AAP Supplement in the Philippine Daily Inquirer
December 10, 2010
CONTENTS:
Gearing-up for a Decade of Action for Road Safety: 2011-2020
AAP Caravan explores Cavite and Batangas historical attractions
Scorching Track Action at the 2010 PTCC and PPCC Series and the Race of Champions
AAP Attends the Metro Manila Traffic and Transport Plan Entry Summit
The 2nd AAP INDI Tree Planting Project
Making Motoring Fun: Put a stop to illegal car license plates
AAP members get exclusive discounts on tires and car batteries
Anilao in Batangas: Drive and Dive
AAP Attends ABS-CBN’s “Salamat Dok” on Drunk Driving
AAP initiates payments through BPI Express Online
Gearing-up for a Decade of Action for Road Safety: 2011-2020
The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) in cooperation with the University of the
Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS) and Toyota Motor Philippines
(TMP) as sponsor, held its 5th Road Safety Conference at the GT-Toyota Asian Center
Auditorium on November 18, 2010 with the theme “Gearing-Up for a Decade of Action for Road
Safety, 2011-2020.”
Attended by
representatives from the
government, private
sector, NGOs and
transport groups as well
as road safety experts
and advocates, the
conference supported
the initiatives of the
United Nations Decade
of Action for Road
Safety. In his opening
remarks, AAP president and concurrently Philippine Global Road Safety Partnership (PGRSP)
Chair Augusto Lagman said that the Decade of Action for Road Safety aims to save five million
lives by the year 2020 but its effectiveness cannot be measured unless we all act now. For his
part, TMP president Michinobu Sugata said, “Let us not just look at accidents and injuries as
numbers, but more importantly, lives that we can save because we have made the roads safer
for everyone”.
The conference was divided into three sessions: the first session tackled road safety
legislative initiatives the second focused on eco-driving, and the third covered the International
Road Assessment Program (iRAP).
Legislative Initiatives
. Pia Cariño-Santiano, chief of staff of Buhay Party List Rep. Irwin Tieng, explained the
three bills on road safety and their current status in the House of Representatives: (1) the Anti
Before the 5th AAP Road Safety Conference began, Krus na Ligas High
School students made a presentation depicting the young casualties and
fatalities of road crashes.
During the Krus na Ligas presentation, DOTC
Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin read the
explanatory notes of the Anti Texting While
Driving Bill, the Anti Drunk Driving Bill and the
Anti Reckless Driving Bill.
Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation President, Michinobu Sugata welcomed the conference
participants in his opening remarks.
Texting While Driving Bill, which is currently awaiting
deliberation in the Lower House, will penalize
motorists who text while driving, with suspension of
their driver’s license and a fine of up to P20, 000, (2)
the Anti Drunk Driving Bill will set a quantitative limit
for blood alcohol content at 0.06 percent and (3) the
Anti Reckless Driving Bill will criminalize dangerous
driving habits with jail sentences from one to 12
months, plus fines of P1,000 to P100,000. This bill
has already passed the first reading and is currently
pending in the committee for deliberation.
Department of Transportation and
Communications (DOTC) Assistant Secretary Dante
Lantin expressed support to the bills and affirmed
the Aquino Administration’s commitment to road
safety. On the other hand, Alberto Suansing of the
Safety Organization of the Philippines (SOPI) expressed his belief that the existing Republic Act
4136, a.k.a. the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, is sufficient to instill road discipline and
only needs strict implementation to reduce the number of traffic law violators. He asserted that
the only thing our country lacks is a specific benchmark for driving under the influence of liquor
or narcotics (DUI) that will help law enforcers in apprehending drunk drivers.
Dexter Cardenas of the Quezon City Department of
Public Order and Safety shared this view, saying that the
government should work on standardizing the road signs
and intelligently review their locations to maximize visibility
to motorists. Cardenas lamented that many road signs are
defaced with political propaganda or the logos of
commercial firms. Standardizing road signs would prevent
this so that road signs will serve their purpose, which is to
guide motorists and warn them of hazards.
Another issue brought up in the first panel
AAP President and concurrent
Philippine Global Road Safety
Partnership (PGRSP) Chair, Augusto
Lagman briefs the attendees on the
Decade of Action for Road Safety.
discussion was the proliferation of stick-on advertisements on the backs of public utility buses.
