Our Generation

 

The only thing that is stopping us from saying that our generation is BETTER than this AI-Aided, Google Powered, Automatic Shifting, Soc Med dependent generation is Love. 

We built our own PCs, we hated walkthroughs, we sailed through gears like the transmission acted like an Automatic, smooth and never jerky. We wrote well and spoke well, never stuttering, fingers glided through keys with a masterpiece inevitable. We kept our hands dirty and we kept our tools in handy. Our generation, minsan tubero, mekaniko, engineer, wiring specialist and other DIY talents. Once a job is done & finished, we keep these small triumphs to ourselves; cleaning up, joyous, proud and smiling. We often keep these feelings just within us, never exclaiming, the same way our parents did for us. ❤️

Social Media and its lack of two sides

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗕 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗸𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆: 𝟭𝟴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗱𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 has taught me a lot of things. Most notably you can't please everyone, that there is no perfect shop, and no perfect client. As business owners, we have a pace which may or may not suit clients from speed of replies, special orders coming in and the conditions given to us at the shop and most especially at home service/delivery. The more clients you have, the more money coming in, the more things you would have to watch out for.

The thing is clients may rant about their experiences that's a given, but you'll rarely see or hear a shop owner ranting about client if you think about it. How about a "barat" client, or too much extended terms, walang pakisama sa staff kahit OT, too small of a work area provided to us, a car that's been around and is almost falling apart or too much demands for such a small and simple item and finally yung "Hm/PM Price/Thanks for the info na 1 year na nagtatanong?"

They say it's more of a "honor" thing, yes partly but rather I consider it online massacre if I use my page with almost 300k followers (FB alone), to berate someone. It's simply not something I would do, and we are simply not the kind to do such. Truly there are two sides to every story, 100% of the time. Nevertheless as with all things, we forge ahead and move forward, because we have our families and our employees families to support. Just a 5 minute entry to my blog, have a restful weekend everyone.

The One True Yabangan

After the show that was JDMU at SMX, para bang nahugasan lahat ng kalokohan, at toxic na nakikita natin araw araw sa ibat-ibang group which keeps us from being focused on the "world" that we know very well, on our project cars; rather presenting to us, trash content disguised us "presently cool" and "new humor". 

Finally a gathering, at the big stage wherein walang drama at kalokohan na nangyari sa huli na gustong gustong pag-usapan kahit palagi naman nangyayari. Finally, a gathering where discussions are made on the hangover that was, about the participants, their builds and their well kept secrets rather than yung nagpa-iyak ng gulong, or yung hindi marunong sumunod sa rules. A gathering wherein you would usually hear ohhs, and ahhs, or "pare may binubuo ko pala na ganyan", some truly rare bits and pieces finally making an appearance, and that certain "magazine-worthiness" of the cars, that you all well and anticipate that surely its going to making waves in the interwebs one way or another of course outside the Philippines. Finally, a gathering which prides itself with the quality of the members and more importantly the ideas presented through their builds, by the OGs, the core members and what they usually call them.. matatandang tao. Finally an ultimate gathering finally realized , of making known what JDMU is really made of, with sir Stik watching from above with a good smile in his face. 

This meet was done in a time wherein a lot of new people in this scene are making waves, and the power of social media and "vlogging" has never been as powerful as it is in these present times. And the thing is, the people of JDMU sticks to its own ideals from day one. Hindi nila tatanggapin ang bagay na baduy kahit na pilitin pa ng mga taong "sikat" na pwede na at parang cool din naman. Individuals who suddenly consider themselves an authority because of their fame and number of views believe me prompted a few smirks and LOLS, and that is no surprise Why? Because JDMU's tightly knit community is simply that way. It thinks old school, plays and respects an old game. 

When a new generation witnesses such, in SMX's four corners, truly there is great meaning in that. Just imagine how such a show if you may call it, has altered, changed, inspired or reinforced hundred of attendees' concept of the right build. Egos and established norms slightly crushed. realizing, witnessing, and as one utters in words, "pu*a pare ito pala yung totoong Yabangan." 

This is the standard, hate it, love it. 

A 2 minute blog by yours truly, there is more to come, good to have recovered my account. :)

Revisiting Car Groups

Amazing 13 years in business and very thankful for Gods blessings and the clients and friends we have met along the way. The employees we were able to help and their families we were able to support. I call it business because we have been paying our taxes for more than a decade. Passion because I get to do what I love while making a living.

Coffee time with our friends in the industry and long time officers of HCP always brings out the best stories and a clear vision of what the current situation is of the barrage of car groups or subgroups or even barkadas turned to be cargroups. With the advent of Facebook, more and more groups and segments have been born. I mean anyone has a group nowadays. Maybe it stems from ones's natutal urge to have a sense of belonging.  Yung may pupuntahan ka at makakahalubilo. As with all things groups come and go, they have they strong times and there will soon come a time na lilipas din sila. Different groups, different set of officers and different agendas. That is the reality. 

As shops we have a responsibility to keep it at a low and never delve into group politics. Its obvious that shops are always exposed to the whims and requests of groups, its intrigues, raves, rants, defeats and triumphs. Such is widely accepted and acknowledged kapag papasok ka sa isang grupo. 

I remember back then when we still didn't use an admin or moderator, I had to post on different talkboards like that of the Ae Corolla and its different subgroups, the same goes for the Vios clubs, the rivaling groups of the Jazz who could ever forget that, the Civic FDs, the EGs and EKs of HCP that would literally fill up home depo something we can never witness nowadays, the Civic ES club, the GTs and funruns of Honda City Club that would cause traffic dahil sa sobra dami nila, I mean we've been around and I easily surmise that life nowadays for groups and sellers is way easier and spoon fed. Sometimes it could always be a bad thing dahil dumami naman ang keyboard warrior, matapang online pero pag kaharap mo you guessed it.

Tuwing grupo ang usapan, natatandaan ko yung conversation namin ni Sir Vince Chua of Bigberts yung officer na isang grupo na sobra demanding humingi ng giveaways during their events. I think that guy was from Mxxxxo Club a good 4 years ago. Kung makademand talo pa ang terrorista. 

As shops though we have a clear vision and enough experience to lead, steer and guide these groups but nevertheless its elementary for us to never ever delve into such things primarily because there is conflict of interest. We cannot use our influence to gather people and at the same time make a sale and profit because its not fair to the members and the would be sellers and sponsors. Kung sinimulan mo ng ganyan ang kultura sa isang grupo alam na namin ang kahihinatnan nyan, we clearly know down the road may conflict na mangyayari at paguusapan ka lang ng mga kapwa mo shop and seller. 

