Nissan PH partners with PDRF to boost 'Blue Switch' program

Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) has forged a partnership with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) that will boost the automaker’s Blue Switch program in the country.

In a statement, the Japanese automaker’s distributor in the country said that the collaboration with the foundation would highlight the Nissan Leaf’s capabilities as an efficient yet sustainable aid for disaster response to natural calamities.

The initiative shall also give the NPI and PDRF an avenue to exchange information and explore better ways to address disasters.

Sealing the agreement were NPI President Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan Philippines General Manager for Communications Dax Avenido, PDRF President Rene Meily, PDRF Chief Resilience Officer Guillermo Luz, and PDRF Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon.

“We are proud to announce the partnership between Nissan Philippines and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. This partnership is the next step in our strategy towards a more sustainable and resilient future for the country,” Hoyos said.

Under the partnership, the Nissan Leaf’s vehicle-to-everything (V2X) bi-directional charging ability shall supply electricity to affected communities as well as emergency responders during situations of crisis due to natural calamities.

Per Nissan, V2X includes powering of homes vehicle-to-home (V2H), vehicle-to-building (V2B) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging. V2X also allows the electric vehicle’s battery battery to transfer power to other sources.

“We are very excited to see how the Nissan LEAF can assist PDRF in providing innovative and sustainable solutions to minimize and recover from disasters,” the NPI president added.

Following the agreement signing, key executives from PDRF toured Hoyos around their operations center, while NPI representatives demonstrated the Nissan LEAF, its V2X capabilities, and allowed test drives.

To note, the PDRF — the country's major private sector coordinator for disaster management — is an alliance of businesses dedicated to building a strong, resilient and disaster-ready Philippines.

The Nissan Leaf was introduced to the Philippine market in May 2021.

Photos from Nissan Philippines, Juan Paulo Papa

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