Anyone who’s lived in the Philippines can agree that the country’s roads are like the wild, wild, west: as one of the world’s most stressful places to drive in, the regular chaos of Metro Manila’s streets inevitably breed some of the craftiest drivers.
For any drivers looking for more of a challenge, though, off-roading seems like the next natural step: this October, the Petron Overland Expedition is setting the stage for a one of a kind driving experience—possibly the toughest and most rewarding adventure in the country.
The Overland Expedition will challenge the country’s best driving teams in a five-day trip across 285 kilometers of the Pacific coastline: Starting from San Fernando, Pampanga, teams will travel down to General Nakar, Quezon with mother nature as their greatest rival—braving gravel, sand, river crossings, and unpredictable weather.
Make no mistake, this event is not for the faint-hearted. Overlanding requires a unique kind of adrenaline junkie—but one whose willingness to take on uncharted terrain could win them up to a million pesos in prizes.
Multiple challenges will be staged along the route to evaluate teams’ off-road driving abilities, endurance, technical intelligence, and survival skill. These tests will award teams points that will ultimately decide the winners of the expedition.
To join, racers must form a six-man team that can provide for themselves and their registered rig for the five-day trip. Outdoor enthusiasts who only wish to spectate can also join the 6th Philippine Overland Expo, a four-day camping experience happening simultaneously in General Nakar, the final stop of the expedition.
Aside from hosting the country’s best off-road drivers, the expedition also primarily aims to support local communities in General Nakar. As a corporate social responsibility initiative, proceeds from the event (potentially up to Php 1M) will be donated to different communities across the province. Hon. Elideo R. Ruzol, the town’s mayor, also expressed his excitement over the potential tourism opportunities brought by the competition.
This race is made possible by Mototesto, with Petron Philippines and Motolite. Interested racing teams can head to the Mototesto website to register and follow Overland Philippines on Facebook to stay updated with future announcements.
