Toyota Road Trek 10

The very first time Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) held the Road Trek in May 2005, George Lucas just concluded the Star Wars film series with the showing of “Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith”; the must-have gadget was the 6630, Nokia’s first 3G smartphone equipped with a “very high-tech” 1.3-megapixel camera; and the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie movie “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” was about to hit theaters worldwide (this film sparked their real-life love affair we now know as “Brangelina”).

 

That year also, TMP had just launched the Innova multipurpose vehicle, a potential best seller considering it was conceived to outperform the well-loved Revo Asian utility vehicle.

 

To familiarize the motoring media with the new model, a special event was organized: the Toyota Road Trek.

 

Back then, nobody knew what Road Trek was really all about. Like all succeeding editions, full details of the itinerary and games lined up were not revealed so as to keep the participants on their toes.

 

And considering participants were mostly grouped according to the motoring media outfit they belong to, the games and other activities were taken seriously. But more important than the cash prizes that await the Top 3 teams, winning the first prize provides a special kind of bragging rights that lasts until the next staging of the Road Trek.

 

Long drives

Each Road Trek event requires teams to drive hundreds of kilometers to visit the coolest sites the province  has to offer. In each stopover, teams must complete several tasks to earn points.

 

Since its launch, the Road Trek has taken members of the motoring media to different places in the Philippines: Iloilo-Aklan-Boracay in 2005; Cagayan de Oro-Bukidnon-Davao City in 2006; Dumaguete, Negros Oriental-Cebu in 2007; Quezon City-Rizal-Pasay-El Nido, Palawan, in 2008; Bacolod-Dumaguete, Negros Occidental, in 2009; Iloilo-Antique-Boracay in 2010; Leyte-Cebu in 2011; Bohol-Cebu in 2012; Taguig-Clark International Speedway-Busuanga, Palawan, in 2013.

 

While most games of the Road Trek were lifted straight out of American hit TV shows “The Amazing Race” and “Fear Factor” (white water rafting, rappel down a 50-meter waterfall and, afterward, jump off a 10-meter ledge into the murky and frenetic waters below-while being timed), there were also activities that tested one’s memory power and analytical ability. There were also Road Trek editions where games would favor those with superior driving skills (last year’s edition required participants to play with the iconic FT 86 and RAV4, drive the Corolla Altis on a slalom course, and take the Fortuner SUV and Hi-Lux pickup on an offroad course.

 

Back to Iloilo

This time, for the 10th edition, TMP decided to head back to the place where Road Trek began—Iloilo. From Toyota Iloilo to Caticlan Jetty Port, the 10 teams were asked to alternately drive TMP’s latest rides: the all-new Vios, all-new Altis, all-new Yaris, as well as the newly introduced Wigo. For this particular trip, this writer was teamed with Inquirer Motoring editor Jong Arcano as well as the father-son duo of Ron and Ronald de los Reyes of motoring show “Auto REVIEW.”

 

The spirit of competition was high as we proceeded to our first stopover, the town of Zarraga, where we found that catching the native mudfish “pantat” with bare or gloved hands was no easy task.

 

When we stopped a few hours later at Midway Organic Restaurant in Passi City, Iloilo, we turned the place upside down, looking for hidden clues.

 

Donation

Apart from a quiz competition, which we did as we swung by the town of Sigma in Capiz, we also witnessed TMP’s VP for corporate affairs Rommel Gutierrez and VP for marketing Sherwin Chua Lim formally turn over schoolbooks and other supplies to Sigma Elementary School (represented by Principal IV Eva Fabraquel and Master Teacher 1 Babeta Borres). This writer then remembered that this place was among those devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

 

Considering our convoy has already driven more than 100 kilometers, our late-afternoon activities in Kalibo, Aklan, were a bit easy-going (we were made to sip our respective buko dry using a 2-meter straw).

 

Arriving in Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa in the evening, TMP and the rest of the 2014 batch of participants quite literally took a trip down memory lane. Over dinner, we retraced—via photos and video clips—the first nine Road Treks.

 

Ten years after, we now know that Road Trek is not just about enjoying the latest Toyota vehicles, awesome sights, top destinations, great food or entertainment (TMP flew in an all-star cast of Barbie Almabis, Princess Velasco, Nyoy Volante and Aiza Seguerra). This annual gathering is more of true friendship and unending camaraderie.