MANILA, Philippines — Newly-installed Toyota Motors Philippines president Hiro Okamoto spent his first week in the country in the shoes of Filipino commuters, an experience he shared in a now viral Facebook post.
In a series of photos he posted on Facebook, which has so far garnered over 28,000 reactions and more than 11,000 shares, Okamoto can be seen riding a jeepney and a tricycle.
A photo also showed Okamoto waiting for an MRT-3 train.
“During my first week in the Philippines, I decided to do ‘Genchi Genbutsu,’ or to ‘Go and See’ the daily struggles of Filipino commuters. I rode a bus, took a round trip of the MRT, rode the jeepney, queued for a long time to ride the UV Express, and lastly, took a tricycle ride to Tondo!” he wrote.
“For me, it’s a good learning experience. I realize that unlike Japan or Singapore, the Philippines’ current mass transport system is not enough to accommodate the huge number of daily commuters. I would like Toyota to take part in this big challenge to upgrade the quality of life for many Filipinos,” he added.