Johnny Angeles, AAP vice-president and road safety committee chairman, said that these
stickers have no “traffic redeeming value,” and therefore should not be tolerated because they
block the driver’s rear view.
Eco-Safe Driving
The afternoon session resumed with a discussion
of Eco- Safe Driving presented by Leandro del Rosario of
Meralco’s South Distribution Services Fleet-Logistics.
Eco-Safe Driving is among the company’s initiatives to
reduce emissions so as to lower the production of the
“greenhouse effect” in the environment. It also promotes
road safety and energy efficiency as drivers are
encouraged to limit using the gas pedal and thereby
enjoy more relaxed motoring. Eco-Safe Driving manages
engine revolution so that upon acceleration and during
cruising, the engine will only reach around 2,000 rpm
maximum/.
With Eco-Safe Driving, Meralco urges the public
and private sectors to embark on a greener journey with
them for a safer and cleaner road environment.
iRAP
Aside from promoting green driving, the conference also tackled iRAP, a project that
aims to make roads safe through the identification, inspection and improvement of high-risk
road infrastructure. iRAP is a joint effort of AAP, DPWH, UP-NCTS and the Land Transportation
Office (LTO) whose representatives are members of the Inter-Agency Steering Committee
formed by DPWH to coordinate with the iRAP Project Team.
DPWH Assistant Secretary Maria Catalina Cabral reported that so far, the project has
accomplished the following goals: identifying black spots, conducting road safety audits,
collecting motor vehicle users charge (MVUC) to be used in funding road safety projects,
preparing and distributing manuals on road safety, and organizing road safety training seminars
for DPWH staff, and some of the local police and local government units.
DPWH Assistant Secretary for
Planning Maria Catalina E. Cabral
explained iRAP Philippines during
the afternoon session.
iRAP will focus on upgrading 30,000 km of national
roads to higher safety standards as data show that only 86
percent of our primary roads are paved and the rest are
still gravel., iRAP will construct more bridges, continue
capacity building among the public and private sectors,
continue detailed road audits of the rest of our national
roads, identify more black spots, and formulate affordable
programs of safety engineering that can decrease road
casualties.
The road conference ended with remarks by
Johnny Angeles who, on behalf of AAP, congratulated
and thanked the organizers and participants, especially
the speakers and reactors, for sharing their insights via
their presentations.
As a leading road safety advocate, AAP urges everyone to unite and participate in the
Decade of Action for Road Safety: 2011-2020 to reduce road casualties by 50 percent by the
year 2020. This United Nations resolution initiated by the FIA will be launched worldwide on
May 11, 2011, preceded by a pre-launch conference in every country including the Philippines.
“We hope to see everyone here again next year for this pre-event conference and keep helping
us to make our roads safe”, Angeles concluded.
AAP 5th Road Safety Conference panelists Dexter Cardenas of the Quezon City Department of Public Order
and Safety, Pia Cariño-Santiano, chief of staff of Buhay Party List Rep Irwin Tieng,. DOTC Assistant
Secretary Dante Lantin, and Alberto Suansing of SOPI.
2nd AAP Caravan explores Cavite and Batangas’ historical attractions
AAP members, families and friends explored the
historical and cultural attractions of Cavite and Batangas
during the 2nd AAP Caravan on November 27, 2010. It was
preceded by the first AAP Caravan last May to the
ecological and cultural sites in Clark and Subic.
Spearheaded by former Tourism Secretary Mina T. Gabor
who now chairs the AAP Tourism Committee as a member
of the board of directors, the AAP Caravans aim to
promote drive tourism of local tourist sites and at the same
time serve as a family-bonding weekend activity.
The 2nd AAP Caravan was powered by Petron
Blaze 100, the new ultra-high performance gasoline. After
registering at the Petron Blue wave service station on
Diosdado Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City the participants in 26 cars with Aeromed, the official
ambulance provider, as sweep drove in convoy to destination points in Cavite and Batangas.
Upon crossing the Cavite border, the caravan was escorted by highway patrol motorcycle
officers assigned by the provincial government of Cavite.
Cavite, Cradle of the Philippine Revolution
Cavite is rich not only in scenic attractions and Filipino culture but also in historical
landmarks. Recognized as the Cradle of the Philippine Revolution, Cavite is home to some of
our country’s finest museums, among them the Museo De La Salle in Dasmariñas, where the
caravan made its first stop. Participants walked through the 19 th century “bahay na bato” -
inspired building that showcases the remarkable illustrado lifestyle of our ancestors. The two-
storey building contains collections of antique family heirlooms such as furniture, decorative
objects, and fine and applied art pieces donated by or on long-term loan from prominent
collectors.
