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Where does loyalty to country begin?

One of President Manuel L. Quezon’s immortal quotables was, “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” Sadly, both in the Philippines and in the United States, these are “famous lost words” — lost in the struggle for political survival.
Both President Donald Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte enjoy unprecedented approval among their respective voter bases, in sharp contrast to the criticism hurled by detractors. Duterte has been vilified as a killer and an uncouth potty-mouthed thug. And many Republicans privately concede that President Donald Trump is a congenital liar and prone to taking bizzare action, like insulting America’s closest allies, mounting a trade war, and siding with Russia’s Vladimir Putin against the entire intelligence and national security apparatus of the US.
But they have avoided frontally criticizing him for fear of a backlash from rabid Trump supporters. Even the way GOP leaders, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel, contradicted Trump on his position on Russian interference in the last US presidential election was muted and measured, at best.
Note that Trump’s public statements, following the Helsinki summit with Putin, were described by former CIA John Brennan as “nothing short of treasonous.”
But what some find difficult to understand is the attitude of Trump’s voter base towards allegations of collusion — or even conspiracy — between Trump and the Russians. According to one survey (by Public Policy Polling), 77% of Trump voters believed that he should continue to serve as president “even if it’s proven that he conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election.” Only 14% said Trump should resign if collusion is proven.
However, this attitude does not necessarily translate into disloyalty to their country, as far as these Trump supporters are concerned. According to analysts, “party, ideology and race play key roles in Trump’s approval. Americans’ views of Donald Trump’s handling of his job as president are largely shaped by the same social fissures that have long divided the US.”
If you consider that Trump’s voter base consists mainly of non-Hispanic whites (including neo-Nazis and white supremacists), and if you consider, further, that the previous president, Barack Obama, was black, it becomes easier to understand the distinction between loyalty to Trump and to fellow whites vs. loyalty to the Russians.
In other words, these Trump supporters regarded — and still regard — the Democrats and Hillary Clinton as their “enemy” and going by the premise that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” because Putin and the KGB helped Trump defeat Clinton, the Russians, in effect, became friends of the Trump loyalists.
One rabid Trump supporter argues that this not make him disloyal to America. Of course, one can also argue that such a rationale is called weaseling and that, whether they are doing it consciously or not, when they approve of a foreign country sabotaging the very foundation of American democracy — its electoral process — that is an act of disloyalty.
Wasn’t it the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who said, “He who is not with me is against me!”?
Concerning Trump’s dalliance with a porn actress and a Playboy bunny, these Trump supporters don’t care because “that’s what powerful men do.” And they made references to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton.
Trump’s latest approval rating among Republican voters, according to Gallup, is at a high 85%, although among independents and Democrats, he rates a measly 37% and 11%, respectively. Among all voters, Trump’s approval rating is just slightly above 40% and disapproval is upwards of 50%.
Those who hold Trump in high regard believe he has been good for the US. Tax reform is considered among his major accomplishments and the brisk US economy has been attributed to his administration. Apparently, for these, Trump loyalists have been willing to overlook his sins.
The question one is constrained to ask Trump supporters and the Republican leadership is, “When does loyalty to party, ideology and race end, and when does loyalty to country begin?”
In Philippine politics, asking that very same question is like talking to the wind. In a political environment where the quest for power and wealth is paramount, loyalty to the country sounds like too much mushy stuff.
While President Rodrigo Duterte more than matches Trump in terms of the near-fanatical loyalty of his supporters, that “loyalty” is, likely, more self-serving than selfless.
In the first place, there is no such concept as “ideology” in Philippine politics and a “party” is simply a basis for gaining official recognition, the better to forge alliances with whoever is in power. And that, in turn, is determined by who assumes the presidency.
Because of the power over the purse and the power to appoint people to high positions (as well as the power to dislodge them), President Rodrigo Duterte holds the reins, calls the shots, and cracks the whip. Everyone else jumps.
The last public opinion polls placed Duterte’s approval rating at 70% “satisfied” vs. 14% “dissatisfied” and 17% “undecided.” The question asked in hushed tones is “what percentage of the Philippine military is satisfied or dissatisfied with Duterte?”
After EDSA One and EDSA Two, the role of the military as power broker is generally conceded, although nobody dares to publicly rouse the men-at-arms.
Meanwhile, Duterte has, understandably, made sure that the members of the Armed Forces are significantly benefited under his watch. One press release issued by military quarters cheerfully reported, “Starting this year, soldiers and police will get the partial adjustment in their salary until 2017 and by January 2018, take home pay will be doubled according to Department of Budget and Management (DBM).”
The news item also announced that, in addition to the salary increases, “soldiers, and their families will also be covered by administration programs from medical, health, social services, and education benefits for the soldiers and their families,” including substantial cash benefits and even a monthly sack of rice.
It can be assumed that the benefits and emoluments for the military brass are even more substantial. Given these, why would anyone want to stay a military coup?
Yet rumors persist about such a plot and administration officials continue to accuse the opposition of trying to “destabilize” the Duterte government.
In the wake of the Watergate scandal, a Republican-controlled legislature told a Republican president, Richard Nixon, to resign rather than face impeachment. Will today’s Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives do the same and place duty to country above loyalty to their personal political interests? Or will it take the dislodging of the Republicans by the Democrats in the coming mid-term elections for this to happen?
That is a question that hovers over Americans like a soap opera cliff hanger. As for Duterte, forget about impeaching him or staging a coup against him.
In the Philippines, loyalty to personal interests trumps loyalty to country any day of the week, including Sundays.
 
Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.
gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

A hidden Amazon fortune: Bezos’ parents could be worth billions

It may be the most successful venture investment of all time.
In 1995, Jackie and Mike Bezos plowed $245,573 into their son’s fledgling e-commerce website, according to a prospectus two years later. It was a big gamble, Mike Bezos, the stepfather of Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos, recalled onstage during a 2015 event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
“I want you to know how risky this is,” the son told his parents, “because I want to come home at dinner for Thanksgiving and I don’t want you to be mad at me.”
He’s probably welcome to extra helpings of turkey — and all the gravy. One IPO and three stock splits later, his parents’ stake could be worth almost $30 billion today. That would make them wealthier than Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen, the 30th-richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The parents’ holdings haven’t been publicly disclosed since the end of 1999. While it’s unclear how much they still own, continuing donations of Amazon stock to their charitable foundation suggest they still control a healthy chunk of the world’s second-most valuable company.
They’ve donated 595,027 shares to the Bezos Family Foundation from 2001 through 2016, according to filings available on GuideStar, which collects data on nonprofits. The 25,000 shares they gifted in 2016 were worth about $20 million at the time. The foundation focuses on education for young people.
If they haven’t sold or donated anything else, the pair would own about 16.6 million shares, or 3.4% of the firm, making them the second-biggest individual owners after their son.
Their total return in that case would be about 12,000,000 percent, a performance that would make even the most celebrated venture capitalists blush. SoftBank’s $20 million bet on Alibaba has returned about 720,000% since 2000, according to calculations by Bloomberg. Sequoia Capital’s WhatsApp investment returned roughly 36,000% by the time Facebook Inc. bought the messaging service for $22 billion in 2014.
“We were fortunate enough that we have lived overseas and we have saved a few pennies so we were able to be an angel investor,” Mike Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who also goes by Miguel, said in Philadelphia. “The rest is history.”
He bought 582,528 shares in February 1995, according to the 1997 prospectus. Five months later, Jackie Bezos bought 847,716 shares. The wider Bezos family held this stock through four trusts at the end of 1999, another filing shows. The Jacklyn Gise Bezos 1996 Revocable Trust held 8.9 million shares, followed by the Miguel A. Bezos 1996 Revocable Trust with 4.8 million shares, while the Bezos Family Trust and the Bezos Generation Skipping Trust held 2.9 million and 675,000, respectively.
Any self-respecting wealth adviser likely would have pressed the family to diversify their holdings given the “heightened consequences of such extreme individual company exposures,” according to Eduardo Gruener, co-founder of Miami-based multi-family office GFG Capital.
Siblings’ Windfall
After applying historic selling patterns and accounting for the disclosed donations, Jackie and Mike Bezos would still control $10 billion of shares, according to an analysis by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That’s on top of their son’s $147 billion fortune, which easily makes him the world’s richest person.
Even if they had unwound all of their Amazon holdings at the lowest possible price, they still would have reaped about $100 million.
The filing also suggests a windfall for Jeff Bezos’ siblings Mark and Christina. They each bought 30,000 Amazon shares for $10,000 in 1996. If they haven’t sold any of those shares, their stakes would be worth about $640 million apiece.
The Bezos Family Foundation didn’t respond to email and telephone messages requesting comment. Amazon declined to comment.
Wozniak’s Largesse
With Amazon, Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc. approaching market values of $1 trillion, the world could have myriad unknown tech billionaires. Only corporate insiders or shareholders with stakes exceeding 5% are required to report their interests. In the case of Apple, that means individuals with positions up to $46.7 billion wouldn’t be required to disclose their holdings.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak held a 7.9% stake in 1980, which shrank over time as he sold options at low prices to mid-level employees and gifted shares to those he felt had been shortchanged. His remaining stake is thought to be in the millions rather than billions.
Or take Google parent Alphabet. An early investor was reportedly none other than Jeff Bezos, who put $250,000 of his own money into the internet-search startup in 1998, according to the New Yorker. Those shares, valued at about $280 million at the IPO, would be worth more than $8 billion today.
That pales in comparison to the returns potentially reaped by his parents, who hit the jackpot backing their boy.
“Extraordinary returns don’t come around often” said Gruener, the wealth adviser.“Replace Amazon with nearly any other name in the market and the ending may have turned out as a nightmare.” — Bloomberg

