Motoring Today Column: 32 years of Motoring Today

Jul 03, 2019

32 years of Motoring Today

32 years!

Traffic and road safety are now major issues in the national government. From casual conversation to public forum, traffic and road safety issues have leaped to the Halls of Congress and up the Office of the President of the Philippines.

Last year, the President had asked for emergency powers to deal with the traffic problem, a request that was supported by many senators who had been vocal about their support, but was not acted on by congress.

That is how serious is the traffic situation not only along EDSA, but around Metro Manila. Traffic affects our lives and our productivity.

Thirty-two years ago, when the first television show - Motoring Today - devoted a segment to traffic and road safety, we did not think it would become a segment with a strong following from motorists, commuters and the players in the motoring industry.

After the first Motoring Today episode was aired over PTV4 on June 7, 1987, comments, complaints, suggestions on the most minor (pot holes on the streets) to the major issues ( corrupt traffic enforcers), to safety concerns ( incorrect traffic signs, open manholes, unenforced traffic regulations ) were reported by concerned viewers.

The segment became so popular that Motoring Today had leading government officials and automotive industry officials as guests in our forum.

Today, just as 32 years ago when we planned the traffic and road safety segment, we say - we don't know how long we will be doing this but now that we've just marked our 32nd year, we know that this kind of public service should be continued. Apparently, if traffic and road safety are now discussed as urgent matters in the highest echelons of government, there is a need that Motoring Today keeps the lines open.

It is not only the issues of traffic and road safety that has affirmed the relevance of the oldest running motoring television show.

When we started Motoring Today, motoring was not a major issue at all. In fact, many viewed it as a "sidetrip" of the automotive industry, something like a leisure and entertainment topic. Thus, its segments on motorsports, new cars, motoring tips gained a wide following.

Motoring Today was then the only television show that was covering local and international motorsports. It was also the first local television show where one could watch Formula One races and the World Rally Championship series.

Actually long before I decided on hosting and producing the show, the motor sports bug had bitten me when I started joining in the mid 70s quite a number of mini Sampaguita Rally competitions then organized by TMSC ( Toyota Motor Sports Club). What really got me locked in was when I ventured to produce the "live" TV coverage of the 2nd Philippine Grand Prix that was held in the Ortigas Business Center, which was then almost empty.

The show's co-host was the late Jose 'Pocholo' Ramirez, known as the 'living racing legend,' whose legendary passion for motor sports got him to join me for the ride with Motoring Today .

In local motorsports, Motoring Today has provided extensive coverage to local events like the rallycross series, uphill climb events, autocross, slalom, and the Toyota Vios Cup - re-iginiting the charm of motorsports.

It has also established its own motorsports events, one of them the now very popular Auto Rally Corporate Challenge (ARCC) which gathers the automotive makers to field their cars for the "On-Time-All-The-Time" rally.

We've also covered the evolution of the engine, showing the extent of human ingenuity in developing engines that are more fuel-efficient and run on different sources of power - from diesel, gasoline, solar energy and now the electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

New technology is also inspiring Motoring Today to deliver those messages through other media platforms - through website ( www.motoringtoday.ph) and social media ( facebook.com/MotoringTodayPH, twitter.com/MotoringTodayPH, instagram.com/motoringtodayph/ ). Viewers can view entire Motoring Today episodes in our online site and give comments or suggestions on any motoring issue through our Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Motoring Today has devoted time for its Corporate Social Responsibility. Since 2010, it has been conducting the Road Safety School Tour which gives free seminars and workshops to educate students to become responsible road users. More than 30 schools have benefited from this endeavor that's supported by many auto manufacturers and importers and other stakeholders in promoting safety on the road.

There's still more road to cover and Motoring Today shall be there to tell you all about the conditions that will affect our lives. Remember, mobility is not only a way to get from point A to B; mobility is now part of our life.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) www.motoringtoday.ph

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Butch Gamboa graduated from the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Sto. Tomas. It was a course that should have been preparatory to a law degree, but the call of broadcasting aborted his plans.

At the age of 16, while still a student, Butch tried his hand at disc jockeying, landing a job at Mareco Broadcasting Network’s AM stations DZBM and DZLM. From there, Butch moved on with his illustrious career as a popular disc jockey, riding the airwaves of Bob Stewart’s middle-of-the-road music at DZXX, and ending his disc jockeying career at ABS-CBN’s DZYL and DZQL.

From there, he stayed on with ABS-CBN, covering live the proceedings at the Manila Stock Exchange and eventually entered into the world of television sales as an account manager for the premier channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

In the early 70’s, at the outbreak of Martial Law, Butch was one of the thousands of professionals who woke up jobless when then President Marcos declared the new status of the nation. With the closure of ABS-CBN, Butch ventured into different fields outside of broadcast. He tried his hand and with ease and success at export (Costume jewelry), real estate (brokerage), and restaurants (fast food).

In 1987, after the revolution, with the broadcast industry back to its free state, and with its irresistible call ringing in his ears, Butch made his inevitable comeback and pioneered in a local motoring show, producing Motoring Today on Channel 4 and co-hosting with local motor sports’ living legend Pocholo Ramirez.

After 4 years, he ventured into another pioneering format by producing and hosting Business & Leisure, which was originally aired on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. The format eventually espoused similar ones in other different channels. But the clones in due course faded away leaving the original staying on airing on Channel 4 and eventually on Shop TV on Sky Cable’s Channel 13.

The following year, the pioneering spirit in Butch spurred him to produce another TV show, Race Weekend, also on Channel 4, covering circuit racing at the Subic International Raceway after the motor sport’s hiatus of 17 years. But when similar shows with duplicated formats sprouted, he decided to give way and ended the program after a year, although still enjoying unparalleled viewership.

In 1998, when the local automotive industry was in a slump, Butch contributed his share to help the ailing industry by producing another popular motoring-related show, this time exclusive to the automobile and its industry—Auto Focus, which became a vehicle for local automotive assemblers and importers to showcase their products and dwell on the industry’s latest technological developments.

In 2003, Butch teamed up with his brother, Rey Gamboa who was a former Shell executive and presently one Philippine Star’s business columnist to co-produce and co-host the TV show Breaking Barriers on Channel 13. It is a talk show that features guests who are in the news and in the middle of controversies. The program ventures to draw deeper insights into current issues to learn how they impact to our daily lives.

Today, Motoring Today on its 28th year of service to the general motoring public still enjoys its unprecedented loyal vierwership nationwide while Auto Focus, after 16 years has firmly established its niche viewership among automobile enthusiasts and on the other hand Business & Leisure is on its 24th year dishing out current business issues and lifestyle features.

Today, aside from writing weekly columns for the Philippine Star (Motoring Today on Wednesdays and Business & Leisure on Saturdays) and executive producer / host of weekly TV shows (Motoring Today, airs Sundays on Solar Sports Channel 70, Business & Leisure, airs Tuesdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13 and Auto Focus airs Thursdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13, Ray Butch Gamboa is currently the Chairman and CEO of Sunshine Television Production and Marketing Services Corp., President of Gamcor Management and Development Corp., Chairman of Asia-Pacific Realty Corporation, President and Chairman of Socio-Communication Foundation for Asia and Founding Chairman of the Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ)