One motorist stops to help victims of an accident. Another puts his life in danger while pulling out a colleague trapped inside a burning vehicle. Another sacrifices his time to help untangle the gridlock on an intersection to get traffic moving again for other motorists.
Oftentimes heroism is the simple act of stopping to help another motorist stranded on the road, volunteering to help fix a flat tire, offering water to cool down an overheated engine or just by simply lending a phone to call and ask for a mechanic’s assistance.
In celebrating its 50th anniversary, Goodyear is honoring these heroes and their noble acts which have been unrecognized all these years.
Goodyear executive Ron Castro said the company recognizing and awarding these heroes on the road is the best way to celebrate their golden year.
"For the past 50 years, Goodyear has been developing and manufacturing safe, reliable and efficient tires for everyday motorists, PUV drivers and truckers. Goodyear identifies with its customers who keep the industry moving or those who understand the value of a good tire to make motoring safer and more enjoyable for everyone on the road," Castro added.
With this in mind, Goodyear is set to launch "Bayani ng Kalsada," a search for the "Tsuper Pinoy" hero who has performed a selfless act of courage and service for people on the road in need of help.
The nationwide campaign is open to transport associations or car clubs that wish to nominate a "Tsuper Pinoy" who best represents civic-minded drivers in the country.
These include drivers of public utility buses, jeepneys, FX, taxis, trucks and private vehicles.
Binchy Mayuga, Goodyear’s manager for commercial tire marketing, explained that the program aims to get rid of the negative impressions the public have of drivers.
"It is high time that the good deeds of the Filipino drivers be recognized so that in effect, they can serve as inspiration and role models to their fellow drivers and to the general public," Mayuga pointed out.
He noted that this would be the first time that such a search will be launched in the country.
The project, launched yesterday at the Hyatt Regency-Manila, emulates the "Goodyear Highway Hero" campaign in the US and Canada.
Already on its 23rd year, the annual Goodyear Highway Hero recognizes heroic acts performed by truck drivers, including one who battled flames to pull victims to safety in separate accidents and another who saved a mother and her baby from oncoming traffic as they lay on a wet and dark Florida turnpike.
"The nominee should be a Filipino citizen and that his good deed should have been made while he was on the road doing his job. The driver should not have been apprehended for any traffic violation within a year before he was nominated," Mayuga said.
A "Bayani ng Kalsada" committee will review the nominations to come up with finalists, from whom the "Tsuper Pinoy" will be chosen.
Nominations for the "Tsuper Pinoy" search may be submitted to all Goodyear Servitek and TyrePro outlets or mail them to P.O. Box 7260, Domestic Airport, Manila, Philippines or P.O. Box 1384 MCPO, Makati City 1251. They can also fax them to (02) 876-4596, 876-4560, 635-2587 or email them at BayaniNgKalsada@goodyear.com until Sept. 30, 2006.
The announcement of the results is scheduled in December 2006.