Cayetano hits back at Aquino’s call for transparency on South China Sea issue

By Camille A. Aguinaldo
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano on Tuesday, July 31, hit back on former President Benigno S.C. Aquino III on the latter’s call for transparency on the South China Sea issue, saying that the former President and even Vice President Leni G. Robredo were given wrong information on the matter.
“Unfortunately, both former President Aquino and Vice President Leni Robredo are being fed wrong information. It’s very unfortunate that the same small corps who hijacked the foreign policy in the last administration are feeding them information that is simply not true,” he said during a press briefing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.
“On the contrary, maybe President Aquino should ask Secretary (Albert F.) Del Rosario: Were you transparent with me?” he added.
Mr. Aquino earlier said the Duterte administration should be transparent with its negotiations with China to allay the concerns of Filipinos on the South China Sea issue.
Sought for comment, Mr. Cayetano said he has offered several government agencies, media outlets, as well as opposition politicians for briefings regarding the administration’s dealings with China. He clarified that there was no secret deals nor meetings with China as all talks with Chinese government officials were all on the record.
“There are no secret deals. We’re working out the issues, the principles are being discussed,” he said, referring to the country’s negotiations with China.

“What’s Einstein definition of stupidity? To keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result… There is more than one strategy.”

He also said his predecessor had incomplete records of information regarding the country’s responses with China’s militarization activities , especially on the removal of Philippine ships in Scarborough shoal back in 2012.
“When I look at the records in DFA, who ordered the Philippines ships to leave Scarborough? How did we leave Scarborough? Do any of you know? Was it really Senator (Antonio F.) Trillanes who said ‘leave or don’t leave?’ Was it really Foreign Secretary Del Rosario who said it? ‘Leave now or follow PNoy or follow this?’” he said.
“So, they did not really complete the records. They did not tell us… If you look on the surface, it looks brave. On the surface, it looks like that: it’s very brave and courageous strategy. But actually it doesn’t produce results,” he added.
He added that Messrs. Aquino and Del Rosario as well as Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio were imposing to the Duterte administration their previous strategy, which did not produce fishing and safety of life in the seas agreements as well as economic benefits to the country.
“And the problem is their strategy was not working. What’s Einstein definition of stupidity? To keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result… There is more than one strategy,” he said.
In response, Ms. Robredo’s spokesperson Ibarra M. Gutierrez III said the Foreign Secretary may start providing the right information by explaining the latter’s earlier statement regarding the “50 to 100 diplomatic protests” filed by DFA to China on its militarization activities
“Documents, not stories. We will wait for it,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Cayetano headed to Singapore to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meetings from August 1 to 4. He said he will also hold 12 bilateral meetings to discuss various topics on investments, political and security issues, including the South China Sea issue.
Meetings were scheduled with New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Singapore, Australia, China, Timor Leste, Vietnam, India, Norway, Iran, and the United States, the official added.

