Motoring Today Column: Raising San Simon

Sep 06, 2023

Raising San Simon

Thousands of motorists were truly traumatized by having been trapped in hours-long traffic at the NLEX that many post questions in Facebook and check social media accounts of tollways and car groups about possible flood situations in the tollway every time it begins to rain.

The good news is NLEX Corp. is fast-tracking the elevation of the portion of the North Luzon Expressway in San Simon that easily floods during heavy rains.

In a press statement, NLEX said it expects to complete preliminary work for raising the 200-meter segment of the tollways underneath the Tulaoc overpass.

Even better news, NLEX President Jose Luigi L. Bautista said the company aims to complete the project as soon as possible with minimal disruption to motorists using the tollway

The work will include completion of the detailed engineering design for the pavement raising on both north- and south-bound lanes of the 200-meter portion under the Tulaocoverpass and the design for the flood walls.

NLEX said it would also work to raise the pavement of the San Simon ramp and improve the drainage system in the area.

Earlier, the Department of Public Works and Highways also announced plans to raise the Tulaocoverpass so it can elevate problematic portion of the NLEX in San Simon.

San Miguel Ferrari

San Miguel Corporation president and CEO Ramon S. Ang continues to astonish us. SMC already has a subsidiary that distributes BMWvehicles in the country.

Now SMC has Ferrariin its stable.

Another SMC unit, Velocita Motors, Inc., is now the authorized importer and distributor of Ferrari in the Philippines , with Mr. Ang as chairman and president.

In a press statement formally announcing Mr. Ang's new baby, Dieter Knechtel , president of Ferrari Far East and Middle East, said: "This partnership is a milestone in the history of Ferrari in the Philippines, and we would like to warmly welcome Velocita into our Ferrari family as the new exclusive importer and distributor.

"The Philippines is a market that we strongly believe in, one that is important to the future growth of Ferrari in the region. We are very happy to have found a strong local partner in VMI."

VMI has opened a temporary Ferrarishowroom along EDSA that showcases the 296 GTB and the Purosangue V12 SUV. The temporary showroom can do maintenance and repair work using Ferrari-approved equipment.

Original Ferrari spare parts can also be ordered through VMI's temporary facility on 169 EDSA, while the Ferrari PH flagship building is being constructed at Connecticut Street in San Juan City.

This Ferrari PH flagship building will feature an expansive showroom and full-service facilities.

Boosting Electrification

The transition towards electrified mobility just got boosted by a power company.

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), a company that is into the generation and distribution of electricity, has acquired BYD electric vans as part of what it calls the fleet transformation program.

The EV vans will be deployed to three AboitizPower distribution utilities (DUs)- Visayan Electric, Davao Light, and Cotabato Light.

During an event to launch the program, AboitizPower President and CEO Manny Rubio said: "As a leader in the energy industry, we want to incorporate innovations that will improve the efficiency and sustainability of our operations. The world is facing developments in climate change, global connectivity, population growth, urbanization, and digitalization, and these changes demand that businesses like ours transform to remain relevant."

The AboitizPower fleet transformation program supports Republic Act 11697 , or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) , which bolsters the use and development of EVs to reduce the dependence of the local transportation sector on imported fossil fuels.

EVIDA mandates industrial and commercial companies to have EVs comprise at least five percent of their motorized fleets.

AboitizPower aims to more than comply with this mandate.

Said AboitizPower Distribution Utilities COO Anton Percides : " We aim to achieve 30 percent electrification for our four-wheeled vehicles and motorbikes by 2030."

AboitizPower chose to acquire BYD EVs for its fleet transformation program.

"We went with BYD. I think today they are the best option as far as service vehicles is concerned for EVs," said Mr. Rubio in an interview with Motoring Today.

He also revealed plans to acquire EV service trucks.

Adds Mr. Percides: " We chose BYD because the vans meet the specifications that we need for our service vehicles."

Acquiring EVs is just one of the initiatives that should boost the transition towards electrified mobility.

"We are looking at different platforms where we can participate, especially our distribution utilities such as fast charging stations," said Mr. Rubio.

The AboitizPower president also revealed a very interesting plan to one day enable EV vehicles owners to sell excess power to the company.

AboitizPower even has a name for this concept, "virtual power plants."

Mr. Rubio says AboitizPower will be talking with the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission "for regulations to govern virtual power plants."

"We want to make sure that platform is available in the future," he said.

Happy Motoring!!!

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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)