Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. on Friday announced key appointments in major business units to “strengthen and integrate the increasingly complex business of constructing and managing expressways” in the Philippines and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“We are 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,” MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco.
MPTC said J. Luigi L. Bautista was appointed president and general manager of NLEX Corp. that currently oversees three concessions toward the northern part of Luzon-North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, and the NLEX Connector Road.
Also appointed was Roberto Bontia as president and general manager of MPT South Corp. and its two main expressway companies toward the south—Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. and MPCala Holdings Corp.
Bontia will lead the company that oversees the two southern concessions—CAVITEX and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway.
Raul Ignacio was named chief operating officer of NLEX.
Bautista, who earlier headed the concession companies south of Manila for six years was credited by Franco for the business unit’s growth in revenue and pipeline projects – citing Bautista’s “strong leadership.” Bautista was with NLEX for 15 years holding several senior executive positions.
His last post at the NLEX was as senior vice president of program management until he was assigned as president of Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. in January 2013.
Bontia, who replaces Bautista in the southern concession companies, 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 Corp.
Ignacio currently heads NLEX Corp.’s Tollway Development and Engineering division and is responsible for establishing and aligning the group’s standards on project management. In his capacity as NLEX COO, Ignacio will cover the operations and technology functions.