Newest horse stable in town

There is a brand new “Horse Stable” in town!

But unlike the normal horse stable you might be thinking about, the latest address I’m referring to does not house 4-legged equine creatures. Although you will hear people refer to it as the home of the “prancing horse”, the stable I speak of, houses 4 wheeled sporty and luxurious cars called FERRARI’s.

Normally, stories like these are better featured in our Motoring section care of our Editor Dong Magsajo or in our Business section in the column of my friend Boo Chanco. However, I really believe that the opening of the Ferrari Dealership at The Fort is more than just another brand or business, opening shop in Metro Manila.

The formal presence of Ferrari in the Philippines is an important signal and recognition that our automotive lifestyle, competence, and buying power has risen not only to “global standards” but even to the higher, rigid, and demanding requirements of Ferrari.

Many other brands simply create a “demand” for their cars by producing less than the market demand. In the case of Ferrari, they have adopted a position of being demanding in terms of business reputation, operational capability, committed management, passionate ownership, as well as economic strength and long-term stability. That is what the “Prancing Horse” and their “Horse stable” symbolizes.

Not many people know that Ferrari does not simply sell fast luxury cars. They won’t sell their limited stock just to anybody with money. They won’t speak about it openly, but true car collectors and serious enthusiasts have long known that Ferrari associates quietly investigate the “motoring or automotive pedigree” of people who go to their place of business intent on doing business with them or even just to buy one of their cars.

Ferrari officials have often said that they treat Ferrari “owners” as “family members”. I believe there is some truth to that because they scrutinize aspiring buyers of Ferraris even more than they check on people who would want to marry their sister!

All the while, I thought that it took 6 years to woo the regional officials of Ferrari to authorize an official distributorship in the Philippines because that was when I first heard about it from businessman Wellington “ Big W” Soong. But from his own account, we learned it took twice as much period and a seemingly unending roller-coaster rides punctuated by “are we there yet”, “almost there”, “doesn’t look like it” etc.

Last March 1, 2012, all the hard work, the Prancing Horse officially opened the Autostrada Motore Inc Ferrari dealership. Yes we are on Ferrari’s map and that speaks well for all of us.

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Instead of wasting his time on the little stuff like speed limiters on buses, Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas, might want to try to do something about the plans of KLM Airlines to end their direct flights from Manila to Amsterdam.

No this is not a rich man’s bitching or complaint, but the serious concern of many Pinoy OFWs as well as tourism related companies who believe that ending the KLM direct flights will seriously burden OFW travel costs, impact the volume of tourists flying from Europe to the Philippines and needlessly suck away money from travellers who will be forced to spend time and cash in Hong Kong and the Middle East during stop overs.

I’m sure that Secretary Roxas knows the fact that thousands of Filipino OFWs particularly those returning home for vacation or after finishing contracts use the KLM direct flight as it is the fastest and cost saving option as well as the most convenient. But what observers can’t understand is why the government, particularly the DOTC and the Department of Tourism don’t seem to be bothered by the KLM decision.

From What I’ve been told by airport and tourism sources, KLM like other airlines have found no reason or incentive to maintain the flight especially in the midst of costly and complicated service charges levied by different government agencies. I’m still trying to get details and confirmation on those alleged reasons but something that keeps coming up is the story that KLM reps have repeatedly signified their desire to meet up with Secretary Mar Roxas personally but always keep getting rerouted to his underlings.

I find this ironic; because time and again, I have heard of how Mar Roxas has helped cut the red tape and even facilitate face-to-face meetings between business people and President Noynoy Aquino. Is it possible that some underling or under secretary is being too presumptuous or ambitious?

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 “What were you smoking, Mr. Kitsch?”

Did “actor” Taylor Kitsch want so much to be on the set of Bourne Legacy, that he confused his world geography or is he simply not smarter than a fifth grader that he could not tell the difference between Philippines and Indonesia?

Early last week, the little known actor from America suddenly became a household name among Filipino Netizens who watched or learned about his deplorable portrayal of “Philippine” airport/ customs authorities, whom he depicted as ignorant and corrupt in the Dave Letterman talk show.

Luckily, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon did no take the matter sitting down and led a full-scale investigation on the actor’s claims. Now we learn that Kitsch may end up being the ignorant individual unable to tell where in the world he was at the time of the incident!

Considering the damaging accounts that kitsch revealed, it would be well worth the effort for the Department of Foreign Affairs to reach out to Kitsch and US law enforcement authorities to get the details of the case. That way we can either find the corrupt government official in the Philippines or find out what Taylor Kitsch was smoking before his interview with Letterman!