Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll roads arm of Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, has made key appointments at its major business units in a continuing program to “strengthen and integrate the increasingly complex business of constructing and managing expressways” in the Philippines and other member countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
MPTC in a statement said J. Luigi L. Bautista has been appointed president and general manager of NLEX Corporation, which currently oversees three concessions towards the northern part of Luzon: the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and NLEX Connector Road.
Also appointed was Roberto V. Bontia as president and general manager of MPT South Corporation and its two main expressway companies towards the south—Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC) and MPCala Holdings Corp. Bontia will lead the company in overseeing the two southern concessions Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEX).
Raul L. Ignacio, meanwhile, was named chief operating officer (COO) of NLEX Corporation.
MPTC explained that even as it pursues expansion activities, it needs to strengthen the management of its business units that directly oversee the activities of its various expressways; hence, the recent key appointments.
MPTC president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco explained that MPTC’s “management depth is invaluable as the Group continues to streamline and integrate all our businesses.” He described the group’s expansion program as being characterized by magnitude and complexity of operations, thus requiring building a business structure in terms of geographic coverage.
Franco also noted how MPTC’s business continues to grow, and how the group is “simultaneously working on several multi-billion-peso projects in various locations, and even extended our investments to three neighboring ASEAN countries.”
“While we face numerous challenges, we look forward to the future with a healthy dose of optimism.”
Franco cited the “strong leadership” of Bautista, who earlier headed the concession companies south of Manila for six years, for the business unit’s growth in revenue and pipeline projects. Before this, Bautista was with NLEX Corporation for 15 years holding several senior executive positions. His last post at NLEX was as senior vice president of program management, a position he held until he was named president of Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. in January 2013.
Bontia, who replaced Bautista, held several senior management roles in the tollways group. He handled the group-wide operations and technology team in the business units and concurrently is president and CEO of Tollways Management Corporation.
Ignacio currently heads NLEX Corporation’s tollways development and engineering division and is responsible for establishing and aligning the group’s standards on project management. As NLEX Corporation’s new COO, Ignacio will cover the operations and technology functions.
