Yamaha tour participants find Samar road ‘exciting’

By ELI C. DALUMPINES, PIA-Samar
May 22, 2006

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  “It’s tough but it’s challenging”.

This is what the motorists who participated in the Yamaha Pan-Asean Tour commented Thursday when they traversed the Calbiga-Catbalogan stretch of the Maharlika Highway that is known to be in its worst condition.

Mashahiko Adika of Yamaha-Japan who joined the Tour to promote Yamaha’s latest model, the T135 said they were quite excited with the tough road which really tested the durability of their motorbikes.

“Yes, it’s tough but with this bike (referring to the T135), wala problema”, the Japanese motorist jokingly said.

Adika, moreover, expressed thanks to Samareños for the warm welcome they receive upon entering Samar from the south.

He noted that they saw residents along the highway came out from their houses and waved their hands to them as they passed. Along with him were over 50 other Tour participants who came from the different countries in Southeast Asia, including motorist from the Philippines led by actor Gary Estrada.

Meanwhile, Norkis Yamaha’s marketing chief Boy Canonero, who oversees the Pan-Asen Tour in the Philippines disclosed that Samar was deliberately identified as one of the tour routes considering the condition of its road.

“As a Cebuano I traveled this route from time to time on my way home from Manila where I work and the condition of the road came to my attention. The inclusion of Eastern Visayas was really planned,” Canonero informed.

The tour was jointly initiated by Yamaha Motors and the Department of Tourism (DOT) to promote Yamaha’s latest model and at the same time promote the country’s tourism potential to the neighboring Asian countries.