A pitiful 300 kilometers of tollways

Those who have been traveling by land lately, especially those who have had the chance to go up north or down south of the metro last Holy Week have undoubtedly experienced the comfort and convenience of having toll ways. Although there may still be some minor convenience glitches to fine tune — like having to queue again to get to another toll way that’s being managed by a different operator instead of having just one card or one electronic pass to be used for both — the ease and speed of travel offered by these tollways cannot be denied.  

In our exclusive one-on-one interview with business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan, which we aired last week on the Motoring Forum portion of our TV show Motoring Today (12 noon, Sunday, Solar Sports Channel, Sky and Global Destiny Cable Networks), we learned that the Philippines has a pathetic 300 kilometers of toll ways compared to the thousands that some of our neighbors in the region have. 

Small wonder why despite being presently in the midst of a myriad of business interests, businessman/philanthropist MVP (that’s following Mr. Pangilinan’s initials while some of his believers say the letters stand for Most Valuable Pinoy), he has taken on road-building as one of his major contributions to nation-building considering that more and better roads translate to hastened progress as goods, services and people get to travel faster and farther. 

MVP chairs Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) with subsidiaries Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) and Tollways Management Corporation (TMC), the conglomerate that is presently involved in the running of the NLEX and SCTEX, is actively into mega road-building projects like the proposed Connector Road Project that aims to connect the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to the Manila Harbor. The project has two stages; the first would connect Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City in Bulacan and the other would connect MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City to Manila’s Harbor. As the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) presently deals with the right of way requirements of the project, the first stage is set to start in the fourth quarter of the present year while the next stage by 2013.

Mr. Pangilinan adds that there is also a project that would connect Mindanao Avenue to Katipunan Avenue and another that would connect Manila Harbor to the Buendia Skyway.

With the mention of all these road projects of the government in partnership with the private sector, I can almost hear the loud question from the motoring public as to how much it would have to shell out to make use of the said alternative arterial roads. Now having to ask the question is a good sign as it is an admission that such improvements cannot be done alone by the government and would need private investments, which in turn must have some kind of return. The important thing for everybody to keep in mind is that these are alternative carriages or optional routes. There are existing roads that would still bring everyone to the destinations that these new roads would offer. However, should a better, more convenient and faster alternative be opted, then there’s a price to be paid.

That’s the price of progress.

Back to school with the Road Safety seminars

As students take their yearly summer break, the men and women of Socio Com Foundation for Asia and Sunshine Television (STV) continue their nonstop work on their advocacy to promote the safe and responsible use of roads by way of conducting free seminars and workshops to high school students.

The Young Street Smarts (YSS) Road Safety School Tour takes on the different high schools in Metro Manila and adjoining provinces as school-year 2012-2013 starts in June.

Started three years ago, schools where the seminar/workshops were held in its first year in 2010 have started communicating with the organizers for a repeat. Both teachers and parents who attended the seminars have found the exercise most valuable in instilling road safety and discipline in the young minds of their students, aside from themselves.

The seminar/workshops have been designed to be proactive and alive aside from being highly informative. The organizers and lecturers make use of contests in order to ensure students’ participation and continued attention. Prizes donated by participating sponsors are generously given away for answering certain simple questions relevant to the topic of road safety or for mere participation in the discussions and in the games.

To date 18 schools have been visited by the YSS Road Safety School Tour reaching more than 5,000 students at an average of 300 per school, the most number of which was during the workshop conducted at the Rizal High School, which had an attendance of more than 700 students. Despite the desire of the organizers to take on more schools on any given school year, the very tight yearlong schedule of most schools limits this possibility. Socio Com and STV aim to again conduct the teach-ins in at least 10 schools this school year. Of course schools that come forward to request for the seminar/workshop would have priority. For teachers or parents who would want to take on the offer of these free road safety seminars, just write to [email protected] or to [email protected].

So far some of the schools that have been visited by the YSS Road Safety School Tour are Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, Rizal High School in Pasig, Sitero Francisco National HS in Valenzuela City, Makati Hope Christian School in Makati, St. Anthony School in Manila, St. Joseph’s College in Quezon City, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Bulacan State University in Malolos, Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong, La Consolacion College in Manila, Miriam High School, Don Bosco Academy in Pampanga, Claret School in Quezon City, Jose Rizal University, Pampanga High School, Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School and Pasig Catholic College

The continuing project was backed in the past two school years by the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Air 21, Prudential Guarantee Assurance and a host of responsible corporate citizens in the local automobile industry that have taken it upon themselves to support the road safety advocacy of which they are major stakeholders like Asian Carmakers (BMW), Cats Motors (Mercedes-Benz), Columbian Autocar Corp (Kia), Covenant Car Company (Chevrolet), PGA Cars (Audi), Mitsubishi Motors Phils., Toyota Motor Phils., and Viking Cars (Volvo).

We appeal to other corporate citizens that are concerned about the safety of our children on the road to help us with this advocacy. Everybody is a stakeholder in this worldwide concern to promote road safety and reduce injuries and loss of life from road accidents especially among the children.        

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments: (e-mail) [email protected].