The MMDA's on top of it

Kudos for the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are pouring in from this column’s readers as well as viewers of our TV show Motoring Today in reaction to what appears to be the agency’s no nonsense campaign to rid the Metro of colorum buses.

If these efforts would find a successful culmination, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a much less traffic-congested EDSA devoid of fuel-wasting buses, most of which run half-filled chasing passengers that are much less than the number of buses plying the route.

What actually made it easier for the MMDA to achieve this long-dreamed anti-colorum campaign by the Metro’s citizens and denizens was the successful implementation of the painting of plate numbers on the buses’ roofs and sides making it easier for the authorities to spot those that are out-of-line or those that do not have any authorized lines at all. No wonder many bus companies were adamantly against the idea citing the flimsiest of excuses like added costs and when it appeared that the MMDA was bent on implementing it – they even volunteered to do it themselves, probably, according to some observers, after having espied a way of going around it.

With EDSA finally being rid of these hundreds of buses that do not actually have any business running in the Metro’s longest thoroughfare, we may even have to actually put on hold or have a deeper study on that mulled measure of putting a second level and tunnels along it to alleviate its present traffic woes.

Those who regularly use EDSA wouldn’t have to be geniuses to conclude that the main cause of traffic jams is the sheer volume of vehicles that use it. And the clog-causing type of vehicles is the humongous public utility buses, and the way most of their drivers try to out-slalom other drivers in order to get more passengers is making their presence more untenable and unsafe.

Since time immemorial in the history of traffic management of EDSA, it’s only now that it seems the campaign against colorum buses is actually being done with an unwavering political will – a feather on the cap of its present young and dynamic chairman, the Honorable Francis Tolentino. Perhaps when the time comes when EDSA would be finally rid of these unauthorized vehicles, a more rationalized traffic flow would be achieved, especially if the plan to limit these buses to run only in the bus lanes and not allow them to wander outside would be finally implemented.

And finally, many are of the shared belief that the MMDA should not consider the lack of space for the impounded colorum vehicles a big problem. We know for a fact that there are still some government-owned tracts of idle land within the Metro that can be utilized for this purpose. Some quarters are also strongly suggesting that operators of all impounded vehicles, aside from the fines for their violation of illegally operating their vehicles, should be assessed heavy storage fees to discourage them for making the MMDA impounding lots as their garage. There should also be an eventual auction of vehicles that have reached a certain level of unpaid storage fees to cover them.

Kudos to the present leadership of the MMDA on their committed drive against colorum vehicles – keep it up!

Keeping bikers safe

Many of us may not be aware of the actual figures that are behind the unprecedented growth of motorcycle users in the country in the past years. 2010 Land Transportation Office (LTO) statistics indicate that of the 1.1-million new vehicles registered last year, about 80% or just over 900,000 were in the motorcycle/tricycle (MC/TC) category. The same data set shows that registered MC/TC now total close to 3.5-million or more than 52% of the 6.6-million registered vehicle population in the country. It is not surprising, therefore, that while Metro Manila accident data for the years 2005-2010 have remained at around 120,000 cases, those involving MC/TC have grown from just 9.4% (11,475) in 2005 to 14.6% (20,518) in 2010.

Faced with this alarming scenario, road safety advocate Arnel Doria, a respected marketing executive who played a key role in establishing Honda as a leading automobile brand in the Philippines and was instrumental in setting up the country’s first integrated vehicle (cars and motorcycles) training center, the Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC), is currently embarking to open a training center devoted to teaching safe and proper riding skills to motorcyclists – Safe-T-Ryders – soon to open at the Ortigas Home Depot complex on Doña Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig City.

Safe-T-Ryders is conceptualized to deliver quality training in a controlled and fun environment, imparting defensive riding as an enjoyable experience. Training programs are designed to be affordable to average motorcycle users, while ensuring the quality of instruction offered. The training will be handled by experienced and LTO-certified riding instructors. The Basic Safety Riding Course, targeted at novice riders, combines both lecture inputs and practical riding exercises in a comprehensive introductory program. The 3-hour lecture has been specially designed not just to teach traffic rules and regulations but places greater emphasis on inculcating a safety-oriented mindset that values one’s life and that of other road users. For the practical riding exercises, learners go through a series of six basic skill sets in a 13-hour program.

