Volvo Philippines, through its official local distributor, Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), recently gathered a diverse group of leaders, advocates, and students during its second installment of the Voice of Volvo forum. The agenda was to advance discussions on safety and empowerment through leadership skills.
The convention, dubbed as Grace Beyond The Wheel, took place last September 3, 2025, and was spearheaded by HARI’s President and CEO, Maria Fe Perez-Agudo. With her was an all-female panelist, comprised of Pinky Pe Tobiano, chemist, philanthropist, and CEO; Jacque Manabat, multimedia creator and road safety advocate; and Angela Lagunzad-Castro, broadcast journalist and advocate for women and persons with disabilities (PWD).
At its core, the forum sought to highlight how safety extends beyond vehicle technology and road use. The panelists emphasized that safety, whether on the road, at home, in the workplace, or anywhere in public areas, is the core of empowerment, innovation, and leadership. Each resource person shared their perspectives on how mobility solutions that prioritize inclusivity and security can allow individuals to thrive personally and professionally.
The dialogue encouraged participants to explore collaborative solutions that inspire Filipinos to move with confidence. By staging the event in an academic setting, Volvo also underscored the importance of engaging the next generation. Volvo sees the young generation as those who will continue to put safety first in all things in life, including the willingness to take the helm in advocating safety for everyone through forums like this.
The Grace Beyond The Wheel forum is part of Volvo Philippines’ comprehensive safety campaign called Being Alive. It embodies the Swedish brand’s people-centric approach, which aims to extend care beyond drivers and passengers to include all road users.
True to the program’s principle, Volvo Philippines highlighted its all-new XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) as an example of the brand’s integration of safety and sustainability. The XC60 PHEV comes with driver-assistance features such as Pilot Assist. This complements an EV mode for zero-emission journeys. Inside is a Volvo-developed air purification system that ensures all occupants breathe in clean air all the time.
“When individuals feel secure, they are empowered to lead, innovate, and shape the future. This is the human-centric principle that guides us, from the communities that we build, to the very engineering of our cars,” shared Perez-Agudo, noting that Volvo’s advocacy goes beyond automotive engineering.
