The worst is yet to come

So we are currently experiencing terrible traffic flow problems in the metropolis. And this is mainly because of the newly started construction of some infrastructure projects. Well, to begin with even before the start of these constructions, traffic in many parts of Metro Manila has perennially been at a snail’s pace, only now it’s worse.

But perhaps we should be aware that the construction of other major infrastructure projects is yet to be started, which means that the worst it yet to come for us citizens and denizens of the metropolis.

Being late with the traffic as an excuse is now passé. It won’t count because the slow flow of traffic, and in some cases, a standstill is now a given in our daily lives. Hopefully only until all infrastructure projects, which are all conceived to alleviate traffic problems, are finished.

Our duty now is to design our lives to conform to the prevailing traffic situation, with expectations of it getting worst, so we can cope with all of our everyday concerns. Perhaps we can wake up in the morning or leave for our appointments more than an hour earlier that we used to. 

What we can also do is to stop ranting about the traffic situation and to blame the government, the MMDA in particular, for all these traffic woes. It won’t do any good for anyone.

Foremost, what we can do is to look forward to the day when destinations within and around the metropolis would take us more than an hour less to reach. That’s how we can endure all this aggravation and even enjoy them with the thought that someday when all of these constructions are done, motoring in the metro would be a breeze.   Am I dreaming? The last time I checked, dreams are free. Let’s dream on.

Toyota launches two vehicles in two weeks

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has a new baby—the Toyota Wigo. And they’re kinda upbeat about it. Flying over a thousand people to Cebu, the Queen City of the South for its launch cannot be anything less than upbeat.

I guess the marketing wizards of TMP have noticed the visible growth in the low-cost hatchback market, with sales jumping from 5,861 units in 2011 to 15,516 last year or an increase of more than 150% in three years. Someone may have yelled, “Hold the phone, why aren’t we there?” Was that Jing Atienza or Sherwin Chua Lim, or both of them?

The all-new Toyota Wigo was launched to both dealers and the motoring media, in separate events at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. The Philippines is the second country only to launch the new vehicle, after Indonesia, where it’s known as the Ayga.

With the Wigo’s low curb weight of 750kg, the vehicle is said to be expressly designed for the ASEAN market. TMP is expecting to appeal particularly to new-car buyers with prices ranging from P448,000 (1.0 E M/T variant) to P534,000 (1.0G automatic) with the manual version at P499,000.

The Wigo has a 3-cylinder 998-cc gasoline engine rated at 64hp and 85Nm that’s mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

It’s small but big in features and would merit a trip to the nearest Toyota dealership for close scrutiny and a test drive.

The upgraded Innova, too

Now, a week before the Wigo launch, TMP formally unveiled exclusively to the motoring media the updated Innova, marking the 3^rd time it has been given a redesign since it was introduced in the country in 2005.

The 2014 Toyota Innova features a thorough design upgrade both in its exterior as well as interior while maintaining its technical features like a 2.5 liter D-4D turbo diesel and a 2.0 liter VVT-I gasoline engine. Transmission choices remain as either the 5-speed manual or the 4-speed automatic. To best appreciate the aesthetic, functional and technical upgrades, there is no substitute for a trip to any of Toyota’s showrooms located all over the country for a much-deserved decision-making test drive.

Locally manufactured in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, the Toyota Innova is an MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) that has been highly regarded by TMP as one of their most sought after commercial vehicles. Its wide array of variants offers a model for buyers’ every need and budget.

Kia’s Happy Move Camp

Very recently 87 young volunteers came to the Philippines for a two-week immersion experience in what’s called Happy Move Camp, a global CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) effort by Kia Motors Corporation (KMC), where Korean university students are being dispatched all over the world to participate in volunteer work.

Together with Habitat for Humanity-Philippines the youthful volunteers moved materials and helped built homes in Bistekville 1, Barangay Payatas in Quezon City.

To cap off the grueling house-building activities and to formally end the program, a Donation Ceremony was organized for the community to enjoy, where the Korean contingent displayed traditional and modern Korean-inspired dance numbers and a group of Bistekville kids came out with their counterpart traditional Filipino dance.        

In addition to the cultural performances, KMC regional office president, Tae-Jin Park, formally turned over US$46,000.00 to Habitat for Humanity-Philippines saying, “Happy Move Camp has two goals—one is to help people have sustainable happiness by offering volunteer work for community development while the other is to provide Korean University students with a chance to go abroad, experience volunteer work and cultural exchange so that they grow up to be warm-hearted global leaders.”

Launched in 2008, Happy Move Camp was hosted this year by Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive importers and distributors of Kia vehicles in the country and its alluring president, Ms. Ginia R. Domongo was ecstatic to express, “We at CAC, are very happy with how Happy Move Camp in the Philippines turned out. Our Korean volunteers truly imbibed the spirit of “bayanihan” and of sharing. I hope they will take this memorable experience back home and continue to live as true global leaders.”          

Summer Test Drive Festival

Even if we wanted to, which we really do if only we can, but we can’t accommodate any more automobile brands for the first-ever, Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival happening from April 24 to 27 (Thursday to Sunday) at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

It’s not a motor show with no frills of such an event, but a purely, no-nonsense test drive event where the country’s top brands would bring all their current brand-new models for the public to test drive and closely scrutinize before deciding on what to buy or just to aspire for—very convenient one-stop for the car buyers and ultimately marketing cost-efficient for the auto industry.

Here’s the alphabetical list of the top automobile brands that would have their exciting models available during the 4-day strictly test drive event, namely; BMW, BYD, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot and Toyota. We shall update you as to what models from each of these participating auto companies would be available for test drive in our future columns. 

The new concept of this test drive event, which is to offer participating car companies an option to use a test drive course that we will put up within the event area, which we strongly feel would help address security and possible-damage issues when a test drive vehicle is brought out, forces us to appropriate a big space for the test drive course, thus the limited area for participating companies.

The test drive course is designed to bring out the best or the worst of the test-drive vehicles’ capabilities in handling, maneuverability, braking and riding comfort.

For the automobile enthusiasts and car buyers—a “must go” this summer.

No worries if you missed us on TV

Those loyal viewers who at times miss the airing of any of our TV shows (Motoring Today/Auto Focus/Business & Leisure) for one reason or another would very soon have a readily available and conveniently accessible option—the internet.

First that would go online is Auto Focus which presently airs on Thursday evenings, 10 o’clock, Shop TV, Channel 13, Sky Cable. We hope to have it up by the mid March, the latest.

The online version would have practically all that are shown on TV—features of current automobile production models, customized cars and head-to-head comparison of automobile models of the same category all with a choice of watching videos or still photographs.

All-video segments would include special industry events like out-of-town test drives, car launches, STV-ARCC highlights, Auto Focus People’s Choice and Media’s Choice Awards highlights, the latest auto industry news, etc.

It’s another pioneering venture of Sunshine TV and may be worth checking out when it goes online. Watch out for future announcements.

Happy Motoring!!!

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