Maxxis grows PHL footprint, treads into car, SUV segments

By Kap Maceda Aguila
TAIWAN-BASED tire maker Maxxis, distributed in over 170 countries, has been making a mark here in the Philippines through its products for light commercial vehicles, trucks and buses.
Jaybee B. Atanacio, product and sales manager at Maxxis Philippines, told BusinessWorld the brand is “primarily known in the Philippines only for [tires designed for] UV Express and light commercial vehicles.”
“But we want this image to change.”
After selling commercial tires exclusively for 15 years here, Maxxis sets its sights on “a more premium, secondary tier… competing against the likes of Yokohama, Dunlop and Goodyear.” This intent was conveyed with the launch of four tire models for passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles.

HP5 PREMITRA
This product takes its place as the marque’s high-end offering. “It’s a sport touring tire for full-sized sedans and sports cars. We are not locally popular in this category, but we have been in North America and Europe,” averred Mr. Atanacio. The HP5 Premitra promises traction even in high speeds, along with heightened performance on wet and dry roads.
ME3 MECOTRA
On the other end of the price spectrum is this low-rolling-resistance tire designed for “low-displacement [1.5-liters and below]” cars which themselves promise fuel efficiency.
“Compared to competitors. It has full silica. Natural rubber gives better grip and rolling resistance, but it compromises mileage. We add silica to enhance service life,” reported the official, and added that NST, for Nano Science Technology, “effectively binds silica to the tread, and Maxxis is one of only three manufacturers who can do this… and more affordably, too.”
HPM3 BRAVO
A highway terrain tire geared for SUVs, Mr. Atanacio said the HPM3 Bravo offers “comfort, silence, and effectiveness in water dissipation — particularly suited for our local conditions.” This is the Maxxis response to a market clamor for comfortable tires. “Normally, people who look for SUV tires do not look for a good ride, but with the Bravo, we’ve changed the profile so that it’s similar to a passenger car tire, but more durable.”
MT772 RAZR
“There’s a growing market popularity or preference for aggressive-looking off-road tires,” he revealed. “The Razr doesn’t only look the part but is tough as well.” Suited for pickups and SUVs, the model is highlighted by maximum tear resistance, long tread life, and leverages the brand’s expertise in designing and executing tires for mining equipment. Compared to its competitors, this tire is quieter and more durable, according to Maxxis.
AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY
Maxxis is serving notice of its foray into previously uncharted local territory with a big vow to consumers that its products will be “15% cheaper than… direct competitors,” said Mr. Atanacio. “I can feel that the market is ready for us now, and our competitors are actually also lowering their prices.” The company also is set to sustain its velocity. “We are looking at launching an additional four patterns in the next three years,” he continued.
Right now, Maxxis sees the demand in more off road-capable tires (particularly for SUVs), but this is expected to change as Philippine road conditions improve in the next few years. “The kind of asphalt and the kind of roads we have are getting better.”
As for the market, Filipino buyers are becoming more discriminating, with comfort in demand even in truck tires. “Before, they just didn’t care,” said Mr. Atanacio with a laugh. “On the whole, Filipinos are still price buyers though — but if they experience something bad about the tires they bought will never buy that brand again.”
EVOLVING WITH THE TIMES
“People who think Maxxis only copies technology are wrong,” declared the official. “We have research and development facilities in North America, China and Europe to look at and address different usage standards.
“The brand is becoming mature, and we are focused on three market demands. Anyone can just create new technology, but we are after overall performance — not just in one category.
“Designing or making a tire is an engineering compromise. If you make the sidewall stronger, the ride becomes bad; even good tread wear becomes difficult [to achieve]… The bottom line is overall performance while being cognizant of the three primary market considerations: safety, economy, and comfort,” Mr. Atanacio said.

