; and the Sapang Palay Minuyan Loop Transport Service Cooperative in Bulacan.

Hyundai is targeting to field its first fleet of modern jeepneys by first half of 2019 and present during the opening day of the expo were representatives of these groups and cooperatives to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between HARI and its supplier partners to see the PUV modernization project to its fruition.