Motoring Today Column

May 16, 2018

An auto rally for road safety

That headline of our column would definitely be considered an oxymoron if we're talking of an auto rally as it is known today, which is based on speed-top speed.

Well, the just concluded 2018 Phoenix Petroleum STV Auto Rally Corporate Challenge, which runs in its great part on public roads is not a race. It is not based on speed but on precision driving. To win, a team must try to be consistently "on time all the time". It should aim to always come as close as possible to all the prescribed time and speed to travel from one point to another and even in between-indeed to be precise as precise can be. And this is to be done while following all traffic rules and regulations as any infringement would mean an outright disqualification from the competition. It is indeed an auto rally where road safety is paramount.

Difficult? You bet it is. But the ranks of participants leveling up every time we hold this 'Sampaguita Rally' (a take off from Europe's 'Tulip Rally') by registering up to the second "perfect times" are surprisingly increasingly.

A total of 10 car manufacturers and importers ( Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Lexus, Mazda, Mini, SsangYong, and Volkswagen) participated in this year's staging of the only motor sport event that the local auto industry players openly compete against each other, although the spirit behind their participation is more of promoting industry camaraderie. But admittedly not for their teams that always come ready for a fierce but very friendly contest of teamwork and skills.

Rows of brand news automobile models were parked at the rally's parc ferme or waiting area for participating vehicles that was located right in front of the very new and impressiveWest Aeropark Building within the expansive Clark Global City. It's one of the top-notched developments in the former American airbase, which counts among the multiple enterprises of young business tycoon Dennis Uy whose legendary meteoric rise is considered nothing short of phenomenal.

And this year's STV-ARCC was there for a reason. The young tycoon's flagship enterprise, Phoenix Petroleum is the rally'sPresenter and their newly launched fuel; Phoenix Fuels with Pulse Technology is the rally's 'Official Fuel'.

While in the past the STV-ARCC was held in a single venue alternating between Tagaytay City, Subic orClark, the 2018 edition ran from Clark to Subic and back-a first. The second flag off of the rally which was in Subic was held at the Ayala Harbor Point Mall, another loyal supporter of the STV ARCC courtesy of the dynamic tandem ofDerrick Manuel and Argee Gomez. Another first, although not an integral part of the competition is its 'fuel performance benchmarking' of participating vehicles while in 'rally mode'.

With the participation of NLEX Corporation as a Cooperating Sponsor, this year's rally's route deliberately included passing through some tollgates, a couple of which, without the knowledge of participants were actually 'time checkpoints'. It's an effort to demonstrate the present seamless travel between the NLEX and SCTEX through strategically located toll plazas and the use of modern RFIDs.

Part of the 2018 Phoenix Petroleum's STV-ARCC's flag off ceremonies last Saturday, May 12 were inspiring remarks from the rally's major supporters like Glenson Lim , Udenna Land, Inc.'s GM followed byNLEX Corporation President and CEO Rod Franco, capped byCelina Matias, AVP for Brand and Marketing of Phoenix Petroleum.

A total of 104 cars were flagged off right on the long and wide driveway of the West Aero Park Building.

The traditional Awards Night is scheduled on May 21 where the Certificates of Fuel Performance of participating rally cars shall also be given out.

See you next year for another exciting and very challenging "on time all the time" experience.

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)