Quite by accident, I came to within inches — better yet, centimeters! — of one of PBBM’s official cars, an unguarded Mercedes-Maybach S600, sometime last week. I didn’t know it then, but there are a few other cars for his official, exclusive use in Malacañang’s garage. (Google lists a Lincoln Continental, a Cadillac Escalade, and a Land Cruiser.)

What made the experience so memorable that afternoon was that there was no one around, not a driver and not a Presidential Security guard, as I walked toward the exit gate from that lonely parking lot in Pasay City. I was almost at the gate when I noticed one license plate before I took note of the black car that owned it: #1, the plate read.

It felt strange, that this beautiful black car—ostensibly PBBM’s — could be left alone in such a lonely, public place after the President and First Lady Liza had entered the gallery to inaugurate an exhibit of made-in-the-Philippines products. I looked around; indeed I was the only soul in the parking lot, just me and nine or 10 other cars, including PBBM’s, without their drivers or passengers.

And then I remembered reading a book about how they train people, male and female, to guard and protect the president of the United States whatever it takes, wherever he goes, on the road or up in the air or somewhere inside a public or private building.

For example, “The Beast” is how the US president’s security team —outer circle, inner circle — call their boss’ car. One reason why The Beast is special: Wherever its VVIP passenger goes, the car is never without a fresh supply of the president’s blood type. (Dick Gordon and his angels in the Red Cross know this, I’m sure.) In addition, the car is bullet-proof and runs on specially made tires.

Ten years ago in Manila, you spent a million pesos to bullet-proof your car. With inflation and the current peso-dollar exchange rate, you have to wonder how much it will cost you now.

Speaking of Mercedes Benz, when we rode in my classmate Mila V’s Chedeng, as she called it, going from Quezon City to Baguio one way, decades ago, she spent ₱4 for fuel (diesel).