October 2007 Archives

By INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--The number coding scheme for Thursday, All Saints’ Day, and Friday, All Souls’ Day has been suspended, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has said. This means that vehicles with plate numbers ending in 7 and 8 on Thursday and 9 and 0 on Friday can travel. Number coding is a traffic scheme that seeks to decongest traffic in Metro Manila. Vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1 and 2 are banned from the road on Monday; 3 and 4 on Tuesday; 5 and 6 on Wednesday; 7 and 8, Thursday; and 9 and 0, Friday. Thea Alberto

By Riza T. Olchondra Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--In anticipation of the exodus to and from Southern Luzon for All Saints’ Day, the South Luzon Tollway Corp. (SLTC) has deployed 24-hour maintenance and emergency teams at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) starting this Tuesday, according to an SLTC advisory. The teams will have road equipment and supplies, including generators and fuel, according to the advisory. The SLTC has cancelled all personnel days-off to monitor the annual activity on All Saints’ Day dubbed “Oplan Kaluluwa,” it said. All construction related activities which may affect traffic flow were suspended until Nov. 4 although normal worksite schedules will be observed in non-traffic areas, it said. SLTC said that as of Oct. 27, SLEx contractor MTD Construction Phils. Inc, (MTDCPI) finished all preparations for the expected southbound exodus during the Halloween break. These measures include pavement repairs, construction of transitions lanes, asphalt patching and overlay of deteriorated sections, and provisions for emergency counterflows in case of unexpected traffic buildup. Heaviest traffic is expected on Oct. 31 from 6 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m. and on Nov. 1, up to 10 a.m. Southbound traffic reached up to 153, 000 vehicles on the same day last year, the SLTC said. The expected increase in traffic is expected within the five-kilometer stretch between Filinvest and San Pedro. Normal traffic count in this section, even prior to the SLEx rehabilitation, has gone as high as 130, 000 southbound vehicles per day, tapering off to 100, 000 beyond San Pedro, the SLTC said. PNCC and MTD traffic managers agree this volume far exceeds the carrying capacity of the currently four-lane highway. The SLEx rehabilitation project includes widening the roadway to eight lanes up to Sta. Rosa, the SLTC said. The SLTC said road conditions were better now and would improve with the weather. Sunny days in the past two weeks had allowed MTDCPI to finish its work and reopen lanes in the critical Filinvest to San Pedro section and other congestion-prone areas. Weather permitting, work will continue in areas where workmen and equipment will not disturb motorists, it added.

By Tessa R. Salazar Inquirer WHILE Japanese manufacturers are busy hosting local motoring journalists from the Philippines for the 2007 edition of the Tokyo Motor Show, rival Korean carmakers have been patient and busy reinforcing their product lineups in the local market, slowly eating away at the huge market share the Land of the Rising Sun has traditionally enjoyed in the Pearl of the Orient Seas. The reinforcements from Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. Philippines are expected to face off with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The Azera (P1.758 million), Sonata 2.4L (P1.238 million) and Sonata 3.3L (P1.318 million) were launched simultaneously just last week. Azera and Sonata are CBUs (completely built up units) from Korea. People mover In the other Korean frontline, Kia has revealed what it touts as its version of the Chevy Town and Country with its people-mover 2.9-liter Carnival. Columbian Auto Cars, Kia’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines, now offers its lifestyle-centered eight-seater family vehicle with a common rail direct injection diesel engine versions. The Carnival, contrary to its gaudy name, exudes a subdued style, but it does capitalize on its spacious interior (in reference, perhaps, to the all-in Big Top carnivals), easy-rear passenger access (rear seats easily foldable) and riding comfort. The Carnival CRDi -- just like the Sportage CRDi -- already responds and purrs like a gasoline-powered vehicle. It also offers sequential mode for manual gear selection. The drive height is ideal for Asian physiques. The steering is light (good for lady drivers), while the brakes are powerful. Still, one could sense a wide-bodied heaviness in this hauler. But we’re not driving a sportscar, so it’s understandable. The Carnival goes for P1.215 million (LX manual); P1.290 million (LX automatic); P1.450 million (EX automatic, all short wheel base); P1.570 million (EX automatic, long wheel base). 2-liter SUV Speaking of the Sportage, this two-liter SUV offers full-time four-wheel drive CRDi (note: it’s not all-time, but full-time 4WD). The 4WD disengages at high speed and engages during wheel slip (of course, there’s also the 4WD lock button). There’s just that teeny bit of delay from a standing start, but once it starts moving, the Sportage blows by like a breeze. The traction control makes the Sportage less likely to skid or slip. For the more confident drivers, there’s the TCS, or traction control switch that could turn the TC mode off. Pop open the hood and one can see the engine is fully covered for protection (maybe not just from the elements, but from potential “tinkerers” as well). Incidentally, the Sportage engine bears an uncannily similar look with the Hyundai Tucson engine. A mechanic may even mistake one for the other. The handling, ride and road grip are impressive. It also feels light. The external noise insulation for a diesel-powered SUV is good. Basically, the only irritating noise you’ll hear is the jingling of the car keys in the ignition. The Sportage price tags are P969,000 (gas 4x2) and P1.120 million (CRDi 4x4). Photos courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

