OBENGERS TO JOIN TAMARAW CUP NEXT YEAR
The Oben Group, the force behind the dominant Obengers Racing Team in the Toyota Gazoo Racing series, will compete in the Tamaraw Cup in 2026.
But there’s another race the group already has in the bag: Its Toyota Marilao has sold the most number of Tamaraws this year.
“The Tamaraw is for anything. Everything. So you’ll see us next year racing the Toyota Tamaraw. That’s gonna be exciting,” quipped Toyota Marilao President Don Juan Miguel “Cosco” A. Oben during a Dec. 7 interview at the Toyota Marilao Bulacan dealership for the Tamaraw Road Show, where Tamaraw celebrity ambassador Coco Martin made an appearance for a meet-and-greet session.
Coco Martin and his backup dancers regale the crowd with a special number at the Toyota Marilao dealership in Bulacan.Oben said: “For Toyota Marilao, it’s been a good year. As of November, we had a growth of about 10 percent. That’s beyond our expectations, but the market here in the province is much stronger compared to our dealerships in the National Capital Region. We’re actually doing well with a big help from Tamaraw. The Tamaraw comprises about 35 percent of our total sales, so it’s a very important product for Toyota and for our Marilao branch.”
Toyota Marilao vice chair Virgilio “Gil” F. Angeles said: “Toyota Marilao is the highest-selling dealer of Tamaraw. We are in Region 3 where there are a lot of MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises). You know, 80 percent of our economy is made up by the MSMEs, and they contribute 40 percent of the GDP or gross domestic product of the Philippines. So, what GDP really means is Gawa Dito Pinas.”
He added: “We’re gonna hit a thousand (Tamaraws sold) by the end of the year. Toyota Marilao has been the 5-peat Dealer of the Year. We’re the number one dealer in the network in terms of category—Medium to Large. We’re very thankful because of our team. Cosco Oben is business savvy. Our vice president and general manager Gina Loo has a keen attention to details. She’s the one running Toyota Marilao smoothly.”
Toyota Motor Philippines first vice president for marketing Elijah Sue Marcial confirmed that out of 75 dealers nationwide, Toyota Marilao has the highest sales of the Tamaraw.
Oben provided the breakdown of the sales: “75 percent of our Tamaraw sales are within Bulacan, and 50 percent of that is within Marilao, so the biggest chunk of the sales for the Tamaraw comes from Bulacan. Of course, the secret behind that is our people. Just two weeks ago, we had a milestone celebration for Toyota Marilao. We were able to achieve 164 unit sales in one month. That was for October. We held a big party in celebration of that. It’s really all about our people. The driving force behind the success of the Tamaraw. And we’re thankful to Toyota Motor Philippines.”
Going loco over Coco
The Toyota Road Show in Marilao happened on a Sunday. The mood in the dealership was festive, filled end-to-end with Tamaraw buyers, TMP executives, the media, and spectators. All were in anticipation of the arrival of Tamaraw ambassador, actor, director, and producer Coco Martin. Outside, it was raining, but Marilaoans stood their ground, coming in prepared with their umbrellas, and cell phones fully charged and ready to get a selfie with their idol “Tanggol” (Coco’s character in the long-running series “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo”).
After a speech by Angeles and some song numbers by Vic Robinson, Martin came out singing and dancing to the delight of the crowd. He even went out of the dealership to mingle with the crowd, even if it was raining.
People were teary-eyed when Martin told his life story, saying he went through almost all the hardships many Filipinos are undergoing.
“Sagad sa hirap (extremely poor)” was how he described his life at the age of 16 struggling to get some work, hopping from one odd job to the next. Martin said that he became a tricycle driver (using his earnings as allowance for school), a dishwasher at his uncle’s bar, a janitor in Canada, a waiter, and more.
Martin said that he saw his cousin one day cleaning a Tamaraw FX and that he dreamed of driving one.
“Lahat sinuyod ko (I tried everything) looking for regular work. I know what Filipinos go through every day. Then, I was able to focus… from being an extra, to kontrabida (villain roles), support, leading man and director, scriptwriter, and now producer of my own show. Long journey. So many rejections,” Martin recalled.
“I used my Toyota Tamaraw in Batang Quiapo… It was my first time stepping on a clutch pedal that was so soft. And the engine was so powerful. Whoever designed this thought of the people, and not just to sell. The performance and comfort of the Tamaraw speaks for itself. It represents the Filipinos.
“I’m happy with my manual transmission. The problem is the traffic. Now, Toyota Motor Philippines offers an automatic variant.”
Martin said that his Tamaraw is already a year old. He set it up and put mags, saying that it represents him. He wouldn’t settle for being simple. He said that he really wanted to personalize it even if it’s for business use.
“We use our Toyota Tamaraw utility van in business with Jules (his partner, actress Julia Montes). If we’re going to the market, or when our home staff needs it for errands or they need to go to Batangas. If we do our deliveries. When I first saw it, I saw its purpose in my life right away. I was surprised with so many displays… I was amazed. So many designs and potential modifications depending on the purpose. An all-purpose vehicle. Whoever designed this was a genius. The engine is powerful yet fuel consumption remains efficient.”
Angeles said: “The Filipino needs someone like Coco Martin, an inspiration. He’s larger than life. You know where he came from. A rags to riches story. A one-of-a-kind human being.”
Business, personal use
Oben: “The key to the Tamaraw’s success is the multipurpose nature of the vehicle. Our customers were able to use it both for business and for personal use. They are able to use it for work, and at the same time it looks nice. That is why a lot of Filipinos are appreciating the Toyota Tamaraw.”
Will the Tamaraw Road Show lead to Coco Martin joining the Tamaraw Cup 2026? Well, like what we always hear in Pinoy teleseryes—Abangan!
