MANY readers reacted to my column about the tricycle last week. Some said it’s about time that our leaders got their act together, that they should crack the whip and make the tricycle drivers behave—especially in the highways of Maharlika coming down South and MacArthur going up North.
Others said the mayors and chiefs of police in the country must work hand-in-hand to discipline errant tricycle drivers, saying the tricycle per se is never the problem but the tricycle driver himself/herself; if enforcement of laws continues to be not a priority of our local government units, there is a clear breakdown in leadership and Mar Roxas, if he is serious in becoming president of the republic, must train his sights on this.
Still others said they could not believe I was a former tricycle driver when the motorized trike wasn’t in vogue yet. One said, “Good thing you didn’t get sick so that I congratulate your Mom, who was perfectly correct when she pulled you out of your trike chores.” Thinking about doing the trike in my kiddie days now, it was really hell, considering the punishing grind of pedal-pushing you had to endure in those days. But you knew fully well that life wasn’t harsh when you were a kid. All you ever knew, cared about, was you just went on and on and on, ignorantly unmindful of what lurked ahead. You got sick, no big deal. Just part of everyday living. But good thing that my Mom (God rest her soul), your Mom, knew. That’s why up to this day, mothers know best. To them, you just mustn’t go on. Be very careful at all times. Safety first, before anything.
Thank you, Mom.
Lexus let loose early sales barrage
THE year has barely just begun but already, Lexus has already scored big strides, sales wise. Its performance in the first month of the year alone has enormously exceeded expectations, virtually transforming Toyota’s big brother suddenly into the car to beat this year in the luxury segment. Of course, BMW has been the undisputed leader for the longest time. Tell me again, my dear Maricar (Parco, BMW president), has it been 12 straight years now that your muscle is No. 1? I have not the slightest doubt, it is. But if the early release of sales results is any indication, Lexus is breathing closely down the neck of BMW. If you ask me, it’s good for both of them in particular, and for the automotive business in general. And for sure, it’s a positive sign that the industry is moving forward—vigorously, I must say. If I know Demosthenes “Bobby” Rosales, a tough act to follow in BMW’s Asian Carmakers Corp., he’ll readily second my motion.
But in his latest pyrrhic victory, Danny “Sir John” Isla, the Lexus Manila Inc. president, is humble as ever.
“Let us just say we did 91 percent in our sales targets last January,” he said. “I do not wish to stir up anything, especially to pose any challenge. You know how capable the Germans are through the years. Saludo tayo.”
Fifth-generation Strada finally here
SINCE it first rolled out of the assembly lines in 1978, the Mitsubishi Strada has now sold more than 4 million units worldwide. After undergoing material changes in 1986, 1995 and 2005, the 2015 Strada has completed a process of reinvigoration in a bid to reclaim its lofty position as the No. 1 pickup in the country.
The select media invited to test-drive it in Tokyo last November had been given another exclusive peek of it before it is officially launched early next month, with Froy Dytianquin introducing to us Koichi Namiki, Mitsubishi global pickup project officer, to outline further Strada’s newest features. While Namiki came amply prepared in his presentation at the Edsa Shangri-La and for which I congratulate him, I like what Froi had said about the strategic sales approach for Strada, which I find very sexy, indeed.
“Whereas before when our ratio was 40 percent in Luzon and 60 percent in the Visayas and Mindanao, we now intend to make it 50-50,” Froi said. “This is because in recent years, Manila showed strong preference for the pickup, although the Visayas has remained strongest in this mid-size pickup segment.”
Good luck, Froi.
Pee stop One will drive home a Toyota Altis today, either via a hole-in-one feat or luck of the raffle, in the MVP Media Golf Cup. Only last month, Anthony Suntay won a Vios raffled off after the SMC Media Golf. Cheers!…My salutations to Volkswagen top honcho John Philip Orbeta for having launched the VW Polo with sweet success on Monday, the day when sportswriters feted the 2014 sports heroes in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards at 1Esplanade (See Arnel and Timmy, I had a valid excuse?). Mabuhay Polo, China’s No. 1 best-selling car for many years!…Two years have gone by and the much-ballyhooed unfurling of the car industry road map has yet to happen. Is the Board of Investments sleeping on the job all this time?…The much talked-about second edition of the Vios Cup will soon be flagged off and look who’s flashing that grin from ear-to-ear? Who else but Michinobu “The Rocker” Sugata, the hardworking Toyota Motor Philippines president who engineered the return of motorsports in the country through the Vios Cup launch last year. Sugata-san knows it by heart that the 2015 Vios Cup will be as smashingly successful as last year’s, if not even better and grander this time. He said surprises await the participants as well as the fans longing to come in droves once again. Vrrrmmm!…Advance best wishes to Hubert Go and Meg Uy, who will tie the knot tommorow. Hubert is the son of Henry and Evelyn Go of Manila, and Meg the daughter of Ramon and May Aileen S. Uy of Bacolod. Cheers!