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Traffic crisis management bill in House plenary

THE HOUSE of Representatives as of this reporting Tuesday afternoon began plenary debates on the long-standing traffic crisis management bill.

House Bill No. 6425, or the proposed Traffic Crisis Act — which covers traffic management in Metro Manila, Metropolitan Cebu, and Metropolitan Davao — was presented by the House committees on appropriations and on transportation, headed respectively by Representatives Karlo Alexei B. Nograles and Cesar V. Sarmiento.

Implementation of the measure, if enacted into law, will be led by the transportation secretary as Traffic Chief, who shall supervise all local government units (LGUs) within the metropolitan areas, among other comprehensive powers and functions defined by the bill.

The Traffic Chief, in coordination with the covered agencies, shall also develop a Traffic Management Plan for each of the defined metropolitan areas and a comprehensive traffic rules and regulations handbook identifying such offenses as reckless driving, counter-flow, and lack of inadequate parking spaces and driveways and their corresponding penalties.

The Traffic Chief, in coordination with the component LGUs, shall also identify private subdivisions or village roads which shall be designation as friendship routes that will serve as additional access points and secondary channels for road traffic.

The bill also has provisions on route rationalization for public utility vehicles (PUVs), revocation and modification of PUV franchises and permits, roadworthiness of PUVs and financial assistance to PUV modernization.

“Effective January 1, 2018, licensed professional drivers operating PUVs in the metropolitan areas must undergo testing and examination prior to the issuance of new professional driver’s licenses,” the bill also reads in part.

Effectivity of this measure is three years from its enactment into law, whose implementation will also be monitored by the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee.

Zamboanga Peninsula wage board to hold consultations for daily pay hike

Zamboanga wage rates

THE ZAMBOANGA Peninsula Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-9) will conduct a series of consultations for the possible increase in minimum wage rates in light of the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law beginning this year. Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Ofelia B. Domingo, also the chair of RTWPB-9, said the discussions would include statistics on consumer price index and poverty threshold. The consultation will start on Feb. 20 in Zamboanga City, and will continue until March, covering Isabela City in Basilan, Ipil in Zamboanga City, Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur, and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte. Ms. Domingo said it is very likely that there will be a “wage increase,” but the rates would depend on the consultations as well as data-based assessment. The last wage adjustment in the region took effect on Oct. 1, 2017 based on Wage Order No. RIX-I9 issued Aug. 15, 2016. — Albert F. Arcilla

ESPN5 launches digital platform for sports fans

IT’S NOW OFFICIAL: TV5 and ESPN had agreed with the multimedia licensing and co-branding of the local ESPN5 as well as subscription of sports streaming service ESPN player that can be accessed by sports fans beginning today.

This means that Filipino sports fans all over the world can now get up to date developments of what’s going on in Philippine sports as well as the usual streaming of major international sports events being shown on ESPN.

The latest step in the agreement between TV5 and ESPN means collaboration of both TV and digital platform, which will now be known as ESPN5.

The new co-branded Web site will deliver digital access to sports fans in the Philippines, directing multi-sports streaming service to consumers.

These means sports fans will have an exciting new digital gateway for all the latest news, scores, video and more from the Philippines sporting scene and around the world — anytime and anywhere.

“We had made some changes to the network and we launched it in October, our partnership with ESPN. Part of that partnership is our seriousness about going 360-degree about our coverage of sports and content. We’re announcing the ESPN5.com, the local Web site.

Driven by their love for sports, ESPN decided to tie up with the Philippines through TV5, which has become a dedicated sports channel and Joyee Biswas, head of Southeast Asia ESPN, wants to build that strong connection to the Filipinos.

“ESPN has a strong connection with fans around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports,” said Mr. Biswas. “The launch of our new co-branded digital multi-sports products for Philippine sports fans showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Filipino sports fans. These new products perfectly complement TV5’s recently launched ESPN5 channel and reinforce our signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms.”

Aside from the PBA games, ESPN5 will bring the games of Gilas Pilipinas in the World Cup, US NCAA basketball all the way to March Madness, the National Football League and bouts of new Filipino boxing sensation Jerwin Ancajas and Xtreme Games among others.

