SSANGYONG REXTON: Challenging SUV superstars

February 18, 2020

THE real problem with the Ssangyong Rexton is how to roll off the tongue, difficult pronunciation of the Korean name then shift into a German inflection for the model name.

It’s like downshifting from 4th to 2nd gear when negotiating an almost full stop hairpin turn. You’ll never know how many “s” should be pronounced and how solid the “x” will clack on your lips.

Apart from that commentary, there is nothing remotely bleak to say about the Ssangyong Rexton, a midsize SUV segment entry that is chock full of options, good looks and great performance. All the value that one gets from its price is confounding buyers. And scaring the competition.

The Rexton came in to battle the heavyweights. And it will not be an easy fight for it.

It faces squarely, the American marques–the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Ford Everest–which offers big engine block punch and the squarish style typical of the land of big cars.

It goes into the ring with the Japanese, with their sleeker, Japan robot-school-of-design offerings led by the Nissan Terra. Of the bunch from Tokyo, the Isuzu mu-X is the value proposition with the ultra-economical 1.9L RZ4E engine, the Toyota Fortuner is the ubiquitous staple and the frontrunner is the handsome Mitsubishi Montero.

And let’s not forget the offerings by the current K-pop car superstar Hyundai–the luxurious and pricey Santa Fe.

In the early 80’s Ssangyong partnered with the German premium car maker. The union produced several cars, the ones we felt here were in the Philippines were the Musso, a G-wagon wannabe, and a van called the Istana locally badged as the MB100. The Musso is now a pick-up and the MB100 is mostly gone.

The original local Ssangyong distributor openly sold Mercedes Benz badges which owners would dutifully retrofit on their vehicles. This practice was halted when Columbian Motors took brand. Today, under Berjaya Auto Philippines, the brand is being marketed a little more aggressively.

Inside and out the Rexton is beautiful.

This is a seven-seater so there is a folding third row seat. Compared to the rest, the Rexton’s 3rd row sits taller. The interior design is a really smart one, the mix of colors and textures is worth more than the that looks more expensive than its asking price. Third row occupants have power socket, their own aircon controls, and cubbyholes for storage space.
It has front seats have separate heaters and cooler functions, a feature found nowhere else.

Smartphone connectivity is seamless with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions on the touch screen multi-function infotainment system. The plastics are textured and full and those two-toned brown and black quilted leather seats feel and look like the kind you find in European cars. The upper end variant has a full functioning sunroof (meaning it opens completely, tilts to refersh the air in the car and opens to bring the sunshine in).

Outside, the lines follow that of the rest of the lineup the DNA clearly shared with the Tivoli, XLT and Musso. The Rexton lent to us had a nice deep blue paint job which highlighted its bulges and defined the overall rugged stance. We took it for an 800-kilometer drive to Matnog and back to Laguna just for the heck of it.

Hiding in the cavernous engine bay is a variable turbo diesel mill mated to a conventional automatic transmission. There is two- and a four-wheel-drive version which is separated not only by drivetrain but also by trim changes. The Rexton and Musso share the same platform much like Toyota’s IMV but in reverse. It is the SUV ladder-frame platform is the basis for the Musso pick up.

This 4×4 could do everything that any mu-X, Everest, Montero, Fortuner, Trailblazer can do in those urban jungle hills cement the SsangYong’s capability as a go-anywhere vehicle. What makes it literally stand out is that rear multi-link suspension, a design providing a most pliant yet elegant ride.

Precise is the only way to describe the way the whole car has been put together. It is the kind of deliberateness in the design that one finds when nitpicking small dioramas and admiring the small details. The synergy of design is wonderful, surprising because the brand is unproven but the product is proving itself a very strong contender in the crowded SUV segment. And with Gen Z’s love for anything Korean, I can see that SsangYong will be the new K-Pop star for this generation.

Empowering technologies that define 2020 IT landscape

Gregory E. Bautista

February 5, 2020

BLOCKCHAIN, robotics, advanced analytics are technologies that have been existing for over ten years.

