Philippines unveils plan to boost car output

Manila

THE Philippines has launched a long-anticipated scheme that will provide incentives worth US$600 million over six years to its tiny car industry in an attempt to lift the country's shrinking car output and catch up with regional rivals.

The South-east Asian nation's automobile sector, dominated by Japanese car makers such as Toyota Motor Corp and Mitsubishi Motors, had been clamouring for the incentives saying that they were needed to boost production, and have said they might shift manufacturing to cheaper neighbouring countries.