Motoring Today Column

Jul 05, 2023

No More Freebie

The good news is the second segment of the NLEX Connector Road will soon finished and opened to motorists by August at the soonest.

The bad news is that NLEX Corporation is hoping to begin charging toll on the first segment that was opened to motorists back in March, and perhaps on the second segment that would complete the connector road.

According to news reports, NLEX Corporation president and general manager Jose Luigi L. Bautista expects the segment from España to Sta. Mesa to be substantially complete in July and be opened to motorists one month later.

Bautista also hopes the Toll Regulatory Board will approve the toll matrix for the connector road and be allowed to begin charging 85 pesos in toll on Class 1 vehicles for use of the 5-kilometer segment from C3 Road in Caloocan to EspañabyJuly.

NLEX Corp. said it has already lost as much as 473,000 pesos a day in foregone revenues by allowing motorists free use of the opened segment of the connector road since March of this year.

When fully completed, the NLEX Connector Road will extend eight kilometersfrom C3 Road in Caloocan City to Magsaysay Boulevard in Manila with three interchanges.

NLEX Corp., which has invested 23.2 billion pesos in the project, plans to charge Class 1 vehicles 125 pesos for use of the connector road from Caloocan to Sta. Mesa.

Kia's New COO

We'd like to congratulate and welcome Brian Buendia as new chief operating officer of Kia Philippines Motor Corporation .

Kia owners should like what Buendia is saying about his task as COO of Kia Philippines.

Says Buendia : "We will refine the Kia buying and ownership experience by bringing our corporate identity and culture to the fore; strengthen our industry rankings through the introduction of new and exciting models; expand our already growing nationwide dealership network; and, establish Kia as a major player in the rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) market through our EV6 and future new energy vehicle (NEV) models."

He adds: "Kia Philippines became one of the fastest-growing car brands locally and was also recognized by Kia Asia Pacific for achieving the highest growth rate in the region, as well as being the number one independent distributor in retail sales in 2022. I will build upon these accolades to further steer Kia Philippines to greater success."

GAC Game Changer

GAC Motors has launched the GS3, a modern subcompact crossover that comes with design, specifications, and features that surpass expectations in its class.

GAC Motors brand head Jun Cajayon describes the All New GS3 as a game changer.

Said he at the official public launch of the GSA: " We are very happy with the launch as this new generation GS3 is a game changer. With the price point you get so much value for the money."

Cajayon points to the styling of the GS3 which follows the new design language of GAC exuding performance as among the main attractions of the brand's entry to the subcompact crossover segment.

He adds that the GS3 is the longest and most spacious in its segment.

Other advantages include the powertrain of the new GS3 which comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine generating 174 horsepower and 270 Nm of torque mated to a 7-speed wet type dual clutch transmission , as well as its driving assistance packages and connectivity features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay.

The GS3 Emzoom comes in three variants, the GS priced at P988,000 ; the GB priced at P1.090M, and the top of line GL priced at P1.198M .

Cajayon says GAC will continue to excite the market this year with new and fresh models as well as expand its dealership network which is well on the way to numbering 20 by yearend.

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)