Yet in the past year alone, refinements to these technologies have allowed futurists to say that 2020 is the year when science fiction becomes a reality.

In a recent discussion with Zebra Technologies experts, the value of these technologies in creating a more progressive future becomes apparent–and empowering–as there has been fantastic progress toward these plausible tech trends becoming real world applications, in retail, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and healthcare.

With the labor pool not growing at the rate required to meet accelerating demand, enterprises are looking for technological solutions that can enable the automated smart tasking of their workers. These solutions are empowered with actionable data from advanced tracking technologies and prescriptive analytics.

An example is how the Department of Science and Technology, in partnership with the Development Academy of the Philippines, has initiated training 30,000 individuals from the government, the academe, and business process outsourcing industry on data science and analytics through the program “Smarter Philippines Through Data Analytics, R&D, Training and Adoption” (SPARTA).

Data science and data analytics will be what programming was to the economy in the 90s.

It will spark new understanding and open new job markets.

Collecting data is the base of data science. Currently one of the most efficient ways of data collection is a rather Jurassic technology–the Radio Frequency Identification or RFID. New technologies have increased the power of the barcode and businesses are expecting more from data capture, by adding 2D barcodes, computer vision to RFID.

Enterprises are on the lookout for complete solutions that will allow them to collect data, gather insights from that data and even offer prescriptive analytics that help them make faster and more accurate business decisions. These analytics make businesses more responsive.

Protecting the gains of businesses does not only mean a good cybersecurity fence.

It also means using technologies such as blockchain which is now increasingly used in various industries for enhanced traceability in areas such as anti-counterfeiting, supply chain operations and patient data. It is mission-critical for organizations to master data ownership, especially as this pertains to usage rights, data privacy and security as best-in-class customer experience becomes increasingly data-driven.

AMBERLab which stands for Ateneo-MediXserve Blockchain Education and Research Lab, is poised to become a venue for research and education of blockchain technologies. It is the first university-based blockchain research laboratory in the Philippines and aims to advance blockchain’s research for use in health tech, edutech, AI, fintech and other industries.

Supply chain players that can reap immediate benefits from blockchain include pharmaceutical, food and goods manufacturers, transportation and logistics providers, healthcare institutions and even retailers of high-end goods. Blockchain will be used wherever immutable and event-driven “trust” needs to be established or where there is a need to share specific data in a secure, democratized way.

Real estate companies in the Philippines are starting to introduce innovations to improve security and efficiency. Blockchain has a major advantage in this sector as it helps limit fraud and provide better transparency.

This increased focus on blockchain has boosted interest in one of the cornerstone Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) of Zebra’s Data Services known as Blockchain Traceability. This API can provide a seamless tracking of assets, from creation to consumption, to solve challenges around counterfeit goods, food safety and overall origin of goods and assets.

Augmented Reality (AR) technologies can direct workers to complete their tasks more effectively or guide new workers on the job.

Entrepreneurs acknowledged the significance of AI to the growth of their business.

Organizations that adopted AI expect to increase competitiveness in their fields by 1.5 times in three years. The study conducted by IDC among 109 business leaders and 100 workers in the Philippines showed that 88 percent of businesses are willing to invest in skilling, reskilling and upskilling of workers to help create a fully AI-ready workforce.

A fun drive with the Xpander

Gregory E. Bautista

February 4, 2020

HAPPY was how the Yuletide holidays could be described because not only were we treated to a wonderful vacation at an island house in Lake Lumot, Cavinti, Laguna, but the ride to get there–aboard the Mitsubishi Expander–was equally merry.

I took the wheel for the three-hour drive (including an hour of EDSA-like traffic) to this private enclave owned by my dad’s friend. Lumot Lake is on the other side of the more popular Lake Caliraya and is accessible only via a zigzag route on narrow provincial roads.

Malaya Business Insight didn’t make it to the Mitsubishi Xpander Media Drive to Bataan because we probably missed an invitation. But it did not matter, the guys at Mitsubishi had ready for us the Xpander for the holidays. It was a great Christmas to New Year surprise, which provided many unforgettable memories.

