Jomari Yllana teams up with Okada for a racing event
Turning point bilang karerista kay Jomari Ylanna ang nangyaring insidente noong kanyang Guwapings days.
Sa mediacon ng Motorsport Carnivale 2025 na ginanap sa Glass Ballroom ng Okada Manila, naibahagi ni Jom ang isang insidente na dahil sa pagsabak niya noon sa underground drag racing, sa presinto ang naging bagsak niya.
Dito’y nahuli raw siya ni San Juan mayor that time na si Jinggoy Estrada dahil sa pagsali sa illegal car racing sa Greenhills.
Ayon pa sa aktor, ang purpose niya noon ay para sa pustahan at para kumita ng pera.
“I started very young, but underground… illegal. I used to race for bets. I remember, hinuli pa ako ni Mayor Jinggoy noon. Iyon ang time na ‘yung mga illegal drag racer ay nandiyan sa Creek Side in Greenhills.
“Nakapila kami sa presinto,” natatawang pagbabalik-tanaw niya.
Mabuti’t namukhaan daw siya ni mayor Jinggoy dahil nag-aartista na siya noon.
Tinuro raw siya at paglapit niya ay tinanong si Jom kung siya iyong kasama ng anak ni Rudy Fernandez na si Mark Anthony Fernandez. Tapos ay pinakawalan na siya, pero sinabihan ni Jinggoy na huwag nang ulitin. Ngunit kinumpiska nito ang pasadya niyang plaka ng kotse na shooh, na siyang nickname ni Jom bilang karerista.
Kuwento niya, “Sa akin, learning experience iyon, you need to follow rules and big impact sa akin iyon, in my life… as a driver, also as a competitor. It was a short stint ng underground drag racing, I went professional na afterwards.”
Aniya pa, “I was picked by Toyota Team TOM’S in 1996 to be a professional race car driver. I learned a lot from them. That started my advocacy for road safety and to promote legal racers.
“I launched Yllana Racing Team, competed in Korea, nakatsamba naman, nanalo. And then, 2 or 3 years ago, I tried rally sprint, we came the first diesel-engine powered car that won in a rally and now we’re doing events professionally.”
Ngayon ay nakatutok si Jom sa Motorsport Carnivale 2025 at ang goal niya ay maibalik sa world map of motocross ang Filipinas. Ang aktor mismo ang organizer ng nasabing motorsport festival sa kanyang Yllana Racing Team in partnership with Okada, Manila.
Ito ay co-led by Rikki Dy-Liacco, isang respetadong champion racer at Head ng Motorsports sa Automobile Association Philippines (AAP), ang official representative ng bansa sa Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
“We’re raising the bar and bringing Philippine motorsports closer to international levels,” wika ni Dy-Liacco.
Mas astig at pinalaki ang gaganaping Motorsport Carnivale 2025 na magsisimula ngayong Sunday, May 4, sa Boardwalk and Gardens, ang seaside area sa labas lang ng Okada Manila.
Magsisimula ng 6am at tatagal hanggang 6pm ang Super Sprint habang 7pm naman ang Grand Car Meet: Legends of the ‘90s.
Pagsapit ng May 31, aarangkada naman ang Jom’s Cup, ang 1/8-mile drag racing challenge. Asahan ang maigting na labanan sa mga kategoryang Super Car, Muscle Car, at Vintage Car.
May special EV car showcase rin dito with guest celebrities na puwedeng mapanood nang live at sa livestream ng mga fans ng car racing.
Pahayag pa ni Jom, “We have prepared a couple of exciting motorsport events fir everyone. And I am proud to announce that we are going to put the Philippines back in the world map of motorsports, together with our sponsors.
“Our main sponsors, of course Okada Manila, we have found a home of motorsport on the biggest integrated casino in the country. Together also with the Parañaque LGU, and all our sponsors.
“I remember announcing wayback 2023 that we are going to wake up a sleeping giant. Now the giant is awake. Gising na gising siya, gutom na gutom at uhaw na uhaw and we are preparing for it. The first event will be on May 4, followed by a series of events on May and June. And we are here as proud producers coming from the industry of automotive, motorsport, and entertainment.
“Gusto nating ibalik iyong mga karera in the heart of Metro Manila,” sambit pa ni Jom.
