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A FRIEND
of mine, who now lives in Los Angeles, California, loves
to say, “The difference is the same.”
I
remembered him while I was trying to figure out just a
while back the difference between the 1.6 and the 1.8
Corolla Altis.
Seemingly, no difference at all.
Both run
smoothly—and fast. Fuel-efficient. No drag. Luxurious
driving.
I raced
the 1.6 Altis to 140 kph on the world-class Nlex (North
Luzon Expressway). It responded exceedingly well.
I pushed
the 1.8 Altis to 160 kph on the impeccable Skyway.
Chicken feed.
The
wipers are with sensors. At the slightest sign of rain
showers, they switch on automatically.
I had my
first 1.8G Altis in 2001. I became so attached to it
that I seldom use it for the sheer joy of just watching
it sit by the garage for the most part of the year. I’m
in love with it ’til eternity. Why, because it became
the bridal car in December 2001 of Malaya, the youngest
daughter of writer-journalist Sol F. Juvida.
When I
drove the second-generation 1.6 and 1.8 Altis just weeks
apart (I don’t know why Ana Agregado wanted it that
way—a first ever for me), I couldn’t distinguish which
is which.
So, you
buy the 1.6 Altis, fine. You buy the 1.8 Altis, fine.
The
difference is the same.
****
THERE is
a whiff of good news for northbound motorists, thanks
once again to Ping de Jesus, the top honcho of MNTC
(Manila North Tollways Corp.) that operates the Nlex.
Starting
on Tuesday, July 1, Class 1 vehicles that travel the
entire 84-km Nlex from Balintawak to Santa Ines in
Mabalacat, Pampanga, will be reduced by P6, Class 2 by
P14 and Class 3 by P17.
Done
upon instructions of Ate Glow, the reduction is the
second implemented in 18 months. The first time the
tolls were slashed was done on January 1, 2007.
The new
rates will last up to December 31, 2010, unless, of
course, Ate Glow would butt in again and declare further
reduction.
The
reductions weren’t that much, but in these difficult
times when the price of oil in the world market has
almost breached the $140-to-a-barrel listing—in the
country, a liter of gas costs almost P60—they are more
than good enough.
Anything
these days that redounds to slashes in budgets for daily
survival is manna from heaven.
AND,
while we are at it, let me say it again here that Nlex
has never stopped to amaze me—positively, that is.
It was
only a while back when I devoted my entire column to a
continuing Drivers’ Forum being conducted through
collaboration between the MNTC, the builder and
concessionaire of Nlex, and its public relations
consultant Creative Point International in a bid to make
our road networks a lot safer than safe. But I just
can’t resist the urge of writing another interesting
narrative about the corporation.
This
time, the MNTC grabs another feather in its cap,
courtesy of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that gave
the Lopez-led company flying colors in meeting its
primary development objectives.
I had
come across a detailed report of the ADB on MNTC
operations, speaking glowingly about how the Nlex is
being run.
“The
development impact of the project [Nlex] is excellent,”
the ADB evaluation report said.
****
The ADB,
by the way, partly financed the massive rehabilitation
of the dilapidated North Diversion, whose birth dates
back to the ’60s in the halcyon days of Beatlemania and
flower people.
Aptly
renamed North Luzon Expressway, or Nlex, the ADB
extended a huge $70-million loan to jumpstart the
resuscitation of a dying milestone that became one of
the landmarks of the brilliant, though unlamented,
Marcos regime.
Of
course, the loan gave the bank the privilege to keep tab
of MNTC’s performance as chief proponent of the 84-km
toll road.
It’s
kind of making sure that the money was well spent. I
guess that’s standard practice for international
financing institutions.
Obviously, the ADB didn’t just make a cursory inspection
of the Nlex and simply wrote “Excellent” in its Extended
Annual Review Report. The bank used at least four
criteria in coming up with the high rating for MNTC.
****
THE
criteria are: (1) Private sector development, (2)
Business success, (3) Economic sustainability and (4)
Environment, health and safety performance.
For us
to know how the MNTC fared in each criterion, let’s look
at the ADB report more closely.
In the
private sector development category:
The Nlex
holds the record of being the first major expressway in
the country to be built, operated and maintained
according to international standards by a privately
owned company.
“Because
the project has reaped benefits for the country, other
developing countries view it as a model for government
and private sector partnership,” the ADB noted.
In terms
of business success: Traffic volume “increased
significantly” during the first two years of Nlex’s
operations, resulting in a proportionate growth in
revenues for the MNTC.
In
economic sustainability: MNTC got a “satisfactory”
rating.
In the
environment, health and safety department: MNTC got an
“E” for Excellent. According to the ADB, the company has
established a management system that keeps policies and
procedures attuned to international standards.
But more
important, at least to MNTC creditors, the Nlex
concessionaire services its debt obligations on time.
Didn’t I
write in a previous column that Ping de Jesus, president
and CEO of MNTC, is a perfectionist? We can thank our
lucky stars we have him to manage the Nlex, making sure
that everything runs in clockwork precision and gives no
client any reason to complain.
Again,
take a bow, Ping. |
