Cars in Calabarzon

Calabarzon refers to the five provinces surrounding Metro Manila and is part of Region IV-A. They are the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon. The region is considered to be the most populated in the Philippines where some 12.6 million residents live. A large proportion of Calabarzon residents are employees working in the nearby capital of Metro Manila.

Calabarzon itself is a bustling suburban area reachable by a variety of transportation including buses, taxi cabs, tricycles and multi-cabs. The surrounding provinces are very near to Manila. Cavite’s nearest town to Manila, Bacoor City, is just 15 kilometers away, as is Antipolo City in Rizal.

Traffic situation

Heavy vehicle congestion is experienced almost daily on some of Metro Manila’s entry points connecting these provinces, such as the South Luzon Expressway and Coastal Road.

Popular transport in Calabarzon

The dense population of Calabarzon can be attributed to its many subdivisions and government housing projects, put in place to address the demand for residence areas near Metro Manila. As such, public transport can be bothersome as a large amount of commuters compete over a marginal number of transport companies operating in these provinces.

Family vehicles such as sports utility vehicles (SUVs), sedans, compact cars, and coupes are a necessity for residents in these areas. The Isuzu Crosswind, Mitsubishi Montero and Toyota Innova, are among some of the popular 7-seater vehicles.

As for coupes, sedans and compacts that can seat 4 to 5 people, popular models include the Toyota Vios, Hyundai Getz and Mitsubishi Mirage. Ford models such as the Ford Ranger and Ford Fiesta also have a large following in this region.

Local assembly plants

Calabarzon is home to some of the countries most developed factories and manufacturing plants. Most automotive companies such as Toyota, Suzuki, Isuzu, and Mitsubishi currently operate or have operated in the Laguna Techno Park in Binan. Some of the models developed here are the Isuzu D-Max and Honda City.

The towns of Rosario and General Tris in Cavite are home to the Cavite Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), where electronic parts and automotive application products are manufactured. Some examples of these products are engine valves, superchargers and sensors.