Motoring Today Column: STV-ARCC runs this Saturday at Subic

Nov 23, 2016

STV-ARCC runs this Saturday at Subic

Oh no sir, it's not a race. For an "on time, all the time" rally it would need a perfect combination of skillful driving, a heightened sense of direction and no less than precise timing-the only way to win for a driver, route navigator and time navigator rally team.

The STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge is a revival of the Sampaguita Rally, which was one of the country's popular motor sport disciplines in the 60's with starting grids composed of motor sports exponents like of the legendaryPocholo Ramirez, late greats like Tony Mapa, Dodo Ayuyao, living champions like Dante Silverio, Mandy Eduque to mention a very few.

In this local version of Europe's once very popular Tulip "on time, all the time" Rally, the competition's rules call for participants to travel distances on given or required timelines. Every second beyond or less than the prescribed travel time would mean a demerit and the team that acquires the least number of demerits wins. The rally runs on public roads and participants are not exempt from traffic laws and regulations. Any infringement cited by traffic authorities or rally marshals would mean an automatic disqualification. This is the road safety and road discipline aspect of the competition-its social relevance.

And this Saturday, November 26, a total of 13 Corporate Rally Teams namely;Auto Nation Group (Mercedes Benz/Jeep/Chrysler),Chevrolet Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines, Isuzu Philippines, Lexus-Manila, Mazda Philippines, MINI, PGA Cars (Porsche/Audi), Peugeot Philippines, Ssangyong Philippines, Subaru Philippines, TATA Philippines andToyota Motor Philippines shall pit wits together with driving, timing and navigating skills to win much-coveted honors in the 2016 STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge.

Once again the parc fermi and flag-off area shall be at the Harbor Point Mall in Subic. A total of more than 40 brand new vehicles from the country's foremost automobile manufacturers and importers are expected to be at the starting grid. This is indeed the local auto industry's showcase of their much-desired car models. To be manned by about 120 drivers and navigators, the usual fiesta atmosphere at the flag off area is again expected to prevail as the members of the local auto industry once again come together in the only motor sports event in the country where they openly compete against each other-and in a most friendly manner.

The impressive line up of past winners of the STV-ARCC include; Ford Philippines in 2010; Subaru Philippines in 2011; MINI Philippines in 2012, 2013 and 2014; Subaru Philippines in 2015.

So far the MINI Corporate Rally Team of Willy Tee Ten stands to have the distinction of being a3-Time Winner and the 1^st Permanent Holder of the STV-ARCC Champion's Trophy.

The 2016 STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge is a road safety advocacy project ofSunshine TV and SocioCom Foundation in cooperation withPetron and Harbor Point Mall and supported by Segara Hotel and Subic Bay Venezia Hotel.

Mitsubishi buyers enjoy in-house financing

It was my first time at the newly opened Conrad Hotel and it was for an invitation to the launching of MMPC Auto Financial Services Corporation (MAFS).

A lot more than the new hotel, the combined forces behind this new corporation that has been put up to service buyers ofMitsubishi vehicles were indeed awesome. It is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, BDO Leasing and Finance Inc., Sojitz Corporation, a Japanese global company engaged in a wide range of business including buying, selling, importing, and exporting goods, manufacturing, etc. and JACCS Co. Ltd, another Japan-based global company engaged in the provision of consumer credit services providing comprehensive credit purchasing mediation, financing, credit guarantee services, credit research and electronic business processing services, etc-indeed an awesome partnership of awesome global corporations.

With the continued growth of automotive sales in the country, the proponents view the entry of MAFS in auto financing will enhance the retail business of Mitsubishi Philippines because of attractive and flexible loan products. They say that MAFS will strive to make owning a Mitsubishi vehicle much easier.

The impressive timeline of MAFS is aimed to cover all Mitsubishi Philippines Dealers in Luzon within the1^st quarter of 2017 and Visayas and Mindanao Dealers within the 2^nd quarter making all of the 49 outlets nationwide of Mitsubishi Philippines fully covered before the end of the 1^st semester next year.

Motoring and automobile websites

Click on www.motoringtoday.ph and you'll find informative inputs on the country's transportation and traffic management, vehicle maintenance and care, road safety tips, motor sports, car showcases and reviews and other facets of motoring while www.autofocus.com.ph is exclusive to everything about the automobile and the auto industry-news, reviews, head-to-head comparisons, etc.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments and inquiries (email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

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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)