Motoring Today Column

Feb 15, 2017

SPMJ awards best CSR projects at Resorts World

The Marriott Hotel at theResorts World Manila complex in Parañaque City shall be the fitting venue for the awards night of the auspicious1^st Driven to Serve Awards of theSociety of Philippine Motoring Journalists ( SPMJ) to be given to what have been judged as the best among the most outstanding CSR ( Corporate Social Responsibility) projects of the local automotive industry.

The management of Resorts World Manila decided posthaste to lend their generous support for the project by graciously hosting the awards night knowing fully well the importance of CSR projects in nation building and uplifting the lives of the populace because they themselves have made CSR a very important part of their corporate life in the country.

A total of nineteen entries comprise this year's batch of laudable projects that are being undertaken by the country's automobile manufacturers, importers and distributors.

The different CSR projects of the auto industry have been distinguished by the following categories, namely:environment, community development, road safety and education & training.

Any car company that has a CSR project is already considered a winner with their contribution to the improvement of the lives of the populace through education and training, helping the impoverish citizenry of the community by way of livelihood projects and promoting safety in our roads . All of them shall be cited for their efforts during the awards night.

However among the best, there are still what can be considered as the best and the most distinguished among the outstanding. And these were decided on by a very distinguished panel of judges comprised of prominent personalities from the business sector, the academe and even the church.

These illustrious exponents in their own fields are Ms. Millie Dizon, senior vp of the SM marketing communications group, Mr. Rod Franco, president and ceo of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation andManila North Tollways Corporation,Mr. Ed G. Lacson, chairman of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines aside from heading a slew of other corporations and business enterprises, Mr. Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr., honorary chairman and treasurer of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also head of a chockfull of business organizations and enterprises, Dr. Cristina D. Padolina, president and chief academic officer of Centro Escolar University and a very respected prominent member of the academe andMsgr. Pedro C. Quitorio, president of Aeropagus Communications and director of the CBCP media office.

The 'Driven to Serve CSR Awards' is conceived by SPMJ to inform the public at large about the good deeds of most of those in the country's automotive industry that go unnoticed and unrecognized. This being left undone, leads to unfair speculation that the auto sector is engaged in nothing else but selling vehicles. Which also leads further to the mistaken belief that the continued level of vehicle sales actually causes the horrendous traffic that the metropolis is experiencing on a daily basis.

The ultimate objective of the recognition and award-giving exercise is to encourage those automotive companies that still do not have CSR projects in their corporate make up, to start having one and those that are already engaged, to do better.

The Society of Philippine Motoring Journalists is an organization of editors, columnists, TV hosts and producers, and top-notched print, broadcast, radio and online journalists, all covering the motoring beat, which includes the motoring industry and motor sports.

SPMJ's '1^st Driven to Serve CSR Awards' is being fully realized with the full cooperation of MNTC, the Manila North Tollways Corporation with invaluable support from major sponsors, CAMPI, the Chamber of Automobile Manufacturers in the Philippines, Inc . and Petron Corporation.

The awards night of the 1^st SPMJ Driven to Serve CSR Awards will have the top executives of the local auto industry in attendance.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & 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)