Motoring Today Column

Feb 16, 2022

Peugeot Redux

Peugeot Philippines has gotten the local automotive scene excited at the start of the year, basically by relaunching the French marque with the announcement of new partnerships.

The French brand is stoking that excitement by adding a new vehicle -the New Peugeot 3008 SUV- and providing updates on its aggressive expansion plans for 2022.

"We are thrilled to launch the New Peugeot 3008 SUV, which is our next step in the revitalization of the Peugeot line-up in the Philippines," said Maricar Parco, Peugeot Philippines Brand Head.

"This vehicle is a leader in the compact SUV market with an outstanding commercial performance in Europe and internationally. We are confident

that its success will carry on in the Philippines," she added.

Raoul Picello, Peugeot Philippines managing director , also announced construction at its new dealership inAlabang is underway and would be opening in March.

Even better news from Picello is that construction on two other dealerships-Peugeot Cebu and Peugeot Davao-will start very soon.

All this should be good news for Peugeot owners in the country as it signifies the French brand's intention to stay in the country.

Not only to stay but also to expand and become a major player in the country.

Just listen to what Picello said: "Customer response to our brand has been positive since we re-launched the company last January 17, and we look forward to continue this momentum with each new Peugeot vehicle and showroom that we will introduce to the Philippine market."

Dominant Isuzu

Isuzu is certainly living up to its tagline as a responsible partner. Especially to those in the business of transporting passengers and cargo.

Citing a combined report from the Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. (TMA) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI), Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) said it has again topped truck sales.

This makes it 22 years of dominating the market for trucks, Isuzu said.

In the latest CAMPI- TMA report, Isuzu sold a total of4,427 trucks for a 45.5 percent market share.

Breaking down truck sales further, Isuzu said it sold2,745 units ofCategory III light-duty trucks, for a 56 percent market share.

It also sold 1,397 units ofCategory IV medium trucks for a 38.3 percent market share.

Isuzu wasn't as dominant in Category V heavy duty truck segment, selling 285 units or a 25.3 percent segment share.

IPC president Hajime Koso attributed the two decades of dominance to Isuzu's global reputation as a leading truck maker known for durability and reliability as well as excellent aftersales support.

Koso added that Isuzu continues to innovate in providing timely transport and business solutions to customers, citing the New N-Series Smoother AMT trucks.

The new N-Series Smoother is the first light duty truck in the market with an automated manual transmission.

"We are confident that this new innovating truck will have the similar success as other models in our line-up," said Koso.

LRT-1 Viaduct

The viaduct for Phase 1 of the LRT-1 extension to Cavite is now in place.

This is a significant achievement as it sets the stage for the laying of rails and the installation of the electrical system.

As the same time, construction of stations can begin.

Phase 1 of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project covers five stations from the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station to the Dr. A Santos Station.

Light Rail Transit Corporation president and CEO Juan F. Alonso is rightfully proud of the "commitment and sacrifice of all our teams, who displayed resilience amidst unsettling conditions and the determination to deliver with excellence" in achieving this milestone.

"With the support from our various partners in the public and private sectors, this project was able to achieve significant progress despite the limitations of the pandemic," Alonso said.

Bouygues Travaux Publics , is the Engineering Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for the project.

It must be said that Bouygues Travaux Publics is a global player in construction operating in more than 80 countries from 5 continents, and an expert in large-scale projects involving tunnels, engineering structures, as well as road, port and rail infrastructures.

Subway Progress

Another rail project that is making good progress toward completion is the Metro Manila Subway.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has announced that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed the second tranche of the loan agreement for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP), making available an additional 253 billion yen for the country's first-ever underground railway system.

In announcing this development, the DOTr said construction of the MMSP's partial operability section from Valenzuela to North Avenue is now in full swing following the arrival of two Tunnel Boring Machines last year.

NLEX Connector

Also making good progress is the8-kilometer NLEX Connector project that will extend the NLEX southward from Caloocan Interchange on C3 road to the Skyway Stage 3 near thePolytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

NLEX Corporation announced that construction of the three-kilometer NLEX Connector Sta. Mesa Section has started with bored piling and foundation works along Antipolo Street, Sampaloc, Manila.

"Progress of the NLEX Connector Sta. Mesa Section will be more visible now as we start laying the foundation for this segment," said NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista .

The NLEX Connector is expected to "help decongest Metro Manila traffic and improve connectivity between seaports in Manila and airports in NAIA and Clark."

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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