Motoring Today Column: Ready for -BER

Sep 01, 2021

Ready for -BER

It's September. Time does fly even during a pandemic. The -ber months have arrived and with it the expected heated battle for vehicle sales.

Already many auto assemblers and distributors are positioning their final offerings for the year to gain the most advantage in what is traditionally the period when sales surge.

Subaru Outback

Among the early -ber entries is the All-New 2021 Subaru Outback.

Motor Image Pilipinas has announced the arrival of the sixth-generation Outback now built on the Subaru Global Platform.

Subaru says the Outback has been restyled inside and out and fitted with the latest driver assist technology (Eyesight 4.0 ) as more sophisticated infotainment system, as well as an innovative Driver Monitoring System.

Motor Image's Glenn Tan expects big things in the -ber months for the Outback.

Says Tan: "Fans of the Outback will know that it is reliable and always there for you, taking you on your best journeys, time after time. It has the latest best-in-class safety features and spaciousness usually found in luxury European brands. It will keep you and your loved ones safe and comfortable. It is stable, versatile, and practical, with a touch of luxury. It is a well-equipped high-end car, without the high-end price tag."

The Outback comes with a full inner frame structure and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and is powered by an all-new 2.5-liter direct injection boxer engine which generates 188 PS and 245Nm of torque, enabling the car to go from 0 to 100km/h in 9.6 seconds.

The All-new Outback comes with a retail price ofP2.38 million but those who reserve a unit on or beforeSeptember 2021 will get a P50,000 discount.

Mitsubishi Mirage G4

Also arriving in time for the big -ber push for sales is the Mitsubishi Mirage G4.

You can now add sporty to smart and practical in describing the popular subcompact sedan from Mitsubishi.

This is mainly because the G4 powered by a1.2-liter MIVEC engine now comes with Mitsubishi's Dynamic Shield fascia. Add the 15-inch alloy wheels and you have one sporty-looking subcompact.

The top-of-line G4 GLS CVT now features some of the latest safety and comfort and convenience features now seen in most top-end automobiles.

These include Keyless Operation System, Push Start button, Auto Climate Control, ABS, EBD, Reverse Camera, Foglamps .

Prices start at P769,000 for the Mirage G4 GLX MT to P819,000 for the GLX CVT and P899,000 for the GLS CVT.

PVMIC Turnaround

Owners of Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PVMIC) should now be spinning their heads after another change of heart by transport authorities.

Just when they thought they could finally generate more revenues with the implementation of mandatory PMVIC testing within theirGeographic Areas of Responsibility, Department of Transportation Secretary (DOTr) Art Tugade directed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to hold this in abeyance.

This followed heavy criticism against the memorandum circular that said only motor vehicle inspection reports from PVMICs will be accepted by LTO district, branch and satellite offices within respective GAORs for the registration of light vehicles and motorcycles.

This latest effort to make testing mandatory at PVMICs again drew protests and criticisms as happened in the past which then prompted President Duterte to defer its implementation.

The President even convinced PVMICs to lower testing fees.

This time it's Tugade suspending the mandatory PVMIC testing. And the official reason is Tugade "recognizes the need for a smoother and more efficient manner of implementation of the GAOR policy, while also taking into consideration the current Covid-19 situation which hampers the required vehicle registration process."

A DOTr press statement added: "In listening to the inputs of various stakeholders in the PMVIC program, Secretary Tugade calls for sobriety and unity to address the issues and concerns regarding this very important road transport policy of enhancing vehicle road worthiness inspection."

Observers believe the change of heart on the GAOR may be all about what's coming in 2022.

Meanwhile, owners can still choose between having their vehicles tested at PETCs or PVMICs prior to renewal of registrations. Perhaps until after the 2022 elections.

CALAX Interchange

With the completion of the Silang East section of the Cavite-Laguna Expresway (CALAX), motorists can now travel more quickly from Mamplasan in Binan, Laguna up to Silang East, exiting at Tibig Road, in Silang.

The newly opened Silang East Interchange is expected to serve at least 5,000 motorists daily and help decongest traffic coming from Governor's Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road.

This follows the formal inauguration of the Silang East Interchange which extends the operational segment of the CALAX from 10 to 14.2 kilometers.

The inauguration was attended by, among others , DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar, DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, Mayor Corazon Poblete of Silang, Cavite.

Also in attendance were Metro Pacific Investment Corporation president Jose Ma. Lim, Metro Pacific Tollways president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, MHI president and CEO Robert V. Bontia .

"We are grateful for the trust and continued partnership with the government of the Philippines in providing the much-needed mobility infrastructure in the form of CALAX to help boost tourism and economic activity in the CALABARZON Region," said Bontia.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) 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)