Motoring Today Column: Gateway to Electrification

Jul 13, 2022

Gateway to Electrification

We learned something quite significant during the inauguration of Nissan Manila Bay, the latest dealership opened by the Gateway Group.

Apparently only the Gateway Group answered the call from Nissan Philippines, Inc. to support the local launch of the Nissan LEAF.

At the launch, Gateway Group CEO Markane Goho revealed that NPI presented to the whole Nissan dealership network in the country the plan to bring in the Leaf, the mass-market full electric vehicle.

"Only Gateway applied for the EV dealership. No one else was willing to invest," Goho said.

"Today we are proud to say that Gateway and Nissan are the pioneers of EV in the Philippines," he added.

Gateway has installed EV chargers in all its Nissan dealerships, four in Metro Manila, including the newest Nissan Manila Bay, one in Cebu, and two in Davao.

Gateway's wholehearted support for Nissan's shift toward electrification has not gone unnoticed by Nissan Motors.

No less than Asako Hoshino, executive vice president and chairperson of Japan-ASEAN Management Committee for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd , was present at the inauguration.

Speaking at the formal opening of Nissan Manila Bay, Hoshino said that "Nissan is truly shifting the focus to electrification."

Hoshino added that she would like to see Nissan Philippines grow together with Gateway to make the Nissan brand very strong in the Philippines.

In thanking Gateway for supporting the shift to electrification, Hoshino said "I really promise you the support. You will get every support from Nissan - the great team from Nissan Philippines."

Also at the inauguration was Juan Manuel Hoyos, Nissan Philippines, Inc. president, who thanked the Gateway Group for " for being reliable and dedicated to our company"

"This is a celebration of a partnership, a very strong partnership," he added.

In a press statement, Hoyos said: "Nissan and Gateway had a wonderful relationship and accomplishments over the years, and I know we can build on those successes as we grow the Nissan brand together.

"Through this dealership we hope to meet the needs of our customers and make our products and services more accessible to them.

"As we continue to expand in the country, we hope to continuously support them and our partners."

Located at Block 2 Lot 31 Brandco Ave., Aseana City, Paranaque City, Nissan Manila Bay showcases the brand's latest lineup in its six-car display showroom and nine service bays to accommodate Nissan vehicles.

Already carrying Nissan's new logo, Nissan Manila Bay is also equipped with specialized facilities and is staffed by trained experts to serve Nissan LEAF customers.

DPWH'S Top Honcho

We'd like to wish Manuel Bonoan well on his return to the Department of Public Works and Highways as its new head under the Bongbong Marcos administration.

Bonoan has taken over from Acting Secretary Roger Mercado who himself replaced now senator Mark Villar who headed the department during the Duterte administration until resigning to run for the Senate.

A civil engineer, Secretary Bonoan started his career as a public servant at the DPWH back in 1966 and worked in government until 2010 when he retired as senior undersecretary.

Working in the private sector, Bonoan joined SMC Tollways Corporation which is engaged in the construction, management, and operation of the expressways.

Now back as head of the DPWH, Secretary Bonoan faces the daunting task of completing unfinished flagship projects of the previous administration and push new infrastructure initiatives.

Students Ride Free

The free ride on the MRT-3 is over, at least for workers and other commuters.

However, President Bongbong Marcos has approved free rides on the MRT-3, the Light Rail Transit Line 2 and the Philippine National Railways for students, at least for the first quarter of the incoming schoolyear or from August to November.

At the same time, the President approved extending free rides on EDSA Carousel buses until the end of the year.

More than 38,000 schools are expected to resume their face-to-face classes for the next school year.

The Department of Transportation said that extending the free rides on the EDSA Carousel and providing free train rides to students will ease the burden of rising living expenses on Filipino families and help them save money - especially with the return of face-to-face classes after more than two years.

The DOTr estimates a daily average of 6,153 students will benefit from the free ride on the LRT-2 and the MRT-3 when schools start in August.

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)