This is a multi-passenger vehicle like the Montero, which is a sports utility vehicle. They both seat seven and even look alike. The big difference is the capabilities on the road. The Montero is tall and imposing. The Xpander drives like a car, feels like a car but carries as many people. Finding the sweet spot for any car owner does not end in the price tag.

If you compare functionality, rather than feature for feature, one can conclude that both can do what the other one can, except for the Montero’s ride height, being a diesel burner and with a few more inches of leg room.

The MPV clearly shows its lineage with the Montero. The sharp, angled outlines look like they were chiseled out from the robots of Japanese lore. The front-end shows all the lines of the second-generation Dynamic Shield design and bumper-embedded headlights. It’s a Montero but with a long roofline.

There is so much to like with the angular styling. It is both sporty, taking away the boredom of the elongated shape of a wagon, and elegant, which adds to its plus points. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels and the wheelbase–just long enough for sufficient legroom and short enough to provide a nimble and automobile-like ride–is perfect for the conditions that his car will operate in.

Compared to the Avanza, which has rear wheel drive, or the sportier Rush which is a gussied-up Avanza, the Xpander’s ride is plush, almost luxurious to a certain degree.

Definitely softer and more pliant than the two Toyotas.

Inside it is a wonderful mix of textures and patterns showing a lot of restraint but also innovation, for example the nice muted silver pieces or that deep pocket in the middle part of the front passenger seat. The high-gloss black accents just meld so well with the contrasts of the matt-finish silver carbon fiber-like trim. There is nothing loud here. Even the infotainment screen does not scream “controls here!” Though it is bright and quite intuitive.

My friends liked the quiet elegance, which seems to be a hit with the women more than the men. From the driver seat the layout of the dash is focused and clean. The onboard layout with well-marked controls properly clicks into action with a nice, tactile feel. I can see many parts are shared with other vehicles, like the soft-touch materials, or some switches feel familiar with say the ASX or the Mirage. But that is alright.

Given its price point there is so much this MPV gives.

Going up the hills of Cavinti is not at all hard with this car. On the way we were pushing up faster because of the heavy traffic we encountered along Sta. Cruz, Laguna which delayed us by an hour.

The Xpander’s 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine does an excellent job of pulling around the 1,200 kilograms of metal and plastic that makes up the car. When asked for, there is a proactive response from the throttle and a real sense of urgency from the transmission. But it does it quietly and unobtrusively. Unlike the turbocharged Tuscon engine, which shouts at the climbs as it takes torque, the Xpander requires well managed overtaking maneuvers. This is because the engine is so responsive it is also quite peaky and loses out revolutions. That is not to say that is lacks power. It is just sometimes strained such as when peaking power.

That said, the 4-speed automatic is always ready to adjust and make up for the engine’s lack of exercise. We did very little overtakes though. The drive up was just too scenic to waste. Besides clicking the standard cruise control even on the hills provided a more managed drive. The Xpander is frugal reporting a 13.8 km/L figure (average speed of 60 km/h) for that drive and a 15.2 kilometers per liter on the highway.

When we reached the lakeside house, we fumbled with the keys to the gate and since there was a downpour just moments before we arrived, the uphill road was slippery. It was not problem for the Xpander. We did experience wheel slips on the muddy corners but it was all systems go.

How does one put the Xpander’s engine and transmission capabilities, huge interior space with amply sockets (even one all the way back to the third row) enough cupholder, a soft and comfortable ride all into perspective. One need not, I think.

The Xpander is a class leading MPV by all counts. Mitsubishi’s ability of putting into this one vehicle a blend of the best features it has from its SUV and passenger car expertise has created an MPV with the sensibilities of a sedan and the space (almost) of an SUV. I think this is the reason why the clamor for the Xpander is loud, and the waiting lines are long.

Gregory E. Bautista

January 29, 2020

CRITICAL infrastructures and facilities, such as BPO offices, data centers, energy facilities, security firms, financing institutions, hospitals, automated factories and airport control towers need reliable and continuous power at all times.

Schneider Electric has introduced the Galaxy VS three-phase Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with internal smart battery modules to address this need.

