CDO–Mindanao’s auto hub

We just came from Cagayan de Oro the other week and what a sight greeted us when were driving from the airport—progress and development at a feverish pitch.

The last time I visited this provincial capital of Misamis Oriental was only a few years back during a media test drive and now I already find the city difficult to recognize. A few minutes from the airport is a huge housing development and a few more minutes are malls that used to be only seen in Metro Manila, which I think are all now doing brisk business in this tenth most populous city in the Philippines with a recorded 602,088 inhabitants as of the latest census.   

And all this perception of rapid growth is backed by actual impressive figures like a close to 100 percent growth registered only in the first six months of the present year amounting to 7.4 billion pesos.

Bannered as the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro is considered as the Melting Pot of Mindanao. And as I see it, with all the present automobile dealerships in place, opening and about to open, Cagayan de Oro City will soon be considered, that is if it isn’t yet—“the automotive hub” of the entire Mindanao.       

I was in CDO, together with STV’s (Sunshine Television) vice president for production, Jenny Bleza and ace cameraman Matt Mallari through the gracious invitation of Mr. Peter Po (a known business tycoon from the Visayas-Mindanao regions and one of the local auto industry’s most active and dynamic multi-brand automobile dealers) to witness the grand opening of the Cagayan de Oro Chevrolet dealership—his fifth with two to three more soon to open in different parts of Southern Philippines to further augment his already awesome array of multi-brand dealerships in the country.

To say that it was a “grand opening” is actually an understatement. When we arrived Friday, November 16, we found out that it was the second get-together to mark the auspicious event, with the first one a few days back, which was attended by personalities from the local business community lead by those of the banking sector.

With our travel clothes on, coming straight from the airport we were ushered in to a mass that was said right at the showroom with Atty. Albert Arcilla, the youthful president of The Car Covenant Company, Inc. (TCCCI), exclusive importers and distributors of Chevrolet in the Philippines in attendance together with the Peter’s wife, Carol, son and heir apparent Jan Andrew and all management and personnel of the dealership.

After the mass and the blessing of the entire dealership complex came the ceremonial ribbon-cutting to officially open the Chevrolet Cagayan de Oro dealership. This was when I had a pleasant surprise to find out that the man behind the leadership of this very progressive city in is an old friend and former classmate at the University of Santo Tomas—Mayor Vicente Emano. He was already exceptional at that time we were in college (Philosophy & Letters or Philets and then later to be known as Arts & Letters or Artlets), being one of those that were not known to be bookworms but would perennially get high grades in exams and one of the leaders in the class.  

Mayor Emano or “Vic” as we called him then has been in Mindanao politics for the longest time (more than three decades I learned) and Cagayan de Oro is where he has dedicated most of his life, and considering what it is now, it was not in vain. The growth that CDO is basking in now is expected to escalate upon the completion of the Laguindingan International Airport. The general peace and order situation in the locale has been considered one of the business magnets that attract investments and this factor is often the handiwork of the local government’s leadership. The mayor is always known to be “hands on.”

That evening when pork was absolutely a “no-no” in the menu (the guests in the preceding affair had their fill), Mayor Emano was in the company of twenty or more invited mayors from Northern Mindanao, friends all of Peter and committed buyers of whatever Chevy automobile models that he would offer in his dealership.     

From the auto industry’s point of view Cagayan de Oro has always been known as mainly a “pickup market”, considering its vast area with a mixture of paved and unpaved roads where a more functional vehicle can best perform. But Peter is confident that all that may change with the entry of Chevrolet and the remarkable models that it is offering. Albert and TCCI are optimistic about the prospect considering the impressive marketing tract record of Mr. Peter Po and the Chevy models that are presently in the market and those that are lined up in 2013.

Congratulations and all the best to Chevy and to Mr. Peter Po on its entry to CDO.  

Ford continues Philippine dealership expansion

As the day nears for Ford’s unexpected plant shutdown in the Philippines, new dealership openings are filling up its calendar of activities.

Ford Philippines is looking at opening 12 dealerships in six months. In October they opened Ford Cainta. Last Thursday, November 22 marked the groundbreaking of the new Ford Alabang, which will have its new home by 2014, still along the Alabang-Zapote Road but nearer the SLEX. On the same day Ford Pampanga marked its official curtain-raising.

The new Ford Alabang is projected to have one of the largest facilities in ASEAN. The 4-floor edifice with a penthouse would stand on a 4,000 square meter lot and can accommodate 25 vehicles in its expansive showroom and another 80 in its service area.

The twin events had no less than the likeable president of Ford ASEAN, Matt Bradley coming over to be present and witness the milestones in Ford’s modern history in the Philippines. If you recall, Ford pulled out stakes some years back due to a failing economy during the days of Martial Law in the country. It came back big with an assembly plant to boot a few years later. When it announced its plant’s impending closure a few months ago, everybody was puzzled as it was coming at a time when all indications show a hastily-improving economy. But Ford said that it has nothing to do with the local situation but more of a global business repositioning. I remember Randy Krieger, Ford Philippines president saying during the luncheon when the closure was unexpectedly announced and the media was starting to wonder if it was going to be a similar exodus done years back, “As a matter of fact we’ll now be more active in the Philippines in the coming months!”    

Well, it appears that Randy wasn’t pulling our legs as we witnessed four new models were launched in 2012 alone, with the much-awaited Ford icon, the Mustang included. 

2013 appears to be a very exciting year in the local auto industry and Ford is looking up!

A shining moment in Vegas!

We doff our hat to Sammy Liuson, the managing partner of Wheel Gallery, distributors of the remarkable and top-selling Concept One alloy wheels for romping off with the runner-up award in the Wheels and Related Products category of the New Product Showcase Awards in the recently-held Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was a tough competition where 50 wheel brands and 2,000 new products were involved and Wheel Gallery’s Concept One Executive alloy wheel that shod a Nissan 37OZ got the second place plum.

Congratulations, Sammy!

Cars and guns in one big show!

The Manila Auto Salon and the 20th Defense & Sporting Arms Show part 2 get going together starting tomorrow, November 29 up to December 2 at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia.

The combination of guns and cars has been a proven winning chemistry as it was first tried in 2009 during the Auto Focus Motor Show & Auto Expo, which was still held then at the Fort at the Bonifacio Global City.

We invited the country’s largest firearms & ammo manufacturer / importer, Armscor to put up a gun display and indeed it brought in the crowds of gun enthusiasts. But displaying guns in an outdoor venue has its complications so we decided to put the concept on hold. We’re happy to see the concept’s reborn from the point of view of a gun as well as an auto enthusiast.

Well, it’s a double-treat for many so don’t miss it. 

Happy Motoring!!!

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