The museum’s rooms such as the caida, sala
mayor, despacho, cuartos, oratorio, comedor and cocina
have the actual house furnishings during the Spanish and
American Colonial period. Outside is the traditional garden
planted with traditional botanical species.
Another famous museum in Cavite is the Geronimo
Berenguer delos Reyes Jr. (GBR) Museum. Founded by
the Geronimo Berenguer delos Reyes Jr Foundation in
General Trias. The museum depicts the Philippines’ rich
and glorious past via more than 3,000 vintage photographs
displayed in five air-conditioned pavilions representing
different historical eras. The museum also contains GBR’s
world aviation history exhibit
Batangas, Land of the Barakos
From Cavite, the caravan proceeded to Batangas where sumptuous Taal dishes were
served for lunch at the Taal Heritage Village headed by Dindo Montenegro. During the repast,
AAP conducted a raffle with AAP laptop bags, the famous “kapeng barako” of Cavite, and a one
night complimentary stay for two at a Microtel Hotel as prizes. Outside, enterprising
Batanguenos demonstrated their famous handicrafts, such as how the balisong is made.
Souvenir items, native delicacies and handicrafts were sold at special prices to the participants.
After visiting the basilica adjacent to the Heritage Village, the caravan participants departed for
the lakeside town of San Nicolas to look at the ruins of the Old Taal Church and view the
famous Taal Volcano standing in the center of Taal Lake. The caravan was welcomed by San
Nicolas Municipal Mayor Sandoval who spoke about the town’s history and tourist attractions as
well as his projects to promote local tourism.
As night fell, the caravan went to the last stop, the Batangas Provincial Capitol where
delicious refreshments and freshly brewed barako coffee were served by the staff of the
Batangas Tourism Office. Batangas. Provincial Tourism Officer Francisco Lardizabal welcomed
the caravan participants and presented five souvenir items to the winners of trivia games held
Cavite Tourism Office head Liberty
Herrera hands over to Mina Gabor
packets of Cavite’s famous ground
coffee for distribution to AAP
Caravan participants.
during the snack. Afterwards, the participants headed back to Manila, taking with them a new
perspective on and good impressions of the historical attractions of Cavite and Batangas.
For more information on AAP’s Drive Tours and Caravans, log in to www.aap.org.ph or
call Vanessa Mendoza at AAP hotline 723 0808. You can also log in to
www.facebook.com/automobileassociationphilippines to check out the photos of previous
caravans.
A Petron Corporation executive, AAP President Gus Lagman, AAP Director and Tourism Committee Chair
Mina Gabor and AAP Director Aida Sevilla-Mendoza send off the 2nd AAP Caravan at the Petron, Blue Wave.
AAP Caravan participants in the GBR Museum’ pavilion showcasing world aviation history.
AAP Caravan participants with Mina Gabor (with purple shawl) pause for refreshments at the Petron service
station in Tagaytay.
The salad bar in the Taal Heritage Village dining hall.
An AAP Caravan participant admires Taal’s embroidered products.
Scorching Track Action at the 2010 PTCC and PPCC Series and the
Race of Champions
The 2nd leg, rounds 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the 2010 Philippine Touring Car Championship
(PTCC) and the Philippine Production Car Championship (PPCC) series organized and
promoted by the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), fired up the Batangas Racing Circuit
with scorching track action last November 20-21, 2010.
A total of 17 competitors raced toward the chequered flag to stamp their dominance on
the track. Taking the lead in round 5 of the PPCC series was the new driver Alvin Ng of the TRS
Team who debuted in the country’s only National status in circuit racing followed by his team
mate Singaporean Marcus Wong in second place and Cyrille Fontaine of the BRE/Chevy
Racing for the third place.
In the PTCC, Joey Pery stood on the top podium followed by Seaoil/Velocity Racing
Dennis Uy and Juny Binamira on the third. Pery maintained his lead and pulled away with an
almost one-second time difference between Uy and Binamira crossing the finish line.
Round 6 of the PPCC brought smoke as Arnel Carlos and Diane Montecillo clashed on
lap 1, forcing the deployment of the Safety Car and recovery of the two vehicles from the track.
