MPT Mobility eyes smart solutions under PPP, submits P2.5-B unsolicited bid

MPT Mobility, the innovation arm of Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), is eyeing a collaboration with local government units (LGUs) under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme to address mobility challenges in their areas through technology-driven solutions.

In a Viber message to reporters on Tuesday, MPT Mobility assistant vice president for corporate affairs Leo Gonzales said the company submitted its first unsolicited proposal to its first target city.

However, Gonzales declined to identify the LGU where it submitted its P2.5-billion unsolicited bid.

He said the unsolicited bid "is the result of a comprehensive study of the target city and only after many months of collaborative discussions, research, and analysis."

In 2021, MPTC launched MPT Mobility, a new unit that consolidated all of the company’s non-toll-related enterprises to provide mobility solutions harnessing digital technology on its toll roads.

Gonzales said the company's PPP collaboration with LGUs seeks to provide "integrated and interconnected, systems tailor-fit to the needs of the target city."

This may include, he said, advanced traffic management solutions, area-based monitoring and enforcement capabilities, a smart command center, smart parking systems, efficient public transportation and fleet management solutions, peak-hour congestion pricing solutions, and roadside assistance support.

The MPT Mobility official added that its mobility solutions also need to be complemented by relevant policy support from the LGUs.

"A crucial component of the entire project is the support and willingness of the LGU to enact the needed local policies and ordinances to ensure that project components work to their fullest," Gonzales said.

He added that the contract period with LGUs "will 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 about their transportation and mobility problems and hopefully pursue discussions and studies with them to determine if our integrated solutions are really what they need. Each urban center is unique, so the solutions we can offer them may be varied," he said.

"[There are] no specific plans yet for the rollout, but we are considering three to four urban centers to start discussions with," he added.

For its tech-driven solutions, MPT Mobility has partnered with Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd., a Singapore-based company known for its solutions that help to create smart and sustainable transportation systems.

ST Engineering has 800 smart city projects in over 150 countries worldwide, according to MPT Mobility. —VBL, GMA Integrated News