Isuzu Philippines opened its Pagadian dealership last Friday, their 43rd storefront in the country and the 3rd to come online among the 11 locations that have already committed to the fresh Isuzu Outlet Standardization (IOS) design initiative. Isuzu Pagadian is operated by North Mindanao Automotive Dealership, Inc. (NMADI), veteran operator of three other dealerships for the brand–Isuzu Butuan, Isuzu Cagayan de Oro and Isuzu Dipolog. The leading truck brand’s new IOS look is meant to emphasize a tough, industrial aesthetic that matches Isuzu’s rugged image while providing roomy and more rational spaces for customers as well as for dealership operations.
NMADI general manager George Ongchua said that their new dealership will also serve the Ozamiz City market which is between Pagadian (near the isthmus bridging the Zamboanga Peninsula with the Northern Mindanao region) and their Isuzu Cagayan de Oro operation to the east. Isuzu Pagadian’s 3,871sqm of floor space features a four-vehicle display showroom, service bays for five light and two full-sized commercial vehicles, a wash bay and wheel alignment facility, and five slots for body repair and painting.
During the official opening event that was broadcast online in a video-conference with motoring media last August 7, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) president Hajime Koso said: “The addition of a new Isuzu dealership in our rapidly expanding network is a strong testament to the growing preference for the Isuzu brand as we continue to widen our reach to our customers in Region 9. This is another major milestone that we share with our new dealer partner North-Min Automotive Dealership Inc, and we look forward to serving our customers in this area with the Isuzu Pagadian.”
Located in Barangay Tiguma in Pagadian City, the new dealership is near the AH26 Pan-Philippine Highway that runs the length of the Mindanao mainland from the northeast, down south and running southwest to the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula. It’s Wikipedia entry describes Pagadian as the traditional stopover for overland journeys between the old Spanish fort city of Zamboanga and settlements in the north of the peninsula–a topology that’s portrayed anew by how Isuzu Pagadian now compliments Isuzu Zamboanga to the southwest and Isuzu Dipolog to the north.
At the opening event, having described Isuzu as a renowned brand in Mindanao, NMADI’s George Ongchua, further stated that: “Isuzu trucks and light commercial vehicles have proven time and again that they are perfectly suited to the varying and challenging terrains and road conditions of Mindanao. With the establishment of Isuzu Pagadian that is of world-class standards, we are very confident that the good reputation of the Isuzu brand in the region will be extended to its dealership services. Pagadian is one of the most industrialized and business-savvy cities in Mindanao, and we’re very optimistic that people and businesses in this side of the Zamboanga Peninsula will come to us to provide them with Isuzu products and services.”