Isuzu D-Max pickup posts economy car-like mileage


A 2018 Isuzu D-Max equipped with a new 1.9-liter diesel engine posted a best mileage figure of 22.59 kilometers per liter during a fuel economy run conducted on July 19.
According to the pickup’s local distributor, Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC), the fuel consumption test was held on a 112-kilometer route between Marilao, Bulacan, and Tarlac City, Tarlac. Six identical D-Max pickups, all fitted with Isuzu’s BluePower RZ4E engine, were used for the activity. The mileage results were verified by the Automobile Association of the Philippines, IPC said.
The company noted the fuel economy run formed part of a road trip designed to “highlight the refined amenities” of the D-Max, as well as those of the Isuzu Mu-X SUV that is now also available with the RZ4E engine. The drive started from and ended in Metro Manila after looping around Bauang, La Union — a total distance of around 508 kilometers.
Hajime Koso, president of IPC, said the activity demonstrated people could still enjoy the “pleasures of taking long road trips without having to get anxious over fuel consumption.”
Mr. Koso explained the new-generation RZ4E engine is the product of more than four years of “extensive research,” and is Isuzu’s foray into making low-displacement but high-output engines — the trend in Europe and in Asia. He said the RZ4E, which makes 148 hp and 350 Nm, has been fitted with “over 200 new components.”
A new six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift mode and a manual transmission with a gearshift indicator can be paired with the engine.
IPC noted a 3.0-liter BluePower diesel engine remains an option for the D-Max and the Mu-X.
It added key features of the pickup include a “car-like interior” in which fitted are an eight-inch touch screen panel for the multimedia system, leather seats, USB ports and numerous storage bins and cup holders, among other items. The truck also has twin LED head lamps with manual leveling controls, LED daytime running lamps, dual SRS air bags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, hill-descent control, and a brake override system.
New colors made available to the current D-Max are Sapphire Blue and Galena Gray. Prices range from P857,000 to P1.670 million.

Mahindra building modern jeepneys for EcoDyip

A NEW transport company has started using Mahindra vehicles as its entry in the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. In a statement Mahindra Philippines said it recently signed an agreement with EcoDyip, Inc. in which the Indian brand is committed to supply 1,000 units of vehicles worth P2 billion. The Mahindra T20 and Supro models will be reconfigured as “modern jeepneys.”
Mahindra Philippines said it had already delivered 100 vehicles to EcoDyip, Inc.
Dennise C. Trajano, managing director of EcoDyip, Inc., said the T20 and Supro modern jeepney “are more than capable in meeting the requirements of the commuting public.”
“Having tested the Mahindra T20 and Supro jeepneys on the road for days, I find them responsive, efficient and have good handling. One advantage worth mentioning is their air-conditioning systems which can provide comfortable cooling even when the units are fully loaded,” Mr. Trajano said.
According to Mahindra Philippines EcoDyip, Inc. plans to hire drivers set to be displaced in the jeepney modernization program and will train them on the technical aspects of the Mahindra models, as well as on safety measures and proper etiquette when dealing with passengers. EcoDyip, Inc. will also introduce a “better payment method with an automated fare collection system,” Mahindra Philippines said.
The company added the T20’s power train and the Supro’s cab and chassis are imported from India, but that their bodies, flooring, roofs, seat material and other customized pieces are fabricated in the Philippines. Jeepneys based on the T20 and Supro all carry the full manufacturer’s warranty.
Mahindra Philippines noted it — together with Columbian Autocar Corp., — has a “modern and fully equipped assembly plant” set in a 10-hectare complex at the Laguna International Industrial Plant, and which can assemble more than 10,000 vehicles a year.