Upon restart, the 8-lap race was controlled by team mates Marcus Wong and Sean Redpath of
the TRS making it a 1-2 finish for the team, followed by the Chevrolet Cruze of BRE/Chevy
Racing. In the PTCC, Joey Pery led the 12-lap race, with Juny Binamira and Dennis Uy finishing
second and third, respectively.
Rounds 7 and 8 of the PPCC were ruled by the BRE/Chevy Racing Team who got their
first pole position after entering the racing series this year, sending Marcus Wong to second
place and the newly repaired car of DKC Racing Arnel Carlos to third. The Cruze shone in both
rounds of the PPCC followed closely by Stefan Ramirez, the third generation racer form the
Ramirez’s racing clan and the son of the late racing guru, Kookie Ramirez and Dean Joson of
DKC Racing. Meanwhile, in round 7 of the PTCC, Joey Pery remained unbeatable as he
grabbed the top spot, making it a sweep in the last race of the second leg of the PTCC series.
“It was a fun and exciting weekend. All competitors showed and gave their best all the
way to the chequered flag. This is indeed another PTCC and PPCC racing season to mark in
the history of Philippine motorsports”. AAP Motorsports Committee Chair Mandy Eduque said.
The 2010 series is co-presented by Concept One Wheels, Nitto and Starfire tires, Seaoil
Extreme 97, Mako Lubes and powered by Aeromed Ambulance Transport, Cut and Paste
Digital Design, Velocity Motors and Six Fingers and media partners Chequered Flag, Turbo
Time and Power Wheels Magazine.
The Race of Champions
The 2nd leg of the Race of Champions matched the fierce battle of the 2nd leg, rounds 5,
6, 7 and 8 of the 2010 Philippine Touring Car Championship (PTCC) and the Philippine
Production Car Championship (PPCC) series as the country’s veteran race car drivers went
head-to-head in identical vehicles and relived their glory days.
Thirteen seasoned drivers competed in Time Attack Race style using two Hyundai
Genesis (3.8 V6) coupes producing 300HP and MINI Cooper S cars packing 184HP and shod
with Avon ZZ3 tires. Among the competitors were Georges Ramirez, Ivan Isada, Louis Ramirez,
Miguel Ramirez, Mike Anton, Paeng Nodalo, Mike Potenciano, Pepon Marave, Ardie Lopez,
Jason De La Cruz, Kevin Limjoco, Andy Sevilla, Ysa Potenciano, Ron Delos Reyes, Rocky
Marte and Mandy Eduque. Joining for the first time were Vip Isada, Gaby dela Merced, Tyson
Sy and Rikki Dy-Liacco who is now employed by the Zhuhai International Circuit as Operations
Director and came home just to join the ROC.
Tyson Sy baged the top spot of the first and second rounds of the long track race while
Kevin Limjoco won the slalom course. The event ended with a ceremonial lap in the Hyundai
Genesis driven by Menchie Ramirez in memory of her late husband.
The 3rd and Championship leg of the 2010 PTCC and PPCC series is all set for January
8-9, 2011 at the newly constructed 4.1 kilometer Clark International Speedway. For more
information, please contact Mark Desales of the AAP Motorsports Department at 723-08-08.
