A locally manufactured car might soon be part of the family garage of President Duterte.
Duterte is interested in buying the new Mitsubishi Mirage G4, an eco-friendly and fuel efficient vehicle unveiled in Malacañang, for his grandchildren.
The Mirage G4, presented to the President, is the first vehicle manufactured in the country under the government’s Comprehensive Automative Resurgence Strategy program. The company has invested P4.3 billion for the production facility of the Mirage model and intends to manufacture 20,000 Mirage units this year.
“Yes,” the President told reporters in the Palace when asked if he was buying the new sedan after trying the driver’s seat.
“You know I bought my eldest grandson a second hand. The problem is the other siblings nagselos sabi ko not the at the same time because I cannot afford it. But maybe, baka ito maka-ano tayo,” he said while holding the vehicle parked in front of the main Palace building.
The President affirmed that he prefers to buy the car than accept it as a token from the Japanese company. “I am not allowed to accept gifts,” he quipped.
At the formal car launching inside Malacañang, the President hailed the locally manufactured Mirage G4 as another “milestone” in the car industry.
He expressed gratitude to Mitsubishi and other Japanese investors for their trust and confidence in the Filipino people, saying their investments have contributed to the flourishing economy of the country.
“Proudly, we can now say that the Mitsubishi Mirage, currently the second top-selling passenger car in the country, is made in the Philippines,” he said.
“The first unit of the ‘Made in the Philippines’ Mirage has been manufactured using materials and supplies from local parts manufacturers and other related local industries in the country,” he added. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
