Automobile Association Philippines hosts global mobility leaders and personalities
The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), led by its president Augustus “Joe” Ferreria, recently hosted the highly successful FIA Region II Roundtable Conference in Cebu, with the province putting its best foot forward to charm the more than 100 automobile mobility personalities from countries in the Asia Pacific region.
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the umbrella organization of automobile clubs from different countries. Founded in 1904, this non-profit confederation is headquartered in Paris and has a membership of 244 international motoring and sporting clubs from 146 countries. Its mission is to empower member clubs to be relevant for the future of smart mobility and road safety through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and advocacy.
With the conference held at the posh facilities of Crimson Resort and Spa in Mactan, AAP ensured that visitors enjoyed the three-day conference in a luxurious sun, sea, and sand setting. To further engage these automobile enthusiasts, vintage sports cars owned by Cebuanos Jay Aldeguer, Kenneth Cobonpue, and Michael Lhuillier were displayed at the entrance to the resort.
The afternoon opening ceremony, deftly emceed by AAP Trustee Robby Consunji, was followed by a few plenary sessions, after which a welcome reception was held at the resort’s patio by the sea, with overflowing cocktails and finger food. It was the typical island paradise ambiance that city dwellers long for. The guests enjoyed watching a group of skillful fire dancers perform on the beach beside the patio.
One of the afternoon sessions on the first day featured the FIA-funded “Helmet For Kids,” a laudable project spearheaded by AAP Advocacy Manager Cynthia Reyes, which donated 800 international standard motorcycle helmets to as many students of Lahug Elementary School. Most of the children in this school are brought to their classes as back riders on motorcycles, underscoring the need for safety.
There were many other interesting sessions at this roundtable conference. One was a discussion on emerging themes in motorsport, another focused on case studies of various advocacies, while another session delved into the latest research and insights. What interested me most was the discussion on tourism, viewed from the perspective of the International Driver’s Permit, officially issued by FIA member clubs.
Day 2 of the event was highlighted by the welcome dinner hosted by the Department of Tourism. Representing Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco at the dinner was Tourism Undersecretary Maria Rica Bueno. The dinner, held at the nearby Tambuli Beach Resort, treated the guests to a colorful showcase of Philippine culture through dances representing the country’s different regions and festivals.
As guests arrived at the resort and walked towards the dinner venue, they were greeted by a tableau of dancers in rich, vibrant, and eye-catching costumes that represented the different cultural groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. At the dinner, visitors enjoyed the special Filipino cuisine prepared for them.
The exciting and colorful cultural dances onstage ended with the tinikling, where the fun-loving visitors were invited to join and given quick lessons on how to avoid getting their feet caught by the clapping bamboo poles. Many guests were brave enough to test their skills in this popular Filipino folk dance, which has captivated audiences worldwide. A beautiful cake was later presented onstage to the FIA officers to celebrate its 120th anniversary.
The last day of the conference brought the visitors on a sightseeing tour of Cebu City. They found the historical sites fascinating—the original cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he landed on the shores of Cebu, now encased in a sturdy wooden box and displayed inside a kiosk downtown, and the nearby Basilica del Señor Santo Niño, which holds the original dark wood statue of the Child Jesus, encased in bulletproof glass at the altar, presented by Magellan to Rajah Humabon and his wife upon their Christian baptism.
The visitors were also brought to the National Museum of Cebu, which used to be the city’s Bureau of Customs building. It now exhibits archaeological treasures and ethnographic displays of Cebu’s rich history and culture. It also features artworks by prominent Filipino artists from the early 1970s.
They also visited the oldest triangular fort in the country, Fort San Pedro, built by Spanish soldiers under the command of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, located in Plaza Independencia beside the pier. It is a 17th-century stone fort originally built to repel Muslim raiders.
This AAP-hosted event was indeed a rousing success, thanks to the hardworking AAP Events Team, who attended to all the event’s micro-details to ensure a flawless gathering of important mobility personalities from the Asia-Pacific region. Even FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, speaking after the DOT-sponsored dinner, thanked AAP President Joe Ferreria for a well-run three-day meeting and echoed what the dancers had sung earlier, “I Love Cebu.”
For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com
