By the Blocktec Editorial Team
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) is preparing to apply for the government's Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS) to cover a P7-billion plan to build hybrid vehicles at its plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The expansion would raise the plant's yearly capacity by about 10,000 units, from 50,000 to more than 60,000, with a first locally made hybrid targeted by 2028.
The P7-Billion Plan In Detail
MMPC intends to invest P7 billion to make hybrid and electric vehicles in the Philippines, with production at its 23-hectare manufacturing complex in Santa Rosa. BusinessWorld reported the amount in May, when the company first flagged the investment.
Finance Secretary Frederick Go raised it again in October at the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore. According to Context.ph, he said Mitsubishi had committed to invest in Laguna to make hybrid and electric vehicles under the government's EV push.
The company's position is more cautious than that announcement might suggest. MMPC says it is preparing to apply to EVIS, but the application has to wait for the program's implementing rules, which are still pending.
What The Numbers Mean
Here are the key figures:
- Investment: P7 billion
- Site: 23-hectare complex in Santa Rosa, Laguna
- Current capacity: 50,000 vehicles a year
- Planned capacity: more than 60,000 vehicles a year
- Increase: about 10,000 units, or roughly 20%, according to the Department of Finance
- Target for the first local hybrid: 2028
In plain terms, the plant would add about one extra vehicle for every five it can build today. The 20% figure comes from the Department of Finance, so it is the government's estimate of the expansion rather than a number MMPC has itemized.
Background: What The Plant Builds Now
The Santa Rosa complex currently builds the Mirage, Mirage G4 and L300. In 2018, under the earlier CARS automotive program, it added a paint shop and a stamping facility. Those existing facilities are part of the base the hybrid program would build on.
EVIS is the government's framework for encouraging EV and hybrid investment. Because its implementing rules have not been released, companies cannot yet confirm what incentives they would receive. Top Gear Philippines reported on October 22 that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines reiterated its commitment to local hybrid manufacturing.
Earlier reports had questioned whether MMPC would still take part. The company responded on social media that it looks forward to advancing local car manufacturing.
What MMPC Is Still Weighing And What Comes Next
President and CEO Ritsu Imaeda said the company is still studying investment requirements because EVIS details have not been announced. MMPC said it is reviewing market demand, workforce needs, parts availability, supplier readiness and after-sales service. It is also coordinating with government agencies and industry groups.
Several things remain undisclosed. MMPC has not given job numbers, which hybrid models it will build, or when works at the plant will begin.
The next steps, in order, are:
1. The release of the EVIS implementing rules
2. MMPC's formal application
3. Plant and supply-chain preparation
The 2028 target for the first hybrid depends on that sequence moving forward.
What This Means For Builders In Laguna And Calabarzon
No construction schedule has been announced, so nothing here is a confirmed job yet. Still, an expansion like this usually brings new building work: production areas, offices and support structures. Contractors and suppliers in the Santa Rosa area may want to watch for the EVIS rules, since a start date will likely follow approval.
For wall specifiers on industrial projects, two things tend to matter: fire protection and speed. Blocktec's AAC products carry a 4-hour fire resistance rating, and a trained mason with a helper lays about 10-12 m2 per 8-hour shift, up to 20 m2 on straight runs. Walls go up with thin-bed adhesive and skimcoat, so it's walang palitada, which trims a step from the schedule. In Blocktec's cost comparison, the wall system showed up to about 21% savings versus hollow blocks, though results depend on the project.
Blocktec's Cabuyao, Laguna hub is close to the Santa Rosa area. This is a project to monitor rather than count on, and a smart move now is to firm up your wall specs and quantities so you can quote quickly if and when work is announced.
Sources
- Daily Tribune: Mitsubishi eyes local hybrid production under P7B investment plan (Oct 27, 2026)
- Context.ph: Mitsubishi expands Laguna plant capacity for hybrid production (Oct 8, 2026)
- Top Gear Philippines: Mitsubishi PH reiterates its commitment to local hybrid vehicle manufacturing (Oct 22, 2026)
- BusinessWorld: Mitsubishi to invest P7 billion in Laguna hybrid EV plant (May 7, 2026)
Planning a factory, warehouse or office build in Laguna? Send your wall area or blueprints to sales@blocktec.ph or blocktec.ph for a free AAC wall-system estimate.