Upgraded Porsche Macan twins with 911, 918 Spyder


THE upgraded Porsche Macan has moved closer to its sports car stable mates.
Porsche on July 25 held in Shanghai the world premiere of the latest version of the Macan, the German brand’s compact SUV that, from its 2014 debut, is focused on the “sport” part of its sport-ute configuration. In its new form, the car wears “numerous details which reflect the DNA” of the Porsche 911 and 918 Spyder sport models, according to Porsche.
It cited in particular the Macan’s lighting system, which is made up of LED headlights (the adaptive Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus is an option), a three-part, three-dimensional LED taillight strip and the four-point brake lights, all of which mimic those fitted to the 911 and 918 Spyder. Along with new light fixtures, the Macan’s front end has been reshaped so it now appears wider while the rear has turned more sloping, evoking the sports cars’ silhouette. New paint jobs — Miami Blue, Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic and Crayon — and interior packages ensure the Macan is now more customizable, Porsche said.
It added the latest Macan’s “link to the 911 is consolidated” in the cabin by the optional GT sports steering wheel which features the car’s driving mode switch, plus the Sport Response Button for the Sports Chrono Package.
Another key feature of the new car is the Porsche Communication Management which integrates a rising center console and a full-HD touch screen, measuring 11 inches across, into the redesigned instrument panel. The user interface for the system’s infotainment functions can be personalized, and the Connect Plus module underpins various digital functions and services, such as intelligent voice control and the real-time traffic information. The Here Cloud connection allows access to swarm-based traffic data while the new Offroad Precision App makes it possible to record and analyze off-road driving performance.
Also new to the Macan is the Traffic Jam Assist with an adaptive cruise control function, which partially automates acceleration and braking at speeds up to 60 kph, as well as assists with steering in slow-moving traffic.
Porsche, which bills the Macan as a “sports car in the compact SUV segment,” said it has fine-tuned the model’s chassis to allow for a more “neutral” handling — neither under-steering nor over-steering during cornering — while still being stable and comfortable-riding.
Unchanged in the new Macan are its staggered-size wheels (20 inches in front, 21 inches in the rear, all fitted with freshly developed tires) and the Porsche Traction Management for the car’s all-wheel drive train.
No announcement regarding the new Macan’s engine development has been made yet.

Now 30 years old, Toyota PHL is stronger than ever

I dare you to truly wrap your head around this math: Two out of five brand-new cars that Filipinos buy today are from Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP). That’s 40%. An eye-popping number especially when you consider that more than 35 automotive brands — from the mass-market to the luxury — do business in the country.
Last year, when the whole industry sold a record-setting 470,000 vehicles, Toyota was responsible for 182,657 units (183,908 if you include Lexus). The second-ranked brand was Mitsubishi, with 73,590 sold passenger cars. Another amazing fact: Toyota posted more sales in 2017 than the next four automakers combined (a total of 179,649 units for Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Ford and Honda). If that’s not your definition of absolute supremacy, you should get yourself a new dictionary.
Today, the first of August, TMP will formally celebrate its 30th anniversary — three decades of sheer domination, three decades of enduring relationship with the Filipino motorist. It’s a milestone so important to the company that no less than President Rodrigo R. Duterte is expected to grace the occasion. As I now rummage through my room in search of a suitable outfit to wear to the event, I can’t help but wonder: Just how did we become Toyota country? How did a brand with a not-so-flattering reputation in our territory in the 1960s become our automatic first choice when purchasing a new vehicle?
The basketball fanatic in me wants to believe Toyota’s current popularity is still the result of Robert Jaworski’s and Francis Arnaiz’s exploits on the basketball court back in the 1970s. But that notion can’t be any more absurd. As we did with Ford, we almost completely forgot about Toyota not long after the car manufacturer had left the country in the middle of all the political turmoil in the early 1980s. The truth was that we were just eager to embrace whoever was selling even a single decent automobile, like Nissan and Mitsubishi.
And then Toyota officially returned on August 3, 1988. I had just graduated from high school then. Little did I know that the one company destined to play a most prominent role in my career had arrived (or returned, whatever). In the thick of the action was a man named Vicente S. Socco. Tasked to help Toyota with its Philippine comeback, Mr. Socco drew both experience and inspiration from having been a young employee of Delta Motor Corp. in the 1970s. Though many people would remember him in his most visible post — as senior vice president for marketing — he should really be acknowledged for the more important (though less glamorous) things he did for TMP.
For instance, it was during his time when Toyota’s dealership network had a gentleman’s agreement barring principals from selling products of other car brands. Which forced dealers to focus on Toyota alone and to do really well in their business, as they had no other brands to fall back on. These days — even as countless other brands share overlapping dealer networks — Toyota remains exclusive. It’s almost like an upper-crust fraternity that everybody wants to join but almost nobody else qualifies for.
He has long moved on from TMP — he’s now the executive vice-president of Lexus Asia — but Mr. Socco remains the perfect person to ask about what makes Toyota extremely successful in the Philippines.
“TMP is a truly customer-centric organization,” Mr. Socco told me. “They walk the talk. It’s a passion and a culture. TMP also works as a team. No silo mentality. Each member and each business unit works not only to meet their respective goals, but also the shared goals of the company and its stakeholders. Even the dealers and the suppliers are embraced as an organic part of the organization and not as separate business enterprises. It is about the power of all.”
He also mentioned something about product quality, but let’s be real: Most modern cars now are just as good as — and in some cases even better than — Toyota vehicles. What I can agree with the Singapore-based Filipino executive is the prevailing culture of customer service at TMP. The company and its dealers seem to really aim to please. I’m sure they don’t always get it right, but how come Toyota has never really had a customer-related scandal in our market? To think they sell the most number of cars, which means they run the most risk of screwing up as far as after-sales service is concerned.
But Toyota in our market seems to always do just enough to satisfy its clients — enough to make them come back. For three decades and counting.
Tonight, as TMP toasts its 30-year reign in the country at Grand Hyatt Manila, thousands of content car owners will be cruising peacefully outside, worry-free and with every intent to make Toyota their next vehicle.

