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IF you've been thinking of buying a pickup truck -- stop thinking. Start acting.
Buy now -- pickup prices will rise with a 20-percent excise tax on all new arrivals.
As of July 1, 2025, the Philippine government started enforcing a 20-percent excise tax on all new pickup trucks arriving in the country. That means prices will jump -- and they already have for incoming units. But here's the good news: there's still a window for buyers to grab a brand-new pickup at the pre-tax rate.
Almost all major manufacturers -- except Toyota -- still have stocks of pickups that aren't covered by the new tax ruling. This includes some of the most popular and reliable brands in the market: Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Ford. Many of their dealerships still hold a significant number of units that were imported before the tax took effect.
But once those units are gone, they're gone. And the next batch of trucks will carry a hefty price increase -- potentially up to several hundred thousand pesos more, depending on the model and variant.
So, if you're eyeing that D-MAX, Strada, Navara, or Ranger -- it might be smart to head to a dealership now, rather than later.
There's no better time to buy a pickup as all incoming units will be slapped with a 20% excise tax, making today's prices the lowest you'll ever see. Get the latest news
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It's rare that timing matters this much in the Philippine car market, but this is one of those moments. We're not talking about a flash promo or a year-end clearance -- this is a hard shift in pricing policy, and the clock is ticking on trucks that are still being sold at "regular" prices.
Once these non-taxed units sell out, the era of affordable pickups as we know it may be over.