Highly efficient, modular, and easy to deploy, the design meets the critical power requirements of a steady and uninterrupted energy. In a world that depends so much on energy to power technologies, a continuous power delivery is a key business and investment decision.

“Apart from power supply, managers of critical facilities also consider cost efficiency, security, and consistency. Galaxy VS’s internal smart battery modules improve availability with added battery flexibility and monitoring, redundant battery strings, and self-configuration. It has a compact footprint optimized by integrating batteries in the UPS cabinet, making it ideal for the unique requirements of edge computing and critical infrastructure,” Tony Kang, Schneider Electric Vice President for Secure Power Business explained.

These highlight the all-in-one features of the UPS, making it faster and simpler to configure, install, and deploy, as well as more cost competitive.

Through Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure, a network of products and services that document real- time performance and status of its interaction, data and analytics are made available for users captured through the usage and performance of the Galaxy VS. Green Premium, a label that details the environment-friendly features of Schneider Electric solutions, shows that the Galaxy VS has functions that make it more sustainable from its installment to disposal.

When operated in Schneider Electric’s patented ECOnversion mode, Galaxy VS provides 99 percent efficiency, allowing investment to be recovered in cost savings within two to three years (model-dependent).

Critical system components are built as modules for faster serviceability and fault tolerance, providing internal redundancy at reduced load levels and shorter interval between down time and up time. Its compact design and full front access results in footprint savings and simplified maintenance, making it ideal for confined spaces.

A start-up service is also offered to guaranteed optimize system performance, quality, and safety.

Depending on power and run time requirements, two cabinet options are available offering 10-50 kW (400V), 10-25 kW (208V), and 20-50 kW (480V) configurations. It was first introduced in April this year for external batteries supporting 20-100 kW (400V/480V) and 10-50 kW (208V).

It is available globally except for Greater China and Japan, is fully manufactured at Schneider Electric’s Smart Factory in Cavite which is also the world’s leading provider of digital solutions in energy management and automation.

Auctioneer celebrates 3rd year, opens PH’s biggest auto auction facility

Gregory E. Bautista

January 21, 2020

A selection of used cars at the HMR Auto Auction.

INDUSTRY pioneer HMR Auto Auction celebrated its third year of operations by opening the country’s biggest purpose-built auto auction facility in Bicutan, Paranaque and holding its biggest auction yet, with over 250 vehicles available for live public bidding.

The new facility can hold up to 450 vehicles and can accommodate up to 300 bidders, providing a space for buyers to bid on a wide range of premium used vehicles.

HMR first opened its doors in 2016 by establishing the first auto auction facility in the country and has since sold over 4,000 vehicles through its online and live public auctions.

The grand opening auctioned motorcycles, compacts, sedans, MPVs, pickup trucks, SUVs, and even light commercial trucks from known brands. HMR showed its appreciation to its bidders and other attendees with food, games and prizes, raffle draws, vendor promos and giveaways.

HMR, in partnership with UnionBank, offers affordable financing options with monthly payments that can go as low as P4,000 down payments of 30 percent of bid price. Other services found at the one-stop shop include insurance, detailing and repair services, making it easy for a newly auctioned car to be in top shape before it leaves the yard.

“We are grateful for our buyers who continue to attend and support our monthly auctions.

We started HMR Auto Auction three years ago with the goal of making the bidding process for second hand cars easier, safer, more transparent and more affordable, and we are thankful that we are able to continue our mission, and even provide a bigger venue and more finance options for our bidders,” Sam Powell, CEO of HMR Auctions said, HMR already held its 2nd auto auction last January 18 at its newly opened facility, located at ACSIE Compound, KM 16 West Service Road, Paranaque City, with over 100 cars up for bidding.

Driving strategies during an ashfall

Gregory E. Bautista

January 14, 2020

Drive slowly in dusty conditions for better visibility, less stress on the vehicle.

VISIBILITY on roads is typically poor during and after an ashfall.

Reduced or zero visibility and total darkness resulted from the Taal Volcano eruption and the continuous ashfall has made driving conditions so bad. Vehicle headlights and brake lights have become ineffective, and barely visible to other drivers.

