In renewed efforts to solidify its position in the Philippine automotive market, Astara Philippines, the exclusive Philippine distributor of brands such as GAC, JAC, JMC, and Peugeot, announces significant changes to its management team effective October 1, 2025.
Ryan Bermudez, who has been the Sales Director of GAC Motor since 2023, has been promoted to the position of Brand Head of GAC Motor. In his new role, Bermudez will be at the helm of GAC Motor’s brand operations, overseeing strategic sales and marketing initiatives, and contributing to the brand’s continued success. Bermudez has more than 23 years of experience in the automotive industry.
“Ryan’s dedication, passion, and proven track record make him the perfect fit for leading the GAC Motor brand to new heights. We are confident that his insights and leadership will drive our brand’s evolution in the competitive automotive market,” said Luis Torres, Country Manager of Astara Philippines.
Also taking on additional responsibilities is Ralph Descallar. As Network Development Head since 2023, Descallar has been instrumental in making the Astara brands accessible throughout the Philippines. His responsibilities will now encompass the development of the technical and warranty as well as service and sales training departments.
“We are glad that Ralph has agreed to take on the additional responsibilities of developing the technical, warranty and service and sales training programs for the brands under Astara Philippines. We are confident that his passion and hard work will go a long way in helping improve our ability to meet customer expectations,” said Torres.
Meanwhile, taking over as Media and Public Relations Head is Dong Magsajo. A motoring industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in communications, marketing, and network development, Magsajo is poised to drive strategic marketing direction and brand-building efforts for all automotive brands distributed by Astara Philippines. Prior to his new appointment, Magsajo served as Head of Sales Training for all Astara Philippines brands.
“We are fortunate to have Dong as the new Media & Public Relations Head of our company. His expertise in both internal and external communications will be instrumental in enhancing our brand’s visibility and engagement in the market, especially during this dynamic new phase of growth for Astara,” added Torres.
Astara Philippines remains committed to delivering top-notch vehicles and services to the market, and these strategic appointments reflect its dedication to be the partner of choice of leading automotive brands.
Torres concludes, “These leadership appointments form part of a long-term strategy aimed at fortifying our position as a key player in the local automotive scene. We are making great strides in our growth and organizational structure, and we will continue with very exciting announcements in the near future.”
IMO, strategic emphasis should be placed on strengthening the GAC brand. Globally, GAC offers a well-rounded portfolio spanning ICE, hybrid, and BEVs, which could appeal to potential BYD buyers who are open to considering alternatives. Its Magazine battery technology is also on par with, if not superior to, BYD’s Blade battery. The main challenge is that GAC’s EV line (under the AION brand) currently operates independently in the Philippines and has remained relatively quiet since its launch last year. Consolidating ICE and NEV operations under a single structure would create a more competitive and cohesive product portfolio. This move should strengthen GAC’s position as a credible challenger and allow it to capture a meaningful share of the Philippine market, especially in the NEV space where BYD is currently thriving. While BYD is likely to maintain leadership in the NEV segment, GAC has the potential to emerge as the Mitsubishi equivalent among Chinese automotive brands in the country. A strong number 2 isn't a bad strategic direction realistically speaking.
ReplyDeleteThis comment did not age well.
DeleteI would also recommend Astara on investing in collision parts and consumer parts inventory, especially if GAC is not supporting this directly on their side. There is clamor from buyers how slow parts availability & delivery are for GAC. It will be pity if the momentum of sales goes down due to this. Sales number from CAMPI will show this trend. No one would buy cars only to have it sidelined for months waiting for it to receive parts support.
ReplyDeleteThat’s how geely lost it’s business, poor parts supply
DeleteAstara can't stock too many GAC car parts in Philippines due to high costs of logistics and others.
DeleteTypical chinese car dealership in ph that doesn't have full support for after sales.
ReplyDeleteAstara can change people in organization but the most important is the sense of after sales, to support their product.
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