I view it as more of an honor and dignity thing. What do you value more? Money or how the majority sees you? How they perceive of you as a person, seller or leader. Hindi ibig sabihin na walang ka narinig or walang naisulat tungkol sayo sa internet ay hindi ka pinaguusapan. People are diligent nowadays the same way they too are onion skinned and would like to hide behind the veil of a social media account. 

Jealousy, hate, and connivance. Be careful with these if you are a member or a shop.

Idle Hands are the Devil's workshop, take note of this lalo na ngayung may Covid when people spend more time on their keypads rather than being outdoors.

Alam mo yung mga niche market groups na rare yung mga kotse nila and then yung mga members sobra strict and grabe mag critique. Those are the good battles, I seriously adore groups whose members are straight up jerks when it comes to parts originality and builds that must satisfy and meet their standards. Galit sila sa respek all builds, if the car looks like shit then let it be known. Ganun yung mga masaarap na usapan. Deretso, pranka and hindi pailalim kung tumira. That this Evo isn’t actually a Makinen but actually just a regular evo claimed to be Makinen by the ones who built it but sold at a Makinen price. Or how about wheel period correctness and the fight between I dont care it looks good vs your wheels dont match your era. Puro ka fitment hindi naman yan forged those kind of hirits. How about taking pride on a sports chassis vs a fully modded regular version of that car, na kahit anong gawin mo dyan when you strip it all out at the end of the day it will never be the a Type R or an RAR. How about a clean setup vs a jacked up racing setup with its theme and look completely lifted out of a Japanese tuning catalog. magandang usapan yan because its one's preference of jdm vs the pinnacle of jdm styling and performance.

Blogging by 19th floor and a perfect view of the mountains as embraced by the fog. Cheers! ❤️

Builders aren't on the sidelines..

What fuels the fire of a certain kind of enthusiast are exclusive and limited edition models. Sport and tuned variants with unique components only found on such models. As we are in the Philippines, we are bound to have our RHD aspirations converted into LHD with the right and complete components by the best people in the industry.  Hindi na yan question na gusto mo ng Orig LHD or Converted. If you know your roots and involve yourself in building your cars, if you know your mechanics, the parts,  what makes things work, what don't, some short cuts and items which can only be had by scouring every shop and contact or imported through your usual means. 

Kung tatawagin mo basura ang mga project which were built the right way, through the right parts with passion amd excellence as the driving force then ano pa ang ginagawa natin dito sa industriyang ito? Mag jack en poy? Mag-chikahan at kwentuhan tungkol sa sobrang hot na babae na kakilala mo kahit anong papogi mo ay di ka naman uubra? Magtitigan ng 2 hours ag magyabangan sa Stabucks while sipping on expensive coffee which we both know can be had at half the price? 

Magbigay-pugay tayo to shops who build cars from the ground up, that dreams of Japan exclusive models can be had locally through the technical know-how and expertise of mechanics. Lets stand up for research, hard to find parts, left hand drive parts which we painstakingly collect to build the project of our dreams, to strive for excellence, to do it the right way and meet a high standard which other enthusiasts can aspire for during this long road. 

There is a whole world beyond your usual bolt on scene. Sobra lawak ng mundo na yan and I do hope that one day you will understand that building cars isn't about convenience and getting it done by watching from the sidelines. Mas malawak yan than your show scene, and how you would want to believe that people look up and admire you because of an appearance at the Transportshow. You can be in love with yourself, your ideals and what you have, but that doesn't give you any right to mock on others people's projects because truly, the real builders and enthusiasts, people who actually go out and race, obliterate laptimes and spend their Sunday afternoons at the twisties with the smell of oil and rubber, tainted and sweaty shirts, adrenaline filled sprint runs at kabado na baka may kumalas.... just don't care about you. 

These are the real battles of the internet. Hindi chismisan, hindi kakokohan at walang pagkukunwari. 

A conflict of people with different ideals but the direction is towards excellence. People at the top of their games, hindi naman talaga magkakasundo yan palagi, but maintain respect, even an once of it. 

A five minute blog by yours truly. Thanks Idol JP for the pic! :) 

The Talkboard Era

On March 22, 2007. Mainit, summer, boring, sitting on plastic stool. My friend Benavon and I were discussing about parts and the impact of online marketing in the coming months and years. We had eyes on Honda Club, dahil during that time, it will always be the powerhouse and the go-to-place of all Honda enthusiasts. Bawat techie, builder, enthuasiasts, manloloko, seller, bolero, konyo, guru, feeling guru, manginginom,, babaero, feeling babaero, barkadero, shop owner, tatay at marami pa iba ay nandun na ata. All of course hidden behind the thick curtain of the internet at their desired “nick-name”. Ang mga yan, nagkakakilanlan sila sa nick, and shempre those who stuck together and didn't forget their friendships have beautifully transitioned to what we call now is Facebook. Their founder Carlo was clearly a visionary and timing was key because more and more, people are switching online, kahit na ba sa PC ka lang nakikipagkulitan sa lounge, or yung kadebate mo sa Engine boards, na bakit mas practical pa din mag B series ka nalang kaysa itodo mo iyang SOHC mo.

HCP was the ultimate online tambayan. If you weren’t driving, if you weren’t fixing your car, if you weren’t out for a meet, then likely you’re hanging out at the forums, beer on the side, sitsirya sa kanan.

Nowadays, kamusta? People are on their pads and phones, seamlessly browsing, no effort, with various ways to express yourself of course with a simple like, love or care, or a complete comment na maari din namang sing-haba ng nobela. Nowadays, people are so used to shield of social media that its easy to disrespect anyone, without the fear of freakin being punched in the face. Tila nakalimutan ng tao ang rumespeto at humarap, magpakatao at magkatotoo. Yan of epekto ng social media. Back in the old HCP boards may nakaalitan yung kaibigan ko, shmpre they had different ideals, iba ang mga alam nila, iba ang mga approach nila sa kotse. Couple of weeks after we were invited to their meet, sa South, couple of EK and EG Hatchbacks here and there, nagkakilala, nilabas ang mga tripod, nag kamayan, nagkasundo at nabuo ang magandang pagsasama at respetuhan. People back then were that way, may pride, may angas pero walang backstaban. People let their cars do the taking ika nga, no matter how old such saying is, amazingly it applies effortlessly in today’s society.

I have always considered myself lucky because I have car friends who has the highest standards, espcialy during the 2000s days then across sa panahon ngayun. People like Mr. Uncle Mark Luna, sila Law Go, I will always have great respect for Alan Lim of Splitsecond and Sam the mechanic, John Moreno, Stew, my earlier visits to H3 with friends on how we witnessed the importance of motorsports and function more than being pogi and more. Just imagine being raised and influenced heavily by those people. Tangina, hindi mo mabibili yan, hindi mo rin pwede balikan. Pranka, high standards, all out, wow factor always at galit sa peke. They can be jerks sometimes, but I love them for that because totoo silang tao and their super high standards (paulit ulit ko ito sinasabi) will wash away all that is mediocre in today’s industry. 

Benavon and I thought of selling purely Spoon Parts, nag mix kme ng bit of Mugen and I called the company JDMselect. JDM for a term coined by then Head Editor of Super Street. Jonathan “JDM” Wong, it simply meant Japanese Domestic Market. The word Select? Well, because back then we only sold selected parts and I didn’t want the hassle of selling knock-offs then at bka masita tayo ng Original SPOON POLICE. Only the OGs will understand. Benavon supplied the goods, I built my company, HCP will always be an intergral part of our growth and the rest is history. Tinalikuran ko ang malaking sweldo at komportableng posisyon sa company ng dad ko for this, I was mocked, criticized and had an extremely hard time, but the journey was worth it. Every year, during March 22, hindi ako pumalya mag-thank you sa aking kaibigan for opening the gates for me. That everything that I am, everthing that I have, kahit paulit ulit niya ideny at sabihin sakin na dahil sakin talaga yun, sasabihin ko na dahil sa kanya. 

The gates which he opened for me, binalik ko naman sa pagtulong sa tao through our monthly gift giving and employing people and being able to support their families. Hopefully, God-willing now as we open our paintshop to the public, we’ll be able to employ more people through our “assistant” program wherein we’ll be hiring people on a few days basis para magkaroon sila ng konting pang kain sa araw araw nila and their families. 

Times flies, so do our lives. It withers away without us knowing it. We take each minute and hour for granted. Its up for us to decide on how to best channel our lives. On pulling each other UP and being the best version of ourselves, spending time with our family and loved ones. Lalo na sa panahon ngayun.......

Your 10 minute blog by yours truly. Take care. Be good! :) 

Passion First

I would like to inform all our friends and customers that we are directing our efforts and product lineup towards branded items from Japan, Taiwan and the USA. This pandemic taught me the value of time and upon reflection, I’d like to aim and divert our energy towards high quality products, stuff that work, parts of high quality, best packaging and are known worldwide.

We are proud to carry the best parts in the market, to name of a few these are Ksport, TEIN, Injen, PRL, Spoon Sports, Maxspeed, Greddy, Tomei, Rays, HKS, Hard Race to name a few. These brand names are at the forefront of this industry and continue to innovate and compete in the motorsports world.

It’s no secret that we despise fake and useless generic parts from China. They bring down your car’s value as fast as the part’s value itself. The proliferation of these fake and generic parts over the internet especially at Shopee and Lazada is testament their soul-less character in this hobby which we value and respect so much. Fake parts are a complete waste of time.

JDMselect is the home of Sport Compact Cars. 

“Passion First, the Rest will Follow”

Weather the Storm

Im writing this letter to say thank you to all my clients, friends and suppliers who have supported our shop throughout the pandemic. As ECQ has dawned upon us during mid March, I was very anxious on what I was facing and the future my company had, including my staff. Approaching ECQ, there was this eerie feeling that something was going on and there were less and less people on the road. The country was held motionless but knowing myself I was too curious to stay at home and traversed the roads on a motorcycle to check the shop, and visit my employees at Katipunan. During those days I found myself sending assistance to my staff using Cebuana, send items at LBC and at the same time still paying my obligations on long lines at the banks. I would would wake up at 6:30am go to the riverpark, go home, have breakfast and do my obligations. 

I remember a morning phone call transaction with Von, napaupo nalang ako sa bench ng church, sa kawalan, sa kaba, na kung ano ang mangyayari sa mga susunod na araw at lingo. That no amount of economic and marketing wizardry can save me now. Wala.

For some reason I fancied driving my old Corolla. I’d bring it anywhere in Marikina, to the Church, at the banks, to go for a jog at the park or to simply drive around. Amazed of an old piece, now perfectly working. 

By 4pm I was facing the television, feeling weird, body not used to such, mind still restless, but truly helpless given the setting. During the last week of March I made a decision to activate my QC staff and do work at the QC Shop since we were limited to that area. The checkpoints were very strict, especially that of Batasan (to this day!). So if we had scheduled work in QC, I would usually sleep at my wife’s house in QC so as to avoid the checkpoints from Marikina. Not for its long lines since back then it wasnt, but because of the Police’s too much questioning. So from Marikina, the strictest checkpoint is via Batasan, the ones in Tomana and Tanong/Riverbanks were weak. The checkpoint at Tomana was heigtened during the end of March because someone was tested positive.

The sales we have during March were limited to nurses, doctors, the police and other front liners. We even had clients from the Dep. Of National Defense who during those times spilled some beans to us as to what the future has in store. Our sales were enough to pay the bills, enough to pay and support my staff and their families and to pay partial to our big supplier. I had to give and pay from the little that I had primarily because I didn’t want to ruin friendship and reputation. That with all my might, with all this shop’s network and clientbase, I was able to, miraculously, come up with a partial sum to cut through the big payable, somehow. Nakakahiya kse, kaya pinilit ko, sinagad ko. 

Driving was a breeze of course, there were no checkpoints from QC to Paranaque via Edsa, not until the 1st or 2nd week of April. The checkpoint at Paranque, right after the SKyway exit was a pain. But we got through, thankfully so as we can attend to clients at our Sucat Branch. When we had work at Paranaque I had to cover the client’s car with our van as not to attact unnecessary attention from the local officials. We had to finish at 4pm since my staff’s curfew were at 5pm. During these days we were scrappy with every bit of sale we can find. We were very lucky to gather sales online. It felt like 2007 again, back when the company only met with clients and sent packages nationwide. The parts weren’t big, but were significant enough to make us stay afloat. Till April 15th Paranaque was a ghost town, I even made deliveries to BF Homes. Magulo lang yan sa entrace ng gate nila and the available food stores and banks, but beyond that it was pretty peaceful. Traffic doon sa maliit nila na Palengke till 1pm.

Every afternoon as we came from Sucat, we were greeted by a magnificent view of Laguna lake as we swooped and entered the Skyway and as we were traversing the long open road, a scenic view of Makati, with the clear blue skies crown the tall buildings. There was no pollution, no haze. Our minutes at Skyway and its peace and tranquility gave us time to reflect. Everyday we embraced it, we appreciated such view from our van, knowing that in a month or so, everthing would go back to normal again. It is only during this time, can we experience the Philippines as a country we would wish it to be. Clear skies, no pollution, less cars on the road. Hindi maingay, malamig ang ulo ng tao. 