By Agence France-Presse CHIBA, Japan--Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. has unveiled a prototype motorbike with a zero-emission fuel cell that is cooled by air. The "Crosscage" motorbike has a fuel cell set in a simple chassis and a hydrogen tank protected by an X-shaped metal frame cage. The fuel cell was developed by Intelligent Energy of Britain. The motorbike, which is on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, is said to be free of noise and vibration, and has a lithium-ion battery below the tank for extra power. "Fuel cell motorbikes tend to have podgy scooter-like bodies given the large size of the system. But this compact system enabled us to propose a sporty, slim design," said Suzuki motorcycle marketing official Kenji Mori.

By Tessa R. Salazar Inquirer TOKYO, Japan--It's ogling time again. For 17 days, Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan will be home to motoring journalists and car enthusiasts from all over this third planet from the Sun for the 40th Tokyo Motor Show. Among the thousands will be Inquirer Motoring, which will also get a closer look at the leading auto research campaign of Honda in Tochigi, where the innovative manufacturer keeps a full-scale wind tunnel, safety crash-test facility and the Tochigi proving ground. There would also be a meeting of motoring journalists at the Twin Ring Motegi. Honda's battle cry Aside from Honda's always breathtaking concept cars, spectators are eagerly awaiting the first look at the next-generation Honda Accord, and even an Accord diesel. Honda will present a total of 18 vehicles representing 11 different models, comprising vehicles already in the market, those soon to be introduced and concept models. Honda's battle cry for this motor show is "For the endless joy of mobility on our earth," the focus of which are technologies that address environmental issues such as a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 2 concept models To make their world premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show are Honda's two concept models: The CR-Z, a next-generation lightweight sports car equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system that achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque; and the Puyo, a fuel cell vehicle, the design of which was based on an out-of-box thinking to provide fun for both the vehicle owner and for, well, oglers. Here's a photo of the CR-Z. And here's a photo of the Puyo. The diesel-i-DTEC next-generation engine will also be on display. Its existence was first announced in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This engine promises superior performance in both emissions and power. The all-new Fit (Jazz in the Philippines), which will go on sale in Japan late this month, will be on display. First introduced in 2001. Fit is known for its funky style, function and relative fuel economy-characteristics that have led it to reach the two-million unit sale worldwide. Honda's "Next Energy" display will reveal new energy developments, including technologies for producing bio-ethanol from rice straws and the environmentally responsible next-generation thin-film solar cells, which will soon go on sale nationwide in Japan. Honda's F1 and other racing machines will also be on display. Photos courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

