Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI) opens 2017 season for Car, Truck, Motorcycle of the Year search

At the 2017 Manila International Auto Show held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City last March 31, the Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI) opened the 2017 season for the search of not just the annual Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P) and Truck of the Year Philippines (TOTY-P) awards, but also the very first Motorcycle of the Year Philippines (MOTY-P) award. "By welcoming new blood into our fold, the organization is expanding its reach and tapping into the expertise of the motorcycle media to adapt our successful model," said CAGI President Ronald de los Reyes. "We believe that it's s about time that we also give due recognition to our fellow two-wheeled contemporaries on the road." Officials from different government agencies graced the event such as Department of Tourism assistant secretary Inaki Jose and Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Atty. Karen Jimeno. "The state of our country's infrastructure affects our car preferences,” Jimeno said in her speech as she related the event to current local issues. Since 2004, CAGI is the only organization composed of motoring journalists in the country that has held annual vehicle tests to determine which vehicles launched every year deserves to be labeled as the Car and Truck of the Year. For the tests, each qualified vehicle goes through a strict screening process before they are subjected to qualitative (consumer) and quantitative (performance) testing. Qualitative testing uses predetermined consumer metrics like ergonomics, ride feel, and aesthetics, among others, while quantitative testing uses GPS-based hardware to measure handling, braking and acceleration. Each year, winners for each category are announced, and from this winning pool emerges the year's COTY-P, TOTY-P, and this time, the MOTY-P. "We expect more than a 100 motor vehicles consisting of cars, pickups, and motorcycles to be tested this season," de los Reyes shared. The testing sessions for the qualified vehicles for 2017 will be held in September and October, with the award's night happening in November. Yet for May and June, CAGI plans to go around various dealers in May and June, with test demonstrations scheduled for July and a television special happening in December, "thus further adding more excitement to already the jam-packed season." In addition, for the third straight year, www.Carmudi.com.ph is CAGI's partner in this endeavor while internationally respected auditing firm KPMG is once again on-board as partner during the testing process, handling the data gathering, tabulation, and up to the final audit and release of the official results.