Although ESPN5 will not be able to show NBA games as coverage of the NBA games are licensed in another channel in the Philippines, the new digital platform will be able bring up to date NBA developments from the widely acknowledged NBA writer, Adrian Wojnarowski. — Rey Joble

Ex-PBA players Acuña, Alvarez proving worth on Batangas in MPBL

FROM multi-titled PBA champions as members of the old Purefoods franchise B-Meg/San Mig Coffee, Val Acuña and Lester Alvarez are now playing key roles for their new team Batangas Athletics-Tanduay in the fledging Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

The two players had a combined eight championships as teammates in the PBA despite being considered as bench warmers. But they proved their worth for their new squad, which they helped notch an early win in the MPBL Anta Rajah Cup.

Mr. Acuña scattered 18 points, built around four triples, while Mr. Alvarez added 14 as the two led the way for the Athletics.

The two veterans relished their new roles as Batangas’ go-to-guys in the MPBL.

“It’s not difficult for me to assume the leadership role because my teammates were very supportive,” Mr. Acuña told BusinessWorld.

After his short-lived PBA career, Mr. Acuña didn’t shy away from playing basketball elsewhere.

LIGANG LABAS
That’s how players in the commercial league described their way of continuously pursuing their playing career outside of the regular league they’re playing for.

With food at the table at stake, Mr. Acuña chose to play from these small time leagues just to provide food on the table.

“We need to work for our family, so we continuously play whenever there’s a team out there needing our services, big or small,” added Mr. Acuña. “That’s also one way of keeping myself in shape.”

Mr. Acuña proved it to all and sundry as he came out in tip-top condition for the Athletics.

While Mr. Acuña decided to stay home and continued to do the things he loves the most, Mr. Alvarez tried his luck overseas and he was able to land a job playing as an import in Thailand.

“I pushed myself hard during practice, doubling my effort, knowing that we’re going to be the go-to-guys of our new team,” added Mr. Alvarez. “I played two conferences in the PBA D-League after my short stint in the PBA. Before that, I also played in the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League then went to the Thailand League. It’s a continues process for me.”

Both Messrs. Acuña and Alvarez admitted they’re using the MPBL as a way to catch attention to teams in the PBA. — Rey Joble

More sightings of Panay’s 5 endangered species after protection program

ILOILO CITY — A three-year conservation program that will close next month has shown an increase in the overall population of five endangered species found in Panay Island.

Residents of mountain communities in 19 towns from the provinces of Iloilo, Antique and Aklan, which serve as habitat of the five endemic species, were tapped as key players in the project dubbed Forest and Climate Protection (ForClim) in Panay Project Phase II funded by the German government.

“We were able to reduce hunting activities of these endemic species. And we also got the backing of the local communities which served as our law enforcers,” said Fred Canto of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Western Visayas (DENR-6), who served as ForClim focal person.

Panay’s “Big 5” is composed of Rafflesia speciosa flora, Visayan Spotted Deer, Visayan Warty Pig, Panay Monitor Lizard, and Visayan Writhed-billed Hornbill (Dulungan).

Mr. Canto reported to the media that sightings of the Visayan Warty Pig rose from 17 to 19; Panay Monitor Lizard from five to 14; and the Rafflesia grew from 11 to 12.

The Dulungan remains at 18 and the deer at 14.

ForClim is a P200-million project implemented by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with DENR-6.

Dr. Jurgen Schade, GIZ chief advisor said the project also helped curb illegal wildlife trading.

Under the project, 725 Bantay Gubat members were deployed and served as wildlife enforcement officers.

“The Bantay Gubat explained that it is illegal and you will get heavily fined if you still catch some wildlife. So there is an educational effect,” Mr. Schade said.

ForClim covered 149,000 hectares of protected forest, 30,049 hectares of critical habitats, and established 20 Forest Land Use Plans (FLUPs).

Mr. Canto said they are optimistic that the protection initiatives would continue as the project raised awareness on wildlife conservation among those residing within the Panay Big 5 habitat. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

South Korean business delegation exploring opportunities in Clark freeport, New City

A SOUTH KOREAN business delegation is in the Philippines to explore opportunities arising from the government’s infrastructure-building program, including potential projects in New Clark City in Central Luzon, officials said.

South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man said the delegation considers Tarlac’s New Clark City, which is being positioned as a government and business center, as a potential entry point for participating in the infrastructure program. It visited Clark Freeport Zone and New Clark City on Monday.

