Metro Pacific Tollways consolidates non-toll businesses

Pangilinan-led tollway operator and developer Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has consolidated its non-toll related businesses into a single unit that will provide mobility solutions harnessing digital technology on its toll roads.

At a virtual event on Thursday, MPTC launched MPT Mobility — a new unit that will house all of the company’s non-toll related enterprises.

“We are very excited about the launch. Digitalization is inevitable. We needed to be at the forefront of leveraging its adoption and transcend our core tollways business using the latest digital technology,” said MPT Mobility president and general manager Raul Ignacio.

“What MPT Mobility has to offer addresses a variety of customer needs and provides them with operation and life conveniences via a digital interface. These digital solutions are all about improving mobility for the Filipino people,” Ignacio said.
 
MPT Mobility is a conglomeration of seven new business units offering digitally driven solutions.

The seven companies under the new MPTC venture are the following subsidiary companies:
 
* Dibz: a smart parking services group that offers pre-booked parking, valet services, parking management.

* Spot On Advertising: provides the business community with OOH (out of home) advertising opportunities.

* NLEX Drive & Dine: toll service facility hosting popular fast foods, full dining restaurants and drive-through dining, one-stop shops for local merchandise and delicacies, premium brand stores and discount outlets, and fuel stations.

* Southbend Express Services Inc.: provides manpower for general and maintenance services, roadway systems products and services, and traffic and auxiliary works on road network operations.

* Business Development: focuses more on developing projects of which a major component is digital technology. Some of the projects in the pipeline are Fiber Optics Communication Interface, Smart Cities and Intermodal terminals that answer multiple mobility requirements.

* Easytrip Services Corporation: an account management company that manages MPTC’s electronic toll collection system.

* One Hub: MPT Mobility’s Centralized Customer Response Organization that responds to service concerns in all the digital touchpoints of MPTC.

MPTC president and CEO Rodrigo Franco, for his part, said the establishment of MPT Mobility is aimed at customer experience while  pursuing “revenue streams outside our expressways business.”

“There is no other way for us to go but digital. The pandemic gave us the impetus to accelerate this initiative,” Franco said.

EV charging stations

MPTC is also planning to put up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in all of its expressways.

“We will start next year,” MPT Mobility vice president for Business Development Mark Richmund De Leon said.

“At least one in NLEX (North Luzon Expressway), one in CAVITEX (Manila–Cavite Expressway) and even in CALAX (Cavite–Laguna Expressway). That’s the plan for our mobility,” he added.

De Leon also said the next step would be the installation of EV charging stations in parking lots.

“We will also pursue installing charging stations in parking lots. There’s an opportunity where office workers can charge in parking lots,” he said.

De Leon is a former undersecretary of the Department of Transportation’s Road Transport and Infrastructure sector.

MPTC is the operator of three operating long-term concessions in the Philippines, namely the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX). It also operates Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAEX), the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), and the NLEX Connector. — VBL, GMA News