Sidenote: My go to route kapag rush mode yung tipong kailangan ko mag back to back North to South is Mindanao Ave, Luzon Ave, Katipunan, Libis, c5 then up Kalayaan, up the bridge to Makati CBD, left at Makati avenue, then right at Arnaiz and head your way to Skyway entry then exit Paranaque. I did this to avoid the strict checkpoint at Magallanes. One checkpoint 30 mins travel time. Ang sarap. 

By God’s grace we were given accomoation by our clients who maybe sensed our sincerity to serve them. From Makati, to Caloocan, clients arranged entraces to us, guards and Police paved way to us and into their homes so as we can do the work swiftly and be back at QC just in time to meet the earlier curfew back then. Makati was beautiful, during the last week of March till the 2n week of April, you can appreciate Makati’s Maze like ins and outs, its buildings glittered in the sunlight. I would often take pictures from the front windshield during stops, if there were any since most stoplights were deactivated. One client gave us direct access to a whole building floor to do our work and testing. 

Caloocan was in complete contrast but had its own charm. We had a three day work combination and when tasks were done during the end of each day my staff and I would often hang out with the Brgy Officials and Bantays, also go in and out the eskenitas, kwentuhan at tawanan to the max with the locals, a warm feeling of solidarity and hope, simpleng mga buhay, simpleng mga pangarap, maraming reklamo sa gobyerno, at takot sila sa presidente. They talk about the president and his actions as if he was part of a teleserye. For 3 days we considered Caloocan our home, we had no checkpoints from the shop to 5th avenue, we started work there at 11:00am and ended at 4pm.

Jerome my staff and I gave away food packs every month end, we usually stationed at Banawe and Araneta Ave, it was our simple way of giving back, na kahit paano na ang biyaya na bigay sa amin mashare naman namin sa mas nangangailangan. 

Since my wife Tania held office at BGC, we had access to it during the weekends since she had WFH. As expected, food places were open, the cats ruled and shempre yung natumbang display ng isang health and beauty shop ay ganun pa din.  Surprisingly BGC to me was lifeless because through it was a perfectly skulpted urban jungle, it only vividly showed promise and vigor when there were cars and people are present. Wala yung total effect kung baga. Ok lang nakapag milk tea naman kame, by 4pm pala wala na pearls, and they had limited flavors. By 5pm, stores are closed and wala ka na magagawa kung di umuwi.

Sidenote: Thank you thank you! To my friends and clients who offered help and access during our workdays. Your powers are greatly appreciated pero kilala niyo naman ako. Only when severely needed ika nga. :) thank you also to our doctor and nurse friends, salamat for keeping us healthy.

I have to admit that Tania and I went to Subic since it was her birthday. I wanted to please her through a road trip which she would fervently enjoy. This was I think 3rd week April. Hanggang dun nalang hindi ko na ikkwento as we might get in trouble. 

By the 3rd week of April till the days of May, by God’s grace we were blessed by transactions. Though not big as were were used to during the normal days, I was very thankful because through that I can support my staff and a least pay my obligations and supplier. It also helped me get in the groove of work s if I was getting ready for what’s to come June. Ayaw ko mabigla, I hate the feeling of working right after, say a backpack trip to Indonesia. 

For almost 10 weeks, I was outside. 

Doing work, witnessing the change in peoples attitudes, the flow of traffic, the changes in the long lines at the checkpoints, the weakpoints as I also call it, yung mga tanga na driver nung mid April, I tell you I witnessed 2-3 accidents in a day maybe because people arent used to that speed and less traffic. The proliferation of riders, stoplights being activated again, supermarkets who had extremely long lines and changes to their schedules as well as banks. Back then, the peak of which people were out was morning mga 8-10am. By 3-4 pm tahimik na yan, pauwi na sila from maybe the supermarket or palengke, or drugstore or the banks that often close at 1pm or 2pm. Last week of April to May magulo na, more and more people were out, clearly they have tested the waters and found ways to be out. Challenged the rules and trying their best to live their life again. Yes there was traffic at QC, but beyond QC maluwag pa din.

Sidenote: Nagdrive ako ng manual na van for almost 3 months. Everyday ko sinusundo si Aris and Jerome sa lugar nil sa Katipunan at 930am, sobrang stricto ng checkpoint sa Brgy nila. Because entrace to Ateneo is not allowed, I would often drop by and pray at the OLA Church in Marikina before picking them up. It took us 20 -30 mins driving via Luzon Ave/Congressional till the last week of April, by May I have shifted to for the longer route via Qave/Edsa then right at North Ave/Trinoma. Congressional Ave was a pain even before May started problem area talaga siya.

Sidenote: Ang dami ko naging Facemask, meron pa ako Bane type mask, but sa bandang huli babagsak ka din sa surgical mask because those damn masks make you breath harder especially pag marami ka ginagawa. Nagkaroon ako USA Made na N95 Mask, a 3M copy mask from China, an original 3M mask, minsan twalya pag nakakalimitan. 

Sidenote: Things accomplished: new pebbles for the garden, fully detailed cars, books read and completed. As well as comics, old consoles made active again. Discovered art (again) and fell with love with constructing beats. Tania learned how to drive a motorcycle, rediscovered Marikina’s beauty, witnessed sunrise and sunset numerous times via the riverpark, went to Cebuana 25 times. I kept Netflix movies and series at a minimum, of course everyone watched the Last Dance and kept everyone’s Facebook debating skills active and sharp. 

I can say that I saw everthing. From March 15 to May 29, I saw change, I witnessed, I embraced life and appreciated the beauty this metro can offer only possible through a pandemic such as this. For almost 3 months, we were given a taste of “what if”. A life we can only have imagined, mga detalye, oras na dati naman ay wala ka, being able to bond with your parents or kids, having time to reflect, take on tasks, discover talents, expand creativity, cook dishes and so much more.

Tania and I would dare ourselves to go to Tagaytay to test and witness an upcoming storm. 
We are the type. 

End. 

High Level Meets..

Pic ctto Sir Pow Lo and C Magazine. Thank you!

If I said that 2020 pretty much had a rough start that would be an understatement. Multiple calamities, the death of an icon, and of course the pandemic which we are all experiencing worldwide. It has made an impact in our lives and had greatly affected how we live and most importantly how we perceive our love ones, our lifestyle, what we possess and a realization that no matter how many achievements, no matter how much money we earn, that no one is immune to God’s hand. May it be a painless death during sleep, or a global pandemic which levels just about everyone, no matter who you are, no matter what country you live in, or kung estado mo sa buhay. You’re humbled.