Mr. Han said South Korean investment in Southeast Asia is currently focused on Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, under the “New Southern Policy.”

“President Moon Jae-in… made it clear that the southern policy emphasizes infrastructure projects, especially in transport, energy, water management and ICT (information and communication technology),” he added.

“I think there are many areas of cooperation between South Korea and the Philippines,” he added.

Mr. Moon in November expressed his intention to refocus on Southeast Asia, given South Korea’s status as a potential partner for the regional bloc under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership scheme.

So far, Mr. Moon has visited Indonesia in a bid to diversify South Korea’s trading links.

Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez said that aside from the infrastructure and energy investments the Philippines will be expecting from South Korea, the government has set a target to increase trade.

“As far as investments are concerned, Korea is 7th largest investor in the Philippines. We want that, of course, to increase that’s why we have a lot of outbound missions, [and] inbound missions from South Korea,” he added.

“[This is] to make sure that the people and companies know exactly the opportunities in the Philippines, where they can make money especially during this period of the Duterte administration with the ‘Build Build Build’ program.”

The infrastructure program hopes to spend around P8 trillion to P9 trillion until 2022, covering 70 big-ticket projects.

Other companies in the delegation engaged in manufacturing are also looking for local partners. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

Of depression and expression

By Nickky F. P. de Guzman, Reporter

Theater Review
’Night Mother
Presented by PETA
Feb. 2 to March 18, Fridays to Sundays
The PETA Theater Center,No.5 Eymard
Drive, New Manila, Quezon City

EVERYTHING IN this play by Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is perfect, and this perfection becomes scary in how accurately it is a depiction of life. Flawless lines that resonate and pierce a vulnerable heart because the imagined characters on stage become so real — you know them or you are them. ’Night, Mother must come with a heavy warning: watch it with caution because this 90-minute uninterrupted two-woman play is flawless and will leave you breathless and tearful.

Starring two great actresses Eugene Domingo and Sherry Lara as daughter and mother, ’Night, Mother talks about depression and repressed emotions.

Let’s talk depression.

The story’s premise is straightforward: Jessie (Domingo) is suffering from depression and she has decided kill herself on a Saturday night using her father’s old gun. Jessie has the guts to tell her mother, Thelma (Lara), about her plan — and naturally she objects to it. Jessie tells Thelma because she does not want her to be surprised or to blame herself. She instructs and reminds her mother about what to do and how to go on living even after she’s gone. She even coaches her on how to answer relatives’ or the policemen’s queries.

A real-time play, ’Night Mother starts promptly at 8 p.m. (there is a clock on the set to show the time), and because it is promoted as a 90-minute show, the audience knows that the play will be finished at around 9:30 p.m. While Jessie is adamant that her plans cannot be changed, still, the audience (or this writer, at least) remain hopeful that by the time the clock on the set strikes 9:30 p.m., Jessie will take back her death wish, everything ends well, and the mother and daughter live happily ever after.

’Night Mother, however, isn’t about the end but about what has lead to this decision. It is about the conversations between a daughter whose death is decided and a mother who will be left behind and who does not know how to live because it is her daughter who does everything for her. Unlike most suicides where people only leave long letters filled with sorry’s and thank you’s and do not give their loved ones a chance to say what they want, Thelma is given this rare opportunity.

A magnificent actress, Ms. Lara’s characterization is natural and heartfelt as she gets the audience to empathize with Thelma’s every plea, negotiation, and effort to buy more time with her daughter. Ms. Domingo returns to the stage after a five-year hiatus and reminds everyone that there is more to her than the comic characters she has been playing on screen lately. Calm and collected as any “normal” person, her portrayal brings to the fore the realization that not all people who look “perfectly normal” really feel okay deep inside.

’Night, Mother banks on its strong script that moves the narrative forward while unraveling the characters’ personalities, their deepest secrets, their loneliness, the lies they tell themselves and their loved ones, and the choices they made in life. Despite the dark humor present in the mother-daughter banter, which warrants a smirk or a laugh, the show conveys to the audience the conversations we should be having with our parents, friends, or lovers.

