INTRODUCTION
I congratulate Chairman Jose Sandejas and President Nobuatsu Sekino of Nissan Motors on this auspicious occasion and extend to them our appreciation for aggressively continuing their expansion program in the country.
SUSTAINED CONFIDENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Nissan’s decision to set up shop here twelve years ago has effected valuable changes in our automotive sector. By putting up one of the most advanced car assembly plants in our country, you not only upgraded the quality standards of local car making but by your enterprise, you have also attracted other foreign car manufacturing companies to locate here in this part of laguna which only shows that the Philippines is indeed a desirable and profitable place to build a production facility for the world market.

I am happy that Nissan’s response to my call for greater participation in our country’s investment program has been positive. The confidence you have shown in the Ramos administration and in our people is a big boost to our welfare and morale. For our part we will continue to strive for more reforms not only in the local automotive sector but in the whole Philippine economic system as well.

I am told that this pressing plant which we are inaugurating today is only the first of a number of phases by Nissan toward turning this place into a fully integrated automotive village. This is indeed very significant for it manifests Nissan’s continued faith in the Filipino and its growing confidence in our democratic and stable government system.

With this in mind, let me now call on all our local government and non-government leaders present here this morning to renew their commitment on keeping peace and order in their areas at all times. We need to continue to create an environment that will encourage foreign and local investors to share their technologies and resources, and locate in the countryside.

The cooperation that the government and the private sector have forged is no more evident than this plant we are opening today. Since Nissan has begun operations in our country, its contribution to our economy can clearly be seen by the number of people they have employed, the significant amounts of capital that they have infused and the revenues they have earned through their exports.
STA. ROSA — AN AUTOMOTIVE CENTER
While flying to your plant, I noticed that no less than three major auto assemblers have located in Santa Rosa, Laguna. The first one is Toyota’s transmission plant, followed by Honda’s car assembly and bumper pressing plant and now Nissan’s own pressing plant.

This is the kind of industrial community that we need to foster if we are to become competitive in today’s world economy.

It is no secret that having a vibrant science and technology center enhances our chances of setting a foothold in today’s competitive global arena. This pressing facility enhances our engineering and technical capabilities. The technology transferred will help us realize our potential of turning out world class products.

But beyond the new technologies that we expect to learn, we also hope to adopt the famous Japanese work ethic of discipline, motivation, industrial peace, honesty and hard work. These are the values that have helped Japan become the world powerhouse they are today.

I also commend Nissan on the launching of the “Cedric”. I understand that this move has made you only the third local assembler registered by the Board of Investments (BOI) to produce cars in this category.
CLOSING
The nation’s path to industrialization has been, in the past, slow and tedious. But today, I can proudly claim that elements that have impeded our economic growth have been reduced and are being removed. On the other hand, the opening up of our economy is well under way and advancing steadily towards “Philippines 2000!!!”.

Metal based industries such as this one, of which the automotive sector is a major player, have been moving ahead in our country’s growth program with the effective partnerships of Filipinos and foreign investors. With these fundamental activities in place, i am confident that our shared vision of “Philippines 2000!!!” will be achieved on time.

Thank you and good day.