Dashboard (08/01/18)

Hyundai to open more Fast Track facilities


LOCAL distributor Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) is aiming to put up 36 Fast Track-ready dealerships this year, adding to the current 18 such facilities.
HARI said Fast Track allows Hyundai vehicles to undergo their preventive maintenance service in 30 minutes. If the job is not completed within the period the vehicle owner will not be charged for the service.
The company said the job can be completed in 30 minutes because dealerships that offer Fast Track have advanced equipment operated by experts. The ongoing digitization of service operations is also a factor, HARI said.
It explained routine procedures like oil change, brake cleaning and lights, wipers and engine fluids inspection can be done in 30 minutes. HARI’s online portal (fasttrackservice.hyundai.ph) also make booking an appointment for service more convenient.
“Hyundai is known for top-notch after-sales service around the globe, and our dealerships and service crew in the Philippines live up to that world-class standard,” said Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, president and CEO of HARI.

Select MB models offered with low fees


MERCEDES-BENZ distributor in the Philippines Auto Nation Group (ANG) has announced select models of the German brand can now be purchased through down payments that are the lowest yet offered by the company.
The Mercedes-Benz GLA 180 Urban can be bought by placing a down payment of P279,000; the Mercedes-Benz CLA 180 Urban for a down payment of P289,000; and the Mercedes-Benz GLC 200 for a down payment of P399,000. ANG said the models also come with discounted prices and free chattel mortgage fees and one-year insurance coverage.
The company noted the GLA 180 Urban crossover SUV is powered by a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged gasoline engine that makes 122 hp and 200 Nm.
Some smart technology features of the CLA 180 Urban compact sedan are an automatic engine start/stop function, Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Attention Assist and brake assist, according to ANG.
It added the GLC 200 SUV comes with the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission, the Air Body Control suspension, and a suite of driver-assist technologies like a navigation system, parking assist, adaptive brake systems and hill-start assist.

Toyota recognizes role of parts suppliers

TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) said it recently held the 2018 Toyota Supplier Conference and 18th Toyota Suppliers Club (TSC) general assembly in which TMP President Satoru Suzuki recognized the suppliers’ commitment and effort in serving the company’s requirements.
“We recognize the solid business partnership we have built throughout these years. We have been able to reach this milestone through [suppliers’] steadfast support as we succeeded the highs and lows in this industry. I am counting on our continuous joint effort in producing better cars to help create better lives,” Mr. Suzuki said.
TMP, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, said the steady support of the local supply chain ensures the stability of parts production and availability for the production of the new Vios, TMP’s enrolled model in the government’s Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program.