Meets. Gone are the days of disoderly meets. Nowadays, these gatherings are so well organized its oftentimes comparable to a high quality car show or reminds you of those meets in the states. Minsan pa nga the likes of JDMU and Legends meet, or the recent Stance Ph meets easily outshine that of your usual carshow I will not mention the event of course as not to offend anyone. From preparation, to the way they do invites, car slots, to ingress and engress, to the organizer’s time to address the attendees, of course the quality cars and that certain feel in gives you being surrounded by the “real” best in the field. 

Kaya nga pag meron nag rerev or nag buburnout during such a well prepped meet, parang gusto natin kutusan e. What the hell are you doing? Are you stuck in those times? 

These meets, has taught us a number of lessons actually. 

To name a few, it taught us that when you put heart to organizing a meet and your core group are real enthusiasts, purist, JDM or Euro Lovers etc, you’ll probably attract the best atendees and the best crowd. It’ll flow naturally, from media outlets with those high res pics and albums which we all can take reference from, to shared pictures snd discussions. All these trickle down to the existing, would-be’s and the learned. The result is, a meet of people who are “in” if you know what I mean. People in the know, movers, shakers, the influencers, people we sometimes despise but in reality we respect for their fearless compliance of the truth, no matter how it hurts to some. Kung puro peke at Lazada parts ka, labas ka dito. Ganun ka sakit, pero ganun din kasarap yung realization for motivation..

It taught us the true meaning of recognition. That no trophy bought from Cubao or Recto can match a moment in a purist meet. With crowds drawn to your project, mix of praise and awe, multiple snaps pro and non pro, friends gained, shempre ang di maiiwasang inggit and critisim, which is normal. Hindi mo na kailangan yung model mo na ubod ng ganda, ke maghubad pa yan or magsplit sa harap ng kotse mo, you wouldn’t be needing that if you’re running on original limited ed CE28s, Spoon Monoblock, Spoon Gauges, Spoon Buckets, that rare JDM interior, a freshly swapped K series, some beautifully mounted Defi gauges and that paint na halos 1 year mo pinatigas before you had it finalized. 

I remember my friends, their standards, that before you call something a TRD car, Spoon or a Mugen car, my god, the specsheets usually reached the floor. That’s how tune cars are built back then, and hopefully till today with the new generation. 

That when you put heart over money when organizing a meet, everthing falls into place, and that is into every enthusiasts heart. That these attendees are clearly knowledgeable, to know who’s who, and which project car to aspire and learn from rather than trophy which for me signifies fake recognition, just to please everyone, to justify, somehow, the entrance fee. That these meet ups are kinda brutally honest more than anything if you think about it. Get noticed when the build is best, on the other hand left in the dark if yours don’t deserve it. 

So there you go my 10 minute blog salamat sa pagbabasa. By the time you read this I’m probably done with my jog and enjoying chef tania’s breakfast. Stay safe! Be good. :)

Soiree

Joining groups are no different from entering yet another relationship. We are immersed unto various experiences, similar or unique to that girl or that certain group. May your car be a Jazz, an Sti, a BRZ or a Lancer, or even the Miatas or the old school Corollas, you are bound to have your place. To belong, to feel comfortable, an escape from the hassles of work, to exchange ideas, for the funruns, for the parties. 

Some women are more of the adventurous type, while some are meek, and prefer being at home choosing Netflix and bowl of cookies over that night out at Makati. Some are just so damn beautiful, but boy do they give you hell most of the time. On the other hand some are simple, and you’d often embrace moments where you see across life’s horizon, settling down, taking it easy and living a well and stress free life. There are women who share the same passion such as you, she likes to drive your cars or convoy you to Tanay’s Katerina, and there are some who do not comprehend the things that drive us, but nevertheless things work out because of that thing called Pag-ibig. There are trophies if you know what I mean, in our industry its usual, we’re not simply talking about go-see’s here but real interaction, real relationships, tired, fast paced, shallow and often heartless. Your world completely made a 360 turn maybe for the worse, maybe for the meantime. And then there’s this wife material, wherein finally you can take a step back, hang that jersey and witness superwomen. Women who lead, women who work, women who shape the world on and off the the keyboard. Unafraid, free and veering away from that veil which most often hide from in the interwebz. Through the years, relationships taught me so much that my grandkids could be proud, and possibly, make money out of my narrations. Kidding aside, I know most of us men, we’ve seen the world, we’ve been through wars, had the good stuff and even the bad. As Kobe said, we’ve left everything on the court. Knowing we’ve maxed the hell out of our single lives and ready for the next chapter. Maibabalik ba ang oras? Hindi. Nasagad mo ba? Oo. Then congrats at isa ka na din alamat. 

Nagsimula ka sa Civic because it was the in thing, nag Silvia ka, nag Z because of drift fad, nag Lexus for that pure corporate feel at nag Evo to fulfill your villain fantasies of Initial D. Nagattempt ka din mag 4wheel pero bumalik ka sa kotse dahil na dun talaga ang puso mo at nag S2000. Inaway ka ng girlfiend mo, binenta mo ang s2000 because of the memories, nagkabati at bumili ng 86, for some reason  nabitin ka and you repurchased your S2000. Aren’t the best car stories written that way? 

Groups are a hard thing to follow if you think about it. You get inducted, you meet new friends, you interact and find a mixed bag of personalities, attitudes, tendencies and styles which are either alien to you or somewhat familiar. Surely there are disagreements here and there, group chat debates, constant jarring and cryptic post. Mga parinig, mga payabangan, konting cold war between officers and members. How about sponsorhsips and would be sellers. The problem nowadays is everyone wants a piece of the pie, sabi nga nila lahat gusto magbenta. How about breakaway groups, and at the opposite spectrum are new and binding  and lasting friendships, mga nagligawan at nagkatuluyan. These groups are like tests or somewhat like an experiment wherein you’re forced into a pool of people, to see you interact, gain enemies and allies, how it brings the best or worst out of you, how to excel, its a test if humility, or a perfect stage for some to brag. Kung mayroon taong bagay at sobrang active sa Lets Eat Pare primarily because he dines out everyday and occasionally cooks for himself, of course mayroon din taong bagay talaga sa Lets Yabang Pare, yung parang suddenly nilagay mo si Iverson sa isang basketball court. Mayabang, Natural, at kahit natutulog at nagagawa pa din magyabang sa panahinip. 

Thats it for now, a 10 minute blog by yours truly. Take care. Be good.

Legends of the 90s

Why the 90s was awesome? Well I could think of a few random reasons such as people had pagers and cellphones but our eyes weren't glued to them. We had a social life, and we talked and shared stories during lunch or dinner. We had mixtapes, we recorded songs and played them all day long, sometimes we forwarded the tape to reach our favorite song. We rented movies, there is this unique and fulfilling feeling of going to a rental store, finally getting that movie you always wanted. And finally for me are the animated Marvel and Xmen cartoons which ruled our Saturday and Sunday mornings, oh don't forget your Nintendos and Segas.