In his director’s note, Melvin Lee said that ’Night, Mother should be about the talks “we’ve had or should have had with our loved ones. Through conversation comes clarity. We need clarity in our feelings and thoughts to steer us away from darkness.”

Ian Lomongo, who adapted the script to Filipino from Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning piece, did a magnificent job as well. The original script was written in the 1980s, but Mr. Lomongo modernized and localized it — words like “tokhang” and “EJK” make an appearance. The result is a relatable play. Together, Mssrs. Lee and Lomongo have captured the nuances and dynamics of a Filipino family, which is often conservative and too polite to talk about the issues that really matter, not until one family member gets depressed, or worse, commits suicide.

REPRESENTING DEPRESSION
According to psychologist Dr. Randy Dellosa who was present during the media preview on Jan. 24, the play’s script and its depiction of depression are truthful and accurate.

The play informs the audience that Jessie is epileptic. She is pictured as hopeless, and she has an inexplicable void in her heart. She does not want to go outside her house, she is unhappy, she has negative thoughts about herself, and she has anxieties for her future. For her, death is the answer to end her anxiety. Jessie aspires to her own death because she says she is fed up with the uncertainties in her life: Will her son grow up to be a good man? Will her husband, who abandoned her, go back to her? What does tomorrow bring?

Jessie’s realistic thoughts and line of thinking are so familiar and perfectly rendered that they may trigger someone in the audience who has depression. As mentioned earlier, watch it with caution, with an open mind, and with a close friend whom you can talk to afterwards. PETA will be holding Q&A sessions with psychologists and experts after each performance to debrief the audience and to release any pent up emotion.

In today’s society where there are increasing cases of depression and suicide, and people rarely have deep and meaningful conversations with their loved ones, ’Night, Mother is a timely reminder to sit down and have a talk.

Tickets are available at www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Tough Mudder descends on the country in 2018

PREPARE to get down and dirty. This, as the world’s leading obstacle course event, Tough Mudder, holds its first-ever event in the country later this year.

In partnership with Proactive Sports Management, a noted organizer of fun runs in the Philippines, Tough Mudder, Inc. will make its debut staging in the country, bringing its signature obstacles.

The inaugural Tough Mudder Event Weekend in the Philippines will take place in July, to be followed by another event in November 2018.

“This is the first time that Tough Mudder will be in the Philippines, and Tough Mudder is not just about being tough, it is also about teamwork and determination,” said Proactive COO Justine Cordero during the formal unveiling of their partnership last weekend.

Founded in 2010, Tough Mudder has since gone on to become a leading sport, active lifestyle and media brand, known for its challenging races that bring out the best in participants both as individuals and as groups.

It is something that officials of Tough Mudder said they hope to share and introduce to local participants as they make their debut in the country.

“Tough Mudder events have united millions seeking a more engaging, communal form of active lifestyle. We are excited to partner with Proactive Sports Management, who have a proven track record for success for athletic events in the Philippines, to ensure locals and tourists alike will have the same unparalleled experience that has made Tough Mudder the must-do event for OCR (obstacle course race) enthusiasts and weekend warriors alike,” said Will Dean, Tough Mudder CEO and cofounder, also during the partnership launch.

With more than three million participants to date across five continents, Tough Mudder has offerings ranging from accessible yet rewarding challenges, such as the Tough Mudder 5K and Tough Mudder Half (five-mile event excluding fire, ice and electricity), to competitive events, such as Tough Mudder X (the toughest mile on the planet) and World’s Toughest Mudder (24-hour endurance event).

Organizers of the Tough Mudder Philippines said venue for the event is still being finalized and will be made known soon. But those who are already interested to join may start registering.

For more information on the event, check out their Facebook page Tough Mudder Philippines. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Tourism gets boost while agri sector faces misery from Mayon

WITH CHILI-flavored “lava ice cream” in demand and awestruck tourists packing onto viewing decks, the erupting Mayon volcano is sparking a local business boom in an impoverished region of the Philippines where tens of thousands of others have fled for their lives.

Albay province has built its image around the picture-perfect, cone-shaped Mayon Volcano whose periodic activity offers both boundless opportunity as well as enduring misery.

Since Mayon began shooting out lava two weeks ago, restaurants and hotels just outside a nine-kilometer (5.6-mile) “danger zone” — some complete with volcano branding — have enjoyed an off-season tourism bonanza.

