Modern technology is not enough

Most government agencies are going the high-tech way in trying to achieve with measurable success what they are mandated to do. Take the Land Transportation Office with its new project, which would cost close to a billion pesos—the modernization and standardization of all vehicle registration plates.

The idea is to have a newly designed vehicle plate, which would contain all the information to guide an officer to find out how legal the existence of the vehicle to which the plates are attached to. The newly designed plate would contain the vehicle’s pertinent registration data. For public utility vehicles, the registration plates would even provide information regarding the route to which it is legally assigned to ply, aside from whether the vehicle has a franchise to operate or is a colorum.

But assuming that the law enforcer indeed gets to find out that the vehicle whose plates he has examined turns out to be plying a route out of its designated line or is an outright illegal vehicle or a colorum, what happens next? Is there an assurance that the driver or owner of the vehicle would be apprehended?

That’s indeed modern technology aiding our law enforcers in determining a violation but would modern technology aid in apprehending the violator? It would still need an honest, dedicated law enforcer to implement the law and not to look the other way for a couple of hundred reasons. Modern technology is not enough to put order in this country. We need a change of culture, a change of values, a change of mindset especially among, but not limited to our law enforcers. It should involve the entire populace.

By the way, I understand the cost of the new plates would be passed on to the vehicle owners and old plates would have to be changed upon registration when the new plates are already available. Something seems to be very wrong somewhere.

Mazda’s Total Care program

All those who bought brand-new Mazda vehicles since January 1, 2013 and henceforth would be enjoying the following; a) 3-year free periodic maintenance service, b) 3-year roadside assistance with exclusive Mazda concierge service and c) 3-year bumper-to-bumper manufacturer warranty.

This new vehicle ownership program was recently introduced by Berjaya Auto Philippines, the exclusive distributors of Mazda in the country. It’s called YOJIN3 Mazda Total Care. Derived from the Japanese word “Youjin,” which stands for “care” in English, it’s Berjaya Auto Philippines’ approach to worry-free vehicle ownership experience for a period of 3 years or 60,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.

“We are putting real commitment behind best-in-industry customer experience with every Mazda sold from our network of dealerships. All the customer needs to do is to schedule the service, bring the car in and pick it up—we take care of the rest including the cost of service. Plus they enjoy stress-free motoring for 3 years under our nationwide roadside assistance with concierge service,” said Steven Tan, CEO of Berjaya Auto Philippines.

Not since the 60’s

I remember it was in the late 60’s when a race was first held right in the heart of Manila. It ran in a street circuit that went from the Manila Hotel to the Quirino Grandstand and out to what was then known as Dewey Blvd. (now Roxas Blvd.) to a hairpin turn by the Bayview Hotel and to a straight all the way to the Andalucía Circle that was broken with a chicane by the area where the Manila Times offices are presently located. That was the 2nd Philippine Grand Prix where the likes of the late Pocholo Ramirez, Chito Monserrat, Dante Silverio, Butch Viola, the late Joey Bundalian, Dodo Ayuyao, to name a few, were the major contenders.

I was then still working with ABS-CBN and we covered the motorsports milestone “live” on radio and television. Together with other radio-TV sports announcers then like Naldie Castro, Raffy Marcelo, Frank Sanchez, the late Vic Jose, the late Lito Balquedra, Mike Bugo and others whose names I can no longer remember (after all that was more than 40 years ago) we were assigned to cover the entire route with me being enviably assigned in the Quirino Grandstand where I was shielded from the sun and where most of the pretty spectators were.

We’ll have a déjà vu of this exciting scene come June 15 to 16 when the GT3 Race Manila 2013 would be held almost at the same route. Dubbed by its organizers as “the biggest racing event in the country,” its launching last February 22 was graced by Malaysia’s Royal Highness Prince Khairul Zaim, one of the main proponents of GT Race Asia.

“There’s is a lot to like about the city of Manila. We also believe that there is a huge following of car racing in the Philippines. Manila would be an ideal location when we add a new leg to GT Race Asia,” Prince Khairul said.

The GT3 Race would have drivers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Sri Lanka racing exotic luxury automobiles like Lamborghini, McLaren-Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Ferrari.

Indeed this event could further enhance our country’s yearly celebration of Independence Day.

Huge, huge starting grid

Those who were participating in the Sampaguita “on time, all the time” Rally during the event’s glory days in the 1960s could not have imagined the possibility of having a starting grid of over 60 cars.

The Caltex 2013 STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge (ARCC) has 17 corporate teams participating, fielding a maximum of 4 cars each to make a possible 68-vehicle starting grid, another record established by the event.

The participating corporate teams include (in alphabetical order) Asian Carmakers (BMW), Berjaya Auto Philippines (Mazda), British United Automobiles (MINI), Cats Motors (Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep), Columbian Autocar Corp (Kia), Covenant Car Company (Chevrolet), Eurobrand Distributors, Inc. (Peugeot), Ford Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines, Hyundai Asia Resources, Isuzu Philippines Corp, Lexus Manila, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, Motor Image Pilipinas (Subaru), Nissan Motor Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines, and Viking Cars (Volvo).

The WIND Residences in Tagaytay City, an expansive SMDC project, would be the flag-off area for the 1st leg of this much-awaited yearly major auto industry event. The 2nd leg is set for late this year on November 30 through the maze of winding roads inside Subic and adjoining Zambales province.

Sandro Vicente P. Javier, AVP and project director of Wind Residences, a motorsports enthusiast himself, welcomes their participation as an opportunity to present to the more than 200 rally participants (drivers, route navigators and time navigators) and a host of top auto industry executives, rally enthusiasts, members of the media and spectators the massive on-going development of the WIND Residences that’s located right beside the main highway of Tagaytay.

The Honorable Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino of event host Tagaytay City, looks forward to the Caltex 2013 STV ARCC as another crowd-drawer and tourist attraction of the city that has been perennially dubbed as the “summer capital of the metro.” The very supportive mayor, who’s on his 3rd and last term in office and is currently in the running for a Congressional seat, has graciously agreed to give the welcome remarks during the event and join in the flag-off of the participating vehicles.

Rally Director, Georges Ramirez promises a very exciting rally route within Tagaytay City that many may not have been to. It’s on March 23 (a Saturday) and if you care to watch the flag-off, you’ll have to catch it at 8am.

See you there. Happy Motoring!!!

For comments email motoringtoday-star@stv.com.ph.