On our 25th year of service

Yesterday, June 7, marked the airing of the first episode of the TV show Motoring Today in 1987 on what was then known as People’s Television Channel 4 (PTV-4). Together with my first and only co-host, my long-time friend and mentor, the late Pocholo Ramirez, then known as the country’s “racing living legend”, I fondly remember that we had as our first guests of the show two icons of local motor sports. They were rally driver Gus Lagman, who’s now a newly-appointed Comelec commissioner and current president of the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) together with one of the founding members of Cam Wreckers (once a major motor sports club in the country) and a known fixture in motor sports events in the 60s up to the mid 70s either as a competitor, an official or as a marshal, Billy Martinez.

Our taping venue then was the Playboy Club of what was once known as the Silahis Hotel in Roxas Boulevard owned by the Enriquez Family with then ladies’ man, Biboy Enriquez of Miss Asia Quest fame, at the management’s helm.

The main topic of our interview with the country’s motor sports pioneering greats was the birth of motor sports in the Philippines in the fifties and how it’s growth rapidly developed and how it was stunned caused by its temporary ban, which was precipitated by the world fuel crisis during the seventies.

Although the very interesting on camera chat was the main body of the program, it was interspersed with highly-informative features, that still exist after 24 years of broadcast like, safe driving tips, car care and maintenance reminders, a public service portion to address current road problems, portions that spotlight current production automobile models as well as vintage and classic cars, highlights of recently-held motor sports events as well as international and local motor sports news, etc., features that have endeared the show not only with the men of the house but to the ladies as well, earning its attribute as the “Sunday afternoon viewing habit”.

Motoring Today was then aired at 3 o’clock in the afternoon right before the PBA’s Sunday games. Being positioned as a pre-program of the then highly-rated live coverage of the professional basketball league (which was being shown in many public places like restaurants as a come-on to customers), it hastened the public’s knowledge of the existence of a TV show that not only catered to motorists’ needs for constant information on how to safely drive and effectively maintain their vehicles and that of car buffs and enthusiasts with its weekly feature of new and great automobiles, it was also the only show on Philippine television that featured all the legs of Formula One and other international motor sports events like the World Rally Championships (WRC) races.

Many have grown up, finished their studies, earned degrees and have ended up expert professionals watching Motoring Today in their process of development and growth. Some have gone abroad and have returned, still having the “viewing habit”. But a few, unfortunately have not successfully tracked us down yet, especially the newly settled balikbayans.

For your benefit, Motoring Today, the longest-running motoring program on Philippine television, which shall be on its 25th year or “a quarter of a century” of service to the general motoring public starting next Sunday’s episode, is aired every Sunday at 12 noon on Solar Sports, Channel 70 of the Sky Cable Network.

I know for a fact that many of those who cannot afford to pay cable TV subscriptions have been urging me to go back or have a parallel broadcast on “free TV” in order for them to once again benefit from the TV program’s highly-informative inputs on safe driving, vehicle maintenance and discussions of topics that are of significant importance to motorists, pedestrians and commuters alike or feed their aspirations by knowing what are the current-models available in the local automobile market presently.

That’s not going to be easy, but with a little help from some friends, it may happen. I promise to work on it.

Toyota’s really unstoppable

We have been told time and again that when these guys from Toyota decide on doing something, come hell or high water, they’re gonna do it. That’s their secret of success.

Well, just recently on the 7th edition of their traditional Toyota Road Trek, an annual test drive and R&R (actually it’s a lot of R&R and some test drive) for the motoring media, they were true to their words and literally at that.

Thirty-two journalists, some with apprehensions, some without and still some just couldn’t care less (after all, they were saying it’s another Toyota Road Trek and nothing goes wrong in a Toyota Road Trek event as proven in the past) came for the 8:20 am flight last Thursday, May 26 at the NAIA Terminal 2 for an hour’s flight to Tacloban – right at the projected path of typhoon “Chedeng”.

