Motoring Today Column: Pre-Xmas Test Drive

Nov 09, 2022

Pre-Xmas Test Drive

The return of the summer edition of the Auto Focus Test Drive Festival was a success in helping would-be buyers finalize their choices.

So we are happy to announce that the Auto Focus Pre-Christmas Test Drive Festival (PCTDF) is back to complete Sunshine Television's annual tandem of test drive festivals along with our partners in the automobile industry, who consider this time of year as a peak buying period.

Over the recent months, we have seen quite an influx of all-new model introductions from various brands.

This heralds the industry's rise from the serious challenges the past two years have brought upon the market.

We see renewed interest and eagerness from car buyers who understandably were laid low during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Auto Focus test drive festivals provide them a veritable one-stop shop that negates the inconvenience of having to hop from one distributor to another in search of one's model of choice.

The PCTDF takes place from November 17 to 20 at Block 20 of the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

The pre-Christmas edition of our festival will feature the latest car models of Changan, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, MG, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.

The festival will be open from 11AM to 9PM throughout its 4-day run at the MOA Concert Grounds along Seaside Avenue.

STV is certainly happy that the auto industry is surely returning to health after a bout with Covid-19.

Aside from the influx of all new models, another sign of health is the expansion and refurbishment of dealership networks.

Suzuki Expansion

Suzuki Philippines has just opened a bigger dealership in the province of Laguna, further strengthening its growth in the South Luzon.

Another feather in the cap of Gateway Group led by its chairman and CEO Markane Goho, Suzuki Auto San Pablo sits on a 3,400 square meter lot in the municipality of Alaminos, a few kilometers from San Pablo.

A complete 3S (Sales, Service and Spare Parts) facility, the new dealership boasts five service bays and a showroom that can display up to six of Suzuki's top-of-the-line vehicles.

Norihide Takei, Suzuki Philippines general manager for automobile , said of the expansion in Laguna: "We at Suzuki hope to take part in Laguna's growing local economy as we seek to lead the further development of its automotive market, providing every family in the province with a wonderful car life journey."

"With this new dealership, our valued locals here can witness the full experience of Suzuki's excellent customer services," Takei San added.

Isuzu Pagbilao

Over in Quezon province, Isuzu Pagbilao celebrated its fourth anniversary by relaunching the dealership which is now in the midst of a transformation towards IOS or Isuzu Outlet Standard.

During the celebration, Isuzu Pagbilao showed off its revamped showroom and service area, tower signage and sales reception area.

In upgrading the dealership, Isuzu Pagbilao president Marcel Tolentino said: "Providing the best customer satisfaction has always been one of our main goals, and I believe that the new design philosophy of IPC will create an overall impact on our dealer performance, especially customer handling."

Gracing the fourth anniversary celebration, Isuzu Philippines Corporation president Noboru Murakami, said: "With their year-on-year sales growth, it is just fitting that we bring this good performance to the next level by introducing that new innovative and conducive IOS environment."

Also during the celebration, Isuzu Pagbilao conducted a turnover ceremony often units Isuzu NLR85 Refrigerated Van toPadilla Reefervan Corporation and an Isuzu mu-X LS AT to Paulo Bancolta.

Also at the celebration were Pagbilao Municipal Mayor Angelica Portes-Tatlonghari, Vice Mayor Shierre Ann Portes-Palicpic, IPC Assistant Division Head for Sales Robert Carlos, IPC Assistant Division Head for Sales Yoshiki Sato, Isuzu Pagbilao Sales Director MJ Tolentino, Isuzu Global Service Corporation (IGSC) president Fumihiro Ishii and MBT Autoworx Business Partner - Engr. Roberto De Vero.

Matrix Fee Waived

Here's good news for PUV drivers and operators.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has decided to waive the franchise verification fee for processing the fare matrix/guide while deferring payment of the filing fee.

The fare matrix guide is required to be posted inside PUVs before driver or conductor can charge higher fares recently approved by the LTFRB.

This means operators can now get official copies of the guidelines for their PUV units without having to pay the fees outright.

Under LTFRB Resolution No. 173, PUV operators can delay payment of the filing fee of P520 until September 30, 2023 .

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)