Motoring Today Column: Busy July

Jul 20, 2022

Busy July

July is turning out to be an auspicious month that augurs well for an exciting and busy second half of the year for the auto industry.

The month also provides good news for motorists that should provide welcome relief as well as something they could look forward to in the months and years to come.

Samal-Davao Bridge

Good news for motorists in Davao and the Island City of Samal.

New Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan has confirmed that the Samal Island-Davao City Connector Project, one of the flagship projects under the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration, will push through.

The project will see a 3.98-kilometer bridge with four lanes connecting Davao City to Samal Island.

The toll-free bridge funded byOfficial Development Assistance from China is expected to begin construction this year and is targeted for completion in 2027.

Once completed motorists can drive from Davao City to Samal in around five minutes.

Albay-Sorsogon Road

Also great news for motorists, this time in Bicol, is the near completion of the 15.87-kilometer Albay-Sorsogon Connector Road.

Once completed, the new connector road is expected to cut travel times between Albay and Sorsogon by directly linking Legazpi City to Manito Road.

In a press statement, DPWH Region 5 Director Virgilio Eduarte said: "Locals and visitors will be able to utilize this all-weather road very soon. We are targeting completion of ongoing sections before the end of this year.

"When fully completed, Albay-Sorsogon Connector Road will reduce the travel time of motorists by one hour, benefitting as many as 5,000 motorists daily, and eventually improving the economic condition of areas along its route."

WM Electric

There's a new player in the local EV scene with seemingly serious intentions to fast-charge the country into the electric vehicle age.

WM Motor Philippines (WMPH) has officially launched the Weltmeister W5, a fully electric SUV crossover, after months of laying the groundwork for this first offering into the local EV market.

WMPH is the sole distributor of WM Motor brand electric vehicles manufactured in China.

It is not only distributing WM EVs but is also working to develop a network of charging stations in the country.

According to a press statement, WMPH "has the full-play distributorship rights to WM EVs which include but are not limited to car distributorship, dealership, charging stations, services, and parts."

Already WMPH has broken ground for the construction of theWM Motor Lifestyle Hub and Service Center at the AFP-RSBS Industrial Park in Western Bicutan, Taguig City.

WPMPH describes this as the "country's first-of-its-kind service and lifestyle facility that has a full-service workshop that caters to all after-sales requirements of WM EVs."

This will serve "as a hub to educate the market on sustainability and the role EVs can play."

Those who'd like to take a look and test drive the Weltmeister W5 can head over to the newly opened WMPH showroom at at the Seven/NEO building in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Lite Ace is Back

Toyota has brought back the Lite Ace, one of the most popular vans for the family back in its heydays.

This time the Lite Ace is being introduced as a light commercial vehicle that will be the "reliable business partner for Filipino business owners and entrepreneurs."

To emphasize this point, the official launch ofAll New Lite Ace was held at the Farmers Plaza in Quezon City, one of the busiest commercial centers and marketplaces in the country.

At the launch, Toyota Motor Philippines president Atsuhiro Okamoto said: "We are confident that the All-New Lite Ace is a game-changer, not just in uplifting the auto industry, but more importantly in improving the way homegrown businesses move people and goods."

Two variants of the Lite Ace are now available: the Pickup with an open bed for fast and flexible loading, and the Panel Van with sliding enclosure for a more secure cargo transport.

But Toyota says more variants will be available by September, including an Aluminum Van ideal for dry goods transport and the Utility Van fit for public transport.

Toyota is making the Lite Ace powered by a1.5-liter gasoline engine with 5-speed manual transmission quite affordable.

The Pickup Lite Ace retails at Php570,000 , the Panel Van Lite Ace at Php655,000.

Toyota Financial Services Philippines is offering unique financing packages for the Lite Ace that allow customers to acquire units under a weekly payment scheme with rates that go as low as Php2,903.50 per week for Pickup variant.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) www.motoringtoday.ph

Archive

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)