ISUZU D-Max at 4x4 Land.

MANILA, Philippines — It’s a good feeling that floats around when you’re with winners – and it does not matter if they won a raffle, a singing contest, or a life challenge.  They just radiate an air that makes them pleasant company.

Last week, I had the pleasure of being with the five winners --and their companions – of an all-expense trip to Isuzu 4x4 Land in Pattaya, Thailand.  The five winners purchased an Isuzu D-Max in the last quarter of 2011 and won the trip from Isuzu Philippines.  They were: Pepito Marcelo (with his wife, Ofelia) from Pampanga; Alvin Guinanao (with sister, Alexis) from  Magallon in Negros Occ.; John Marciales (with niece Cheska, whose father is the owner of the winning entry) from Kalibo, Aklan; Pilar Pardo (with son, Jose Antonio) from Koronadal, Cotabato; and Julia Rudes Strong and Doreen Manos Rudes (representing the D-Max owner, their mother, Selma Reisland Rudes) from Sarangani.

Unlike other 4x4 events that I’ve covered, this one did not involve 4x4 experts. Except for Pepito Marcelo, the other drivers have never maneuvered vehicles through off-road terrain.  To them, the experience of driving or even just riding through the famous 4x4 Land in Pattaya – where Thailand’s police force, the UN peace keeping volunteers, and adventure celebrities have learned skills in 4x4 driving – was “exhilirating!”  That impression comes from Jose Antonio Pardo, 30, who works in the family burger chain business, who said the 4x4 drive taught him to “always trust your vehicle.” That is the Isuzu D-Max which his father purchased from the Isuzu General Santos dealership in October 2011. “I was impressed by what it can do,” he said after driving through the 13 stations in the newly-renovated 4x4 Land.

One of the more challenging stations was the 10-meter climb on a steep hill which tilted the D-Max 49 degrees downhill – a detail that the Isuzu instructor emphasized.  And there was the station that demonstrated that the D-Max can also tilt sideward – when driving across a steep incline, putting the driver an arm’s length from a pool of water below.  The most daring feat that pickup performed was traversing a balancing bridge, which it “boarded” and then with its weight, manipulated the bridge to tilt to touch the ground on the other side of the canal – so that it could now drive off to stable ground.

Clearly, the winners all had an extraordinary ride, except Pepito, who said the off-road terrain was familiar to him.  He described the roads he traverses in the Cordillera mountains, where “the tires stood an inch from the cliff.”  Pepito uses the D-Max for his rice mill business in Porac.

Sisters-in-law Julia and Doreen said they were “very impressed with the performance of the D-Max in 4x4 Land.” For them that was a fun ride they truly “loved!” – and nothing compared to their regular 160-km drive from Maitum, Sarangani, to Gensan and Davao – on Doreen’s D-Max, of course.

Two other participants had never experienced driving through off-road terrain – Alvin and John. But more impressive is the fact that Alvin, a nurse working in California – and holding a U.S. passport – traveled from the U.S. to Manila and then to Bangkok – just to enjoy his prize!  Alvin had never owned a pickup until he purchased a D-Max from the Isuzu dealer in Bacolod late last year, for his personal use when he visits the country. When he was informed that he won a trip to Thailand, he flew home and joined the group, with his sister, Alexis.

John Marciales from Kalibo, who teaches in a local university, had not driven a pickup before (his car is a Honda CR-V).  He was in that trip to represent his brother, Saldes, who had purchased the D-Max to be used in a farm enterprise.  He said the performance of the D-Max was impressive.  The winning entry could be credited to John, who had taken the time to fill the raffle coupon at the showroom while the purchase of the pickup was being completed.  And his companion in the trip, Cheska, 14, the daughter of Saldes, had answered a phone call informing them of the winning entry. She at first thought it was one of those scams and ignored the call, until Isuzu formally made the announcement.

The reasons why the winners chose the D-Max are interesting and shows how regular buyers come to a choice of which brand to buy. It does not even show that advertisements had anything to do with their choices.

The mother of Julia and Doreen, for example, who is 84, personally chose the D-Max because of its form.  Of course that also came with the “inspiration” of observing the D-Max which Doreen had purchased a year ago – and was driving to and from Davao and Gensan to Maitum, Sarangani at least twice a week, carrying cement (she is building a house). “My father always had an Isuzu vehicle, so we just naturally followed,” Julia said.

Pepito said he was attracted to the pickup’s rear view camera and a gadget that could track the location the vehicle, should it be stolen. “But most of all, I was drawn to it by its very quiet engine,” Pepito said.

After using the pickup for a few months, he has been endeared to it by its fuel efficient engine.  His pride showed in a story he related – he kept “pace with a 6-cyliner Ford Expedition at the Batangas STAR” and he felt that “there was more power – even at 150 kph!”

The mother-and-son tandem – Pilar and Jose Antonio – knew about off-road terrain but not in the serious degree that was demonstrated at the 4x4 Land.  The D-Max had been purchased for the burger chain operation in Cotabato, but Jose Antonio said it had already been driven to Zamboanga, through 1,300 kilometers of various roads – a 12-hour drive which his father accomplished alone.  That must be what trusting one’s vehicle means.

Naturally, the five couples will always remember that extraordinary trip to Thailand – to the Chao Phraya Princess Cruise, the Floating Market, the Thai Village Show, and to the Siam Niramit Show.  As Dorren and Julia said:  “IPC treated us like royalty, like we are very special. And we enjoyed the experience!”

I enjoyed the experience too. After all it is not often that one travels in the pleasant company  of winners and the IPC executives led by my good friend, Art Balmadrid, senior vice president; the adventure traveler, Joseph Bautista, who is IPC assistant division head; the charming and interesting conversationalist, Timmy de Leon, corporate communications manager; the always-fun-to-be-with Rico Macalintal, dealer development manager; and Mylene Gimutao, advertising supervisor.