Ex-PAL chief Gilbert Santa Maria tapped to steer MVP's tollway unit
Gilbert Gabriel F. Santa
Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), the Philippines’ leading infrastructure investments company, has appointed former Philippine Airlines President Gilbert Gabriel F. Santa Maria as the new President and CEO of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), effective Sept. 1, 2025.
Santa Maria succeeds Jose Maria K. Lim, who assumed the role of interim president to help stabilize MPTC’s leadership. He will continue to serve as a Director of MPTC and MPIC, including their subsidiaries and affiliates.
As President and CEO, Santa Maria will lead MPTC’s strategic growth while strengthening its customer-centric approach to serve millions of motorists and the commuting public across its tollway network.
He will help optimize the company’s operations while steering its continued expansion of toll road businesses in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Santa Maria is a seasoned executive with more than three decades of leadership experience in corporate governance, financial restructuring, and large-scale operations.
He previously served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Philippine Airlines Inc., where he guided the flag carrier through a successful business pivot and Chapter 11 restructuring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MPTC also announced changes in other key leadership positions. Luis Reñon will assume the role of President and General Manager of NLEX Corporation, while Andrew Pangilinan of Metro Pacific Water will concurrently take on the role of President and General Manager of MPT South, which manages CAVITEX and CALAX.
Meanwhile, Marisa Conde, Vice President for Technical Finance, S&A at MPIC, will join MPTC as Officer-in-Charge and interim Chief Finance Officer.
MPTC, the country’s largest toll road developer and operator, manages major expressways including the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX), Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), and the NLEX Connector Road.