PH Ambassador To Japan Joins Global Launch of All-new Mitsubishi Pajero
Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (right) with Mitsubishi Motors President and Chief Operating Officer Kishiura Keisuke.
TOKYO 09 September 2026 – Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, attended the global launch of the all-new Mitsubishi Pajero, held on 02 September 2026 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) in Tokyo.
The world premiere marked the return of the iconic Pajero nameplate, which Mitsubishi Motors described as a new-generation flagship model embodying the next chapter of the company’s brand.
The Philippines is Mitsubishi Motors’ largest sales market outside Japan and an important manufacturing base for the company in Asia. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of MMC, operates its manufacturing facility in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The plant currently manufactures the Mitsubishi Mirage, Mirage G4, and L300.
Mitsubishi Motors has continued to demonstrate its confidence in the Philippine automotive industry. In 2025, the company announced a PHP 7 billion investment plan to upgrade its manufacturing facility in Laguna over a five-year period, in preparation for the production of a new hybrid electric vehicle model.
The investment complements the Philippine government’s broader effort to promote electric mobility and develop the country as a competitive hub for electric vehicle manufacturing. Through the Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy (EVIS), established under Executive Order No. 121, series of 2026, the Philippine government provides targeted incentives to attract investments in the domestic manufacture and assembly of electric vehicles and their parts and components, while strengthening the country’s participation in the regional EV value chain.
The Philippine government has set a long-term goal of increasing electric vehicle adoption, targeting 50 percent EV adoption by 2040. The Philippines sees the transition toward electric mobility as an important component of its efforts to strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, promote cleaner transportation, and develop higher-value manufacturing industries.
The Embassy’s participation in the global launch highlights the strong and longstanding partnership between the Philippines and Mitsubishi Motors, as well as the opportunities for further cooperation in automotive manufacturing, investment, supply-chain development and vehicle electrification. END
Ambassador Garcia-Albano (3rd from right) with (from left): MMC ASEAN 1 and Oceania Division General Manager Harada Kenji, Philippine Embassy Economic Officer Alvin Malasig, MMPC Chairman Hirakata Noriaki, MMC Corporate Officer and Assistant Executive Vice President (Asia Pacific Marketing and Sales) Ishikawa Zenta, and Commercial Counselor Froilan Emil Pamintuan.