A road crash along the South Luzon Expressway is a good example of this situation. The truck driver did not see the road and ended up in a barrier tipping over the truck. Moreover, evern experience drivers find driving in the conditions left by the eruption difficult or impossible.

Vehicles whether fast or slow moving will stir up ash along roads and create billowing ash clouds. The bigger the vehicle the bigger the ash cloud behind it.

Rains mixed with ash will create a dangerous slippery surface. When ash on the road becomes wet, the mud-like is slippery sometimes with the same viscosity as oil. This can cause vehicles to lose traction and lose control of steering or braking.
But dry ash also causes roads to be slippery.

Road markings are also covered by ash deposits. In Agoncillo, Batangas for example, the ash on the roads reached about 2 to 3 inches thick. In Sta. Rosa, Laguna the mud already obscured road markings and along the Aguinaldo Highway heading down to Manila the markings that identify lanes, road shoulders, direction of travel are not visible. This has made drivers confused and disoriented with some parking in the middle of the roads as reported in the news.

Some safety strategies recommended by the Volcanic Ashfall Mitigation Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, Volcano Hazards Program before ash is manually or naturally removed from the roads are:

1) Close roads in highly-urban areas to facilitate clean up and prevent stirring up the ash.

2) Limit the number of vehicles allowed on highways; or space these by time, for example, to one vehicle every five minutes.

3) Impose short-term speed restrictions of 15-30 km per hour or less.

4) Advise motorists to travel only when really necessary.

4) Organize slow-moving convoys spaced at 1.6 km (1 mi) intervals.

The USGS also proposed that drainage and waste-water systems be protected from ashfall and need not be stressed by extracting ashfall is possible. Wet ashfall may also result in the clogging of roadside ditches and culverts.

During light rainfall the ashfall will cake or create slippery pools of mud. But poor or nonexistent drainage along a highway or road can cause erosion of the shoulder and road surface. During ash cleanup operations, ash should be prevented from accumulating in such drainages or entering underground wastewater or storm-drain systems.

IMS 2019 pleases enthusiasts with experience tour

Gregory E. Bautista

January 7, 2020

Starting them young. Kids learn safety and road sharing on electric bikes that have a motorcycle feel in the Kidâ€™s Zone at the IMS 2019.

THE Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS), the industry leader for connecting powersports’ top brands with enthusiasts and buyers confirmed the success of its IMS experience tour last December 2019.

“Beyond showcasing the industry’s highly anticipated new bikes and gear, a main focus of our upcoming tour is the evolution of our popular interactive and experiential show attractions. Following the great success we saw from the debut of our Discover the Ride initiative last tour, which had nearly 7K participants in its first year, we’re looking forward to bringing new experiential features to each of our shows, making for a more immersive and dynamic experience,” Tracy Harris, Senior Vice President, IMS said.

The experience tour included “Discover Your Ride,” geared toward introducing non-riders and children to two-wheels, as well as reinforcing the importance of continued training and education to new and experienced riders.

Second is the “New Rider Course in Partnership with Zero Motorcycles” which gives non-licensed IMS attendees the opportunity to ride a motorcycle for the first time on an indoor demo course while learning riding basics from expert Total Control Training instructors. A fleet of speed limited electric Zero Motorcycles gave participants the experience of riding a motorcycle in a safe and controlled environment.

The “Kids Zone,” in partnership with Stacyc, featured a closed course of battery assisted balance bikes for children to experience riding for the first time. Participants had the option to ride the balance bikes with or without the addition of a speed limited electric motor.

The powerful “NewTo2” program serves to educate new riders on the world of motorcycling, will feature influential industry rider hosts in each market who will answer questions, share tips, and serve as resources for new riders on how they can get more involved in motorcycling.

Another popular feature was the “Dyno Experience” which gives IMS attendees the opportunity to get on a real motorcycle that is securely mounted to a dyno to experience starting a motorcycle, engaging the clutch and shifting through the gears, while feeling the torque of the motorcycle with the guidance of an expert.

