Filipino excellence took center stage as Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) secured another prestigious win at the 2025 Toyota Asia Pacific Skills Contest (ASPAC) held in late August at Toyota Motor Thailand’s Ban Pho Plant in Chachoengsao Province.
Eduardo Lazo Jr. of TMP’s Manufacturing Division emerged as the top performer, earning the gold medal in the highly competitive ‘Quality Control – Team Leader’ category. Lazo outperformed competitors from Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, showcasing his top-notch abilities in core skills such as engine inspection, measurement and fitting check, torque tightening, and color matching, among others. This win reaffirms the world-class skills of the Filipino workforce in the global automotive industry.
This win marks the fourth gold medal the company has brought home for the Philippines since first joining the annual competition in 2006.
Showcasing Filipino Skills
The ASPAC is a key development program of Toyota Motor Asia for Line Team Members of Toyota affiliates across the region, designed to enhance their multi-skill capabilities and maintain the high level of competitiveness in manufacturing.
TMP actively participates in other main categories of the competition, including Logistics, Maintenance, Painting, Press, and Welding, highlighting the company’s commitment to continuous improvement and skills development.
With his 11 years of experience at TMP, Lazo exemplifies the strength of Filipino talent that drives the company’s operations. His achievement highlights the capability of the local workforce to meet and exceed global standards in automotive manufacturing.
Bannering Truly Filipino Talent
As a local corporation engaged in automotive manufacturing, TMP has been consistently investing in the skills and growth of its workforce since its establishment 37 years ago. Its manufacturing plant in Santa Rosa City, Laguna employs over 2,000 Filipinos in production lines—nearly half of the company’s total workforce—who produce proudly Philippine-made models such as the Vios, Innova, and Tamaraw at par with the global standards.
In 2024, TMP recorded a significant increase in direct hires to support expanded production, driven by the most recent investment of PHP 5.5 billion, which includes the newly built TMP Conversion Factory dedicated to the Tamaraw.
Beyond its direct employees, TMP’s expansive impact extends to the parts supply chain through the Toyota Suppliers Club, which provides employment for approximately 60,000 Filipinos. This network is greatly composed of small to medium enterprises which are the Original Engine Manufacturing (OEM) parts and components manufacturers as well as automotive body builders.
