Vespa Scene Philippines
And our CEO Ralf continues his journey in search of the Vespa wonders of this planet. This time he ended up in the island supermarket, also known as the Philippines, where the shelf of 7641 islands is never empty. As the fifth largest island nation in the world with a population of around 110 million and a colourful mix of different ethnicities and cultures, the Philippines is a prime example of diversity. The Philippines is a living puzzle of land and sea, a place where every day offers the chance to discover a new island or simply lose yourself in the colourful hustle and bustle of the local cultures.
Clubs, cafés and scooter depot
It's no wonder that Vespa culture has enjoyed steadily increasing popularity here since the 1960s. The scene is centred around two major clubs: the Vespa Club of the Philippines and Vespa Pilipinas, between which there is occasionally fierce competition. The most widely used model among modern Vespas is the Vespa Primavera 150, while the Vespa PX remains the favoured choice among classic scooters.
The Philippine Vespa community regularly comes together at major events. Last year's biggest gathering was the Philippine Vespa Days. Several events are already planned for this year, including the Vesparada from 13 to 14 April 2024, the Philippine Vespa Days from 24 to 26 May 2024 in Olongapo and the Vespa Visavas Crossroads Ride 2024 from 5 to 7 April 2024.
A central meeting point for Vespa enthusiasts is the Vespa Café Manila in the bustling national capital with its estimated two million inhabitants (nobody knows for sure). Another important player in the local scene is Scooter Depot PH, run by Eugene, a good friend and business partner of SIP Scootershop. He was a participant in our Vespa World Days Tour to Interlaken in 2023. Eugene organises an annual Vespa Breakfast in Manila and is about to open Scooteria, an Italian-inspired café-bar about an hour south of Manila. Incidentally, the name Scooteria is derived from our SIPERIA, which is of course an honour for us.
Vespa World Days in Manila?
In addition to the regular meetings and events, there are also remarkable collectors of Vespa and Lambretta in Manila. A visit to Gilbert (Don Robert) and his impressive collection, where SIP TV videos run on a continuous loop, illustrates the deep-rooted passion for this cult brand.
Looking to the future, the Philippines is a strong candidate to host Vespa World Days 2025, an opportunity that seems even more tangible after Canada's withdrawal. The local scene is also enriched by content from bloggers like Elijah of vespa_scenery.ph who capture the beauty and diversity of Vespa culture in the Philippines.
I would like to thank all my hosts, friends, fans and people in the Philippines for their kindness and warmth. I will definitely be back one day!
Photo gallery: Vespa scene Philippines