By Aida Sevilla Mendoza Inquirer AS a motorist, I am glad that the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) project did not get embroiled in controversy the way the National Broadband Network deal did. I am sure that starting next February, this feeling will be shared by thousands of other motorists and commuters traveling north of Metro Manila because the Clark-Tarlac segment of SCTEx will lop off one hour from their traveling time. Together with three other directors of the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), the nonprofit, nonstock auto club that provides 24/7 roadside assistance at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), I checked out the Clark-Tarlac portion of the P27.5-billion SCTEx last Wednesday. Driving an old Mitsubishi L300 double cab pickup truck with zebra stripe markings, Deo Manuel of the Tollways Management Corp. led the way with AAP veep Johnny Angeles and treasurer Jogy Mantaring Jr. as his passengers. I drove a 2007 compact SUV with AAP director Angel Kanapi in the front seat. (I won't mention the brand of the SUV I drove, since its aircon conked out on the way back to Manila after a stopover at the Caltex station near San Fernando. Let me just say that it's not a Japanese, Korean or European marque.) Package 2 After a briefing at the Clark office of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) given by SCTEx project development officer Darwin Chan, we were on our way. We were informed that Package 2 of the SCTEx, the 43.27-kilometer Clark-Tarlac stretch, will be opened to the public on Feb. 1, 2008 although it will be finished this December. Package 1, the 50.5-kilometer Subic-Clark expressway, will open in March. A BCDA project, the SCTEx is one of the three main components of the government's Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Program, the two others being the Subic Bay Container Terminal and the rehab/modernization of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. The SCTEx will provide the shortest, direct and efficient link among the Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Zambales, the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac. The project is financed with a loan of 41,931 million yen, 85 percent of which is a special JBIC loan and the 15 percent balance of P2.804 million is the BCDA's counterpart. With an interest rate of 0.95 percent per annum, the loan is repayable in 40 years after a 10-year grace period. There is a Japanese content requirement of 50 percent. Design speed Completing the SCTEx project involves the construction of a 93.77-kilometer, four-lane, asphalt concrete paved divided highway, four major bridges, 31 minor bridges, eight interchanges, 255 culverts and 51 underpasses. The SCTEx has a design speed of 100 kph, a computerized toll collection system and 24-hour roadside assistance to be provided by the O & M (Operations and Maintenance) company aside from a comprehensive flood mitigation system. Driving on Package 2 of the SCTEx, we crossed six interchanges (Clark logistics interchange, Clark North, Concepcion, San Miguel, La Paz and Tarlac City), one main bridge (the 1.16-km Sacobia-Bamban bridge) and eight minor bridges. The contract price for the Clark-Tarlac section is P9.097 billion. Since SCTEx Package 2 is a mostly straight expressway with no curves or bends and since the surface is super smooth consisting of a cement-based solidifying material, treated lahar subbase and base course, after a while I had to make an effort to stay awake and alert at the wheel. Maybe it's because of the 100 kph speed limit. The 43.27-kilometer stretch is still clean and uncluttered by lamp posts, trees or gasoline stations where one can stop to load fuel or get a bite to eat. It reminded me of the time I drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles in a rented Chrysler Town & Country minivan, when I had to keep chatting with my friend in the front seat and my two daughters in the back to ward off drowsiness. World-class While the SCTEx is a world-class tollway, officials of the Clark Development Corp. recently noted that unlike the NLEX, it has no emergency bays where disabled vehicles can be repaired without affecting traffic flow. The BCDA has assured them that there will be a two-meter shoulder clearance and two seven-hectare motorpool areas along the Clark-Tarlac span. Space for gasoline stations, convenience stores and eateries will be leased out, presumably. Via SCTEx, motorists going to Tarlac will save at least one hour travel time and the corresponding fuel consumption since they will skip the traffic-congested Mabalacat-Hacienda Luisita-Capas stretch and will exit past the Metro Mall in Tarlac City. More good news, especially for Baguio habitues: the Department of Public Works and Highways may extend SCTEx from Tarlac to Rosario, La Union at the foot of Kennon Road. SCTEx Package 3, here we come! Photo courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

By Agence France-Presse CHIBA, Japan--Japanese electronics giant Hitachi has developed a steering wheel that enables the driver to use his or her fingers as switches for the engine, car stereo and navigation system. The steering wheel is equipped with a tiny device that reads the driver's finger veins. "If I place my index finger on this reader, it recognizes it's me. If I put the finger again, it starts the engine," Masahide Hayashi of Hitachi's sensor design department explained at the Tokyo Motor Show near the capital. "When the middle finger is on the device, it sends a command to play music I registered in accordance to my taste. The ring finger can start the navigation system," he said. "You can use your fingers just like switches," without taking your eyes off the road, he said. Hitachi said it was still uncertain when the system might be put in practical use although it hopes to launch it within three or four years.

