ONE’S dominance, or anything else for that matter, can only go the distance if one knows how to balance work and play, with the former, obviously, chalking up the better half of the equilibrium. As for the country’s imperious automotive sales leader, rest seems to be obsolete in Toyota Motor Philippines’s illustrious vocabulary—well, not until recently.
Now a household name among the local motoring media, the annual Toyota Road Trek again swept the hearts and minds of journalists, who took a breathtaking drive to scenic spots and faced mind-boggling challenges while being treated to a well-deserved respite from everyday life.
Over the past 11 years, the Toyota Road Trek has earned the reputation as an event that offers one exciting adventure after another. From Iloilo and Aklan, where it first started back in 2004, to Cagayan de Oro and Davao the following year, to Dumaguete, Pampanga and so forth, the affair has never failed to impress.
And while we frolicked on the white sands of Boracay last year, this time, we were whisked further down south to Cebu’s uncharted northern regions of Daanbantayan.
As soon as we arrived in Mactan airport in Lapu-Lapu City one early Sunday morning, all 30 media particpants were immediately brought to Toyota’s 25,000-square-meter dealership in South Mandaue for breakfast and a briefing. With a full belly and a bit of know-how, we proceeded to the parking lot, where a row of 10 Toyota vehicles eagerly waited for us. These included a Wigo, Vios, Altis, Camry, Yaris, Innova, RAV 4, Fortuner, FJ Cruiser and the Hi-Ace LXV.
Since the Road Trek wouldn’t be the same without any challenges along the way, Toyota made sure to pit us against some mind-twisters. First, we were tasked to form as many rice casings (or “Puso”) as possible using banana leaves and to count the number of bridges from the showroom all the way to our final destination.
“The Road Trek is our way of thanking the media,” Toyota Motor Philippines VP for Marketing Sherwin Chua-Lim said.
“Here, our aim is to build friendship with them,” he added.
Our team was composed of Auto Review father-and-son tandem Ron de los Reyes and this writer together with C! Magazine’s Carl Cunanan in the Innova. The seven-seater’s 2.5-liter D-4D common rail turbo diesel engine powered through steep mountain roads and maneuvered well in tight bends. Thanks to its lean muscle. The MPV delivered 102 hp of power and 260 N-m torque.
After about 50 kilometers of driving in the hilly outskirts, we arrived at our first pit stop challenge at Canso X in Balamban. Here, the test was to build a pyramid of plastic cups while only using take note strings. Part of the challenge was to screen air currents that were coming from all directions on the windy hill,. The team that finished first got top points. With all our troubles, we were lucky to finish third in the activity.
From Balamban, we were steered 80 km north to San Remigio Beach Club, where another set of activities awaited us. “Stick and Balls Won’t Hurt Your Bones” was what they called it. The goal was to take out all the sticks as carefully as possible so as to keep the plastic balls from falling. The 10 teams, divided equally into five, competed head-to-head against each other for the least amount of balls until the container was emptied. With a little caress and a bit of physics, the team, luckily, took third.
Before heading toward our next destination, the organizers ordered a car-switch so that the participants could try out other Toyota vehicles. From a box of keys, a Toyota Vios 1.5 TRD key slipped right into our hands. It was timely as the pressure of competition and fatigue from the sleepless nights were slowly catching up. On our part, it was about time to, at least, experience first-hand “Waku-Doki” in Cebu, not on a racetrack though, like the one recently held in SRP, but on real on-road driving conditions. This looker still has basically a 1.5-L VVT-i engine that makes 107 ps of power and 142 N-m of torque. Just think of it that this TRD version is just a little sporty compared to a regular one, or in short, a tad cooler on the road as you’re almost-sure to swoon the ladies with its nasty side skirts, rear bumper and trunk lid spoilers and 17-inch TRD alloy wheels with center cap and tire valve.
For our final challenge, the convoy had to traverse a 10-km stretch via the Cebu North Hagnaya Wharf Road before reaching Queens Island Golf Club in Medellin. There, another challenge trampled on egos, fed insecurities and raised blood pressures. The tests included guessing the Toyota vehicle with its corresponding tagline given and naming the favorite Cebuano delicacy with only riddles written on clue cards to work with.
After a whole day of activities, the time came for a 30-minute drive toward seventh heaven. The place? The recently opened Kandaya Resort in Aguho, Daan-Bantayan Cebu. Nestled on a white sandy beach, this newly explored sanctuary has 22 villas and 18 elegantly styled rooms. Reaching the sweet haven was like winning the gold after an agonizing anaerobic 400-meter dash or a mother’s indescribable glee upon seeing her newborn child after hours of labor.
The resort was a perfect place to relax and rejuvenate. Away from the usual hustle and bustle of the Metro, we were able to enjoy a two-hour back-and-forth trip to Malapascua Island onboard a yacht, go snorkeling, feast on sumptuous seafood, paddleboard, box, workout and even play basketball in their various sports facilities.
To top it off, legendary Filipino rock artist Ely Buendia took hearts away as he sang and strummed into the night with some classic favorites.
Now, before we end the story, this writer has to say that it’s not easy being Toyota. Being the No. 1 player in the industry, the company has to live up to its reputation in each and every situation, even at play or at rest, they still have to consistently be the best.
Image credits: Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes