Land Rover, Air Asia back Philippine bid in RFC Malaysia

AT the launch are Soong, Hontiveros, Hirryan Mendiola, Larry Mendiola and Consunji, together with Air Asia lady executives. PHOTO BY TESSA SALAZAR-

If there are two sports Pinoys should excel in, these are swimming (we live on islands surrounded by the sea, by the way) and offroad driving.

Offroading professionals give us two compelling reasons: Pinoys are inherently good drivers and navigators, and, well, just look at our roads (especially the provincial ones), or the lack of them. Taking it even a level up, Robby Consunji, offroader par excellance and Rainforest Challenge (RFC) representative to the Philippines, said that the country could be the perfect host for international offroad competitions. Organizers need not spend to develop an offroading venue, as 60 percent of the country’s total road network is in rural settings, and 90 percent of these roads are actually unpaved.

That’s wishful thinking for 4×4 enthusiasts. For now, world-class Pinoy offroading teams will have to prove their mettle somewhere else.

To Malaysia, for example. The Rainforest Challenge of Malaysia—where the Philippine team cinched the first runner-up title in overall standing last year at Johor Bahru—will once more commence. And trust the Pinoy team to compete again.

Land Rover Philippines (LRPhils Motors Inc.) has supported the Philippine team for years. Even better news is that another company, AirAsia Philippines, will literally give the team a big lift. The two major sponsors have teamed up and launched October 28 at the new Land Rover headquarters at the Bonifacio Global City what will now be known as the Team Air Asia—Land Rover Philippines 4×4 team.

The team will be composed of multi–awarded off-roading father-and-son duo “Typhoon” Larry Mendiola (driver) and Hirryan Mendiola (co-driver and winchman).

Timberland and MAA General Assurance Philippines are also team sponsors.

The Mendiolas will be driving a Land Rover Defender 90 powered by a 3.9-liter V8 gasoline engine, known worldwide for its legendary offroading ability.

“We never lost faith on the Land Rover even though there were highly modified and buggy-type vehicles in the competitions that made the race extra-challenging and exciting at the same time,” said Larry.

The Mendiolas said that theirs is an excellent team, with Larry joking that it would be easy to shout at his son for instructions and Hirryan saying that he knows right away what Larry wants him to do.

Consunji said this competition would be a platform to showcase Filipino skills, citing the potentially winning match of team and machine. He added that aside from requiring professional-level offroading skills, the competition, which would be held in a jungle, would also require each team to be self-sufficient, and be equipped with survival skills. Sometimes, Consunji mused, himself being a veteran of RFCs, the hardest choices would be which to bring more, fuel for the machine or drinking water for humans.

Last year’s RFC was held in treacherous Johor. This time, participants will be tested at Terangganu. For a period of 10 days (December 3 to 12), offroaders and their machines will be tested to the limits, as the course promises to be one of the world’s longest and toughest extreme 4×4 competitions.

MacGyver derring-do

Even outside of home, Pinoy drivers stand out, Consunji recalls. “We (are known to always) have the ‘remedyo’ attitude” or the ‘MacGyver’ attitude. Instead of replacing broken down parts, which would normally be the practice (among more well-equipped teams), we’re the only ones with welding rods (instead of replacement parts).”

He said that a British press manager in 2005 once called the Philippine team’s troubleshooting methods “Bushman mechanics.” That year, during the sixth day of the competition, a Dutch team vehicle’s starter conked out, and the European team was about to quit the race. The Philippine team (which included Larry), who was rubbernecking (“nakikiusyoso”) at the time, abruptly butted in and told the Dutch that they could fix the starter. When it was fixed, Larry told the surprised Dutch team that the starter was good for another 300 starts. On the 10th day, the Dutch approached the Philippine team and laughed that they still had 165 starts left.

Consunji added that the “very amiable” Philippine team also won the Team Spirit Award in 2005. The team, he said, has been looked up to at the RFC Community, and teammate Dennis Javier has often been consulted for technical matters.

At the team launch, Air Asia Inc. Philippines CEO Maan Hontiveros readily extended her company’s support, telling the press that she had been a long-time user of an early-’90s model Defender, and even attended social and official functions—high heels and killer dresses and all—driving her offroader. Talk about Laura Croft.

LRPhils Motors Inc. executive Marc Soong said, “We believe that Filipinos have the talent to excel globally, and especially in a sport such as offroading.”