“We are thankful because we have many guests but it also makes me guilty because so many people are affected,” Purita Araojo, front desk officer at Vista Al Mayon Pensionne, told AFP.

Nearly 90,000 people living around the volcano have fled to overcrowded relief camps where authorities have warned of a worsening sanitation crisis.

The largely farming region is still bracing for a potentially explosive eruption, though experts are convinced everyone is now out of reach of the 2,460-meter Mayon’s threat.

With its 52nd eruption in about 400 years, Mayon is the most active of 22 volcanoes in the Philippines, a country which is itself part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” of islands formed by volcanic activity.

BEAUTIFUL LADY
But its rumblings are also a spark of inspiration for tourism-oriented businesses, which have fashioned spicy menus while prominently displaying volcano photos and logos.

A bestseller at a local restaurant is the “Mayon Hot Lava” — Mayon-shaped ice cream scoops topped with bits of chili and spicy syrup.

High-end hotels provide live TV streaming of Mayon’s eruption, while out-of-town journalists and tourists are also corralled into “volcano-view” rooms with windows looking out onto the slowly unfolding disaster.

Albay saw a 10% growth in tourist arrivals this month from a year earlier, the local tourism office said, as travel agencies and tour guide services cashed in on what is normally a slow period after Christmas.

The forlorn top of the old church belfry of Cagsawa town — jutting out of the grass more than two centuries after Mayon buried 1,200 of its residents alive in a catastrophic 1814 eruption — is the most popular draw.

Family and friends pose for wacky shots beside it, many making it appear as if they are leaning on the smouldering volcano in the background, or cupping its red-hot crater.

At times however low-lying rain clouds spoil the photography, forcing tourist guides to turn to story-telling.

Mayon 2
Local tourists pose for photos at the Cagsawa ruins near Mayon Volcano in Daraga, Albay on Jan. 29.

“We tell them the epic where the cloud is believed to be the suitor of Mount Mayon, which we call the beautiful lady,” park aide Hohanna Loterina told AFP.

“When the cloud covers her, he does not want to show her to others and it’s an expression of love.”

But beyond the hospitality industry, the volcano has brought misery to the poor, many of them farmers on its lower slopes.

Volcanic ash has destroyed many crops, pushing up vegetable prices and causing roadside eatery proprietor Janet Octavo to miss out on the boom.

“I wish that the eruption stops,” she told AFP.

Elderly chili farmer Marcal Morato stood barefoot on blackened soil where wilted stems were all that remained.

“It’s such a shame because I can no longer use this. I would have to buy new seeds,” the 72-year-old told AFP.

Venice Mar lost P30,000 pesos worth of bitter gourd but was philosophical, saying disasters yield both winners and losers.

“We get frustrated but we just take it as it is. We are used to it because business is like a gamble,” he added.

Mayon’s activities continued over Monday night to yesterday, with “energetic lava effusion,” while previously extruded lava was also collapsing on the crater, only to be pushed out again as debris, the state volcanology office said in its latest bulletin.

An earlier Mayon eruption passed without any casualties in 2006, but four months later a typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from its slopes, killing about 1,000 people.

On Saturday the volcanology institute issued its first “lahar” warning on Mayon this year due to incessant rain that is usual in the region at this time of year.

A day later the institute made a video recording of lahar flowing down a river near Daraga town south of the volcano, though it did not cause any damage or casualties. — AFP

Arts Month to focus on the youth, reinvention to move art forward

NATIONAL ARTIST for Literature and chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Virgilio S. Almario encourages everyone to practice self-awareness and reinvention, which stimulate how we view ourselves and, in turn, how we see progress in our country.

“Let’s think of how we view ourselves again. I myself no longer like what I am making so I am searching for a new way of creating and expressing,” he said in the vernacular at the sidelines of NCCA’s launch of the February Arts Month celebration.

“At the same time, I want the new ways of expression to become pathways in the creation of a new country,” he added.

He said the Philippines is the product of our hiraya (imagination). “Jose Rizal and the other heroes imagined what our country should be like thus there was the revolution. After several centuries, we should reimagine our country. I am not happy with the results as we appear to have failed to fulfil the imaginings of our heroes.

