Motoring Today Column: Car Buyers Festival

May 08, 2019

Car Buyers Festival

The motoring public has spoken. There is a regular venue where one can evaluate various brands of vehicles to make a decision on which car model to buy.

That venue was the Phoenix Petroleum 2019 Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival (AFTDF) which was open May 2 to 5 at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

There, car buyers could review various brands of vehicles and models, discuss its specs, and test drive each car- and then leave with a decision brewing in his or her mind.

Consider these numbers: There were 65 new vehicles of various brands and models offered for test drive at this rare automotive event.

During the four-day event, there were exactly 2,562 test drive sessions where people did not only drive one car model but proceeded to go "test drive shopping" around the festival venue.

It would interest car manufacturers - and buyers - to know the ranking of most test driven cars is: 1. Suzuki Jimny; 2. Nissan Terra; 3. Honda Civic RS; 4. Mitsubishi Xpander; 5. Honda CRV; 6. Suzuki Ertiga; 7. Mitsubishi Strada; 8. Toyota RAV4; 9. Hyundai Kona; 10. MG6.

From the ranking, you can see the trend in car buyers' choices - with the tough SUVs dominating the list, and the sporty sedan still not losing its aura. It's a very interesting list that tells of how the car market has developed.

The Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival, which started in 2014, can now take a bow. The presence of car buyers who did 2,562 test drive runs has validated the venue as the one-stop shop for those thinking of buying a car.

The event answers the consumers need to see all cars in one venue, test drive each one, and then make a decision on which car to buy.

To most people, buying a car is the second biggest investment one will make - second to buying a house. To the young professionals, buying a car is as major a decision as moving out of the family home and starting on your own. That's why car buyers take a lot of time to decide on what model to buy.

AFSTDF is organized by Sunshine Television (STV) as part of its annual trilogy of automobile industry programs. Its other programs are the Auto Focus People's Choice Awards (AFPCA) and the Auto Focus Media's Choice Awards (AFMCA).

But on top of the number of test drive runs, to me, the best indicator of the success of the AFSTDF was the support of the motoring world. At the opening cocktails on May 2, we were honored to have the presence of top officers of the automotive companies who were exhibitors at the test drive festival.

The car company officers were: Noriyuki Takakura (Honda President); Manny Aligada (Kia President);Atsushi Najima (Nissan's newly-appointed president);Atty. Albert Arcilla (MG President);Japheth Castillo (SsangYong managing director);Keiichi Suzuki (Suzuki GM for Auto);Tini Arevalo (Toyota First VP); Arlan Reyes (Mitsubishi's Senior Manager for Ad & Promo); Uzzi Asuncion (Subaru's Marketing Director);Giovanni Frias (GAC's VP for Sales & Operations) and Henry Albert 'Bong' Fadullon (Phoenix Petroleum COO).

I was equally honored to have the presence of Steven Tan (Mazda President); Volkswagen Philippines led byFelipe Estrella III (President),Klaus Schadewald (Chief Operating Adviser),Franz Decloedt (Marketing Director), Timmy De Leon (PR Head); JP Orbeta (Ayala Corp's Senior Managing Director); Leo Dolendo (AC Auto's VP for Aftersales); Bobby Rosales, (former president of BMW & current CFO of Columbian Motors); Maricar Parco (president of BMW Libis, the flagship dealership of BMW Philippines);Reggie See (Maxus General Manager); Lyn Buena (MG Philippines); Celina Matias (Phoenix Petroleum's avp for brand and marketing); Nissan's Dax Avenido (AGM for Communications) Dino Obias (GM for Marketing),Atty. Louie Soriano (Honda Sales Division Head);Bobby Shaw (Auto Nation Vice President);Tey Sornet (Lica Auto SVP & COO);Val De Leon (JAC President); Toyota's Atty Rommel Gutierrez (First VP for Gov't & Corp. Affairs) and Carlo Ablaza (AVP for Marketing); and Ariel De Jesus (Wurth).

How can I forget the pleasure of the company of friends in motoring media -Al Mendoza (Business Mirror); Vernon Sarne (Visor); Brian Afuang (Caliber); Ira Panganiban, Eggay Quesada, Olson Camacho (Autocar) and Inigo Roces (Manila Bulletin). To those whose names I have not included, please excuse my memory. The mood of the pleasant gathering was overwhelming.

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, for making time to grace our simple opening ceremony. The gathering of friends has made the Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival truly successful!

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(Email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(Online) www.motoringtoday.ph

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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)