Play golf and help ease traffic

It could very well have been an auto industry holiday as most of the top executives and dealers of the different automotive firms converged at the plush Riviera Golf and Country Club last March 11 for the 1st SPMJ Invitational Golf Tournament.

It’s the "golf-for-a-cause" project of the Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists, a fund-raiser to help underwrite the costs for producing teaching modules and audiovisuals on traffic and road safety education geared toward the youth... elementary and high school students. The audiovisuals would then be shown by the dedicated group motoring journalists to the different schools in Metro Manila and eventually all over the country. And to heighten the awareness to the advocacy, celebrities and motor sports personalities would be invited to join these audio-visual presentations to answer questions from the students in an ensuing open forum. The teaching modules would be given for free to school principals for their teachers to use.

Further to these efforts, the journalists’ society is poised to work on a strong lobby in the next Congress for legislation to include traffic and road safety education in the school curriculum for secondary and high school levels.

Ultimately SPMJ envisions building a "traffic city", a downsized replica of an actual city complete with intersections, pedestrian lanes, overpasses, traffic lights and signs, etc., where young students can go "hands-on" in learning road courtesy and discipline.

There was no hesitation among most of the auto companies to be included in the list of supporters for the advocacy and a chance to be together with their competing peers in the industry in a friendly golf tournament. A similar event can only be faintly remembered to have occurred some 10 years ago. The project’s eager benefactors from the auto sector include, Ford Group Philippines, Isuzu Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines, General Motors Automobiles Philippines, Viking Cars (Volvo), Mitsubishi Motors Philippines, Universal Motors (Nissan light commercial vehicles) Toyota Motor Philippines and BMW Philippines while Caltex Delo stood out alone in the oil industry to support the cause.

Toyota Motor Philippines Team brought home the very impressive SPMJ Golf Championship Cup, the symbol of team supremacy in the tournament. They have the privilege to hold on to the trophy until a new champion emerges on the next staging to claim it. Any team that wins the tournament three times can keep the SPMJ Golf Championship Cup forever.

The awarding ceremonies was made livelier with raffle prizes like a set of Michelin tires from Tiara Commercial, a set of B.F.Goodrich tires from Ryco Inc., roof rack from Thule, batteries from Motolite, hotel accommodations from Microtel Inn, Coppertone products and dozens of golf balls courtesy of the Automobile Association of the Philippines through its president Tony Mapa.

The refreshing beverages were courtesy of San Miguel Corp. while our good friend Bobby Joseph of Ralph’s Wines offered fine wines served during the affair at a gracious moment’s notice.

As work on the advocacy now going full swing other corporate firms have expressed their desire to support SPMJ’s projects. Those that have signified their serious intention to be involved include Ed Chua, country chairman of Pilipinas Shell and Bert Lina, head honcho of the local Fedex and Air 21.

If you want to be counted, come forward.<