April 16, 2014 | Prepys' Homepage

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. Names New President and General Manager

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 PRNEWS Leave a comment

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), Honda’s automobile business unit names Mr. Toshio Kuwahara as its new President and General Manager effective April 1, 2014. Mr. Kuwahara is filling the post formerly held by Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, who has been assigned a new post in Brazil.

In 2009, Mr. Kuwahara was handed his first assignment in the Philippines when he was appointed as Senior Assistant Vice President for HCPI’s Marketing and Sales Division. “My job in the Philippines is very special to me; not only because this is my first time in the country but also because this is my first assignment in Honda’s automobile business”, according to Mr. Kuwahara during a press meeting. Prior to his move to the automobile business, he previously held posts in Honda’s motorcycle business unit for the Asia and Oceania market.

For almost five years, Mr. Kuwahara has been working closely with Filipinos in both HCPI and Honda Cars dealerships during his stint as the marketing guru. He took this opportunity to know more about the Filipinos and specifically their tastes in vehicles. “As one of Honda’s thrust, we always make it a point to satisfy our customers in every aspect of their transactions with us. It is crucial that we know their wants and how we can deliver them”, Mr. Kuwahara said. Now that he is the main man behind HCPI, Mr. Kuwahara has this to say, “I am very privileged to be given a bigger responsibility for the same market. Rest assured that it is my goal to provide vehicles that the Filipino customers dream of having. I anticipate that what our team has been developing for years are spot on”.

Inquired about his more concrete plans for HCPI during his first year, Mr. Kuwahara was quoted saying, “We will keep you very busy this year. Expect new Honda models to be available in the market soon. You will actually see the All New City very soon.” Optimistic about their new products for the Filipinos, Mr. Kuwahara sees a strong resurgence of the Honda brand in the automotive scene.

While dedicating most of his time learning about the Philippine automotive operations, Mr. Kuwahara also allowed himself to discover the beauty of the Philippines and its people. “For every free time that I have, I always try to take my family on a trip and explore your country together. My wife and kids love the Philippines as much as I do. This country is filled with so much uniqueness – the incomparable Filipino hospitality, impeccable work dedication and being one of the happiest people I know. Well, it’s not hard to be happy if you have such beautiful country and amazing people,” shares Mr. Kuwahara.

Be street smart via mobile apps this Holy Week

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 PRNEWS Leave a comment

With the Holy Week fast approaching, many Filipinos are expected to leave the metropolis – some will go on a pilgrimage to fulfill religious obligations, while others will relax and unwind, and simply enjoy the long weekend ahead.

Whatever the reasons, taking a trip to the province during this time of year can often be stressful, especially if the journey is not carefully planned. And with several ongoing road repairs in major thoroughfares scheduled for the holy days, heavy traffic is not just a possibility but already a given.

So before you step out of your door, better to equip yourself with mobile apps that will help you navigate your way to your intended destination – minus the accompanying headache.

Access to some of these popular and useful apps is being offered by wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) for only P10 per day. To activate, just text STREET 10 to 211 on your Smart mobile phone to get unlimited access to 6 of the best traffic, GPS, news, travel apps and sites. For info on other packages, visit smart.com.ph/StreetSmart.

PinoyTravel (Local Bus Booking App)

Heading out into the provinces in the North or South Luzon areas? PinoyTravel, the country’s first online and mobile bus booking system, will quickly get you there. Just download the PinoyTravel app on your Android phone, key in your destination, and you can easily book a bus seat within a few minutes, the same way you would for an airline ticket.

PinoyTravel currently offers bus tickets to Baguio, Tuguegarao, Pangasinan, Baler, Bicol, and Palawan with more routes being added every month.

Waze (Traffic and GPS Navigation App)

Getting lost is a thing of the past ever since the creation of Waze, the fun crowdsourced traffic and navigation app. Utilizing the “wisdom” of the crowd (e.g. other Waze users, which number more than 300,000 in the Philippines, by the way), you’d be zipping along busy highways and avoiding clogged streets as reported by other “Wazers.”

