By Ron Cervantes

October 9, 2025, NLEX Corporation has received its confirmation of its successful completion of the surveillance audit, covering its six (6) certified ISO management systems under its belt, namely, ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS), ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), ISO 39001 Road Traffic Safety Management System (RTSMS), ISO 50001 Energy Management System (EnMS), and ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). The audit was conducted in two phases, from September 30 to October 3, and then from October 8 to 9.

The opening meeting was led by the ISO Management Representative and Compliance and Business Excellence (CBE) – Head, Hasmin A. Co, and Business Process Excellence – Head, Katherine V. Alfaro. Together with them are the members of the extended management committee consists of NLEX Corp. President and General Manager, Luis S. Reñon, Head – Toll Operations and CBE, West D. Dionisio, Chief Finance Officer, Maria Theresa O. Wells, VP – Asset Management Division (AMD), Jennifer Jane T. Go, VP – Customer and Stakeholders Management (CSM), Donna F. Marcelo, Head – Road Safety and Facility Security, Atty. Noreen Bernadette S. San Luis, VP – Supply Chain Management, Jun dela Cruz, AVP – Supply Chain Management, Ivygail M. Casipe, VP – Treasury, Risk and Insurance, Ronald T. Dulatre, HR Business Partner Lead, Sigrid C. Shun, and AVP – Technology, Avelino H. Salazar.

“ We want to focus on (the) safety of our motorists and the convenience. (So dalawa lang, safe and convenient), We want NLEX to be safe and convenient for all motorists. Kaya, very simple ang message namin to our employees. Which we would like everyone to engage to work towards that,”  LSR said during the opening meeting, explaining the importance of the ISO management systems to improve the safety and convenience of the stakeholders.

The audit conducted this year involved a comprehensive review of the organization’s processes, both through detailed table audits and on-site evaluations. These activities are targeted to assess continued conformance to ISO standards, ensuring that operational practices remain aligned with the requirements of the acquired ISO certifications.

On the other hand, the audit for BCMS and RTSMS includes a simulation exercise (SIMEX). This SIMEX involves various teams depicting their processes responding to a road crash incident and the recovery of the operations in the aftermath of a flooding scenario.

The audit provided an opportunity for NLEX Corp. to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining high standards and driving continuous improvement across its operations. It received an outstanding result from the audit, obtaining the following.

ISO 50001 EnMS: Strength – 3; Opportunities for Improvement – 9; Nonconformity – 0

ISO 9001 QMS/ ISO 14001 EMS/ ISO 45001 OHSMS: Strength – 6; Opportunities for Improvement – 13; Nonconformity – 0

ISO 39001 RTSMS: Strength – 1; Opportunities for Improvement – 2; Nonconformity – 0

ISO 22301 BCMS: Strength – 2; Opportunities for Improvement – 5; Nonconformity – 0

The team from DQS Philippines, the certifying body of NLEX Corp., was composed of the following competent auditors: for IMS (QMS, EMS, OSHMS), Engr. Albert Montano, Engr. Edgardo Peria, and Ms. Gwendolyn Red; for EnMS, Engr. Marlo Aquino; for RTSMS and BCMS, Engr. Romy Zamora.

Prior to the surveillance audit, NLEX Corporation launched a roadshow titled ISOperhero: ISO Management Systems Roadshow, aimed at raising employee awareness of the six ISO management systems and their contribution to organizational excellence.

To make the standards more engaging, CBE creatively incorporated comic book characters to represent each ISO standard. Echoing the iconic quote popularized by Spider-Man — “With great power comes great responsibility” — the roadshow emphasized that every employee plays a vital role in the organization’s success.

This year’s surveillance audit marks another milestone for NLEX Corporation, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to excellence, sustainability, safety, and resilience across all aspects of its operations.

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