NLEX traffic nightmare: Just the beginning

The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) was virtually turned into a parking lot with vehicles caught in a 10-kilometer long traffic gridlock stretching from Meycauayan in Bulacan to Balintawak in Quezon City. Thousands of commuters are convinced they have developed urinary tract infection after enduring “six hours of traffic hell,” while many private car owners swore they will not travel through NLEX again without a “plastic bottle” to relieve themselves.

What people experienced last Friday is only the beginning with the situation expected to worsen as the number of vehicles will rise with more people added to the population that will likewise increase the number of commuters. It’s not as if the traffic problem is new and yet to this day we have not managed to find or implement viable solutions like an efficient mass transport system.

We will soon be like China where traffic jams in cities like Beijing and Shanghai can last as long as 12 hours during peak hours. In fact, there was a time four years ago when a massive traffic gridlock in a national highway lasted for 10 days, with vehicles moving at a pace of about one kilometer a day, exacerbated by a road maintenance work that was also being done.

People are asking the President to step in and take charge of the traffic mess that has become like a daily penance for hundreds of thousands of commuters. If the President wants to step in, then he should give an ultimatum to the DOTC and DPWH to fast track the transport/road infrastructure projects and get them moving. Even if these big-ticket PPP projects are not finished during the term of the President, at least they should already commence to give people some hope that there will literally be light at the end of the road.

Lets not hold our breath, however, since the smart guys at DOTC seem to be always embroiled in unnecessary legal problems that have also resulted in “traffic jams” as far as the vaunted PPP projects are concerned. So unless we can come up with flying cars, expect traffic in almost all major thoroughfares to move at a snail’s pace for the next two to three years – just like the DOTC.

MVP in demand

News headlines bannering that vice president Jejomar Binay has asked businessman Manny Pangilinan to be his running mate for the 2016 presidential elections is keeping business circles buzzing with speculations once again. Of late, the Veep has been rather outspoken about his wish to get a business whiz to help him run the country like a private corporation.

Everyone knows the success story of Manny Pangilinan and how he was able to turn a moribund PLDT into the country’s biggest firm by capitalization today – a veritable crown jewel whose market value is estimated at $17 billion. However, the way we see MVP’s body language, he doesn’t seem to be too keen about throwing his hat into the political “circus.”

A lot of people are convinced that Manny does not need the headache that politics can bring, and that he does not need any public office to help Filipinos considering that he is already doing a lot of charity and corporate social responsibility projects.  MVP is very much in demand, having his hands full with his involvement in sports like basketball. It is through his encouragement and sponsorship that the Gilas boys have been able to qualify for the FIBA World Cup in Spain – giving Filipinos a sense of pride and accomplishment. He is also very busy with acquisitions in the Asia Pacific region and Europe – spreading his business wings like an eagle flying all over the world. MVP can just continue being a kingmaker and help the country like what he has always been doing.

El Kapitan confirms (re) takeover

I talked to Philippine Airlines chairman Lucio Tan the other night and amidst all the confusing conjecture, he confirmed to me that negotiations for the buyout of the Ramon Ang/San Miguel group shares is finished. El Kapitan described it as a “win-win situation” for both parties. The LT group will retain full ownership of the flag carrier, which is considered a crown jewel because it represents the country, and many are hoping that the aggressive reforms that Ramon Ang started in PAL will be continued by the new-old owners, primary of which is the expansion of routes and the fleet modernization programs.

Some board members of San Miguel, including Danding Cojuangco, are actually relieved to be out of PAL. San Miguel shareholders were not too keen in the first place about the diversification into the airline business because conditions in the industry have not exactly been very encouraging in the past several years, with airlines having gone into bankruptcy like what happened to Kingfisher Airlines in India. The two tragic accidents involving Malaysia Airlines have also put the carrier on the verge of bankruptcy, with analysts predicting the airline will not survive within the year unless a massive cash infusion is made.

With the (re)takeover by the Lucio Tan Group, SMC is poised to concentrate in other more lucrative business projects like the power generation sector, infrastructure  and of course, its core businesses in the food and beverage industry. I’m told the final details of the agreement will be made known this week.

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