The greatest feeling in the world as a car enthusiast is to be invited to an event, and your project approved to be shown and displayed together with the chosen. In the same time people become bitter about why they were not approved, to the point of calling for resbak that he knows this guy or that guy or probably a woeful post on Facebook, trying to appeal, trying to convince himself that its OK and that he deserves better. At the other side of the spectrum are are the chosen, more than thankful and further inspired.  The reality is, if JDMU spear-headed these high quality meets while on the other hand, Legends of the 90's in its own right was pretty much straightforward about it. It clearly wanted the best out of the 90's era, though not perfect, clearly exemplified a high quality build or restoration that best represents. Instead of a free for all meet, it was either black or white for the Legends meet. It either approved your submission or disapproved. Thats it. It sent QR Codes for entrance, the chosen trickled in at the venue, poses are done and positions are made. It ruled the interwebs for weeks following the "event", everyone clamored, shared and saved pics from different media outlets, it sent a message to the unschooled why Legends is not for everyone, of course in its own candid way. Sabi nga ng Nintendo during the 90's N64 days, quality over quantity.

In closing, the Legends of the 90's is an icon of meets. Sir Aurick hit the jackpot on his pioneering event. It touched the lives of the car ethusiasts whose projects belong to an era loved by many. In my opnion it was designed to push enthusiasts to yearn for greater things, improve taste and most importantly build better 90s projects.

Nostalgia is such a powerful thing nowadays at halos nakakarelate, hindi nahahawakan, hindi nakikita, pero pwede natin maramdaman sa pamamagitan ng mga bagay tulad ng mga kotse natin, mga gamit sa bahay, maaring mga larawan, mga tao mula sa ating nakaraan, shempre kasama na din dyan ang mga lugar and lastly for me is music and videos. All these, though old, though faded, though damaged ( of course often restored)... vividly brought us back in time.

 This is my 5 minute blog, today was awesome. Good night and have a great week ahead.

Expecting

Maybe nagkamali ka lang ng sinalihan na show?

Because you might be thinking that your straight JDM that's catalog complete car will win you an award at a second stringer show. That no matter how much hype the supposedly yawnfest of a carshow it is, now matter how big the sponsors are, how wide the coverage or how influential its media partner is, no matter how grand the venue and the judges are, the sweet whispers of the car show model, no matter how many magazine appearances or 20,000 messages of encouragement that you received, remember that you are still subject to the ins and outs of a "small time" carshow. Bakit namin alam? Dahil 10 years na kame sumasali sa ganyan, we won, we lost, we lost respect for the organizer, we made amends, we reconcidled, we considered it as a tool or excercise for our clients, to experience and gain ground, for exposure to a certain segment in the market, to penetrate a certain car group and as we learned as it is more important above all, to be present, kahit paano in the small shows, not being too confident with our paid online marketing, word of mouth or the entity's longevity. For the regular car enthusiast its a different thing ika nga, its either black or white lang, a win or a loss. Masaya or luhaaan ka uuwi.

The pinnacle of shows, if you will allow me to give you my humble and honest opinion is the SMX Shows, Transport Show and Autosalon. Do you believe your car is the best? Feeling mo its the best kept secret ng inyong lugar, town and city? Do people drool over your IG posts that much and gain more than 1k likes every post? Well if you think it deserves the recognition that you kinda expect, then send it to those shows "para may makatapat ka". I think thats the simplest statement to tell someone who yearns for the best and who wants to gain exposure at the big stage. Those SMX shows are in a world of its own, and an experience I wish everyone can have access to. And through that experience, at the end of the day you will then say to yourself...

Kulang pa pala ang tindi nung tumalo sakin... or simply... I finally won, that simple.

Take care guys, safe driving maulan. Your 5 minute blog by yours truly...

Role

I realize that our role in this industry is to serve mostly the current generation of cars. That by looking at my position in the market and the parts that I carry are for the current generation of Civics, Jazz, City, and so and so forth. That as much as I would like to be able to serve the older models, there is no turning back as the only option to reach out to the older market is sell surplus and that is one thing I try to avoid. More and more, parts manufacturers from Japan and the USA, the big name brands have shifted their inventory towards the newer models. Ease of install, sure fire bolt on components, snap on parts are the game and have enabled selling these items easier and faster coupled by walk throughs via Youtube. Searching using the forums ika nga is a thing of the past. 

If there's on thing thats constant, is change and that holds well for wheel and tire sizing. Back in the days cars would be proud in their 14s, but nowadays obviously cars roll out of their dealerships on 18s as default. That's quite a solid and significant example on how cars and parts have evolved. 

The money involved with these new parts and the cars that they cater to is quite huge. Current generation exhausts and intakes from a reputable brand will set you around 25,000 to 100,000. That is the reality that has set upon these cars. Thats quite unheard of in the past, and will often shock a common enthusiast shifting from his Civic EK then now on a Subaru BRZ. Rare parts are a differnt story all together as EG/EK and AE enthusiasts held pride for parts which are very hard to find, and hold a significant value. So paano pa kaya yung mga variable exhausts which you can control through your Phone or Tab? That will set you around 150-500,000, bog brake kits on the other hand as they grow bigger matched by their equally massive wheels will set you around 90,000-400,000 depending on the set and model. 

Its such an awesome time to live if you are a car enthusiasts. Imagine a factory turbo-charged Civic, with tons of parts and tuning potential, thats something one could only dream of 15-20 years ago. With that much excitement, is truly equaled by one's longing for the cars of past. That's why nostalgia is such a powerful thing nowadays. We enjoy today's technology, we are spoon fed and given such ease that as humans, as enthusiasts and hobby masters, long for cars and parts that remind us of the times of was difficult. Times that required a bit more work, thinking and patience. 

JDM Underground's Yabangan Nights

Of course hindi na maari isuko nung taong taga Batangas yung Yabangan nights ay dahil ginawa na niya itong sariling hanap buhay, at kaalinsunod nito, like in any other provincial government, was easily given recognition and blessing to operate solely or in conjunction with a local fiesta and/or similar event. Such titles, which he claims through plaques and certificates are proof and are real, but it doesn’t automatically translate his Yabangan Nights to be recognized as the real, authentic and transcendent event that has touched the lives of a lot of purist, has challenged norms, and has often slapped you, waking you up, pouring water over your face, telling you throw away those fake parts, put on some real and authentic ones.

