MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) looks to sign contracts with local government units for the rollout of a solution that will address traffic problems at the ground level.
According to MPT Mobility assistant vice president for corporate affairs Leo Gonzales, the firm is talking to several LGUs for the implementation of the Smart Urban Mobility (SUM) Solutions.
Gonzales said MPT Mobility wants to offer the suite of services under SUM Solutions to LGUs, especially as it can be adjusted to the needs of a locality.
“The contract period would vary depending on the systems and solutions that the LGU and MPT Mobility decide to pursue. We also plan to approach other key urban centers to understand more their transport and mobility problems and hopefully pursue discussions and studies with them to determine if our integrated solutions are really what they need,” Gonzales said.
“Each urban center is unique, so the solutions we can offer them may be varied. No specific plan yet for the rollout, but we are considering at least three to four urban centers to start discussions with,” he said.
SUM Solutions extends multiple services that LGUs can tap to mitigate traffic problems, such as area-based monitoring and enforcement capabilities.
It can also provide a smart command center, smart parking systems, fleet management solutions and peak-hour congestion pricing.
Likewise, Gonzales said SUM Solution allows clients to request for roadside assistance support when traffic congestion is caused by a vehicular accident.
However, Gonzales said MPT Mobility requires support and willingness from the LGU for SUM Solutions to work in a locality. The LGU, in particular, has to enact ordinances and policies that will complement the components and services of the project.
Prior to this, MPTC, the parent unit of MPT Mobility, filed a P2.5 billion proposal for the use of its traffic solutions. The firm said that it came up with the menu of services after studying traffic conditions in multiple cities and municipalities.
In developing SUM Solutions, MPT Mobility tapped transport specialist Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. given its portfolio of delivering smart city projects for more than 150 countries worldwide.
MPT Mobility hopes to work with LGUs for the rollout of SUM Solutions, picking up optimism from the success of Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway as a public-private partnership at the local level.