|
IT’S
school time once again as students of all ages troop
back to their respective classes.
Traffic
is expected to clog every street in the metropolis once
again. Although it’s a problem that haunts us every
year, we can expect it to only become worse. In fact,
the summer vacation was hardly felt in the metropolis
because the traffic problem was with us almost every
day.
With the
onset of the school year, one thing the authorities
should look into is the school buses, which have become
a very lucrative business. The big question is: Are
safety measures being observed by school-bus operators?
How many
dilapidated vehicles were turned into school buses
overnight in order to keep up with the demand of many
schoolchildren? Are they safe enough to bring your kids
to and from school?
The
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)
and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) have already
listed the various rules and regulations pertaining to
school buses. But are they being followed?
The very
first thing that school buses must have is a decent
air-conditioning system. In this country, where hot
weather prevails most of the school year, children must
have cool transportation in going to and coming from
school.
The next
thing is the safety of the children onboard those school
buses. Are they safe and protected while inside the
vehicle? I understand that metal screens should be
placed on all windows of the vehicle in order to keep
those children’s arms or any body parts from protruding
outside the vehicle. This one is on the list of the DOTC
and the LTO guidelines, I understand.
Many of
the school buses simply conk out during rush hours and
cannot even bring children to school on time. Those
dilapidated vehicles must be taken out of service.
School
buses must also have drivers with good character. I’ve
seen many school-bus drivers who were abusive not only
when driving but also in the way they treat their
occupants. They even bully the children when they are
late in boarding their vehicles.
Another
question is are those operators charging the correct
fees? I’ve heard many parents complaining of the high
cost of school-bus fees these days. The cost of fuel
might be really driving those fees up but this must be
regulated by the authorities, or else they would be
taken advantage of by operators.
****
THE
Hyundai Global City Hub (HGCH) at The Fort Global City
in Taguig was inaugurated on Friday with lots of pomp
and noise.
The
whole place was constructed on a 3,000-square-meter lot
near McKinley Drive, which is very visible from all
directions. A total of 550 square meters were allotted
for the showroom, while 1,000 sq m were devoted to its
service workshop. An extra 1,000 square meters are available for future expansion.
In order
to keep its growing clients satisfied, the HGCH has
lined up several strategies that are “committed to
adhere to Hyundai’s global standards of operation.”
The hub
is now equipped with the latest service tools, such as
the latest in electronic diagnostic tools, and it will
be opened on extended hours to cater to clients with a
different time schedule. Shuttle service will also be
provided for customers’ access to nearby malls, such as
Market! Market!, Glorietta and the Ayala Business Center
while their vehicles are being serviced.
“We will
make sure that our presence will be felt by everyone and
that HGCH will give a good fight within the industry. We
will strive to be the best in everything that we do and
this doesn’t necessarily have to be in sales volume
alone, but most important, customer satisfaction,” said
Willy Q. Tee Ten, the president and principal dealer of
the HGCH. He added, “Hyundai is the brand of the future
with lots of promises and expectations. Its
aggressiveness, flexibility and impact are falling in
one good and strategic direction…and this is what we
mean by business.”
****
PETRON
honored its various dealers nationwide during the recent
25th Petron Dealers Association Conference held at the
Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel.
Service
awardees included Apolonio Marasigan, who has been a
dealer in San Juan, Batangas, for 57 years, as well as
22 other dealers from all over the country who have been
around for 35 years. Willie Juinio of
Petron Commonwealth
was honored with the Chairman’s Award for Total
Excellence in Retail Outlet Management. The President’s
Awards went to Jaime Pua (Petron Doña Soledad, Parañaque)
for outstanding sales volume; Leopoldo Concel Jr. (Petron
Kabankalan, Negros Occidental) for outstanding
incremental sales volume; and Octaviano Hilarion (Petron
T’boli, South Cotabato) for outstanding sales volume
growth.
Petron
president Khalid al-Faddagh thanked the dealers for
strengthening the oil company’s market leadership last
year. He also reiterated Petron’s commitment to its
dealer network development in attaining the corporate
vision of “leading through partnerships.”
Petron
chairman Nicasio I. Alcantara, meanwhile, summarized the
dramatic changes in the industry and the company. He
also discussed the $300-million refinery master plan,
which reinforces Petron’s competitive advantage by
ensuring that it will be able to supply high-quality
gasoline, diesel and LPG in a consistent and reliable
manner to the Philippine market. |
