Tulabut: Winning moves. Winning hearts

ALMOST no opposition at all.

Surfing the net Monday night, I can only wonder why there has been very little or no objection at all to the recent toll fee increase at NLEX.

Usually the web, particularly social media like Facebook, would be awashed of complaints against toll hikes. I have expected some bashing from the public on the implemented increase. But, I was wrong.

Perhaps, what I was wrong about is to think that people would always have seemingly endless complaints as, more often than not, price increases are disliked to no end. That’s human nature.

But for NLEX, I think the lack of opposition would manifest people’s satisfaction on the kind of comfort and convenience they now get in traversing the 83-kilometer long expressway. Not only that it is minimal at two to three percent, but the increase, even this time of Pandemic seem justified.

After all, it was also approved by the Toll Regulatory Board. From Balintawak to Sta. Ines, the increase would only be equivalent to P6, P14 and P16 total additional cost, depending on vehicle classification. Such pittance for a recovery of multi-billion peso investments on improvements on the tollway alone.

***

NLEX Corporation, under the tutelage of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp, had implemented various improvements for the past few years. The latest of which is the completion of the retrofitting of Candaba Viaduct southbound.

It’s a link slab improvement (about 25 of them) on the southbound lane of the 5-kilometer bridge that links Bulacan and Pampanga. Perhaps, it is one of the most heavily pounded long bridge not just on NLEX but for the whole of Central and Northern Luzon. That’s because heavy payloaders like those 32-wheeler trucks carrying sand and gravel to construction sites in Metro manila and farther south.

Doing rehab work for a vital structure like that is no easy feat. NLEX Corp has to tap bright minds and engineering innovations for a four-year retrofitting work that started in 2019.

The bridge link slabs made of concrete that connect two bridge deck spans have been replaced with a pot bearing system to restore the driving comfort of motorists. Thirteen of these were completed in 2020 while the other 12 were undertaken this year. By July, there are four link slabs that will be replaced at the northbound portion to strengthen the bridge and boost road safety.

While for a brief period, motorists had to endure minor traffic during the rehab, the end result has vanished that in their minds. It’s all because of the comfort and safety they are experiencing while traversing the twin bridges.

The same is felt in the entirety of the vastly improved expressway.

***

You cannot put a good man down. His co-workers, protégés, subordinates included.

The recent announcement of a dismissal of malversation of public funds case by the Ombudsman against Mabalacat Mayor Cris Garbo proves how above board his transactions at the City Hall are.

This involves the hiring of Job Order (JO) personnel with special rates where the Ombudsman in a belated issuance of decision said “the funds allocated for the salaries of the JO personnel were applied to pay for the special rates JO personnel does not constitute technical malversation."

Thus, for lack of merit, the Ombudsman threw out the window the complaint filed by former City Councilors Jerry Basilio and Jeng Yumul who were understandably critical against Garbo.

This case was filed four months before the 2019 elections. It was one of the miscalculated and doomed strategy to defeat Garbo and his team in the political exercise that year. It was a total failure to pull down Garbo as he won the mayorship via landslide. Needless to say, it was a vindication for a Garbo and a misjudgment, a political suicide on the part of Yumul and Basilio, then re-electionists who landed 17th and 18th places in a field of 28 candidates for councilors then.

This case also manifests and reflects the legal genius in Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio, the City Administrator, who from the very beginning has been ensuring the tenability of all the transactions of Garbo, the city officials and department heads. Transparency and keeping government interests has always been his game. His actions also saved the day for City Human Resource Officer Merla De Leon, City Accountant Aileen Rigor, Acting City Treasurer Marlene Mendiola, and Assistant Budget Officer Narce Paquia.

There is a passage in the Bible that says “touch not the anointed”. This dismissal is one instance where Garbo, in Divine Providence, is on a mission just like the prophets of the olden days. Whoever is thinking of pulling him down by throwing him mud better be forewarned.

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CONGRATULATIONS to BDO for getting gold, silver, and bronze awards for its business innovation and effective communications in the 8th annual Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

This is like getting “Oscars” or “Grammys” for premier business operations. And we share the joy, prestige and pride as BDO won it in recognition for its innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. No wonder that whenever I go to a BDO branch, the atmosphere is just so likable and soothing. And their messages are so apt, relevant and timely as found in their videos and other PR campaigns. They indeed find ways in many business aspects.

As a Comms man myself, getting recognized also for Innovation in House Organizations and Publications under the Annual Report Awards & Other Publication Categories has always been a dream if not a coveted plum. Mind you, there were about 900 entries to this award and about 100 business executives around the globe served as judges.

Wow BDO. Take a bow.

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