Like I said in my blog, a year or so ago, that JDMunderground is the Pioneer of cool. These guys started the year 2008, it was an invite for a run and meet, composed of one of the best looking cars out there, it was undeniable that it was dominated by Hondas. But through the years, we saw more purposeful and brilliant builds by the Nissan, Mitsu, Subbie and of Toyota enthusiasts.

What makes JDM Underground’s YN super untouchable is the quality of cars. Yun lang ang masasabi ko. Maaring isapuso ng taga Lipa ang kanilang Yabangan Nights tuwing fiesta, gawin nila hanap buhay o di kaya parte ng kanilang kultura doon, but at the end of the day, mga kaibigan ko mga taga Batangas, I appeal to you, I invite you to see, though pictures, through live meets, through the SMX shows kung ano ang kaledad ng mga kotse ng JDMU cars at ano ang kaibahan nito sa mga kotse ninyo sa Lipa Yabangan Nights.

Straight catalog Mugen , Feels, Spoon, Js Racing Civics ITRs and Jazz, full on Toms and TRD Corollas, a slew of nasty R35s, Zs and Silvias, couple of RX7s which you might have only driven only in the arcades (hehe I have a soft and kind heart for the RX7s), the boys of AWD Squad joining the fray with their tastily modified and/or restored Evos and WRX/STIs, K20’d Civics na parang normal at walang ka effort effort, loaded modern build facing their counterparts, equally loaded 10-15 -20-25 years apart, cars that make you even think if you can afford one in your lifetime, cars that make you think if you can see through its limited numbers and ever see one or have one in your lifetime, SMX Show-ready cars, the people: owners, enthusiasts, the movers and shakers of the industry all present and supportive, wheels, gauges, brakes, collectors items that can easily buy you a house and a brand new car and a lot more its too much to mention my whole blog session isn’t enough.

I absolutely have no intention to ridicule, to spark a fight or to rally the other side, that’s not my style everyone knows that. I just want to make things clear and to invite our fellow enthusiasts from Lipa Yabangan Nights, to see and witness what makes JDMunderground so damn great. Builds and projects so great that the international media has taken notice even years back. So damn great cars have landed in Magazines and various media outlets, so great they win Best of, Best in, best of at the biggest shows, so damn great that it has taught a lesson to a lot of enthusiasts and has sparked the formation of a clean culture, so damn great nahihiya ang iba pumunta at nagaalinlangan, so damn great that its exclusive, so damn great, yes you guessed it, its not for everyone…..

10 minute blog by yours truly. Good night. :)

Classic.

Bakit kailangan ng lumang proyekto in a sea of new and modern builds which are way faster, stronger and better handling with parts which are easily accessible which just a click of the mouse. Because besides the nostalgia factor and the meet where you can “yabang” its hard to find parts, kailangan natin matuto and tanggapin sa sarili natin that no matter how difficult or seemingly impossible a build is, no matter how complex the mechanicals and the parts behind it or the cars inability to make it to the street corner or even its early morning tantrums, pwede natin ito ayusin and every part has a match, and every difficult task has a corresponding person and skill who is up for the job and the challenge it brings.

I was misunderstood as upholding newer models over the old ones, that at the shop we rather cater and service newer car models for its ease of parts, less chances of malfunction and not inheriting any previous problems as a result of wear, tear and age. But in reality I always had this heart for keeping a side project obviously an older car model may it be a Civic or a Corolla. Keeping myself busy, fixing, maintaining and collecting the essential parts for the build. Because like I said, hindi lang tayo nandito just to earn, and blindly talk to clients just to make money out of them. At its core, I am still an enthusiast, and I also build the things that they also build. I know how it feels to buy something which doesn’t show you the performance you expect, or  blown away by price which is dictated by brand not by its use, or the need to get something installed or running as soon as possible, lack of patience, maximum gigil, traits which are painfully common amongst “us”.

Ilan ba sa mga kaibigan ko, cliente at kakilala ang isanabuhay ang pagkakaroon ni Takumi ng isang GDB and still having his trusty AE86. That through owning both the old and the new, one comes to a realization of sorts from response, handling and agility. 

Don’t get me wrong newer models are good, and technology triumphs over any excuse maybe except that clear feeling of Nostaliga but old car projects or its more democratic way of saying it, Classic car projects teach you a lot. It enables you to appreciate the blessings of today’s cars and indulges you to car building and parts sourcing not dictated by money but by passion and attention to every (catalog) detail.

Written and completed overlooking the sunrise by the sea. 

Gold.

The golden age was definitely cool. We had casa fresh SIRs tearing up libis till the wee ours of the morning, we bought burgers at hotshots just to stare at the parked civics whom we have heard have newly transplanted Type R engines. From a distance the original te37s with its tucked Spoon caliper brought a certain and unique feeling amongst enthusiasts. Life in those early years, as we look back, didn't revolve around obligations, targets and payables. Stress level, was in many ways laughable of losing sleep over a certain crush who you couldn't get a consistent conversation even on YM. Or the that Prof who gets in your face too often. Fast and the furious 1 was about to come out. Though probably we were the first to cringe at how they styled the cars, we knew it was the start of something big.

Moments are a familiar territory for enthusiasts, that after witnessing such awe inspiring projects, it prompts him to go to the nearby internet cafe, add a couple of entries and pics to his barkada's PBase account and YM's everyone if they are available on Friday for a quick shoot. On his other window, forums, discussions, the breathing ground of the upcomer, eager to learn, willing to read. He did printouts for this weekend's DIY, obviously he didn't have Youtube by his side. Though different, the intention of the enthusiast and how he operates is similar a good fifteen or so years after. Facebook has changed the landscape of the industry and has brought together a lot of people with common interests in various forms.

I would often joke about how great it was back then, when the industry was represented by the real hardcore enthusiasts, not by two knuckleheads bickering on Facebook why their deal didnt push through on a measely item at their supposed to be meet up place. Item na dati ay halos ipamigay na lamang.

That's it for now. See you around. Be good.

The Online Pyesa Guy

Facebook is the perfect place to post, pose and try to create an illusion for everybody so they can perceive you as you would want them to, or to try to exhibit an image, to be above everyone else, to look cool, intelligent, socially relevant, upscale, athletic and maybe for the simple reason of trying to impress that girl you have been dating. Kotse ng cliente, pinost na parang sa kanya. Mga nabentang motor, pinost in one single pic kahit na alam naman nating pagaari na yan ng mga kaibigan nya. How about your Facebook friend who only posts selfies with pretty models? Pero pag kasama na niya ang mga officemates niya ayaw na nya mag pa picture.

