THE public poll for the 2007 Petron Xtra Unleaded Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards officially closed its three-month run at the end of the Philippine Motor Show and Auto Expo held at the World Trade Center (WTC) from May 24 to 27.  With bated anticipation, the motoring industry awaited the consolidated results from online votes, onsite polling centers and onsite voting at the motor show. And at the awards night held at the Valle Verde Country Club on May 30, the people’s choices for Models of the Year in 12 categories were proclaimed, and the much-coveted 2007 Automobile of the Year award went to a new winner: the 2007 Honda Civic.

As announced by the organizing Sunshine Television (STV), led by chairman and CEO Ray Butch Gamboa, the winners and runners-up were:

Concluding its third year of giving the general public a unique and rare opportunity to choose and vote for their favorite automobile models, the 2007 Petron Xtra Unleaded Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards arrayed a list of 112 models currently on offer by or recently launched by the country’s car manufacturers and distributors.

During the awards night, Gamboa thanked and awarded plaques of appreciation to lead sponsors, namely, Petron Corp., IBM Philippines (official software and computer systems provider), JVC Philippines (official provider of audiovisual systems), the Philippine Star, Solar Sports, North Luzon Tollways, Asahi Glass, 105.1 Crossover FM, Airborne Access, STI-Caloocan and G-Liner. In his welcome address, Gamboa also cited the banner participation of major automotive manufacturers, such as Toyota Motor Philippines, Honda Cars Philippines, Suzuki Philippines, Isuzu Philippines, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., Motor Image Pilipinas (Subaru) and Ford Group Philippines, which together “allowed the Philippine Motor Show and Auto Expo to feature the most comprehensive display of competing car makes and models ever assembled in one venue so far this year.” For their eye-catching exhibit at the WTC, Isuzu Philippines garnered the Best Display Award as adjudged by attending motoring journalists. Special exhibits were also put up by Goodyear Philippines, Outlast Batteries and Cruven Auto Specialist.

In his keynote address, Petron vice president for marketing Joey Campos praised the concept of people empowerment that the People’s Choice Awards program featured. Campos cited his company’s continuing efforts to listen to its customers and react to their specific needs in the areas of fuel efficiency and economy. Petron’s proactive response to this clamor came with the introduction of such breakthrough fuels as the mile-saving Petron Xtra Unleaded, the power-enhancing Diesel Max, and the new clean-burning XCS.

As Gamboa further explained, the whole idea of people empowerment and making the process more convenient and accessible to the public was “indeed significantly bolstered by STV’s expansion of the polling process beyond our web-site poll. We took the time and extra expense to put polling centers in high-traffic locations such as malls. These audiovisual/photo display modules with voting terminals that were set up at the Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall, Eastwod City in Libis, The Block of SM North Edsa and the SM Mall of Asia and, eventually, at the WTC motor show really expanded the voters base during the three-month poll run. In this area, IBM and JVC played a key role in allowing us to feature a truly interactive and attractive off-site poll center that helped generate unprecedented levels of public participation.”

During the recently concluded Philippine Motor Show and Auto Expo, on-site events and raffles further generated additional voter participation. A special display and competition for modified cars, the winners of which were also determined by the visiting public, saw the Isuzu’s dressed-up D-Max pickup receive the Best in Show-Manufacturers’ Category trophy. In the Privateers’ Division, the 1995 Toyota Corolla owned by Dollar Cayetano Gacilo romped off with the Best in Show honors.

A TV special of the motor show and awards night is to be featured on the Solar Sports Channel soon.

WE have a saying that it’s all right to dream because dreams don’t cost you money.  That means that we can dream all we want about the best things in life—most especially about cars.

I JUST came back from a trip to Oriental Negros (yes, it used to be called Negros Oriental), Dumaguete and Cebu.

WHEN the Ford Everest was first introduced in the country not so long ago, it was a sales hit due to the fact that, at that time only, the Blue Oval had the initiative to build a diesel-fed, midsize, mass market-intended SUV.

THEY say everything comes in threes, which is especially great when it comes to the Mazda3! Coinciding with its third anniversary in the Philippines, the New Mazda3 was recently launched, multiplying the thrill with over 100 enhancements that improve driving dynamics, design, craftsmanship, as well as packaging and safety features. 

THE public poll for the 2007 Petron Xtra Unleaded Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards officially closed its three-month run at the end of the Philippine Motor Show and Auto Expo held at the World Trade Center (WTC) from May 24 to 27.