PH No Mandate to Label ASEAN NCAP Ratings

Vehicle manufacturers in the Philippines are not mandated to label their offerings with ASEAN New Car Assesment Program (ASEAN NCAP) ratings.

The ASEAN NCAP ratings are the results of the tests made by the group since it began crash-testing work in 2012.

The independent tests are done in several laboratories that conduct physical offset frontal and side-impact tests. The laboratories are MIROS Provisional CRASE Crash Center (PC3), Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI), Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KATRI), CrashLab Australia and China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd. (CATARC).

During the Vehicle Safety Course 2019 conducted today, September 17, by the group in Manila, ASEAN NCAP Technical Leader Yahaya Ahmad said that as of the moment, there are only a few countries that use their report.

In an interview, Ahmad said that they are willing to work with the Philippines.

If the model is not yet rated, the label would be classified as "not tested."

"We are open to work on this probable legislation. Because our main goal here is consumers' more informed choices," he said.

In the United States, vehicle manufcaturers are obliged to display the label that includes the ratings of the vehicle.

Just this year, the mandatory labeling of the vehicle rating was introduced in Malaysia, with the enforcement to be done by next year.

Without providing details, Ahmad said that a hefty fine awaits those who will not comply.

The results of their reports, Ahmad added, are independently made and that no royalties need to be paid.