MPTC outlines initiatives for road safety month

MANILA: With its 'Mission: Road Safety' campaign, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp (MPTC), the top provider of mobility infrastructure and solutions in the Philippines, joins the nation in recognizing road safety month. With this project, MPTC hopes to strengthen the three-pronged approach to safety that it uses for its expressways: safe self, safe car, and safe roads.

In order to ensure the general public and motorists' safety while traveling along MPTC expressways in Luzon and Visayas — NLEX, SCTEX, NLEX Connector, CALAX, CAVITEX, CAVITEX C5 Link, and CCLEX (Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway) — "Mission: Road Safety" institutionalized road safety awareness seminars and digital information campaigns.

According to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), transport accidents in the Philippines result in an average of 345 fatalities each day.

“Road safety is at the core of Metro Pacific Tollways’ business. We have advanced protocols in place to avoid untoward incidents, we have responsive on-ground and 24/7 hotline personnel to ensure that our motorists are well attended to, expressways that are built for safety, and employees who have a passion for innovation to explore more ways to better serve our stakeholders,” MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco explained how safety remains
the top tier in the list of priorities of the group.

Educating Motorists and Commuters

Through their respective signature programs, the Biyahero Road Safety Caravan and the Drayberks Drive Road Safety Seminars, MPTC units NLEX Corp and Metro Pacific Tollways South (MPT South) have already established their efforts in the road safety awareness arena.

 

These programs emphasized the necessity of roadworthiness for vehicles, proper expressway driving, traffic laws and regulations, and driver and passenger preparation. A campaign run by Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), “Istorya Ta Bai" promotes safe driving practices and informs drivers of the CCLEX, a famous toll bridge in Cebu.

‘Per Stakeholder’ Approach

Business units focus on different stakeholders that they may use to amplify MPTC's safety goal in order to enhance their efforts. A forum called NLEX Usapang Driver aims to inform drivers from bus and trucking firms about safe expressway driving. Over seven bus companies and thirteen haulage businesses have so far taken part in this program. The unit also offers the Kaligtasan sa Daan (KalSaDa) program, which educates community partners and nearby barangays about road safety.

The 'Nickelodeon Safety First with PAW Patrol' campaign, which promotes safety messaging for kids, was introduced by NLEX and Paramount Consumer Products last November. Until June 2023, the safety warnings can be visible on billboards and banners at toll plazas along the massive NLEX road network.

The Bayani ng Kalsada (BayaniKa) program from MPT South educates children about traffic signs and makes them aware of the rules of the road, especially on expressways. Over 800 schoolchildren from the host communities have benefited from it since its commencement in 2022.

Safety During Peak Travel Seasons

During peak travel seasons and holidays, MPTC units from North to South intensify their operations under the ‘Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko’ initiative. Over 1,200 patrol crews, traffic marshals, and security teams are deployed to ensure effective traffic management along its busy expressways. Emergency medical services and incident response teams are also fielded at strategic areas.

All of these initiatives are in line with the resolution on "Improving global road safety" that the UN General Assembly adopted, which set the lofty goal of preventing at least 50% of traffic-related deaths and injuries by 2030. MPTC echoes the UN's thrust in its corporate sustainability strategic goals by consistently enhancing its services and offering a first-rate customer experience to its stakeholders.

In addition to its tollways, MPTC developed the MPT DriveHub app that puts expressway services in the hands of the user to improve the travel experience. The MPT DriveHub app allows easy reloading of RFID accounts, has real-time traffic updates of its seven expressways, and enables users to call for 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.

Photos from Metro Pacific Tollways Corp (MPTC)

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