A Tradition of Passion

One such example is the Miata Club of the Philippines, which sits among the country’s premiere car clubs. They recently held their monthly members’ meeting a few weeks ago, and I was given the opportunity to attend, a privilege not normally extended to outsiders.

At 25 years, the Miata Club Philippines is the country’s longest-running single-model club in the Philippines, and arguably one of the longest running in Asia. As that silver anniversary approaches, the members of the longest-running one-model car club gathered to discuss how they would celebrate it.

Spending the morning with them, all those 25 years of history could clearly be felt. Lively conversation greeted anyone who came through the entrance doors, and it was a sound that clearly meant I was in the presence of true enthusiasts and friends. Generation gap, there was not, because several senior members were mixing and conversing with their younger counterparts with zero hesitation – a phenomenon that is rare to see in the outside world. The reason for this is the common thread that ties these people together – their passion for the Mazda Miata, which spans two decades from its inception to the latest iteration.

Naturally, such a relation means that the topic of conversation focused primarily on the Miata, as well as the club’s proceedings for this month, which focused on the club’s recent activities to mark its 25th anniversary.

The icing on the cake for the club is a limited-edition premium watch commissioned for the members, released during this recent meeting. The watch, a silver Laco chronograph with a blue face, also has several custom touches, one in the form of a special Day-Glo blue “25” on the face, marking the 25th anniversary of the club. They were also etched with numbers that denoted the order in which they were made, from watch 001 to watch 075, but for obvious reasons, the most coveted watch of the day was Number 069. Of course, as the watch was only offered to Miata Club Philippines members, it makes the watch even more valuable to the members who acquired them, if only for sentimental reasons.

What makes year’s anniversary celebration more special is that for the various members in the club, who come from different walks of life, they find themselves part of a group of enthusiasts who are as crazed about the Miata as they are, and it is acceptable to show that enthusiasm, especially in a society where stoicism is viewed as strength.

Like your neighbourhood book club, car clubs meet on a regular basis for a variety of purposes – many meet up weekly for a coffee run, while others meet up monthly to discuss more formal matters. But the general notion of regular meetings is for members to get together and share in their common passion for automobiles.

Take it from Miata Club President himself, Marc de Joya, who shared with us that the reason he bought his Miata was because it reminded him of the NA Mazda Miata, the first Miata he saw all those years ago. What he couldn’t afford at the time as a young man, he is now able to enjoy as an accomplished one. He now enjoys driving his dream car evolved, the modern-day ND Miata. Joining the club, and becoming its president, was only a bonus to ownership of the car. He shared with us that the experience of a car that lives up to its name, as one of the world’s most beloved sports cars, brings added soul to one’s life, and a little bit of spice to the daily commute as well.

With 25 years under their belt, the Miata Club has become a mainstay in the automotive scene here in the Philippines, and they did it not through the value of their vehicles, but through their enthusiasm for their beloved companions.

It’s this enthusiasm that makes them such a close knit group, and it is what many clubs should aspire to emulate – this attitude of simply enjoying that which makes one happy, regardless of what someone else may think or say about it, and sharing that happiness with those who wish to partake in it.

That kind of spirit is, in this writer’s opinion, the embodiment of the soul of the Miata: “Jinba Ittai: Horse and Rider as One body.” Rider and steed must be in harmony with each other to experience all that driving has to offer, and in doing so, fulfill the destiny of their union.

Congratulations to the members of the Miata Club Philippines, for 25 years of a shared passion for the Miata, and cheers for the years to come.