Auto industry parties galore

For most motoring journalists, last week seemed more like days for a professional runner before a big marathon – a lot of “carbo” loading, except that instead of carbohydrates, for us it was more like “cholesterol” loading. Industry Christmas parties just came one after another.

Monday was NMPI’s or Nissan Motor Philippines’ that was held at Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2, Makati. Mitsubishi Motors Philippines had theirs at Opus, Resorts World while the motoring media trooped to Shangri-La Makati last Thursday for the Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s Pistang Pilipino. It was back to Resorts World last Friday, at the Café Republiq for a Christmas party cum movie hosted by BMW’s Asian Carmakers.

I couldn’t make it for the Nissan party last Monday due to a previous commitment, but I was apprised by our vp for production Jenny Bleza that it was a lot of fun with contests that ranged from the ever-popular Pinoy Henyo, Price is Right and the dugtungan-type of singing contest, which were all eagerly participated in even without the promise of big cash prizes. Of course Val de Leon and Dennis Restor made the rounds of the members of media who were present to make everybody feel right at home.

The Mitsubishi party was a usual riot of fun for everybody with its traditional “block-out” Bingo, which was enviably won by Sunshine TV’s veteran cameraman, Raul Promeda and made him a Sony 32 inch flat TV richer coming home that night. The new president of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, Mr. Hikosaburo Shibata, who didn’t have a formal Media Introduction Party in deference to the disasters in Japan at the time of his take-over, made sure he met most if not all of the journalists present. He was joined in being “up close and personal” with the media by the very friendly executive vice president and wine connoisseur Mr. Taizo Furuhashi, with the ever-present and ever-eager to accommodate Mitsubishi executives, Froy Dytianquin and Arlan Reyes close behind.

The “Pistang Pinoy” motif of Isuzu Philippines gave me a little problem on how to keep in line with the hosts’ party theme. It was relatively “easier” for those who were bent on making a difference in the “costume contest” but a little of a brain twister for those who just want to be polite and be in step with what’s expected of them to look but not avant garde enough to excel in the competition. I finally decided to come clad in a white “kamisa chino” and a red scarf with a farmer’s round sort of hard hat with a red Santa Claus hat on top. To may surprise I saw my good friend veteran journalist and anchor motoring columnist of Business Mirror, Al “Sir Paul” Mendoza, clad in almost exactly the same outfit but without the farmer’s hat and a “balanggot” hat instead, complete with a “sungkit” or a sabungero’s sinelas. Iba ka talaga Sir Paul. My good friend Pinky “sweetheart” Colmenares, motoring editor of the Bulletin joined the costume contest with a “labor-of-love” very original “human belen”, which was co-designed by her loving children. Isuzu Philippines president Ryoji Yamazaki and new executive vice president Takashi Tomita together with senior vice president Art Balmadrid and corporate communications top honcho Timmy Naval with Ronald Baladad (on his last event as he’ll be with another department also with Isuzu next year) as always were all very close to the media making sure each and everyone is having a grand time, always the “Isuzu way” of hosting. The usual Bong Barrameda-supplied Trivia contest and raffle of fantastic prizes were the highlights of the party, aside for the bonding and camaraderie that mark every Isuzu Philippines event.

Friday’s Christmas Party cum movie hosted by our very close friends from Asian Carmakers (lovely lady president Maricar Parco and poker-playing retired president Bobby Rosales), exclusive importers of the remarkable BMW vehicles was an event I was indeed sorry to have missed. And it was only because STV (Sunshine Television) held its Christmas Party on the same day – no other reason if not I wouldn’t have. What’s amazing was that despite the horrendous traffic that usually marks Fridays and during the season to add, it was well-attended and reports from those who were there attest that it was a lot of fun.

Well as I write this piece on a Monday, this column’s deadline, there are still two parties lined up this week. That of the auto aftermarket “godfather”, Sammy Liuson, Toyota’s get-together Christmas lunch and of course The Philippine STAR’s Grand Christmas Party.

More cholesterol-loading coming up. 

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments: (e-mail) [email protected].