NLEX Corporation, a proponent of progress, corporate sustainability, and road safety, once again gathered transportation stakeholders and industry partners for an insightful day of business opportunities, learning, and collaboration at the 2023 NLEX Transport Con in Westin Manila.
After the success of its launch last year, this much-anticipated conference further strengthened the transportation industry by providing an avenue to discuss the latest news on innovations, technological advancements, sustainable practices, and the impact of regulatory and policy changes. This also served as an opportunity to bond and work together with industry partners and stakeholders and go “Beyond the Road,” this year’s conference theme.
To inspire the participants, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation president and chief executive officer Rogelio L. Singson opened the conference by sharing the company’s initiatives and efforts in promoting sustainability and how the company stays engaged in public service and community engagement.
“We want to show you that MPTC-NLEX is more than just a toll road, we go beyond. In fact, what we want to do is to make sure that our partners, kayo in the transport sector, will be able to address and reach out to the different communities with us, so that, together, we will provide the life line, connecting people, connecting communities, and at the end of the day, help our nation grow,” said Singson.
Over 200 participants from 50 companies, composed of company owners and heads of various industries, thought leaders, and key people in government, collaborated in sharing innovative ideas on how to elevate the country’s transportation system by making it sustainable, transformative, and future-ready.
Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Thunborg shared the sustainable trends in transportation and logistics in Sweden. She said that changing mindsets is the key to efficient public transport systems.
“The transportation companies really need to work together. You all must agree that you would like to have a good system in place that is beneficial to everyone. This is the challenge that I see as an outsider, in Metro Manila in particular,” said Thunborg.
She also added that, “The vision needs to be what is best for the society, what is best for Metro Manila, not what is best for me and my company. It is important to have a long-term vision for what is best for the city.”
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., speaking on behalf of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, discussed the ongoing and upcoming public-private partnership projects to modernize the country’s infrastructure.
“Physical connectivity remains a budget priority, with more than 43 percent of the proposed national budget allocated for road networks and railway systems,” he said.
Noting that, “Under the stewardship of President Ferdinand Bongbong R. Marcos Jr., the government continues to seek ways in providing the country with a reliable and efficient transport service. The administration is heavily investing in mass transport systems such as the North-South Commuter Railway system, the Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1, LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project, the Philippine National Railways South Long-Haul Project, and the MRT 3 Rehabilitation Project.”
Other speakers who also gave their insights and shared their expertise on sustainable infrastructure and innovative transportation solutions were Clean Air Asia Sustainable Transport Lead Raymund Paolo Abad, DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Anneli Lontoc; Mober Technology, Pte Inc. Founder and CEO Dennis Ng; American Chamber of Commerce Philippines Chair Atty. Arnel Casanova; JICA Senior Representative Fukui Keisuke; MPTC Chief Transformation Officer Roberto V. Bontia; UP NCTS Professor & Research Extension Fellow Dr. Adrian Roy L. Valdez; Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines President Nastaran Reza Nazar Zadeh; and MPT Mobility Vice President for Smart Mobility Solutions Mark Richmund de Leon.
Mr. Obet Martin of Pasang Masda said that he appreciates how MPTC and NLEX look for new ideas to improve its technology and service.
“Saludo ako sa Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation dahil ‘yong mga plano niyo ay para sa ikabubuti ng mga motorista at lahat ng mga gumagamit ng kalsada,” he said.
NLEX President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista concluded the fruitful day, thanking NLEX valuable stakeholders and industry leaders.
“Labis ang kasiyahan ng Team NLEX na nakadalo kayo sa conference ngayong araw. Your presence spelled the difference in making this conference a big success. Together, we aim to champion sustainability, inclusion, and corporate social responsibility in the pursuit of our transport and energy-related goals,” Bautista said.
“Moving forward, we hope that Transport Con 2023 will be a source of inspiration to be proactive and to make a difference in the space and within the sphere we operate in. With our collective effort, we can build a nation that is progressive and sustainable, having learned from all the insights made available in this Conference,” Bautista added.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).