Quote Originally Posted by niky View Post
The problem is fit and finish. Something which Filipino workmen and parts suppliers can provide, but not at such a competitive price.
Truth be told a lot of vehicle body, chassis, and other parts are manufactured here. And the technology is nearly a century old. Get a few 800-1000Ton presses and you have it. There's also hydroforming and robotic welding is relatively inexpensive now. So in this aspect it is a matter of capital.

Tool and die technology is also a matter of throwing money into it. Anyone can buy any machinery for it. The learning curve is what is needed to be overcome, and this needs a supporting industry to do so as its not a plug and play industry. There is also an issue of human capital, once your designer learns a little they tend to leave for the next company willing to pay for the lessons they learned at your expense.

So the bottomline in all this is about the business proposition that is really lacking.

Would people buy a Philippine made vehicle even if it is manufactured with seamless excellence that it would not be discernably Filipino? Even if economic challenges can be surmounted can the market accept the notion of a Philippine car? Why bother with that proposed Franken-Alto when Suzuki has the Jimny?

Hyundai took at least a full generation and a half of collaboration with Japanese and American auto manufacturers with huge subsidies and a few bailouts to get to their state of industry. Not to mention holding a very protected market.

Will the Filipino public afford the same inflated prices for cars that Malaysians pay for their locally produced cars? And moving forward, can a Filipino branded car actually be commercially successful? And if so how long will it take and how much will it cost to get there?

Manufacturing a local vehicle is a romantic idea, but we have to understand that it is not entirely feasible for everyone to be doing so for the sake of pride. "F*ck pride" as one Mr. Wallace once said.

The Thais aren't pitching a Thai car brand but they are boasting of a very robust auto-industry. Same with the Taiwanese. We need the proper perspective here.

Muddled notions of competitiveness do not make for good business, let alone industry. We are better off knowing our place in the supply chain, there is no love lost in manufacturing and exporting car parts. That activity coincides with capital, both financial and human, realities of our economy.

Thing is, if you are looking for innovation, we have to accept the reality that we have to make it sufficiently rewarding for the people in the academe to collaborate with industry. Nothing wrong with incentives and nothing wrong with rewarding people for their work and innovation. It just so happens the academic and economic conditions in Japan are different from their counterparts here the former being able to think long term, and the latter pressed with more immediate needs with limited opportunities.