The Toyota gang was complete. There was Lexus-Manila prexy Danny “Sir John” Isla, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) first vice president Raymond Rodriguez, the two vice presidents for vehicle sales, Jing Atienza and Sherwin Chualim, marketing senior manager Dax Avenido and TMP evp Yuji Goto and with no less than TMP president Michinobu Sugata waiting at our destination. And none of them showed any hint of apprehension despite all the news on the radio that some flights going to the general direction of the typhoon have been cancelled. A display of confidence that gave their guests a very comfortable level of trust, “Our hosts are not worried, why should we be?”

The Toyota Road Trek is an event always looked forward to and eagerly anticipated by motoring journalists as one of their major summer trips, while actually to some their only summer trip – and a big one. It’s actually a chance to bond with some very nice friends from the consistent number one automobile manufacturing company in the country not to mention the excitement of participating and competing with media peers in some well-planned and coordinated challenges that are presented during the long test drive that comes as an excuse for the real motive of the trip – for the journalists to see places that they would not normally travel to and for some well-deserved rest and recreation.

When we reached Tacloban there was no rain. We got into our assigned vehicles with the Sunshine Television (STV) team composed of our vp for production, Jenny Bleza, program supervising producer and STV coo (Child Of Owner), Ray Louis Gamboa and ace cameraman Mat Mallari all ready for the challenges ahead. We were assigned the latest generation Toyota Prius, which I really welcomed considering that the last model I test drove was its 1st generation model.

The route laid out was indeed best for appreciating the performance of the cars used, with the Vios and the Innova completing the line up of test drive vehicles. It was also best chosen for the journalists to discover and appreciate previously unseen marvels of the country. Like it was the first time for me to see and get awed by the long and marvelous San Juanico bridge.

We also had a stop at a museum in Leyte that had quite a number of rooms but was never built to be used but just for display – lavish display. There were some political issues raised as the tour of the museum was going on like ostentatious and lavish spending of people’s money, but this is no venue for such. At the very least I learned a lot of our history during the days of dictatorship – or so we all thought.

Well, we learned quite late in the day that our team should have listened intently to the very capable tour guide who was like a walking encyclopedia while explaining to us what the museum held. We were clueless, I was, that it would form part, a big part of the challenges of the Road Trek. Pinky Colmenares, motoring editor of the Manila Bulletin did listen intently and their team won first place in the contest making each member of her team fifteen thousand pesos richer on their way home after the Toyota Road Trek.

It was after the test drive and the challenges on our trip from the Ormoc Pier to Mactan Island when we that we really got a taste of the Toyota philosophy and their secret to continued success – go for it “come hell or high water”.

The trip was via a catamaran and it was one of the roughest sea travel for many of those in the trip. But only for many of us to find out from the veterans who run the boat that such rough crossing is nothing much out of the ordinary – typhoon or no typhoon.

Well, all’s well that ends well and the “rough sea travel” was more of a feather in the cap of those with less experience in life to crow about to their grand children.

It was a great day and a half of relaxing on the beach of Shangri-la Mactan and another great memorable experience courtesy of Toyota Motor Philippines – the 7th edition of the traditional Toyota Road Trek.

Thank you for having us.

Bosch Philippines continues to grow – globally too

Robert Bosch Inc. Philippines recently invited some members of the local motoring media to share some good news about its operations in the country to include its performance worldwide.

Globally the Bosch Group, a leading global supplier of innovative technologies and services in the areas of automotive and industrial technology consumer goods and building technology generated sales in 2010 that equivalent to 24 percent more than in the previous year.

Bosch in the Philippines grew by 23 percent, generating sales of 16 million euros in 2010. The company also experienced a strong first quarter 2011 with brisk sales generated through its Automotive Aftermarket and Power Tools business divisions, which grew by 19 and 49 percent, respectively. In addition to drives and controls (hydraulics), packaging technology and security systems in the country, Bosch recently added thermotechnology (heating systems) and automotive original equipment (OE) to its local portfolio.

“The company’s strong growth in the Philippine market during the past year validates the Bosch Group’s long-term strategy for the country,” said Joseph Hong, Managing Director of Robert Bosch Inc. Philippines. “Diversification through innovative products as well as business lines and our expanded local presence contributed to the very positive development last year.”

This is one company worth the watch for greater growth.

Happy Motoring!!

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