FWD Life Philippines (FWD Insurance) and AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.(AC Infra) has officially launched the newly renamed FWD-Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX).
“The partnership, it’s really us two organizations that share the same value. In terms of commitments, I guess what FWD is really looking for is to create a touch point with their customers and, at the same time, for us, I guess, to uphold that value of safety and basically good service to our motorists. Together, we see that there’s a lot of opportunity to achieve those goals,” AC Infra Chief Operating Officer Noel Kintanar told reporters in an recent interview following the kickoff event held at the Acacia Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Formally just called the MCX, it serves as a crucial artery between Muntinlupa and Cavite. It connects the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) to Daang Hari, Cavite.
The FWD-MCX, he added, now serves around 35,000 motorists and commuters daily from just an average of 12,000 in 2015. The toll road has also shortened what was once a 20-minute drive from Daang Hari road to Slex to only a three-minute journey.
“What we translate to that is because their travel time is fast, they are not stuck in traffic. Actually, they can save about 200 million liters of fuel [annually]. So even aside from the time and the convenience, there’s an environmental impact in a positive way that we’d like to believe at MCX. And that’s a big thing,” said Kintanar, who is also president of MCX Tollway Inc.
The road users not only have benefited from these, but also the enterprises and industries that abound in the area.
“The FWD-MCX contributes to economic progress by enabling businesses to expand their geographic market reach outside of Metro Manila,” said Jose L. Cuisia Jr., FWD Insurance chairman of the board and former ambassador to the United States. “The expressway serves as a critical route for their operations and opens up opportunities for them to serve immediate local communities.”
This Expressway Sponsorship Program deal, per FWD Insurance President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes, is “an exciting new venture,” such that it’s a pioneering initiative for a local insurer.
“We’re excited to touch more lives as we play a role in building a more connected and progressive society,” he said. “Much like how the newly unveiled FWD-MCX stands as a symbol of progress—now and in the future—we aim to encourage Filipinos everywhere to progress by empowering them to live life to the fullest, covered by our customer-led product innovations as part of our vision to change the way people feel about insurance.”
As part of this initiative, FWD Insurance will be providing a one-year P500,000 worth accidental insurance coverage to 500 customers. They just need to go to bit.ly/SignUpForOffer and enter their details to qualify for the special offer, subject to terms and conditions.
“But as we move to next year, there will be programs that are really tailored-fit for the toll-road users. This is because our immediate goal is really helping the community within that area and then helping them to be progressive in terms of their lives,” added Rochelle R. Vandenberghe, vice president and head of marketing at FWD Insurance.
The commercial partnership between FWD, which is part of pan-Asian FWD Group, and AC Infra, a fully owned unit of the Ayala Corp., is good for about 10 to 15 years.