“The Philippines is changing, conditions are changing. So the principles we hold on to may be old. We must assess well which of the things Bonifacio, Rizal did are still useful today and if there are things that they did not create that we need today so we can improve further.”

In line with Mr. Almario’s vision, the NCCA’s programs for February’s celebration of the Arts Month will cater to and center around the youth and the regions outside the Metro Manila.

“First, we need to go out outside of the city and involve the regions, because — we may not want to admit it — but the news and reports are always centered in Metro Manila,” he said in Filipino.

The Arts Month festivities, with theme “Ani ng Sining, Alab ng Sining,” will emphasize the seven arts — architecture, painting, music, literary, dance, performing, and cinema — in the Philippines and the diverse practices.

“Second, our festival must involve the youth,” he added.

Mr. Almario said that during a conference abroad, he learned that the youth worldwide have reported feeling dejection when they are not taken seriously.

“Malaki ang tampo ng kabataan dahil ang turing sa kanila ay kabataan. Hindi sila itinuturing na kapantay ng adults kaya ang tingin sa kanila laging tuturuan pa ng leksyon at hindi yung kaagapay sa paggawa ng proyektong pangkaunlaran (The youth sulk because they are treated as children. They are not considered equal to adults so they are looked on at as needing to be taught and not as partners in creating community projects),” he said, adding that there is a need to heed this message as the Philippines is home to a young population.

“The Philippines must utilize the energy and passion of our youth,” he said.

As a result, the National Arts Month celebration will hold seven projects which are focused on the youth and the regions outside Metro Manila:

• Musicapuluan: Music of the Philippine Islands, which is a music festival with performances, workshops, and lectures that will be held in Quezon City, Dumaguete City, Davao City, Negros Oriental, Catbalogan City, Cebu, and Samar.

• Loob at Labas: Talakayan at Pagpaparangya, which is a roving exhibit and forum on architecture that will travel to Bacolod, Baguio, Davao, Cabanatuan City, and Batangas.

• The 10th edition of the Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival, which will travel to universities in Metro Manila, and will feature some of the best works done in regions outside the capital.

• The Sayaw Pinoy dance tour, which will bring together the different art forms, ballet, folk dance, and modern dance to the stages around the provinces.

• Tampok will gather key theater practitioners in the country and feature performances, workshops, and discussions.

• The Philippine Visual Arts Festival will be held in Santiago City, Isabela, and will include workshops, art talks, and exhibitions while highlighting the works of visual artists from around the country.

• The Maartext arts festival will include spoken word, dance, music, writing workshops, lectures, and theatrical performances, and will be held in the Bicol region, Baguio City, Tacloban City in Leyte, Cebu, Pampanga, and Aklan. — Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

The intro of Nismo

By Kap Maceda Aguila

NISSAN Philippines, Inc. (NPI) is introducing the domestic automobile market to the virtues of heightened, sportier performance by unveiling on Jan. 25 five new vehicles — headlined by the entry of Nismo, Nissan’s performance brand.

Committed to high-output engineering and auto parts, along with the pursuit of motor sport, the Nismo experience is, according to Nissan; “30 years deep… [and the company] believes in power — but it must have a purpose… agility — but it must be refined… technology because we must always be moving forward.”

Declared NPI president and managing director Ramesh Narasimhan in a speech, “Nissan is excited to let the Philippine market experience the result of Nismo’s longstanding expertise in motor sports and ultra-high performance cars.” He promised “customers can surely expect other nameplates under the Nismo lineup in the future.”

Nismo was formed in 1984 with the merger of two performance divisions under the Nissan aegis — Oppama Works and Omori Works. Four years later, Nismo released its first vehicle, the Saurus, for motor sport use in a one-make series. It was followed in 1989 by the Skyline R32. Today, ushering in what is veritably the pinnacle of Nissan’s sport performance is the GT-R Nismo.

Present for the vehicle’s local introduction was the GT-R’s chief product specialist, Hiroshi Tamura, who provided more comprehensive insight into the Nismo version of “Godzilla” — the GT-R’s moniker among car enthusiasts. Lightweight materials, motor sport features, a powerful engine, and performance enhancements “are engineered to give an exhilarating experience on the road and on the track.”

The GT-R Nismo, now available at Nissan High Performance Center in Quezon Avenue, sells for P13.2 million (the GT-R Premium, also sold through the same dealership, has a pre-tax reform program sticker price of P7.5 million).