Round 5 Official Results (PPCC) November 20, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team
1st 12 Alvin Ng Tuason Racing School 2nd 10 Marcus Wong Tuason Racing School 3rd 4 Cyrille Fontaine BRE/Chevy Motorsports 4th 14 Manger Calderon Tuason Racing School 5th 41 Arnel Carlos DKC Racing Team 6th 96 Diane Montecillo Extreme97/Drakside Racing 7th 26 Dominic Uy Mighty/Seaoil/Velocity Racing 8th 31 Ramil Madriaga IRM/Velocity Racing 9th 8 Dean Joson DKC Racing Team 10th (DNF) 2 Stefan Ramirez SRA/Velocity Racing 11th (DNF) 6 Sean Redpath Tuason Racing School Round 5 Official Results (PTCC) November 20, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team 1st 5 Joey Pery SRA Racing 2nd 24 Dennis Uy Seaoil/Velocity Racing 3rd 7 Juny Binamira SRA Racing 4th 15 Joselu Romero Salas SRA Racing 5th 88 Jeff Borja Extreme97/Darkside Racing Round 6 Official Results (PPCC) November 20, 2010 BRC
Position # Driver Team 1st 10 Marcus Wong Tuason Racing School 2nd 6 Sean Redpath Tuason Racing School 3rd 4 Cyrille Fontaine BRE/Chevy Motorsports 4th 14 Manger Calderon Tuason Racing School 5th 8 Dean Joson DKC Racing Team 6th 26 Dominic Uy Mighty/Seaoil/Velocity Racing 7th 12 Alvin Ng Tuason Racing School 8th 96 Diane Montecillo Extreme97/Drakside Racing 9th 31 Ramil Madriaga IRM/Velocity Racing Round 6 Official Results (PTCC) November 20, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team 1st 5 Joey Pery SRA Racing
2nd 7 Juny Binamira SRA Racing 3rd 24 Dennis Uy Seaoil/Velocity Racing 4th 15 Joselu Romero Salas SRA Racing 5th 88 Jeff Borja Extreme97/Darkside Racing Round 7 Official Results (PPCC) November 21, 2010 BRC
Position # Driver Team
1st 4 Cyrille Fontaine BRE/Chevy Motorsports 2nd 2 Stefan Ramirez SRA/Velocity Racing 3rd 12 Bobby Horrigan Tuason Racing School 4th 6 Sean Redpath Tuason Racing School 5th 26 Dominic Uy Mighty/Seaoil/Velocity Racing 6th 96 Diane Montecillo Extreme97/Drakside Racing 7th 31 Ramil Madriaga IRM/Velocity Racing 8th 41 Arnel Carlos DKC Racing Team 9th 14 Manger Calderon Tuason Racing School 10th (DNF) 8 Dean Joson DKC Racing Team 11th (DNF) 10 Marcus Wong Tuason Racing School Round 7 Official Results (PTCC) November 21, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team
1st 5 Joey Pery SRA Racing 2nd 88 Jeff Borja Extreme97/Darkside Racing 3rd 15 Joselu Romero Salas SRA Racing 4th 7 Juny Binamira SRA Racing 5th 24 Dennis Uy Seaoil/Velocity Racing 6th 75 Jonmark Ong Round 8 Official Results (PPCC) November 21, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team
1st 4 Cyrille Fontaine BRE/Chevy Motorsports 2nd 8 Dean Joson DKC Racing Team 3rd 2 Stefan Ramirez SRA/Velocity Racing 4th 10 Marcus Wong Tuason Racing School 5th 6 Sean Redpath Tuason Racing School 6th 12 Bobby Horrigan Tuason Racing School 7th 14 Manger Calderon Tuason Racing School 8th 26 Dominic Uy Mighty/Seaoil/Velocity Racing 9th 96 Diane Montecillo Extreme97/Drakside Racing
10th 31 Ramil Madriaga IRM/Velocity Racing 11th (DQ) 41 Arnel Carlos DKC Racing Team Round 8 Official Results (PTCC) November 21, 2010 BRC Position # Driver Team
1st 5 Joey Pery SRA Racing 2nd 88 Jeff Borja Extreme97/Darkside Racing 3rd 15 Joselu Romero Salas SRA Racing 4th 24 Dennis Uy Seaoil/Velocity Racing 5th 75 Jonmark Ong Ethanworx/Repsol Racing 6th 7 Juny Binamira SRA Racing
The Race of Champions 2nd leg competitors (standing from left to right) Paeng Madalo, Vip Isada, Edgen Dy-
Liacco, Menchie Ramirez, Georges Ramirez, Mini Reps, Sam Liuson, Gaby dela Merced, Pepon Marave, Ricky
Dy-Liacco, Mandy Eduque, (sitting from left to right) Ivan Isada, Tyson Sy, Mike Potenciano, Louis Ramirez,
and Mike Anton. Also in the photo is a Mini Cooper S used in the ROC.
The ROC Hyundai Genesis Cup-Media Edition winners (from left to right) 2ND place winner, Ardie Lopez, 1st
place winner Kevin Limjoco, 3rd place winner Andy Sevilla and Sammy Liuson of Concept One, a major
sponsor of the ROC.