Gold heading for fourth monthly drop as bears take command

Gold is heading for a fourth monthly decline, the longest streak since 2013, as investors favor the dollar and pessimism on the metal grows.
Bullion for immediate delivery was down 0.2% at $1,219.25 an ounce at 10:16 a.m. in London. Prices are down 2.7% this month and near a one-year low.
The precious metal has fallen out of favor after Federal Reserve policy makers boosted interest rates twice this year. The Fed is expected to affirm plans for two more hikes at a meeting this week.
With holdings in exchange-traded funds shrinking, funds have been building up their bets on further declines in prices. As of last week, money managers held the biggest net-short position in futures and options in records going back to 2006, according to CFTC data compiled by Bloomberg.
“Gold is continuing its bearish movement and is laying the foundation for another negative week,” said Carlo Alberto De Casa, chief analyst at ActivTrades in London. “Despite the recovery of the euro against the U.S. dollar, little seems to have changed and investors still prefer other assets over bullion.”
Earlier Tuesday, the Bank of Japan left its key interest rates unchanged and traders’ attention is now switching to monetary policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of England later this week.
“Gold has been on a downward path since the last few weeks owing to a firmer U.S. dollar, ETF outflows and weaker consumer demand,” said Madhavi Mehta, an analyst at Kotak Commodity Services Pvt in Mumbai. — Bloomberg

Cathay plans job cuts overseas amid competition from China rivals

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans to cut jobs at its overseas operations as part of the company’s three-year restructuring efforts, South China Morning Post reported.
The airline’s plan will involve the consolidation of its overseas sales, marketing, cargo and airport-based operations, the newspaper said, citing a source it didn’t identify. Cathay, which has about 7,600 employees based in 100 locations outside Hong Kong, declined to reveal how many would be affected or which markets they were from, according to the report.
Following the redesign of Cathay’s head office structure, it’s reorganizing other teams to enable quicker and better informed decisions to be made, the carrier said in an emailed response to questions. An internal memo has been shared with employees on the restructuring, and this work will continue over the coming months, Cathay said.
The aim is to establish a structure that “modernizes our ways of working and thinking, makes us leaner and more agile,” Cathay said, without referring to any job cuts.
Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg, appointed in May 2017, is trying to turn around the airline’s fortunes as it faces growing competition from budget carriers and rivals in neighboring China. The CEO cut 600 jobs in Hong Kong last year and has taken delivery of new aircraft to help Cathay become more competitive.
As part of the restructuring plan, the airline will reduce costs by more than HK$4 billion ($510 million) over three years. About HK$1 billion is expected to come from scaling back pilots’ benefits and allowances, the newspaper said. Cathay has yet to reach any agreements with its pilots.
Increased earnings from associates including Air China Ltd., in which Cathay owns 18 percent, helped the Hong Kong carrier post a net income of HK$792 million in the second half of 2017. Still, competition from Chinese carriers and fuel-hedging losses resulted in a full-year net loss of HK$1.26 billion. — Bloomberg

SC junks Estrada’s dismissal plea; plunder trial to proceed

By Gillian M. Cortez
The Supreme Court affirmed the Office of the Ombudsman’s findings of probable cause against former senator Jose “Jinggoy” E. Estrada over his involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.
Supreme Court (SC) Spokesperson Theodore O. Te said in a media briefing on Tuesday, July 31, that the High Court “upheld the Ombudsman’s finding of probable cause against petitioner Estrada.”
The High Court voted 6-4, with four taking no part in the voting.
The ruling, signed by Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio, also junked the former senator’s plea to dismiss the plunder and graft charges in connection to the PDAF scam.
Mr. Estrada was charged with plunder and graft and will still face trial before the Sandiganbayan.
Last year, Ms. Estrada left detention after three years when he posted bail worth P1.33 million over his role in the pork barrel issue. The Sandiganbayan special fifth division was the one that granted the temporary liberty of Mr. Estrada.
He filed his plea to the SC earlier this year.
The former senator allegedly distributed his PDAF to fake organizations owned by pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. The former senator reportedly took P183.8 million in kickbacks.
Last week, Ms. Napoles was indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman for her role in the fertilizer fund scam, on top of her PDAF cases. She was also denied bail last week by the SC regarding the PDAF scam along with her co-accused, Former Senator Ramon B. Revilla Jr.
Juan Ponce Enrile, Sr. who was also charged with plunder and graft in relation to the PDAF scam, is free on bail.

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