Motoring Today Column: Online Renewal Promise

Sep 21, 2022

Online Renewal Promise

There's good news coming out of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) which has been subject of complaints about the long lines and hours lost by applicants seeking to renew vehicle registrations or licenses.

The main reason given for the snail-paced process at many LTO district, branch and satellite offices is problematic internet network connections.

However, published reports attributed to the LTO and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) indicate solutions are now being worked out to solve problems with networks and portals.

The LTO reported that it has been meeting with Dermalog, a German biometrics and security company, on how to improve its online business processes and other services.

The LTO wants to activate a Motor Vehicle Registration Information System (MVRIS) within its Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) portal that will allow online renewal of vehicle registrations.

The new reports said LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Teofilo Guadiz III supports including the MVRIS in the public portal of LTMS for the renewal of vehicles "as this will greatly reduce the lines in our offices."

"With this activation it will be possible to renew your vehicles without needing to line up at LTO offices around the country," Guadiz said.

The LTO and Dermalog officials are now said to be finalizing implementation of MVRIS in LTMS.

Dermalog spokesperson Nikki de Vega said two-thirds of transactions with the LTO involve motor vehicle renewals and doing this online would ease the long lines and "make extremely convenient to the public."

The reports said Dermalog will also help the LTO resolve issues with the LTMS and make its processes even more responsive and adaptive.

Some observers are hoping the good news coming out of the LTO won't turn out to be fake news.

The past administration had also promised to use online processes to make LTO services more efficient, convenient and transparent.

Prestone Scholars

In 2018, Prestone launched its ' Anak ng Mekaniko' Scholarship Program to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

The program provided children of hard-working and loyal auto mechanics free four-year course college education at STI Colleges.

Six Anak ng Mekaniko scholars graduated in September of this year and were recognized and honored in a two-day event hosted by Prestone that also included a career preparation workshop to help them gear up for the corporate world.

The scholars include Edmajea Aguinaldo from Makati who graduated with a BS in Hospitality Management; Melver Masangkay from Batangas who took up BS in Computer Engineering; Christian Diamante from Misamis Oriental, Cagayan De Oro, who finished with a BS in Information Technology; Aulinda Buban from Antipolo City, Rizal, who finished with a BS in Information Technology; Harvey Plazo from Camarines Sur who graduated cum laude with a BS in Information Technology, and Anna Raiza Dela Cruz, also from Camarines Sur who graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Hospitality Management.

"Prestone is proud to make a difference and be a part of these smart and talented individuals' lives. We are extremely grateful to be able to give back to some hard-working auto-mechanic parents. Prestone also appreciates STI Colleges' dedication to helping these young individuals realize their dreams and attain a promising future for their loved ones" said Marites Dagdag, general manager for Southeast Asia at Clorox International Philippines, Inc ., which distributes Prestone and STP products in the country.

The scholars and Prestone certainly deserve our congratulations.

Concept One

We also like to congratulate our good friends atConcept One who celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, marking two decades of bringing in the latest aftermarket wheels and reputable tire brands in the Philippines.

Aside from performance wheels from TSW and Breyton, Concept One is now promoting the outdoor overlanding lifestyle with off-road wheels from Black Rhino and Method Race Wheels.

Soon to be another feather in the Concept One cap is the transformation of its San Juan showroom into the first ever Nitto Performance Hub in Asia.

Says Sam Liuson, president of Concept One Wheels: "We are very happy with the quality of Nitto's high performance and off-road tires and have been promoting this brand for many years in the Philippines. It is a great honor to be appointed as the first Nitto Performance Hub in Asia where we offer the complete range of Nitto tires and also offer state-of-the-art mounting and tire care services. We also offer a 4-year factory warranty on Nitto tires purchased from us."

Those looking to upgrade wheels and tires better head over to Concept One and take advantage of 20th Anniversary promos which include a set of four 20" Black Rhino Wheels paired with Nitto 420SD tires for as low as P88,000.

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)