AAP Attends the Metro Manila Traffic and Transport Plan Entry Summit
The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) attended the Metro Manila Traffic and
Transport Plan Entry Summit organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) on December 3, 2010 at the Philippine Social Science Center in Quezon City after
participating in a series of preparatory workshops in October and November led by Inter-Agency
Technical Working Teams from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH),
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Land Transportation Office (LTO),
MMDA, Department of Health (DOH) and AAP. The workshops identified and discussed current
Metro Manila traffic and transport problems, issues and concerns for the purpose of preparing
immediate, short-term and medium-term doable action plans.
Facilitated by the University of the Asia and Pacific, the entry summit resulted in the
creation of the Joint Technical Secretariat Committee composed of representatives from the
MMDA, DPWH, DOTC, and AAP and the signing of a joint resolution that signifies the
commitment of all concerned government organizations to fully support the crafting of the Metro
Manila Traffic and Transport Action Plan.
Among those who pledged their organizations’ support were DPWH Secretary Rogelio L.
Singson), DOTC Secretary Jose P. de Jesus, MMDA Chair Francis N. Tolentino, DOH
Secretary Enrique T. Ona and. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Secretary Ramon J. Paje
The proposed Traffic and Transport Action Plan is a list of projects and managing
documents derived from previous discussions on the traffic situation by the concerned groups
prior to the summit and insights from the presentations during the summit itself. These collected
inputs became a Declaration and Resolutions handed over by MMDA Chair Tolentino to Rep.
Roger G. Mercado of the House committee on transportation and Rep. Tobias M. Tiangco of the
House committee on Metro Manila development.
According to MMDA Chair Tolentino, the submission of the proposed plan to Congress is
just the beginning. Two more summits and workshops will be kicked off next year to hold
consultations among various stakeholders and agencies for the finalization of the plan.
The Action Plan has identified five immediate priorities: (1) vehicle road worthiness
campaign; (2) rapid vehicular clearing and resolution; (3) authorized vehicles on authorized
routes; (4) no plate, no travel policy; (5) no-contact apprehension policy plus eight focal areas:
engineering; education; enforcement; enactment; enabling initiatives; ethics; engagement of
stakeholders and environment, to enhance Metro Manila traffic flow.
As the National Auto Club, AAP expressed its full support to the Metro Manila Traffic and
Transport Action Plan and encourages other concerned organizations to participate in perfecting
this Plan for the benefit of all Filipino motorists and future generations.
2nd AAP INDI Tree Planting Project
As part of its “Make Cars Green” campaign, the Automobile Association Philippines
(AAP), in cooperation with the University of the Philippines Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor
for Community Affairs conducted the 2nd AAP INDI Tree Planting Project at Betaway and Roces
Avenue in UP Diliman on November 15, 2010 with Transportation and Communications
Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin (holding a shovel) as the guest of honor. Flanking him are (left
to right) AAP vice president Johnny Angeles, AAP president Gus Lagman, AAP treasurer
Jacinto Mantaring and UP Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Grace Gregorio. Philippine
native tree seedlings such as the anubing, balingasay, batino, betis, broad-winged apitong, dita,
duclitan, kalimutain, lamio, lingo, malapapaya, pagsanhingin, panau, subiang, tagatoi and yakal
kaliot were planted.
AAP officers, employees and UP executives with DOTC Assistant Secretary Lantin and Alberto Suansing of
the Safety Organization of the Philippines after the tree planting activity.
MAKING MOTORING FUN
Put a stop to illegal car license plates
By Gus Lagman, AAP President
The falsification of car license plates, mass production and selling of unauthorized car
tags, usage of stolen plates, illegal use of diplomatic and foreign license plates, interchanging
car plates between or among different vehicles, and the cloning of license plates are violations
committed by criminal elements and those who want to avoid registering their cars at the Land
Transportation Office (LTO).
In R.A. 4136, Article II, Section 31, the LTO states that “No person shall make or use or
attempt to make or use a driver's license, badge, certificate of registration, number plate, tag, or
permit in imitation or similitude of those issued under this Act, or intended to be used as or for a
legal license, badge, certificate, plate, tag or permit, or with intent to sell or otherwise dispose of
the same to another. No person shall falsely or fraudulently represent as valid and in force any
driver's license, badge, certificate, plate, tag or permit issued under this Act which is delinquent
or which has been revoked or suspended.”
In Europe and other countries like the, United States, Malaysia and Taiwan, a system called the
“License Plate Recognition” ( LPR) is used by traff ic law enforcers to track down stolen cars,
unregistered vehicles, fake plate numbers and criminals. Even though the LPR system already
exists in the Philippines, it is used only to collect toll and parking fees, not for law enforcement.
