Isn’t there any other way?

I don’t know if this scene is commonplace in the metro but many motorists have been wondering if there’s no other way to do it. I’m referring to the practice of stopping vehicles that are suspected of spewing emissions that have pollutants that are higher than what’s legal.

It used to be the whole of every Saturday just below the famous or infamous (depends on which side one belongs, supporter or detractor) Bayani Fernando U-turn ramp located along C-5 in Pasig City where personnel of the DENR (I think) would ask drivers of vehicles that are most likely to have emission problems to stop by the roadside for inspection. The exercise, which sometimes turns into a “catch me if you can” scenario causes traffic snarls and even volatile situations especially when these personnel come across drivers of the “hinde ako susuko Diego” type.

I find the campaign commendable in terms of bagging those vehicles that suspiciously pass emission tests, in all probability by way of the “no appearance” method. But there must be another way of doing this unlike what’s being done now, which is to the inconvenience of motorists, not to mention the possible danger they are exposed to  in “I must run away and not be caught” situations.

Think about it.

All the best, Yamazaki-san

I was very privileged to be asked to speak on behalf of the Philippine motoring journalists during the turnover ceremonies of the presidency of Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) last Thursday, April 11 at the Makati Shangri-La. It was the media’s farewell to outgoing president Mr. Ryoji Yamazaki and welcome rites for incoming IPC top executive Mr. Nobuo Izumina.

I took the opportunity, although late in coming, to apologize to the soft-spoken outgoing president for being a bit careless with his name, especially in the early days of his short 3-year stint in the country. I explained though that remembering names has always been one of my many faults thus I would mistakenly address him as Yazaki-san, or Yamashita-san. And all the time, being the gentleman that he is, he would not even attempt to correct me. I guess he would remain a gentleman until I get too far by addressing him Yakuza-san.

With all due respect to the incoming president, he indeed has big shoes to fill judging by the accomplishments of his predecessor, a litany of which was enumerated to the media by way of an audio/visual presentation,  to wit; bolstering the Isuzu Crosswind’s market position to record levels unreached since 2004, registering for IPC in 2012 the company’s best annual sales performance since 2004, ensuring the continued market dominance of the Isuzu N-Series light-duty truck, which in 2012 has led its segment for a record 14 straight years, having expanded IPC’s network to 21 dealerships and 15 satellite offices nationwide, garnering an ISO 14001:2004 Certification for IPS’s world-class manufacturing facilities in Laguna and marking IP’s 150,000^th unit production and sales milestone on the occasion of the company’s 15^th Inaugural Anniversary last year.   

However, a quick look at Mr. Izumina’s credentials would show that he’s not coming in to IPC with an empty suitcase. Born in Tokyo 56 years ago he has spent more than half of his life in Isuzu. He was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors Isuzu Camiones Andinos in Bogota, Colombia. He has a degree in economics from the Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo with a vast experience in foreign operations. In 2009 he landed the post of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Isuzu Motors Mexico.  

Turnover ceremonies are inevitably a mixed scenario of sadness for the departing party and new-found friends that are being left behind as well as eager anticipation for the incoming party looking forward to new horizons and new acquaintances.

Our best wishes to our friend Yamazaki-san who’s recalled back to Japan for bigger challenges after a string of achievements within his short 3-year stint in the Philippines and a big welcome to Izumina-san on his first assignment in this part of the world.

Lights and “sounds” haven

I took the opportunity of the Holy Week break to work on my automobile’s “sounds”—no not the audio type but the sound of my exhaust system. I thought that Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were the best days to test the sound of a newly-installed exhaust system while driving through the sparse traffic of the SLEX and Star Tollway.

It was on Holy Tuesday that I had my Borla Exhaust System installed by my good friend Aaron Go, a member of the so-called “after market mafia”, a group of young professionals that deals with after market automobile products and services more for their passion and love for automobiles rather than the business.

It was fascinating to see step-by-step how an entire exhaust system of a Chevy Camaro is being replaced entirely by what’s vaunted to be “the world’s most winning exhaust” in barely 2 hours. It would have been shorter if I didn’t decide to chronicle the entire proceedings, which I shall feature in some future episode of our TV show Auto Focus to share my new-found knowledge with our viewers.

And did I have “sound-full” Holy Week driving around with a new exhaust system.

But my learning of new things didn’t end there. I found out a lot more about PNW LED lighting for trucks that Aaron’s shop, Pioneer Truck Parts and Equipment Corp. located along G. Araneta Avenue in QC also carries.

Aside from the common use of LED lights for automobiles they are now extensively used for trucks’ tail lamps, signal lamps, side markers, back up lamps and work lamps.

Now I know that LED lighting has a better life span and has a low battery consumption and although these PNW LED lighting has a higher initial investment, in the long run it would cost you less to have them.

Well, you get to know new things every day.

Happy Motoring!!!

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