By Agence France-Presse CHIBA, Japan--Nissan and Renault hope to start selling a car for about $2,500 in India in around 2010 along with their local partner there, chief executive Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday. "We have already practically decided all the attributes of the car," Ghosn told reporters at the Tokyo Motor Show. "We have the full intention to do it -- if it's feasible. Hopefully this is going to be 2010 in India," he said. Ghosn, who heads both Japan's Nissan Motor Co. and its French partner Renault, said he would visit Indian partner Bajaj Auto next week for talks on the car. He said that it appeared possible to make a $2,500-car for India, but the big question was whether it could be exported to other markets such as Europe, China, Brazil, Mexico or even the United States. "But the first step is to make it for India and to make it competitive," he added. The car will be mostly produced by Indian partner Bajaj with the support of the Nissan-Renault alliance, Ghosn added. The world's automakers are increasingly setting their sights on India, which is one of the world's fastest growing automobile markets. Indian automaker Tata Motors plans to introduce its own $3,000-car in its home market next year. Ghosn also said Nissan hoped to start mass marketing electric cars by 2012 in response to growing worries about global warming. "We see already in some large cities people are turning against cars," said Ghosn, adding that simply cutting emissions by 20 or 30 percent was not enough as people would switch to alternative forms of transportation.

By Agence France-Presse CHIBA, Japan--Japan's Honda Motor Co. plans to release a more affordable hybrid car by 2009, hoping to boost sales among consumers who now find eco-friendly vehicles too expensive. Japanese automakers pioneered hybrid-engine cars such as Honda's Civic Hybrid, which save fuel costs and have proven to be major hits at a time of soaring oil prices. Honda showed to the Tokyo Motor Show the CR-Z concept car, a lightweight sports model with a hybrid engine. "Honda plans to release a new hybrid vehicle in 2009 that is more affordable than the Civic Hybrid," Takeo Fukui, president of Japan's second largest automaker, told reporters at the industry show held in Tokyo's outskirts. "In addition to that model, we are continuing development so that we will be able to release to the market a vehicle based on the CR-Z concept," Fukui said. The Nikkei business daily, quoting unnamed company sources, said that Honda would release the lower-priced hybrid in 2009 across the world, including Japan, the United States, Europe and China. With the new model, Honda hopes to raise global hybrid sales 10 times from last year's figure, reaching up to 500,000 cars by 2010, the newspaper said. The Nikkei said Honda aimed for the hybrid to cost about 200,000 yen ($1,800) less than a conventional car. The price gap now stands at about 500,000 yen, meaning that many people buying hybrids are either ideologically motivated or drive frequently enough to feel the savings in petrol costs. A Honda spokeswoman said that nothing concrete had been decided. "We have said in general terms that we're going to launch a hybrid at a lower price. But we haven't set specific goals such as a production target or sales plan," she said. Honda has also spearheaded research into fuel cells, which produce electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, leaving water as the only by-product. Fukui had said ahead of the auto show that fuel-cell vehicles, now considered too expensive, could be mass produced within a decade. "I would say there's no future for the auto industry without fuel cell cars," Fukui said on Tuesday.