But before we even consider adopting this kind of system on a large scale, especially because a
thorough study must first be done, followed by a series of consultation meetings with concerned
groups, there are a few things that we can immediately do today in order to put some order in
the control of car plates. Here are two of them:
First, the LTO should apprehend all vehicles without official car plates or with only one official
car plate. Those “For Registration”, “Break-In”, “No car plates available”, and other similar
substitutes should not be allowed. Aside from being illegal, owners of such vehicles are able to
escape “coding” restrictions. It is obviously important, however, that the LTO be prepared to
issue, within 24 hours from the time of application, fresh car plates to all those who claim to
have lost their plates. Car owners should not have a reason for not being able to comply with
this requirement.
Second, LTO must require that car plates be riveted, instead of simply screwed, to the
designated spot within the body of the car, such that they can’t be easily removed without
destroying the car plate or the body of the car. After all, the plate number of a vehicle is
supposed to be permanently assigned to said vehicle.
Thus, the switching of car plates on a day-to-day basis that is practiced by some public utility
vehicle operators to avoid “coding” would be minimized, if not completely eliminated. Stealing
car plates would practically be eliminated. Carnapping would also be reduced somehow,
because it won’t be as easy to change a vehicle’s car plates.
The same policy should apply to motorcycles; and they, like cars, should have two plates - one
for the front fender and one for the rear.
The riveting should be standardized. Different car makes and models may require different
standards. Only LTO, LTO-authorized establishments, and perhaps, car dealers, should be
allowed to install (or rivet) the car plates.
And by the way, this idea is not new. We’ve seen this in Malaysia and we’re pretty sure there
are other countries that have adopted this scheme.
AAP members get exclusive discounts on tires and car batteries
AAP club members can now buy Yokohama tires and Motolite batteries at special
members’ prices. The tires are available for pick-up at the Motorpool Area in the AAPlingkod
Service Building across the AAP main office. For free mounting and balancing, club members
may proceed to F.B. Ladao Sales, Inc., 73 Timog Ave., and Q.C. or at Yokohama, B14
Commonwealth Ave., and Q.C. (opposite Toyota Commonwealth). The Motolite batteries are
available for pick-up at the same place. They will soon be available in Cebu and Davao satellite
offices.
For more information, contact the AAP Hotline 723-0808 or 0917-8480191. Save money
on car repairs and insurance to hotel accommodations and other products and services through
the AAP Partnership Program. Visit www.aap.org.ph for a complete list of discount partners.
ANILAO IN BATANGAS: DRIVE AND DIVE by Louie Jose Marquez, AAPlakbay
Diving is popular in the Philippines, but many regard it as hard adventure that requires investing in costly equipment or as a chic out-of-town, party-fun social gig among friends in a faraway island. Serious divers, instructors and scientific expeditions have to pass through a battery of certification tests on safety standards. However, if you have kids above 10 years old, diving can be the centerpiece of an alternative family holiday. It’s fun. It’s educational. It’s cool. And it’s near. Yes, near because Anilao is just four hours away from Manila and its coral reefs are just across a resort. Even your teenager won’t mind being with you on this trip. With many resorts offering basic diving facilities inclusive of equipment and instruction, all you need is to take the dip. Far yet near enough
Tucked away farther south from the noisier part of Anilao is an inlet bounded by nature. A quaint resort sits quietly at the end of the road that zigzags its way to the coral coast. Here, you can hear an occasional bossa nova playing in the air as you savor grilled seafood, or as you sip wine at the deck while watching the sun slowly set on the horizon. We find Mayumi Resort in Anilao ideal for a family dive experience. Yet the dive—an hour a day, perhaps—is but a fraction of the entire weekend. Sooner or later you’ll enjoy spending quiet quality time with your wife and kids, sharing with them the thrill of the dive and the remoteness .of the place. Not the least of Mayumi Resort’s attractions is the savory Filipino cuisine of its restaurant, Hayahay, which means a stress-free Saturday afternoon lunch in Cebuano. First Dive
Learning to dive is not hard. As with most dive resorts now, Mayumi has complete dive equipment and the instructors have undergone certification. The seasoned dive instructor will teach you how to float, dive, move underwater, breathe, clear your mask and, really, how to enjoy time below sea level. Children 10 years old and above can join you in the introductory dive, a quick mix of lessons and actual dive. For kids below the age limit, snorkeling is an equally fun alternative to see aquatic life. The first dive is often uneventful. But not in Anilao, and certainly not in Mayumi. The reef in front of the resort is home to myriad fish species and marine life that you only see in pictures. After an hour, the dive ends. But the story about the dive lingers into the night, as you and your family exchange excited descriptions of the fish, the corals and more, in between bites of delicious Filipino food, while the cicadas and crickets and the waves sing in unison under the starry sky in Anilao. (Anilao can be accessed via STAR Tollway. Better yet, pass through Tagaytay and Taal Heritage Village for a side trip. Mayumi Resort is at the south end of Anilao. For inquiries call +639189211168 +6325438683 ).
