Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Exec: Alfa Romeo Has No Official Presence in PH

Back in October 2018, we ran a story about a local automobile dealership that presented itself as 'Alfa Romeo Philippines.' As fate would have it, no sooner had our story been published that the supposed 'Alfa Romeo Philippines' soon rebranded itself to 'Alfa Romeo Manila--Petromax Enterprise.' For whatever reason, we can only surmise. To save itself from a lawsuit for misrepresenting the marque?

Anyway, at the recent 2019 Manila International Auto Show, some Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Asia-Pacific (FCA APAC) executives were in town to grace the product launch of one of its brands. We cornered FCA Country Manager for the Philippines, Isaac Yeo, to ask about the situation with Petromax Enterprise.

"I feel sorry for the guy," said Yeo in reference to Petromax Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Allen Ong. "I think he got in touch with an Alfa Romeo dealer in Europe and he's getting his cars from them."

Yeo though categorically stated that FCA APAC has no connection with 'Alfa Romeo Manila--Petromax Enterprise' and has no association with what is essentially a gray market Alfa Romero dealership whatsoever.

Asked if the Auto Nation Group (ANG)--FCA's official partner and local distributor of its Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram brands----is interested in bringing in Alfa Romeo to the Philippines officially, Yeo only smiled and said: "You'll have to talk to them (ANG) about that."

And there you have it. With FCA's Europe and Asia-Pacific offices stating via separate e-mails that it doesn't recognize 'Alfa Romeo Manila--Petromax Enterprise' and with no less than the FCA executive that's in charge of the Philippine market voicing the same, that should settle its legitimacy--or lack thereof--with finality.