Just key in your destination, choose the route with less resistance (traffic), and Waze will be guiding you along every step of the journey—with a sexy, electronic voice to boot.

RaincheckPH (Weather Forecast App)

Aside from traffic, the elements are usually one of motorists’ concerns when traveling. Thankfully, you could be informed if it’s going to rain in your current area or in the area of your destination this Holy Week with the help of the RaincheckPH app.

With data culled from the Department of Science and Technology’s Project NOAH, RaincheckPH delivers up-to-the-minute reports on the probability of rain, so you’d know whether to bring an umbrella or plan for a different route before stepping on the gas of your car.

Easy Taxi (Taxi Booking App)

Spare yourself from the mad scramble for cabs and other holiday commuting woes by downloading the mobile taxi-booking service, Easy Taxi. Available on Android and iOS smartphones, the Easy Taxi mobile app offers you convenient way to virtually hail a taxi to take you to your destination.

To get started, simply open the Easy Taxi app on your phone and choose your desired pick-up point. You will then be prompted to provide important details such as landmarks, your desired destination, the amount of tip to give your driver and the type of cab you want. After clicking the “Request Taxi” button, users will immediately receive the driver’s details including the name, photo, car model, phone number, and plate number – for added assurance and security.

InterAksyon (TV5’s News Online Portal)

To get abreast with the latest news and events, access the portal by visiting www.m.interaksyon.com. Aside from giving a wealth of information about current events, the portal also provides easy access to TV5 tweets, the MMDA-TV5 Metro Manila Traffic Navigator as well as the Radyo5 audio livestream to help you make informed decisions while travelling.

NLEX Assist (NLEX Road and Deal Status App)

If you’re headed somewhere North, chances are you’ll be passing through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), one of the busiest thoroughfares this time of year. So you’d be guided throughout your trip, download the NLEX Assist app from the Google Play Store and receive updates on vehicular accidents, traffic situation in all the exit points, and occasional deals on stores along NLEX.

Digital Tourism apps for a savvy exploration of historical sites

If you’re heading out of the city to travel and explore some of the country’s most-visited domestic sites, make sure you have a travel guide as your companion. Thick travel booklets are no longer the norm, especially since there are many local travel apps now available for download, most of them for free.

Examples are the digital tourism apps developed by Cebu-based InnoPub Media in cooperation with Smart, with virtual guides for tourist draws such as Baguio, Iloilo, and Cebu currently available. With QR codes strategically located in some of these cities’ famous landmarks, you’ll be well on your way to exploring and learning about these destinations the 21st-century way.

First Metro Inspires, Cares

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 PRNEWS Leave a comment

In photo with the children of Elsie Gaches Village are First Metro Presidet Roberto Juanchito Dispo and First Metro First Vice President Nimfa Pastrana

First Metro Investment Corporation continues to reach out to communities where it can make a difference in uplifting the quality of life of young Filipinos.

Sharing its financial success by extending monetary support, First Metro, through its corporate social responsibility brand First Metro Inspires Cares, donated to Elsie Gaches Village, a residential care facility that provides care and rehabilitation services to abandoned and neglected children with special needs, and the Philippine Institute for the Deaf, a private school that helps children with hearing impairment, or are hard of hearing, learn how to speak and listen.

DOST supercomputer now up and running

April 16, 2014April 16, 2014 Bob Freking Leave a comment

Last year, we reported that PAGASA is getting an IBM supercomputer to help in weather forecasting in the Philippines. Fast forward to the present, the IBM Blue Gene supercomputer is up and running through the Department of Science & Technology (DOST).

Blue Gene

The Blue Gene/p Supercomputer

The supercomputer arrived last November and has been tested since January. It now enters operation upon the recent opening of the Philippine Genome Center, Core Facility for Bioinformatics at U.P. Diliman. It is expected to bring local researching to the next level as it will not only focus on bioinformatics; PAGASA and NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) will be utilizing it too just as reported, processing data that looks years into the future.

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