After several media outlets preempted an official announcement from Astara Philippines, GAC’s exclusive Philippine distributor, it left stakeholders, dealers, and even customers scrambling for answers. Even GAC China itself got into the act, releasing an official statement.
In a social media post, GAC has, in so many words, confirmed that GAC International Philippines, the directly run subsidiary entity setup to sell the Aion sub-brand, will now absorb the exclusive distributorship of GAC in the country as well.
At the helm of GAC International Philippines is Calvin Cheng (General Manager), Reginald Go See (Chief Brand Officer), and Lincoln Lan (Head of Sales and Marketing).
Moreover, GAC and GAC International Philippines are working together with Astara Philippines to ensure a smooth transition. Warranty services, aftersales support, and parts guarantee remain fully guaranteed says GAC through the GAC dealership network.
GAC has also confirmed that they are preparing to introduce its next-generation vehicles including more hybrids and EVs, while also exploring more opportunities to bring more GAC Group brands into the market.
Read their official statement in full below:
GAC International Philippines, Inc. acknowledges the recent news regarding developments within Astara Philippines. We respect Astara’s business decisions and appreciate their support in growing GAC’s presence in the country.
The Philippines remains a priority market for GAC Group. With strong global momentum in intelligent mobility, hybrid and EV technologies, our commitment to Filipino customers continues to deepen through the establishment of GAC International Philippines, Inc.
We are preparing to introduce a new line-up of next-generation vehicles—including the latest hybrid and EV products—while exploring opportunities to bring more GAC Group brands into the local market. At the same time, we are strengthening operations through improved processes, enhanced dealer support, and the development of a dedicated parts warehouse to significantly boost parts availability and service efficiency.
We continue coordinating closely with Astara Philippines and our dealer network to ensure smooth transition. Warranty services, aftersales support, and parts availability remain fully guaranteed. All authorized GAC dealerships are operating normally and remain ready to assist customers. Further updates will be shared in due course.
For its part, Astara Philippines has yet to release an official statement. However, based on their tone and candor, suffice to say that they are pissed off stating that discussions are still ongoing regarding the transition. That could mean that some media people, not that they need it, won’t be receiving any Christmas baskets this year, or maybe, ever.
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