Tag Archives: philippines

Cab Mentality


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Just a few weeks ago, I was set on going to Cebu for an extended vacation. To be more practical about it, I decided to not be driven to the airport and instead chose to take a taxi.

So I called up the cab company that was closest to my house, Basic Taxi, and asked if they had a cab available in the area. The operator was nice, and after asking for my name and number, she referred to my address that was already on their database.

I’ve availed of their services before, and to be picked up at my house incurs an extra mark up of PhP 50. I’m alright with the extra charge, as it is a special pick up service, as opposed to just taking my chances to flag down a ride. When I gave her my destination, however, things suddenly changed. Read more →

A Decade Since


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I remember it like it was yesterday.

It was 10 years ago, right down to the week, that I was standing in line, waiting to get my first ever driver’s license. I had all the forms filled up, the questionnaire sorted out and the fees paid, and later that day I walked out of there a duly licensed driver. A freer man, so to speak, though a freer pimply 17-year old is more like it. Read more →

Motorists Protection Anyone?


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There are motor insurance, airbags, advanced seatbelts, and tons of electronic safety devices for new cars today. But did it ever cross your mind that motorists in the Philippines are among the most unprotected of its kind in the world? Big surprise there, being in a land of outdated and patchy laws conjured by those know-it-alls in the government.

Consider this: It’s only in the Philippines that hitting someone, even a jaywalker, automatically puts a motorist at fault. When somebody throws himself at your moving car, you are also charged. Cars may come with pedestrian protection, but nothing can stop ignorant/lazy people from crossing the road as they please in this country. I write this thinking of a recent accident wherein a vehicle bearing a protocol plate ran over a security guard crossing EDSA underneath a pedestrian overpass. The media’s angle reproached the vehicle owner’s abuse of power which created a controversy on the proper use of such plates. I think the vehicle owner was lucky to be well-connected so he got away with only a minor settlement. What would have happened if he were a mere mortal, like the rest of us? More importantly, what could the government suggest to prevent the same incident from happening in the future?

A brother of my friend once got into a similar scrape. That time, the jaywalker sprinted across EDSA and was hit right in front of a pink sign that screamed “WALANG TAWIRAN, NAKAKAMATAY” (“No Crossing, Deadly”) in bold, white letters. The family of the jaywalker demanded monetary settlement to compensate for whatever injury they could come up with. Despite being the law-abiding party, the motorist became the bad guy and ended up as the real victim—of harassment, extortion, serious damages on his vehicle, and even trauma. Granted, motorists bear more responsibility, having the privilege of driving. However, what protects responsible motorists from irresponsible pedestrians? In this country, the laws—or the lack of them—seem to be bent in such a way that owning and driving a car is already a crime.

New laws ought to be created to protect pedestrians and motorists alike. Jaywalking is probably the most difficult traffic law to enforce, and to follow for a specific race of human beings in this corner of the planet for some reason. But this doesn’t justify less doggedness on the part of the government to implement measures that would benefit pedestrians and motorists. And I don’t mean unsightly pink fences and costly overpass projects. Reasonable, solid laws updated to fit today’s time should promote discipline and order. Our country cannot progress when majority of the people can’t even cross the street properly.

In Retrospect


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First Autoindustriya.com Splash pageThe month of September marks the anniversary of AutoIndustriya.com. More specifically, September 2007 marks the 7th year that the site has existed. Ever since that faithful day on September 25, 2000 the site has grown tremendously by leaps and bounds. Users are of course familiar with what AutoIndustriya is all about, but very few are actually privy to how two people started a website that has grown to be one of the most popular in the Philippines.

It all started seven years ago when we came across an article in a newspaper describing how websites in the US were helping people look for cars and spare parts. Seeing as how the internet was still at its infancy during that time (there were actually very few interactive auction and classified ads sites back then), we decided to try it out in the Philippines. As such the first feature decided upon was the IndustriFinder, a searchable directory to help people look for cars, parts, accessories, etc. During the development of the website, it was decided to add more features including a classified ads section, an interactive forum, as well as articles about the automotive industry. Instead of being just a utility for searching, the site would now encompass almost every aspect of motoring.

AutoIndustriya version 1.0 went live on September 25, 2000 after around 2 months of hurried development. The IndustriFinder, classified ads, and 4sale section were still quite basic looking. Over time, the advent of new Internet technologies enabled us to put in more content, as well as better interactivity.

The site underwent its first major redesign in 2003. A lot of the features were improved and more articles were added in. The forum membership also grew by leaps and bounds. One of the major steps taken in the redesign was the addition of more motorsports coverage and feature articles. A few years later AutoIndustriya also debuted TUNED, a section featuring the most widely modified cars in the country.

A more significant redesign and redevelopment was undertaken in July 2007. In addition to the new layout, the motorsports and tuned section were separated entirely from the main site. This gives both sections their own character and identity. A significant redevelopment of the Industri Finder also ensued. This enabled users to search more accurately. A new classified ads section was also introduced with better features.

Seven years after two college students decided to start a website out of their passion for the automobile, AutoIndustriya has grown to be one of the most popular websites in the Philippines. Looking beyond 2007, the site will certainly still expand even further. In fact we already have some ideas on what to do on our next redesign.