SUDDENLY, the coronavirus, which has already inflicted so much havoc on the car industry the past 10 months or so, sales-wise that is, has also invaded, trespassed into, the motorworld’s lexicon.
Whereas before when we generally associate the word “variant” only to a model of a vehicle, not anymore.
Scientists now call a new strain of the Covid-19 as also a “variant.”
First found in early December in the United Kingdom, the virus variant has sped to faraway South Africa before it travelled back to Europe in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, among others.
It is now close to our borders in Hong Kong and Singapore. Whoa! We could hardly grapple with the pandemic’s impact, but here we are again being assaulted by a virus variant. When will the suffering end?
Adding to our state of disarray is the report of vaccinations stealthily done reportedly on government factotums, raising concerns of favoritism and division on the corridors of power. Ah, but isn’t inoculating Palace guards one way of helping protect the health of the President?
And while we are it, it is a bit of a happy belated report that October recorded a two-percent increase in industry sales from the previous month’s level.
According to Campi president Rommel Gutierrez, the September sales of 24,523 units was breached in October, indicating signs of a mini rebound, bit by bit, as the country eases into the New Year.
“This is a positive progress for the industry,” said Gutierrez, adding, “this was the highest sales volume since the start of the pandemic (in March).”
As a result, the recalibrated yearend outlook is virtually holding and Gutierrez is optimistic the trend will never change its course.
“We are on track to achieve our revised 2020 sales forecast of 240,000 units—the baseline for our medium-term recovery plan,” Gutierrez said.
Figures for the last two months have yet to be accounted for, however. But whiffs of recovery rent the air, sparked in large part by gracious grants of discounts and bank loans to would-be buyers.
So that as we approach 2021, the climate for a jumpstart into a new sales landscape appears reassuring despite the still volatile, if not shaky, situation.
Said Gutierrez earlier: “The industry is in a very vulnerable state still, but safeguard measures will enhance our ability to navigate the crisis.”
As always, every downturn can only produce an upswing, in keeping with the saying: “A calamity is an opportunity to make progress.”
Welcome 2021.
New Toyota Yaris
THE arrival of the new Yaris wrapped up the super loaded year of Toyota Motor Philippines as the world’s No. 1 automaker took the year’s boldest steps in meeting head-on the pandemic.
“It’s been a jam-packed year for Toyota in 2020,” said Elijah Marcial, TMP’s vice president for marketing services. “But the Yaris is our last exciting model that for sure will be enjoyed by our car-loving countrymen.”
The two variants come at P1.114 million for the 1.5S CVT variant and P973,000 for the 1.3E CVT variant.
You can reserve one at any of TMP’s 70 dealerships nationwide starting January 13. For more details, log on to https://toyota.com.ph/yaris.
Skyway 3 opens
THE 18-km Skyway 3 had its soft opening on Dec. 29, with motorists free to use it for one month, according to San Miguel Corporation (SMC).
The county’s longest elevated expressway is yet another novelty project of Ramon S. Ang, the SMC president and chief operating officer, which links the SLEX and NLEX expressways.
But one of the biggest benefits out of this road wonder is, it will greatly ease the volume of vehicles traversing Edsa. For, with the Skyway 3, we can expect a decrease of from 30 to 40 percent of motorists utilizing Edsa between Monumento and Baclaran.
“We are glad to finally welcome motorists, even on a limited capacity, starting December 29,” Ang said. “We have only President Duterte to thank for as he paved the way for the continuous construction of Skyway 3 over the years. We believe it will be a major key to help in our economic recovery amid and after the pandemic.”
Ang also thanked Duterte’s economic team, led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, “for pursuing massive infrastructure development under the government’s “Build Build Build” program, and for helping accelerate the completion of Skyway 3.”
Ang singled out President Duterte’s initiative to facilitate clearances of right-of-way issues, leading to the speedy conclusion of the project.
Travel time now between Makati and NLEX will take only 20 minutes. What a relief!
Happy New Year!
PEE STOP I mourn the passing of Domini Torrevillas-Suarez, my editor in the Eighties at Panorama, then the Sunday magazine of Bulletin Today. Domini was a kindly soul who was not your typical taskmaster that instilled fear on her subalterns. When she resigned in 1986, I was appointed Panorama’s editor in chief by the late Pat H. Gonzales, then the Bulletin Today editor. I lasted only for several months as I accepted the offer of Eggie Apostol to join the Inquirer middle of 1986. Rest now, my dear Domini. You left me with only happy memories…