The most exciting of the shows is the “XDL Wheelie Experience” where riders who want to test their wheelie skills in a controlled environment, while improving their balance and throttle skills with the help of XDL stunt pros.

The “Stunt Show” brings the Street Jam Live Action Stunt Show to the tour’s Dallas, Denver, Washington DC, and Minneapolis stops, where America’s top Street Bike Freestyle athletes displayed their freestyle talents in the form of Wheelies, Stoppies, and high-speed action right in the middle of the show floor.

Finally, “Demo Rides” provided the opportunity to test ride a number of new motorcycles outside via the new Demo Rides feature. New BMW, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, and Yamaha motorcycles will be onsite for licensed attendees to experience the thrill of gas-powered bikes right outside the Long Beach Convention Center.

‘Fintech could be most threatened sector in 2020’

Gregory E. Bautista

December 18, 2019

CYBERSECURITY experts agree that threats and attacks on fintech are going to be the most dangerous in 2020. Financially motivated cyberthreat actors may start to target investment apps, online financial data processing systems and upcoming cryptocurrencies.

These key predictions from Kaspersky also set how the threat landscape will look in the financial sector including getting paid access to banks’ infrastructures and developing new strains of mobile banking malware based on leaked source code. Particularly vulnerable is data protection as human intervention is the main cause of privacy breaches and violations.

The impact of fintech cyberthreats is direct financial losses that is why it is considered lethal.

“This year has been one of many important developments. Just as we predicted at the end of 2018, it has seen the emergence of new cybercriminal groups, like CopyPaste, new geography of attacks by Silence group, cybercriminals shifting their focus onto data that helps to bypass antifraud systems in their attacks. Behavioral and biometrics data is on sale on the underground market. Additionally, we expected JS-skimmer base attacks to increase and they did,” Yury Namestnikov, a security researcher at Kaspersky explained.

2019 saw significant attacks on consumer-prompted developments. Fintech attackers operated side-by-side against banking and payment platforms. Kaspersky researchers have determined the following as the main financial threats to watch for:

1) The rise of new mobile banking Trojans. Research and monitoring of underground forums suggests that the source codes of some popular mobile banking Trojans were actually leaked into the public domain. Previous similar cases of malware source code leakage (e.g. Zeus, SpyEye) resulted in an increased number of new variations of these Trojans. In 2020 this pattern may repeat.

2) Paid access to banking infrastructure and ransomware attacks against banks. In 2020, Kaspersky experts expect an increase in the activity of groups specialized in criminal-to-criminal sale of network access to banks in the African and Asian regions, as well as in Eastern Europe.

Their prime targets are small banks, as well as financial organizations recently bought by big players who are rebuilding their cybersecurity system in accordance with the standards of their parent companies. Besides it is expected that the same banks may become victims of targeted ransomware attacks, as banks are among those organizations that are more likely to pay a ransom than accept the loss of data.

3) Magecarting 3.0. More cybercriminal groups will target online payment processing systems. Over the past couple of years, so-called JS-skimming (the method of stealing of payment card data from online stores) has gained immense popularity among attackers.

Kaspersky researchers are currently aware of at least 10 different actors involved in these type of attacks and experts believe that their number will continue to grow during the next year. The most dangerous attacks will be on companies that provide services such as e-commerce as-a-service, which will lead to the compromise of thousands of companies.

“With 2020 on the horizon, we recommend security teams in potentially affected areas of the finance industry to gear up for new challenges. There is nothing inevitable in potential upcoming threats, it is just important to be properly prepared for them,” Yury concludes.

Vehicle distributor donates ambulance to Ospital ng Tondo

Gregory E. Bautista

December 17, 2019

THE Ospital ng Maynila in Tondo received a brand new Maxus V80 Flex ambulance from the Ayala-owned Maxus Philippines, as part of the latter’s social impact program in support of the new Manila mayor’s vision for the city.

