I HAD the distinction of being invited by Visor last weekend to judge a superbly presented array of ideas designed for either an article production or a social-media/video presentation—with motoring, of course, as the main theme.
My fellow judges, “I Am Sam” Liuson of Wheel Gallery/Concept One and the hard-hitting journalist Vernon B. Sarne, were virtually sold on my choices for the Top 3 among the five two-man teams. But make no mistake about it: All the participants—writers, contributors, columnists, tekkies and staff of Visor—were all winners, their creative juices producing riveting topics of the non-ordinary kind.
And what is Visor again? Read on:
Visor (www.visor.ph) is a Philippine-based web site that publishes car-related content. It is the brainchild of Filipino automotive journalist Vernon B. Sarne.
The web site’s editorial team held its first planning session on February 16, with the aim of producing better, more relevant and more entertaining stories.
The Visor team members present during the planning were:
Vernon B. Sarne
Editor-in-Chief
Vince S. Socco
Columnist
Frank Schuengel
Writer
Botchi Santos
Columnist
Manskee Nascimento
Writer
Miggi Solidum
Writer
Red Santiago
Writer
Hazel Imperial-Tan
Marketing and Sales Director
Inna Viloria
Product and Technical Officer
Antonne Santiago
Visual Editor
Khat de Guzman
Designer
Aldy Ouano
Finance Officer
Part of the planning session was the so-called Visor Passion Project, in which the team members presented their ideas for future articles, videos and social-media campaigns. The three best presentations were picked by longtime sports/motoring journalist Al Mendoza, automotive aftermarket industry Executive Sam Liuson and Sarne, with the presenters given a funded opportunity to produce them.
Visor management intends to hold planning sessions regularly not only to ensure consistency and quality of editorial content but also to keep up with the latest trends in digital media. Like other professionally run media web sites, Visor is passionate about the way it engages its audience, and this includes being an active player on all digital platforms available today.
Visor was launched on November 6, 2017. It has already hit 300,000 monthly page views with 120,000 unique visitors. Its Facebook page now has more than 100,000 followers. Sarne, who conceptualized and developed the web site after leaving his post as editor-in-chief of Top Gear Philippines in September 2016, counts honesty, accuracy and fairness as the main hallmarks of Visor.
Besides the usual car stories and automotive industry reports, Visor wants to serve its readers human interest and traffic-related articles and videos. It aspires to one day be the country’s go-to site when it comes to motoring news and content.
One of the strengths of Visor is its pool of writers and columnists, which includes industry executives and insiders who give readers a firsthand and personal take on important issues that affect Philippine motoring.
One of Visor’s major achievements last year was its move to a new office in Kapitolyo, Pasig City. Since it opened, this office has served as a hub where industry executives meet and discuss topics that don’t normally get tackled at formal gatherings.
So there. What are you waiting for? Go chase the hottest craze in town. Visit Visor. And make it your vice.
Autoplus Car Center fire
I FEEL for the owners of Autoplus Car Center, the famous joint on Edsa specializing on the care of plush vehicles, that burned down on Monday.
Easily, millions of pesos worth of cars and hi-tech equipment on car care as well went up in smoke in the blaze that razed nearly a dozen high-end vehicles. They include one Porsche, Shelby, Subaru, Sequoia, Range Rover, one drift car, one race car and one Triumph Bobber, among others.
JV Ejercito—yes, the senator running for reelection in May—tweeted: “I feel sad, my car for the past 10 years, my Toyota Sequoia, burned in the fire at Autoplus Car Center this morning [Monday]. Feeling sentimental because we’ve been through so many battles and it was my most reliable, not to mention ‘lucky’ car. Will be missing this car.”
Alvin Dexter Manalo Arevalo counseled JV: “Hingi ka kay Jinggoy dami pera nun..”
Colleague Anjo Perez reacted to that with a he-he-he.
Jinggoy, of course, is JV’s half-brother who is also running for senator. They are the sons of Erap, the former president who is now mayor of Manila. Erap is also seeking a third and final term in the May polls against Fred Lim and Isko Moreno.
PEE STOP Toyota Motors Philippines held its historic launch this week of the sixth generation Hiace, that iconic van that has been a Filipino fixture for more than half a century now. The new model is uniquely long-nosed and laden with features aptly described as “reshaping possibilities” by its trumpeters led by TMP hotshot Tini Arevalo. More of the Hiace soon here…Please say a little prayer for Atty. Domingo Tolentino Duerme, my friend for many decades, my coworker for the uplift of the Filipino farmers, as well as aspiring pilots from both near and far. Unknown to many, Domeng, PAL Mindanao’s top gun for decades, was a painter, whose strokes evoke of Botongesque. After tonight’s tribute at Cosmopolitan on Camus Street Davao City, Domeng’s ashes will be inurned tomorrow, Saturday. It isn’t goodbye, my friend, just a wave of the hand.