By Daniel Rook Agence France-Presse CHIBA, Japan--Zany concept vehicles, fuel efficient hybrids and muscular supercars vied for attention as the Tokyo Motor Show opened Wednesday with Japanese automakers eager to revive moribund domestic sales. From bubble-shaped vehicles of the future to sleek petrol-guzzling sports cars, makers showed off their latest efforts to push the boundaries of automotive technology. Rivals showed off their green credentials with an array of environmentally friendly vehicles crammed into a convention centre near the capital, as record high oil prices prompt unprecedented interest in fuel-efficient motoring. But it's not all about saving the planet: Nissan was preparing to take the wraps off its hotly anticipated GT-R supercar, hoping that there is still a market for high-performance muscle machines despite the buzz around hybrids. And from Mazda comes Taiki, a concept sports car with a striking, wind-swept design. Toyota and Honda meanwhile tried to soften the image of sports cars as gas guzzlers with concept hybrids running on a mix of petrol and electricity. "Our mission is to make products that offer excitement," Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe said on the eve of the show. With prices at the pump soaring and the Japanese car market shrinking, industry watchers said high-performance cars appear to be more about polishing makers' brand image than giving a direct boost to their bottom line. "Generally my observations of most sporty cars are: they look great and sales start out great but they decay very rapidly," said Christopher Richter, auto analyst at investment bank CLSA. "You can imagine why makers put sporty cars into their line-ups rather sparingly," he added. This year's show is seen as particularly crucial for Japanese car makers as they battle falling sales in their home market amid a shrinking population and signs the younger generation is losing its lust for cars. "The Japanese market is still ranked third in the world. But the situation is not good for Japanese automakers," said Hirofumi Yokoi, an analyst at auto consultants CSM Worldwide. "Young Japanese have a different lifestyle. They are not interested in purchasing big-ticket items like cars," he said. US car makers are also fighting back after their recent slump, with Toyota recently slipping behind General Motors as the world's top selling car maker. Unsurprisingly given the success of the Prius, hybrids dominate Toyota's stand at the show, which opens to the public from Saturday. Among its concept cars is the 1/X (pronounced one-Xth) plug-in hybrid, which Toyota says is two-thirds lighter than the Prius and twice as fuel efficient. There is also a Toyota luxury hybrid sedan and the i-REAL, which looks like a high-tech armchair on wheels. And there are plenty of even more wacky designs begging for attention, including a vehicle from Suzuki that looks more like a small spacecraft than a car, with two smaller one-person vehicles stored inside. Nissan meanwhile touted the Pivo 2 egg-shaped electric concept car with a rotating cabin, wheels that can turn 90 degrees for sideways driving and a talking "robot assistant." Fuel cells, which run on hydrogen and emit only water, also make an appearance as Honda shows off the "PUYO" concept car with a "gel body" to improve safety and "the feel of an adorable pet." Despite the success of the hybrid, car makers are still hedging their bets on green technology, with electricity, biofuels, clean diesel and fuel cells also seen as potential alternative power sources. "We don't know yet which will become the mainstream for next generation vehicles -- hybrids, fuel cells, electric cars or (clean) diesel, so companies must prepare for everything," said Fitch Ratings auto analyst Tatsuya Mizuno.

CHECK out this Reuters video report on the ruling of the European Union's highest court against a longstanding German law that protected Volkswagen from takeovers.

By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press TOKYO, Japan--Nissan's new super-sports car, the GT-R, is a rare challenge to European and American automakers by a Japanese company more used to family-friendly offerings like the Altima sedan. Nissan claims the muscle car, to be introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show, is so sophisticated it is training scores of maintenance workers at dealers in Japan to service the vehicle. "The GT-R requires special attention because its technology is so advanced," Corporate Vice President Takao Katagiri said Wednesday. "It also calls for finesse in salesmanship because the sales representative must deal with customers who are going to be very demanding." Nissan is setting up 160 showrooms called "high-performance centers" around the country for maintenance work on the GT-R. Similar back-up support for the GT-R is being considered for the US, where the sale will follow the Japan debut, but details aren't decided. The service will be offered at American Nissan, not Infiniti luxury, showrooms. BMW and Porsche sports cars need special care for their revved up, delicate engines, but such dealers are prepared for high-quality maintenance. Anticipation is high among car fans for the 7.8 million yen ($67,000) Nissan GT-R, although Nissan has given scant specifics. The company has not given a US price yet, but the vehicle is being promised to come under $80,000. Nissan already sells other sporty models, including the Z sports car, but it costs a third of the GT-R, which is billed as more powerful. Nissan has set up a webpage with a countdown clock until the launch to hype the car. GT-R won't be promoted in Japan with any TV ads, which Nissan says are only effective for mass market models. The model will be on show at the Tokyo auto show, which opens to the public Oct. 27. The event also displays many futuristic "concept" models that aren't for sale. Analysts say that high-end sports cars aren't expected to sell in numbers, especially after the hype wears off, but they are critical for a manufacturer's image, not a practical moneymaking endeavor. "Obviously, the size of the market is very, very small," said Credit Suisse Japan auto analyst Koji Endo. "It's really an image issue." Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. is also strengthening its sports car lineup, and recently showed the Lexus IS F, which goes on sale in Japan in December, and early next year elsewhere. Sports cars come with some risks. Nissan officials said they were worried about possible social ills -- citing safety and noise concerns -- from how people might use or modify such a powerful car. "We feel a social responsibility," said Nissan marketing director Yoshimitsu Kaji. "We must deliver on maintenance so everything is safe and legal."

