| The local car culture in the Philippines is very different to its western counterpart much like you compare it to Adelaide in South Australia it is not what you’d expect when you go to their community meets. There have so many requirements like you need to own a car to be part of the group, but unlike in Australia it is more inclusive.
With the recent success of “19 Kopong Kopong” that was held yesterday inside the Camp Aguinaldo ground you’d say a local ‘Car Meet’ that invites inclusivity is a rare thing in this country. Besides that the location is off to the general masses that it only attracts those who have interest in automotive most notably the classic ones here… |
“19 Kopong Kopong” is not only a ‘Car Meet’ but also sort of a Car Show as most who participated in this event went home with something. The event was held at the Camp Aguinaldo Grandstand to be exact, where it has some sponsors and vendors of food and automotive merchandise not to forget collectible diecast cars.
Rarely, there would be local ‘Car Meets’ in a very busy city in Metro Manila, but the organizers of Toyota Classics Car Club made it possible to have this one-day event happen and it attract those who have seen the poster on social media. It is basically a niche ‘Car Meet’ who are really into the classic cars and it had a good turn out the whole day that started at 8 AM to 6 PM.
The Name: “19 Kopong Kopong”
In Filipino slang "19 Kopong Kopong" is coined from the year 1900 which has two "00" for old Tagalog word "Kopong" or Double. Mostly, the use of the word “19 Kopong Kopong” as example to “The old car we had is made in19 kopong-kopong.”
The name of the events catches most Filipinos attention due to the term and its theme that is the classic cars that were featured in this event. Most of the vehicles showcased where produced and sold in the Philippines, which is dominated by the Japanese brand cars in the late 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
Classics Cars: Americans & Japanese
You’ll rarely find American muscle cars or any Eurocars ever been sold in the Philippine markets as back in the day during the oil crisis most Filipinos switched to Japanese cars during that particular era ending the domination of western produced automobiles although for a time it was the image what you’ll see in Manila roads.
But the Philippines being known for throwaway culture it is rarely anyone would ever keep or restore classic cars, but there are A LOT of Ford cars that participated in this events, which includes variation of the Ford Escort that is popular during its availability in the local market.
Showcase Stopper: Best Cars on Sight
There are a plethora of cars parked from end to end of the Camp Aguinaldo Grandstand, but one can’t differentiate them all at once from the other due to that they are not parked by car brands they are in groups. But in some areas you’ll easily see the famed 1980s Mitsubishi Lancer in various colors in that era along with the Toyota Starlet Hatchback along with some of its rare variations that includes a wagon version.
There are a lot of gems too like classic Defender 110 or an old Jeepney that was one of the early production models by Sarao Motors. The most attractive ones that catch attention by the local gearheads are the classic Lancer, Starlet, Celica, and Colt. There are also into the variations of the Ford Escort that are underrated and upstarted by their Japanese counterparts it’s still impressive for its time.
Closing: Awarding by the Sunsets
By 5 PM some of the participants where slowly dispersing their way out of the Camp Aguinaldo grounds just like how “Cars & Coffee” in Adelaide, South Australia has winded down. This was a whole day event as compared to its foreign ‘Car Meet’ counterpart where it was only held in the mornings until before lunch.
This one was festive enough to meet the car owners having good conversations how they started out putting together their dream projects. This was a rare treat for those just looking for a local ‘Car Meet’ gathering than a full on car show that you need to pay for the entrance fee in an indoor setting.
“19 Kopong Kopong” was a success in a way they try to reach out and be inclusive to non-car owners who are into automobiles that can be a conversation starter. It builds interest too for those wanting to start with their own car projects. It would be a little challenging to locals due to the way things are in this country unlike in Australia that owning a car is not a luxury but a need for the reason for its affordably in comparison to some countries in the Asian region.
Overall this event will be back for 2020 and it would be great if it was a quarterly ‘Car Meet’ as they’re the only event in town that caters to everyone in an outdoor setting, which was great to see that breaks from the ‘Car Show’ atmosphere, which was held on 29 December 2019 a good year-end community gathering for the local car community courtesy of some passionate petrol heads from Toyota Classics Car Club of the Philippines and its free entry too.
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