AAP Attends ABS-CBN’s “Salamat Dok” on Drunk Driving
Selected Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) employees attended ABS-CBN’s
“Salamat Dok” live telecast program on October 30, 2010 as audience guests when it focused
on the dangers of driving while under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs.
Resource speaker Dr. Alfonso Villaroman, an addiction specialist and currently the
Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Health (DOH) Rehabilitation and Treatment Center,
explained the most common effects of alcohol on the driver such as imbalance, poor
concentration and slow reflexes. According to Dr. Villaroman, a driver who has drunk two bottles
of beer will most likely be involved in an accident since his blood alcohol content (BAC) level will
impair his senses and concentration.
Another resource speaker, Dr. Orlando Ocampo of the Philippine College of Surgeons,
said that with the breath analyzer device donated by AAP, they were able to collate data on the
number of patients in the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) who had high BAC levels. Their
report shows that 72 percent of those involved in motorcycle accidents that were brought to the
PGH were intoxicated while 37 percent of automobile casualty victims were also found with high
BAC levels.
Dr. Ocampo pointed out that because the Philippines has no implementable Drunk
Driving Law nor a BAC level standard establishing DUI, police officers and doctors are unable
to determine whether drivers are DUI. So even if a motorist is found with a high BAC level, he
cannot be charged with DUI.
AAP supports the call of Dr. Ocampo and other individuals and organizations for the
passage of an implementable Drunk Driving Law in our country. AAP vice-president and road
safety committee chairman Johnny Angeles says, “The AAP has been lobbying for the issuance
of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) relating to Republic Act 4136 [The Land
Transportation and Traffic Code], Article V Sec. 53 on Driving Under the Influence of liquor or
narcotic drugs. Without the IRR, there is no legal basis for pronouncing whether a person is
driving under the influence or not”.
Corollary to this, AAP is donating digital alcohol breath analyzers to government
agencies tasked with traffic law enforcement. To date, AAP has donated breath analyzer
devices to the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) and the PGH
Trauma Section.
AAP employees with Salamat Dok host Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo (center) after the live telecast
discussion on driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs.
AAP initiates payments through BPI Express Online
The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) is offering its members a more
convenient way to pay their membership dues through BPI Express Online's Bills Payment
Facility. By enrolling in BPI Express Online, there is no need to personally visit an AAP office or
bank branch to make a payment. Payments can now be made wherever they are, whenever
they want as this service is available 24/7.
AAP members also have the option to schedule their one-time or recurring payments in
advance so that they never miss a due date. They can also get rewarded for qualified bills
payments through the Pay Bills, Reload Phone, and Get Real Thrills promotion. Clients who use
BPI Express Online to pay for their bills, including their AAP membership dues, or reload their
Globe or Touch Mobile prepaid accounts can earn credits which they can exchange for grocery
packages at Robinson’s Supermarket.
Aside from paying bills, AAP members who enroll in BPI Express Online can also do
other banking transactions easily. They can view real-time balances and download their
statements of account, do real-time funds transfers to their own or enrolled third party accounts,
reload prepaid accounts, and do a multitude of other financial and auxiliary transactions.
For AAP members who are always on the road and have no Internet access, BPI offers
a solution. By purchasing the BPI 24/7 Globe Tattoo Broadband Stick, club members can get
free access to BPI Express Online without using up their prepaid load, wherever they are in the
Philippines. The stick, which is specially-priced at P995 for BPI clients, can be purchased
through selected Globe Stores or through BPI Express Online.
To enroll and learn more about BPI Express Online, visit www.bpiexpressonline.com.