By Associated Press TOKYO, Japan--Toyota said Monday it sold 2.34 million vehicles globally in the July-September quarter, fewer than General Motors' tally, as the US rival regained its lead in the race for the world's top automaker. Toyota Motor Corp.'s worldwide vehicle sales for the first nine months of this year -- at 7.05 million vehicles -- also fell short of sales of Detroit-based General Motors Corp. at 7.06 million vehicles for the same period. The numbers Toyota released Monday show the Japanese automaker running neck-and-neck against Detroit-based General Motors with 2.38 million vehicles for the third quarter. Toyota, which beat GM in global vehicle sales for the first half of the year, has been riding on its reputation for high quality small cars reputed for good mileage, such as the Camry, Corolla and gas-electric hybrid Prius. Some analysts say it's a matter of time before the Japanese automaker -- which built its business in the decades after World War II by imitating American automakers -- will close in on GM.

By Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has activated its "Lakbay Alalay" program to assist motorists during next week's long vacation in observance of All Saints' Day. DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. has ordered all regional directors to ensure the safety of motorists and vacationers through the program. "The DPWH Lakbay Alalay Program involves the deployment of composite teams comprised of DPWH personnel and mechanics who will respond to road emergency situations," Ebdane said in a statement. The composite teams will be complemented by the government agency's equipment and service vehicles which can be utilized as tow trucks, he said. Ebdane also instructed regional directors and district engineers to submit their respective lists of assigned personnel as members of the composite teams, including their contact numbers and the locations of Lakbay Alalay stations along the country's national highways. He said the DPWH "Lakbay Alalay" program would take effect at 6 a.m. on Oct. 31 until 12 noon of Nov. 4.

By Cebu Daily News CEBU CITY, Philippines--X-ray machines will now be regularly used to inspect container vans entering the international port in Cebu and in the other parts of the country to foil rising smuggling activities. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has also entered into an agreement with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the LTO not to register all imported used vehicles that are 2004 model and earlier without the clearance of the BOC, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said. The agency’s move came after 10 container vans containing used clothes and used cars from South Korea worth about P20 million were seized at the Cebu International Port (CIP) on Friday. The misdeclared shipment arrived at the Port of Cebu on September 21. The clothes will be donated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The used cars will be sold in an auction. Commissioner Morales told reporters on Friday that the Bureau of Customs had initiated “curative measures (and) preventive measures to address smuggling. Morales said the BOC would be scanning shipments in container vans that enter the country’s international seaports even without the presence of the owners. He noted that were it not for the X-ray machine, for example, the smuggled items seized on Friday would not have been discovered. Morales said the goods were declared as household goods but Customs personnel instead saw through the X-ray machine that these were actually bundles of clothes. The shipment of used cars, meanwhile, was declared as machine tools and accessories. “These (X-ray machines) will be our preventive measure,” he said. Morales said everybody at the BOC would be required to know how to use the image readers. He said that all Customs personnel tasked to inspect container vans, including the intelligence police and examiners, would also be trained to handle and interpret X-ray results. The machines would soon be connected to the offices of Cebu Customs Collector Ricardo Belmonte, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and to the Office of the President for easy access to the data, Morales said. The BOC-LTO memorandum of agreement would also discourage car smuggling activities, Morales said. He said that under the BOC-LTO agreement, imported used cars would need to be inspected and cleared first by the BOC to ensure that the right duties and taxes were paid. This means that unless the BOC issues a clearance, imported used cars that were made in year 2004 and earlier could not be registered by the LTO and could not be used by the car buyers, Morales said. He said the BOC has already issued a memorandum to all Customs offices in the country that they were being required to have a uniform set of assessment procedures. Cebu Customs Collector Ricardo Belmonte had admitted that there were still smuggled cars that enter the Port of Cebu but the memorandum issued by Morales, he added, would help curtail the rise of the number of car smuggling cases here. Editorial Assistant Bernadette Parco

