President hopes to tap Germany’s Bosch to support PUV modernization

The President also welcomed Bosch’s research and development (R&D) initiatives, which he said the German firm will bring to the Philippines to enable the transfer of technology. (PCO file photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is hoping to get Germany’s automotive supplier Bosch to bring in new technologies in the Philippines that may support the country’s public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization program.

During his two-day working visit in Germany, Marcos met with Vijay Ratnaparkhe, the regional president of Bosch for Southeast Asia and managing director of Bosch Singapore, where he welcomed Bosch’s pivot in Asia’s transportation sector especially as the country transitions to cleaner technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

“Right now, that’s where we are concentrating on because the conversion from petrol to hydrogen is also feasible. We’re supposed to, that’s why we’re still in that you know, you have to attend–we know where we are and we know where we want to be. How you get from A to B,” Marcos said during the meeting.

“Actually, our modernization and the costing of the running cost per kilometer of a new modern public utility vehicle and the cost — the running cost is much lower than the old diesel jeepneys, and taxis, and tricycles that we have. So yes, it is the transition that is always the difficult process,” he stressed.

The PUV modernization program aims to replace the old and dilapidated public utility jeepneys with safer, more comfortable, and eco-friendly vehicles. It also promotes the organization of transport cooperatives as a way to improve the management and operation of public transportation.

The President also welcomed Bosch’s research and development (R&D) initiatives, which he said the German firm will bring to the Philippines to enable the transfer of technology.

“The R&D has begun already and would be an advantage. We hope that you will bring that technology to the Philippines, transfer the technology to us so we can be—well, you will provide the state-of-the art [technology], you can take advantage of that. But there are, the mobility area is an interesting [one],” he said.

Bosch is also seeing some potential opportunities to participate in the reorganization of the supply chain that is happening in Southeast Asia, with the Philippines setting strategic resources that can contribute to this.