Motoring Today Column

Apr 01, 2020

Stepping up

There is a need for individuals, companies and groups to step up if we are to overcome these difficult times and return to some form of normalcy.

Many automakers and distibutors are stepping up by providing vehicles and even team members to help with the transport of so-called front-liners - medical personnel and hospital staff- in the war against the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

TOYOTA

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is among the first to step, lending out 47 units - and still counting - to various hospitals and local government units.

Hospitals and LGUs benefitting from Toyota's brave volunteerism include Philippine General Hospital, Ospital ng Makati, East Avenue Medical Center, Mary Johnston Hospital in Manila, Binangonan Lakeview Hospital, Unihealth Parañaque Hospital and Medical Center, City Government of Santa Rosa / Santa Rosa Community Hospital, City of Manila Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno and the Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office .

Lent out units included, among others, the Vios, Innova, Fortuner, Rush, Hiace, RAV4, FJ Cruiser.

Toyota said that to ensure the safety of TMP personnel and the frontline workers, protocols for sanitation, safety, and health would be strictly observed.

The company said it would continue to reach out to other LGUs and hospitals to see how it could help in the fight against the spread of the pandemic.

"From my last post, I got very good suggestions from my Facebook friends to lend support to our frontliners, in whatever way we can. I would like to thank you for your suggestions! We have coordinated with various LGUs and government hospitals to lend our company vehicles for the daily transportation of health workers. Rest assured that we are doing the best we can, even in small ways. I hope that with our combined efforts, and everyone doing their part, we can fight Covid-19! Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong, PILIPINAS!," said TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto in his Facebook post (@TMPPresidentsOffice).

VOLKSWAGEN

Also stepping up is Volkswagen Philippines ofAC Motors which provided threeVolkswagen Crafter units to FamilyDOC ofAC Health for the entire duration of the Luzon-wide quarantine. Volkswagen also volunteered drivers for each unit.

According to online reports, the Crafter vans are being used to ferry healthcare workers of FamilyDoc clinics and to deliver such vital necessities as food, alcohol, and personal protective equipment.

MITSUBISHI

Another car company that has stepped up to the plate is Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation which has lent a number of L300 FB vans to the Department of Transportation for use as "transport for health workers, support staff and other frontliners fromSta. Rosa City in Laguna toMuntinlupa City and vice versa during the Enhanced Community Quarantine period."

"Mitsubishi Motors acknowledges the sacrifice being done by our frontliners. From the people in the medical field, our uniformed personnel, food and service crew, security guards and other support personnel, we salute your bravery, selflessness and dedication in protecting our communities from this virus," said MMPC president and CEO Mutsuhiro Oshikiri.

ISUZU

Also stepping up to volunteer its vehicles to help transport health workers is Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC).

Isuzu said it turned over two Dmax units and oneMu-X unit to the local government of Biñan. The vehicles are expected to be used to ferry medical front-liners to several hospitals in Binan and Sta. Rosa.

It added that it also lent one Mu-X and one NLR PUV to the Medical City in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, again for use to transport its medical and other needed staffmembers.

Isuzu said it will continue to reach out to other hospitals which need vehicles to transporting personnel and needed supplies.

Said IPC President Hajime Koso, "As the world, including the Philippines, faces an unprecedented health crisis threatening countless lives, our healthcare workers and frontliners-the doctors, nurses, medical researchers, hospital and clinic technicians, and other staff-have risked their own lives to help stop the pandemic, while caring for those who have contracted the disease. And they have been performing such selfless work tirelessly, without letup. With these vehicles, we at IPC hope that our dedicated and enduring heroes in the hospitals would find comfort and safety in their transport. Through our vehicles, we can help them fight the virus more effectively."

FREE BUS SERVICE

These efforts of automakers and distributors complement the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) initiative to provide free bus services to front-liners in the fight to contain and defeat the Covid-19 virus.

As of March 27, the DOTr's Free Bus Service Program has expanded to18 routes covering sectors within Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. The Free Bus Service caters to hospital workers from doctors and nurses to administration personnel, utility workers, security officers, and pharmacists.

The DOTr said the program is being undertaken with the help and cooperation of private companies such as HM Transport, San Agustin, MetroExpress, RRCG, Megaworld Corp. (Citilink), Precious Grace, Grace Transport, Ceres, Jac Liner, Dagupan Bus, St. Rose Transit, Hafti Transport, Jasper Jean, Pascual, Hi-Star, Pamana, Ube Express, G-Liner, Thelman Transit, Manrose, Pilipinas Autogroup, Beep, Star 8 and automotive company Foton.

CHEVRON

Also stepping up to help front-liners isChevron Philippines, marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants.

Aside from donating more than half a million pesos to to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. (PGHMFI) to address the shortage in medical supplies and personal protective equipment, Chevron also partnered with several groups providing free transport services to front liners.

Caltex partnered with JAC Liner to provide fuel support amounting to Php250,000 to four shuttle buses servicing frontliners and health workers. The donation covers buses in the routes from Paranaque Integrated Terminal to Alabang and Ortigas to Shaw Boulevard until the first week of April. It also partnered with Grab in providing free transport for front-liners.

"Caltex is one with the Philippine nation and our frontliners and health workers in battling this global pandemic. We are actively responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and while we continue to closely monitor our operating environment, we are also supporting PGH, JAC Liner, Kaya Natin! Foundation, and Grab Philippines in their mission to help curtail this virus. We hope this crisis will soon be over and that everyone stays safe," said Chevron country chairman Louie Zhang.

Happy Motoring!!!

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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)

 

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