The van was turned over in simple ceremonies at the Liwasang Bonifacio Shrine. Manila City mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso and vice mayor Honey Lacuna received the ambulance from Felipe Estrella, President of Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. who was with and Reginald See, General Manager of Maxus Philippines. There to take the keys to the new ambulance was Ospital ng Tondo OIC Hospital Director Myrna L. Paloma, MD.

“We are honored to help the government of Manila in its efforts to revitalize the city. Your efforts, Mayor Isko, to bring the city back to its’ old glory but more importantly to bring real change is a vision we want to align ourselves to. This Maxus V80 Flex ambulance represents Maxus Philippines’ concrete support for the local government of Manila’s efforts which includes improving healthcare services for the citizens of the city,” Estrella said during the one-on-one with the city mayor after the turnover rites.

Estrella was referring to the city’s “Ang Bagong Maynila” campaign. This campaign seeks to make major improvements in the city’s infrastructure and basic services and calls for the realignment of its’ citizen’s mindsets, including awareness of public safety, environment, cleanliness and discipline.

The ambulance with its official decals and vinyl sticker ambulance markings was customized by Winterpine Marketing Corporation for Maxus. It features an LED toplight with siren and public address (PA) system and is fitted with stainless bumper and stainless ramp approach. Inside, a two-layer medical floor-mounted cabinet housing a 20-pound oxygen tank; a wall-mounted blood pressure (BP) apparatus; a first-aid kit; an oxygen tank regulator; a combination adult and pedia “ambubag,” a minor surgical kit, an LED flashlight with batteries, and a stethoscope.

Equipment includes a fire extinguisher, fluorescent lamp, IV hook with strap, single oxygen tank holder, marine plywood and non-slip matting, and a jump-seat, as well as a fully collapsible stretcher with a locking mechanism.

“This ambulance possess the strong capabilities of the Maxus V80 and the ease of maintenance too. The periodic maintenance service (PMS) interval schedule, like in all other Maxus vehicles, is the first 5,000 kms and every succeeding 10,000 kms, or once a year, whichever comes first. For this emergency medical services transport that is on-call 24/7, this would be more convenient, cost-efficient, and more critically advantageous compared to the industry-standard 5,000-km PMS interval,” Reginald See, General Manager of Maxus Philippines said.

The City of Manila is planning to set up an emergency response paramedic team that will be able to respond to medical and similar emergencies in 10 minutes or less.

Priced and prepped for youthful market

Gregory E. Bautista

December 11, 2019

CAPTURING the attention of the young market of smartphone users is the aim of Vivo’s latest product, the S1 Pro. The latest addition to its S series claims to offer young individuals a cool and trendy way to explore their styles.

The formula of powerful processor, fairly large screen and long battery life all come together in this new phone. It is also not surprising that Vivo price positioned the phone in the sub P20K range. Retailing for P15,999 it was made available online from November 21 to 29, and thereafter has been available in Vivo brick-and-mortar outlets nationwide.

“In packaging the S1 Pro we balanced top end features with price. We looked at the young market, not just the millennials, but those even from Gen Z and saw their needs for a full-featured phone that can cope with both school work, gaming and smartphone photography and videography–which is already a way of life for the youth of today–communicating their daily activities to their friends and family. For this they need a robust smartphone that is also relatively inexpensive,” Colwin Tanhenco of Vivo’s Brand Management Group said.

“We are excited to launch the Vivo S1 Pro smartphone in the country because this reflects how the brand is striving to make innovations as a tool for the younger generation to showcase their personalities and power their lifestyles, especially in the realm of social media,” said Charisma Buan, Vivo Philippines PR Lead.

The event which gathered together Vivo Philippines executives, product distributors and exclusive media partners, showcased the wonderful features of the S1 Pro, among them a diamond-shaped rear quad camera set-up consisting of a 48MP main, 8MP secondary, 2MP wide-angle, and 2MP macro camera that are further accentuated by the handset’s Knight Black and Fancy Sky colorways.

The Vivo S1 Pro also boasts of a 6.38-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display with a waterdrop-style notch for a 32MP selfie camera and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Inside, it’s

Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and 8GB RAM/128 ROM are powered by a dual-engine fast-charging 4500mAh battery.

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