In setting up this venture, Arnel notes, “With the recent declaration of the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, I believe that opening this riding center is a very timely response to this global call. Although this is just a small start, I hope to be a pioneer in this field and offer a service that can actually help keep our riders safe. I am putting my money where my mouth is by investing my retirement funds into this advocacy.”

Mr. Doria’s background and experience precede him in engaging in this laudable endeavor. After his early retirement in 2009, he continued his safety advocacy as a member of the DOTC’s road safety management team, which developed the Safe-T-Kids learning modules now being piloted in select public elementary schools. He is also the project director and road safety consultant of the our Young Street Smarts Road Safety School Tour, a public service program of our TV show Motoring Today to promote road safety awareness among high school students. He is also a trustee of VSO Bahaginan, an internationally-affiliated NGO engaged in institutional capacity-building.

For more information write to [email protected].

Formula One great blows into town

I have followed his remarkable racing exploits in Formula One and I’ve seen him in person during the inaugural Malaysian F1 Grand Prix in Penang when I was a guest of the McLaren-Mercedes Team, but last Monday, September 26 at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City, I had the chance to have an exclusive one-on-one interview with the gentleman with such outstanding F1 racing credentials like; 13 wins, 62 podium finishes and 12 pole positions, all-time leading British points scorer in F1 and currently the 8th highest-scoring driver in the world of all time with a career total of 535 points – David Coulthard.

Indeed a gentleman and very articulate, David, although officially retired from racing, is still very much involved in F1 as a BBC (British Broadcasting) race commentator (we don’t see him as we have the Star Sports coverage) where he uses his distinct insight on the sport having raced for Williams, McLaren-Mercedes and finally Red Bull to total all 15 seasons.

He was in town with a very tight schedule to unveil, together with the Lucerne Group of Companies’ managing directors Ivan and Emerson Yao, the David Coulthard Special Edition Watch, the newest addition to the TW Steel’s exquisite line of luxury watches.

The 40-year old two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner who has been TW Steel’s Brand Ambassador since May last year said in our TV interview that he was looking forward to coming back to the Philippines, which he has heard so much of about before. He said that he had an aborted trip in the past due to his much-tighter F1 racing schedule and he plans to return and enjoy the sights.

We learned that David had a hand in designing his “special edition” watch, “I’m thoroughly enjoying working with TW Steel as a brand ambassador so I guess is was only natural that the next step was to produce a watch together. I think the end result is certainly one that maintains TW Steel’s bold appeal while it perfectly reflects my own appreciation for subtle yet distinctive styling.”

I also had a short on-cam chat with Emerson Yao, of the prestigious Lucerne Group, which has the exclusive distributorship of TW Steel in the country and asked him how this new watch model would fit in Lucerne’s wide array of equally distinctive watch brands. With confidence Emerson said, “TW Steel enjoys a broad-reaching, affordable price point, giving its wide breadth of customers the ability to have a timeless and luxurious piece well within a reasonable budget. Its strength of design and overall look keeps it ahead of the competition, and its ingenious partnering with David Coulthard in this new design series definitely drives the point home.”

More Pinoy Porsche scholars to the world

The 5th batch of scholars from the joint undertaking of Don Bosco Manpower and Skills Training Center and the Porsche Training and Recruitment Center Asia graduated recently after undertaking 10 months of theoretical and practical work to prepare them for job placements to Porsche dealers all over the world.

Graduation ceremonies were held at the Porsche Center Philippines and hosted by business tycoon and auto industry leader Robert Coyiuto, Jr. chairman of PGA Cars and son Roberto Coyiuto III, managing director of Porsche Philippines. This is seen by many as another successful step in the path towards creating a better future for the Filipino youth. With PGA Cars’ recent “token” contribution of 1-million pesos to Don Bosco Technical Institute for its invaluable role in the project, more scholars will be given this opportunity to develop their skills and further show the world the Pinoy’s vaunted talent.

Happy Motoring!!!

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