Thai oil firm doubles budget for PH expansion
MANILA, Philippines–PTT Philippines Inc. may spend twice as much for its expansion as originally planned as the oil company ratchets up the number of service stations it will roll out throughout the country.
Company CEO Wisarn Chawalitanon told reporters that the Thai-led oil firm would be putting up 200 stations in five years from the previous target of eight to 10 years.
PTT Philippines currently has 70 service stations nationwide. This means the company will have to spend much more than the original budget of P2.1 billion to put up 75 new stations in five years.
“That [budget] may double, or more than double,” he said.
Of the Thai firm’s current network, 15 were opened in 2013. The stations are located at the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Pangasinan, Laguna and Quezon.
PTT Philippines also said that it would want to renovate existing stations, build additional depots and storage facilities, and set up coffee shops and convenience stores in service areas.
The majority of the company’s service stations in the country are of the standard type while a few larger ones are considered premium stores.
The largest PTT station is located at Lucena, Quezon.
Coming soon is the first-of-its-kind, theme-park type station, according to PTT Philippines.
That station will be even bigger than all the other existing stations and will contain more greenery and amenities for customers.
The first such station will be built on the Macangcung service area of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) next year.
PTT has already signed a 25-year lease with the Bases and Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
BCDA president Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said at the signing ceremony that the two-hectare property to be developed by PTT Philippines would be located at Barangay (village3) Santiago, Concepcion in Tarlac on the northbound side of SCTEx’s Clark-Tarlac segment.
“It is the only station that motorists can use if they intend to travel unimpeded and exit at the end of the TPLEx (Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway) on their way to Baguio, La Union and Ilocos,” Casanova said.
“The location of the service area is strategic in the sense that it is the only service area that motorists can stop over, so far, before they exit the SCTEx and TPLEx,” he added.
In developing the SCTEx Macangcung service area, PTT will have to establish a gasoline station; maintain clean, well-kept and separate rest rooms and wash rooms for men and women; open an emergency vehicle repair shop; operate a convenience and/or grocery store; provide sufficient and adequate parking space for all types of vehicles; maintain a well-stocked emergency first aid station; provide sufficient potable water and adequate lighting system; and maintain an adequate solid waste and used oil collection and disposal system.
Based on the contract, the service area must also have a restaurant and/or cafeteria; operational telecommunications facilities; operational public telephone communication (PTC) outlets; adequate number of security guards; operational VHF communication equipment that may be accessed with the tollway O&M Service Provider’s frequency; and other such necessary services.
