Cebu

Long Drives

Jay Aldeguer

“We go on long drives a lot, during weekends and the afternoons,” he says of bonding time with them. “I come home early from work and if they’re not too busy, we go for a short drive. One of my favorite places is the Transcentral Highway.” The road cuts through most of Cebu and is a perfect way to enjoy Cebu’s mountainside. “We buy corn and vegetables there. There’s also a flower plantation along the way. The whole drive is very picturesque.”

I ask Aldeguer about his car collection, which happens to consist of only Porsches. “I really like cars, and I like driving them a lot. I started collecting about 13 years ago. My first was that white 1974 911S.” I count eight cars from vintage to contemporary. “I’m biased toward Porsche. It’s a hardy car, especially for Cebu since our roads are not the best in the world. They’re rugged but great performers on the road.”

He was instrumental in turning Cobonpue onto vintage cars as well. “About five years ago, Kenneth was curious about cars and he took one [of mine] out for a spin. He got hooked. That’s when we founded PACE.” PACE stands for Performance and Classics Enthusiasts, a very small club of car enthusiasts. “Our main common denominator is that we like to drive, we don’t just park our cars...we drive them inter-island.” They have taken driving trips all the way to Bohol, Boracay, Iloilo, Dumaguete, and Leyte...all via RORO. “It’s pretty convenient,” he says.

Angus Beef Tapa

We walk to the adjacent deck where a huge langka tree provides shade. A balcony provides a nice view of the mountainside. “This is my favorite part of the house. I spend a lot of down time here,” Aldeguer says. “This is where I work early in the morning, where I take meals. I also grill here.”

“I enjoy the businesses I get into. My businesses are almost a hobby for me.” I ask how his day usually goes. “There’s nothing typical about me. Like today, I came from the office in shorts.” He has set aside a few hours for this interview, but he plans to go back to do more work at the office. “There are days when I go straight to Mactan Island to inspect a banca that we are about to acquire, or visit an island that will be part of the island hopping tour that we offer, or there are days when I go to the mall to check on the stores. So there is no typical day for me.”

Photo and Article Source: Inflight Magazine (Seair)