By Kenneth del Rosario Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Commuters passing through Visayas and Mindanao Avenues in Quezon City can look forward to a faster trip with the concreting of the Congressional Avenue Extension expected to be completed before the holidays. The city government announced it would soon release P58.6 million as compensation to the over 100 homeowners affected by the road project. The amount will be reimbursed by the Department of Public Works and Highways once funding becomes available. Of the total, P11.9 million will go to homeowners on a portion of Visayas Avenue to Luzon Avenue while the remainder will go to payments for lot parcels from Visayas Avenue to Tandang Sora Avenue. The 10-km road extension project is expected to be operational before the Christmas season. It was expected to significantly decongest traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and Elliptical Road, city officials said. The DPWH, meanwhile, urged affected property owners to submit a certified true copy of transfer, certificate title, certified true copy of tax declaration and tax clearance to facilitate the release of payment for their properties.

By Ronnel Domingo Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--Ford Motor Co., whose officials have expressed continued optimism in the Philippines, could expand its production facility here by up to seven times if local economic growth continued and regional integration opened up more markets in Southeast Asia. Liam Benham, Ford's vice president for governmental affairs in Asia-Pacific and Africa, said the company was continually looking at expansion opportunities in the country although there were no short-term plans so far. "Ideally, a facility should be producing 100,000 units to 200,000 units yearly," Benham said. "This is a possible future for [our Philippine operations] as the ASEAN market is still largely untapped, but we have to make a competitive situation to make that a feasible reality," he added. Ford's facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, has the capacity to turn out some 31,000 units of vehicles yearly, but it is only producing barely half of that. Benham was part of a business mission sent by the US-ASEAN Business Council. It was here on a three-day visit that wrapped up Friday. The Bangkok-based official said the business mission met with various executive officials, including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and business-related bodies such as the National Competitiveness Council. "It is heartening to hear that there are deeply-rooted efforts to make the country more competitive," Benham said. "It is more so when one considers that Ford enjoys (some conveniences here) that are unparalleled in ASEAN." However, he said that amid continued optimism, the need to address hurdles to growth and expansion remained urgent. He said two of the greatest concerns among investors in the Philippines were the problems of smuggling and high cost of power. Further, Benham said the strict implementation of the ban on the importation of used vehicles was needed as this was the biggest barrier to the expansion of the domestic vehicle market. Benham said Ford was also anticipating the opening up of markets in the region with the realization of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community. "Non-tariff barriers in Malaysia and the tax system in Thailand are currently discouraging Ford from exporting more vehicles to these countries," he said. Benham echoed US-ABC president Matthew P. Daley, who expressed hope that "economic integration, in tangible and practicable ways, could be accelerated." "We are fully committed to the Philippines, which is a very key hub for Ford in the Asian region," Benham said. "We export not only to ASEAN but to farther regions as well. We have started shipping out flex-fuel engines to as far as South Africa, which is 12 hours by plane," he added.

By Diane Luar Cebu Daily News CEBU CITY, Philippines--At least 10 roadside car washing services have been closed down and their equipment confiscated by the city government since Monday along V. Rama Avenue in Cebu City. The car wash owners were cited for violation of City Ordinance 801, which prohibits washing, greasing, and repairing of cars along the road. Insp. Michaelangelo Beltran of the city police's Traffic Patrol Group said the car washes also caused traffic congestion along V. Rama Avenue. The car washes’ high-pressure water hoses have also damaged the city’s asphalt roads, said City Urban Poor Consultant Gerry Marquez. “The establishments were forewarned a week before we confiscated their equipment,” Beltran said. When authorities inspected the area last Monday, the establishments were still there. Teams composed of personnel from the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) and the Squatters Prevention and Encroachment Elimination division (Speed) started confiscating car washing equipment along V. Rama last Monday. “We issued receipts to account for each equipment we confiscated per owner. They can claim it after five days,” Marquez said. Owners will be charged P350 for each piece of equipment claimed. Marquez said authorities have been going around the city looking for vulcanizing shops and car washes that have violated Ordinance 801. “We’re concentrating on V. Rama for now because there’s a lot of them there, and on both sides no less,” Marquez said. He said Citom and Speed will continue to scour the city for violators in the coming days.