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Manila Bulletin devider Drive devider Ford opens new Learning Center to improve service and personnel upskilling

Ford opens new Learning Center to improve service and personnel upskilling

Pushparaj Muthusamy named new director of Customer Service Division

Published Jun 30, 2026 10:47 am

At A Glance

  • Ford Philippines has officially opened its newly-constructed Ford Learning Center in Calamba, Laguna.
  • The new facility will serve as the central hub for technical and non-technical training among Ford dealer personnel nationwide.
Ford Learning Center
Ford Learning Center
Ford Philippines has officially opened its newly-constructed Ford Learning Center in Calamba, Laguna. The new facility will serve as the central hub for technical and non-technical training among Ford dealer personnel nationwide.
The Ford Learning Center is a 1,500-square-meter training facility that houses seven mechanical bays, including a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) bay, four classrooms, a dedicated Ford showroom, meeting rooms, office spaces, and a cafeteria.
Replacing its previous 110-square-meter training area in Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati, the new facility significantly expands Ford’s training capacity and elevates the delivery of training programs and learning modules with state-of-the-art tools, equipment, and globally-aligned processes. The Learning Center will offer a leveled-up training experience among front-line dealership and technical teams. With this, Ford ensures that every customer interaction – whether purchasing a vehicle, seeking technical support, or contacting customer service—is seamless, professional, and reassuring.
Complete facilities
Mechanical Bay
Mechanical Bay
Among the center’s facilities are a mechanical bay, a 451-square-meter workshop area, enabling multiple simultaneous hands-on training sessions. It provides real-world training for technicians and non-technicians, and mirrors a working Ford dealer by offering a controlled environment for diagnostics, repairs, and certifications on both internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric vehicles (EV). The multiple conventional bays are equipped with two-post and four-post lifts, enabling comprehensive hands-on training across all vehicle types.
Showroom
Showroom
The Learning Center boasts of a 195-square-meter reception and showroom space that can accommodate a Ford vehicle display, allowing immersive product trainings and walkarounds for dealer sales personnel and service advisors. It also has four modern classrooms with flexible configuration that has a combined capacity of over 100 participants per session.
A session ongoing in the training room
A session ongoing in the training room
Its meeting rooms can accommodate participants ranging from two to seven people, supporting coaching, assessments, and small group learning. The Learning Center is also home to a 72-seat work cafeteria, creating a central hub for interaction and knowledge sharing and a 24-seat extension office for employees.
Training Room
Training Room
The Learning Center forms part of Ford’s commitment to modernize the after-sales experience of its customers, coming from the opening of the Ford Parts Distribution Center in Laguna in 2024, enhancing parts availability and accessibility. Customers can also enjoy a wide range of service offerings that include Online Service Booking, Mobile Service Vehicle, Express Service, Service Price Calculator, and Pickup and Delivery, improving ease of service, convenience and peace of mind.
Support Room
Support Room
“The opening of the Learning Center is not just about opening a new building; it is about building the future of Ford in the Philippines. It represents our strong commitment to this market — to our customers, our partners, and our people,” said Pedro Simoes, managing director, Ford Philippines. “At Ford, we believe that great vehicles are only part of the ownership journey. What truly makes the difference is the experience — how we support, serve, and care for our customers every day.”
Stockroom and engines for training
Stockroom and engines for training
“As vehicle technologies rapidly evolve — from advanced connectivity to sophisticated safety features and electrified systems — our dealership teams must be equipped with the highest level of technical mastery, product knowledge, and customer-handling skills. We are confident that this Ford Learning Center can help standardize, elevate, and future-proof our operational capabilities”, adds Pushparaj Muthusamy, director, Ford Customer Service Division, Ford Philippines.
Pushparaj Muthusamy is new Director of Customer Service Division
Pushparaj “Raj” Muthusamy
Pushparaj “Raj” Muthusamy
Ford Philippines has announced the appointment of Pushparaj “Raj” Muthusamy. Raj will be based in Manila and will report to Pedro Simoes, managing director, Ford Philippines. He replaced Joyce Laxamana who has been appointed Parts Supply and Logistics Director, Ford ASEAN.
In his role, Raj will be responsible for leading Ford’s aftersales operations in the Philippines, including enhancing the ownership and aftersales experience, driving service retention through data-driven initiatives, and fostering strong relationships with dealer partners to better serve Ford customers.
“Raj’s expertise in data analytics and his customer-centric approach have already delivered significant results for our operations. His leadership will be pivotal as we continue to modernize our service offerings, build long-term loyalty with our customers, and enhance the Ford ownership experience with focus on aftersales,” said Simoes.
Raj joined Ford Motor Company in 2020 and brings over 15 years of extensive experience in service processes, aftersales planning, and data analytics. Prior to his role in the Philippines, Raj held key positions in retail marketing and sales operations within Ford International Markets Group (IMG). He led the Likelihood to Service (LTS) AI/ML-driven campaign, which delivered a 3x improvement in service conversions, and led strategic retention initiatives in South Africa.
Raj earned a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Automobile Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai, in 2010.

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