THE so-called MVP Group — composed of listed companies PLDT Inc., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and their respective subsidiaries — has committed to be on round-the-clock operations to prepare for the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly.
Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of the listed firms that have interests in telco, power, and tollways businesses, said the companies’ operations centers are manned 24 hours to keep watch of any disturbance that the super typhoon may bring.
“We have mobilized the group’s foundations to do relief and medical work in the wake of Typhoon Rolly. Our restoration teams from PLDT-Smart and from Meralco are also on alert,” Mr. Pangilinan said in a social media post Saturday night.
The super typhoon made its first landfall in the Philippines on Sunday morning and continues to hit parts of the country as of writing. The government has raised tropical cyclone warnings in areas anticipated to be hit, such as Metro Manila, which is under Signal No. 4.
In a statement on Sunday, the MVP Group said it deployed a “Smart Store on Wheels” in Aurora, Bataan, Bicol, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales to provide free calls, Wi-Fi connection and a charging station to affected communities.
Meralco has also rolled out efforts to mitigate the impact of the super typhoon to power connectivity, and remains on standby for possible outages.
The MVP Group operates the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx), and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Denise A. Valdez