Away-pyesa is something I've witnessed recently on Facebook therefore, in a funny popcornish way, we, as spectators, witness how these people use Facebook to try to sway the crowd to their favor. After the big fight they had online wherein it gained 1267 likes, 456 comments, 20 pop-corn bags and and 19 bottles of Stella Artois, shempre si Online Pyesa guy #1 nagpost bigla ng inventory niya of parts, sharing past posts, sharing (again) his present post, gaining ground by tagging a couple of friends, clients and barkada to gain acknowledgement, to secure credibility. Aba the next day, si Online Pyesa guy #2 medyo palaban, nagpost ng kanyang bagong buo na kotse, ang garahe niya meron 3 spare Type R engines, aba bigla nasa shooting range sya, nag emote selfie pose kasama ng kanyang Glock G43 TFX Pro, bumabaril in slow-mo, may kasamang leadership quote from Winston Churchill, likely sending shivers to his rivals. wow.

It's no mistake that Facebook is also a place for people wanting to be real, true and no BS. My friend for many years can be honest, brutal and a jerk, but he is real. He likes a post if its worth liking, and comments on a post if its worth commenting, its that simple.

Oftentimes, posers forget how diligent their friends are. That pictures, quotes and shares can simply perceived by "us" as predictable, kinda expected and simple case of once again trying to climb that social ladder.

We had a lot going in the past weeks as we singlehandedly planned, arranged and executed our wedding. We didn't have organizers or specialists, all we had was “US”, our own money we worked around with and the will to make it work our way, and no other way. We didn't try to please anyone, nor adhere to tradition, we wanted the wedding the to be as what we envisioned it. During such phase we also had multiple events such as trackdays wherein our friends and clients were participating, sactioned races wherein our sponsored cars are racing at gunning for podium finishes, shows which we need to attend to wishing our clients who had planned ahead and well as they gun for the best awards and not 2nd or 3rd. I always remind myself to take things one day at a time and to make the best of what father time has lent us. 

So there you go, medyo 20 minutes ko ito ginawa dahil maingay yung katabi ko dito sa Starbucks, leaving in a while and heading South. Take Care, be good!

Island of the Gods

As Tania and I were riding our trusty scooter all across Bali as we head for the other side of the island, we in many ways bathed in a pool of cultures, attitudes and habits that the Island of the Gods has always been known for. The long motorcycle ride prompted us to do stopovers, talk to commonfolk, get our tea and street food at the roadside or simply stretch and marvel at the view that the unknown. Though we didn't ride a 1000cc machine nor an expensive van to tour us around, we found ourselves shouting in joy and in silent prayer, thanking God for the means to have this "moment", the sheer joy of discovery and simply being outside our comfort zone. It also reminded me of a few things back home, such as a recent experience I had with a friend as he entrusted his car to us. I learned that no matter what you do, explain, present and compare, you can never dictate your style and let him adapt it.

If a person is born out of the stance scene, it would be hard to teach static and impress unto him that a decent and workable drop will do, so as to be ready for sprints or the weekly trackdays. Or of this person has this love affair with huge body kits and wide fenders, its nearly impossible to tell him to keep it simple, low and clean. How about that guy who puts function at the pinnacle of all his car concerns, mahirap din paliwanagan yun to do his project justice by putting in a set of Rays 57 19s and some big brakes from Endless, ang irarason nya, mga 100 pages worth of automotive engineering coupled with his knowledge on Mathematics. Wag kalimutan ang kanyang  digital weighing scale and his knack of researching and weighing the parts before he approves of them. How about the JDM guys who whose love for this game can never be moved or replaced. No meet, fad, event, party, new part, new car, chick or barakada is going to move this persons world. Mahal nya ang kanyang straight TOM's AE101, how its built, the parts in it, yun lang at wala na iba. How about the paint guy who puts utmost importance on paint quality and detail inside and out. Mga 30 minutes ka na nagkkwento kung gaano ka kainis doon sa sandbagger guy who's been corrupting yung bracket niyo sa FORS pero there goes your friend, staring at his car while having it washed at his favorite car wash, in love, in trance, deeply spellbound by the his car's perfect show car finish and of course his perfectly tucked-in and rare burning red Volk Racing CE28RT Limited Edition. 

So that's if for now. By the time you are reading this you might be basking in the afternoon sun, by the beach, bear or wine on hand. Kasama chicks yes? Enjoy the holidays everyone. Be good. 

Thailand is not an excuse for using Fake.

Alam ko marami magagalit sakin or maiinis sa post ko na ito, dahil buwan ng wika, hayaan niyo muna ako baybayin ang storya ko sa wikang Filipino. Sigurado, inyong ikagagalak na ang inyong lingkod ay marunung magsulat sa ganitong paraan. Na ang inyong lingkod ay hindi lamang puro benta dito, benta doon, pyesa dito, kotse doon, na mayroong intelihenteng patnubay sa likod ng bawat takatak ng  pilak na komputer. Filipino, lahing pinakakamamahal ko, at minsan, masakit man tanggapin at kinahihiya ko. Tuwing nababalita sa angulong mali, sa dyaryo man or sa internet, tuwing nakikiipagsuntukan sa international stage (hindi mma at boxing ang aking minumungkahi) at shempre pa, kapag nangingibang-bansa kami ni Tania at nakikita at malinaw na agwat ng teknolohiya at sa kabilang dako, mababaw man itong pakinggan, at ugali at kalinisan ng isang pangkaraniwang tao, propesyonal man siya, or simpleng manggagawa. 

Balik English na tayo guys. 

Well I'll say it straight. Thailand is not an excuse for using fake. Thats it. If you're selling fake parts, please state that its a copy, when you're selling fake parts, indicate its real price. What I commonly observe is masking and by saying that, I mean certain individuals mask the true identity of a wheel or any other product's identity by not stating its full details. Therefore, of course, blinding the buyer and surely, teaching and feeding the community or the newbies of the interwebs the wrong information. It is as if certain people, when I talk to them and reveal prices of the real good stuff from the states or Japan, they get surprised and almost get a heart attack. By that example, babad na babad ang tao sa fake stuff na ang buong akala nila, its what solely exists in the market. Have you ever encountered a guy pointing at a legendary name and calling it naturally, of no doubt  and pure confidence its "fake name"? Saklap diba. Guys do not get me wrong, Thailand is cool, and they offer so much compared to our side of motorsports, you can have all our Thai and multi-colored badges and parts. "Hype pa more" sabi ng isang purist, ok lang naman yun, as long as you have a true and complete grasp on what a Thai setup looks like, rather than making it as your biggest and concrete excuse to go balls out on fake parts and a wacky setup which, I'm sure, will make the Thai guys themselves, scratch their heads. Trust me I know a lot.

So there you go, a 5 minute blog by yours truly. Have a great week ahead guys. Ang dami nagaaway sa newsfeed na groups masyado mainit. Lunes palang yan ah. :)