Propelling the GT-R Nismo is a retuned 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 that generates 592 hp and 652 Nm, compared to the 565 hp and 637 Nm produced by the same engine in the GT-R Premium. NPI said the GT-R Nismo gets ”Nismo-tuned suspension with additional roll stiffness, adhesive bonding [in addition to spot welding] for increased body-shell rigidity, Nismo-tuned aerodynamic exterior elements designed to increase down force… sculpted Alcantara-trimmed Recaro front bucket seats, [and] Nismo racing-style Alcantara-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel.” To reduce weight, the car’s boot lid, spoiler, front and rear bumpers, and lower front undercover are made of carbon fiber.

RECORD YEAR
During the same event, Mr. Narasimhan underscored NPI’s sterling performance in 2016 and 2017, where the company registered similar 48% upticks.

Last year, according to the 2017 sales report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc., to which NPI belongs, Nissan ranked sixth in total sales (attaining 5.87% market share) with a consolidated figure of 24,995 vehicles sold. The car maker delivered 16,897 units in 2016.

NPI also placed sixth in sales of passenger cars with 7,820 units — up 32.7% over the 2016 total. It was in the movement of its commercial vehicles where NPI showed a greater growth rate — selling 17,175 units compared to 11,002 in 2016, representing a 56.1% hike.

”[It] was a record-breaking year for Nissan,” said Mr. Narasimhan in a speech. “Not only were we able to launch new models in competitive segment… we were also able to expand our foothold across the country and achieve our largest sales record… These inspire us to set the bar higher and change the game this 2018, starting with new vehicles that will surely shake up the industry.”

FOUR NEW VEHICLES
Aside from the GT-R Nismo, NPI also launched four new and improved Nissan vehicles available beginning in February: The Urvan Premium S, which comes with a P400,000 — P450,000 dealer option luxury kit (developed with A-Toy Body Kits) including four captain seats with leather appointments, overhead compartments, and entertainment system; the Juke N Style, in Nismo colors of red and white (price to be announced); and Nissan Patrol Royale 7 A/T (P3,749,900), which has an upgraded engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Porsche takes top 10 finishes at Daytona

MARKING 50 years after it first won the overall title at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Porsche last weekend fielded two of its 911 RSR race cars to take on one of motor sport’s most popular endurance races.

But while the brand led grid half a century ago, Porsche at this year’s race managed only top 10 finishes. The No. 912 911 RSR, driven by two-time overall Le Mans winner Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor and Gianmaria Bruni, took sixth in the GTLM class while the No. 911 car shared by Patrick Pilet, Nick Tandy and Frederic Makowiecki landed in eighth spot.

The No. 911 car led the field during the early hours of the race but two pit stops for repairs hampered a top result. With Tandy on board, the RSR slid at high speed over the green strip at the Bus Stop chicane, which was still damp after a shower. The car them crashed into a stack of tires, and was so badly damaged that it had to be pushed straight into the workshop for repairs.

Porsche Daytona 2
Porsche’s No. 911 entry proved to be a survivor.

The crew managed to get Tandy back on the track after 20 minutes, but by which time he had lost 13 laps to the class leader and fell from fourth place to eighth. Another crash on the same spot during the night cost the team more time.

For its part, the No. 912 Porsche ran without issues. But the car was unable to match the pace of the frontrunners over the distance. Also, the caution phases at this year’s Daytona race were few, making it difficult to close the gap to the leaders as the field ran behind the safety car.

“We gained a lot of positive experiences in preparing for the race and at the start, also in terms of the performance of our 911 RSR. Unfortunately we weren’t able to implement this over the entire race distance. The whole team worked excellently and fought to the finish. The pit stops for repairs ran perfectly, yet we couldn’t do any more. That was not our race,” said Frank-Steffen Walliser, Porsche vice-president for motor sport and GT cars.

Porsche Daytona 3
No lack of Porsche fans at Daytona.

Pilet added this year’s Daytona race was “unusual” as it had “so few caution phases.”

As always, the recent 24 Hours of Daytona was run on the 5.729-kilometer Daytona International Speedway, which features two fast, banked turns and a tight infield. Porsche this year competed against BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari and Ford.

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