CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City — After completing the refurbishment of the male barracks at the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in January, NLEX Corporation will continue to assist the unified command in repairing the transient facility, this time for the female military personnel with Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited as its partner.
The facility, located inside Camp General Servillano Aquino in Tarlac City, serves as lodging for military and civilian guests who are on official or personal travel near the vicinity of the command.
The contract signing held recently was led by NLEX Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista, Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited Country Manager and President Kits V. Chuidian, and NOLCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Fernyl G. Buca, PAF.
“We believe the support for our military personnel should not only come from national and local governments but also from the private sector which greatly benefits from the services provided by NOLCOM. As this esteemed institution is committed to protect the people in our area of responsibility, we are as committed to giving them a more comfortable place where they could rest and relax. This is our simple way of thanking them for their service,” said MPTC business consultant Rodrigo E. Franco, who is also the head of the Resource Planning and Generation of NOLCOM’s Multi-Sector Governance Council (MSGC).
The project, which will be undertaken by NLEX and Leighton at their own cost, involves the replacement of the roof, column supports, and ceiling of the facility, renovation of the lobby and entrance walkway, and installation of barracks with toilet and bath.
The initiative is part of NLEX’s corporate social responsibility program to give back to communities and other stakeholders as it credits NOLCOM for playing a big role in securing the safety and welfare of the people under its command, as well as the motorists traveling to and from north Luzon through NLEX and SCTEX.
Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited expressed its appreciation for being part of the project.
“Across our business, Leighton Asia operates with a strong focus on social responsibility to create a positive impact in the areas where we are present. We also realize that the focus of our efforts must be extended to those who protect and safeguard our communities,” said Chuidian.
He added that “We would like to honor the contributions and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform by committing to deliver a safe and quality transient facility to afford our uniformed personnel with a comfortable and livable abode so they can better serve our country and the Filipino people.”
Lt. Gen. Buca also voiced out his gratitude to NLEX and Leighton for extending their assistance in completing the project.
“I cannot think of an appropriate word to thank everybody, especially NLEX and Leighton. With NLEX’s continued support and assistance in completing the refurbishment of the whole facility, we can now provide our troops with a decent place to rest. We would also like to thank the members of MSGC for looking for partners to improve our facility.”
Buca added that the project highlights the strong partnership between the military and the private sector.
In January this year, NLEX Corporation and construction firm EEI Corporation turned over to NOLCOM the refurbished phase 1 of the transient facility. Now, NLEX and Leighton target to finish phase 2 of the project before the year ends.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). (UnliNews Online)
