Making new memories

When I started my life in sports, I had a lot of memories in my stepfather’s Volkswagen Beetle. It was spacious, simple, durable, indestructible. And pink, with white trim. From the time Dad married Mom in 1972 when I was seven, until 1980, that was our eye-catching transport. Because of my frailty as a child, I needed to swim every day in a public pool along Dapitan in Manila. I walked and took the jeepney. But on Saturdays, I had that eye-catching mode of conveyance that brought a smile to people who saw it. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had great VW Beetle memories.

“My memories of our Beetle were our trips to Lipa to visit my great grandmother. Then my father bought a 1302 Beetle in 1983,” recalls sports broadcast veteran Chino Trinidad, who recently tested his first Volkswagen, a Lamado. “German engineering is great. But what is impressive is the mileage. And that’s with the car full including the trunk.”

I hadn’t given much thought to all the basketball games, swimming training, tennis and karate lessons that that car brought me to. But recently, those great times resurfaced when I got to drive my first Volkswagen in about 30 years: a Santana. The Santana is a subcompact sedan that replaced the ubiquitous Polo model. It is probably the most affordable German-engineered car on the market. And even if some of the controls are in non-traditional places within the cabin, it’s a breeze to drive.

“I like the Santana because of its fuel efficiency. I drove a manual before which I find easy to drive even in traffic,” concurs Ron de los Reyes, who has been an independent motoring producer for over 25 years. “I like the cabin space which is generous for a sedan. Most of all, you get a lot of value for money. It’s one of the most affordable sedans now.”

At 6’2”, I was surprised at the space inside the cabin, the maneuverability, and the surprising gas mileage. This new-generation VW has allowed me to take my nine-year-old daughter Alex to her own new sporting memories, like horseback riding, boating and go-karting in Baguio, swimming in Zambales, and hiking and biking in Pampanga. This Santana is spacious, simple, durable, indestructible. And white. Now my past meets my present, and both are richer because of this experience.

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Today is the last day of Boyet Sison’s wake at La Funeraria Paz in Sucat, Parañaque. There will be a mass at 4 p.m. This is the first time that his music, sports and broadcasting worlds have converged, as we celebrate the joy he has brought into our lives one more time.