MPTC unit mulls CAVITEx spur road to Sangley

A UNIT OF Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is considering the construction of an eightkilometer spur road from the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx) to Sangley, Cavite.

Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC) President Luigi L. Bautista told reporters on Thursday the company is monitoring the developments in the former US naval facility, which may be developed into an international airport.

“There’s a spur road to Sangley. It’s a provision that was part of the feasibility study (for Segment 5 of CAVITEx). So we will closely monitor what would be the direction for Sangley,” he said.

He added, “If there’s a positive development in Sangley, kung sigurado na talaga [if it is sure], we will do a full blown feasibility study. But in our plans right now, it’s part of the footprint, the network that we are developing for Sangley. We will also have to talk to PRA (Philippine Reclamation Authority).”

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) said last week it has given the provincial government of Cavite its approval for the Remulla clan’s proposal to pursue a government-togovernment endeavour to build a new international gateway in the south.

The Segment 5 of CAVITEx is an extension of the expressway from Kawit to Rosario, and may be extended up to Tanza and Naig. Mr. Bautista said the project would cost about P22.5 billion based on their feasibility study.

If CIC eventually decides to push through with the Sangley spur road plan, Mr. Bautista noted this would have to be an unsolicited proposal, as it is no longer covered by the government concession agreement.

Meanwhile, CIC is now targeting to submit towards the end of August its feasibility study for Segment 5 of CAVITEx after a month of delay.

Mr. Bautista noted they originally planned to submit it to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) on July.

“We needed to check the traffic numbers. The traffic numbers are inputs to the financial model. We have to make sure that the project is financially viable before we submit it to the TRB,” he said.

The Segment 5 extension is still part of its concession agreement with the government, along with it is the Segment 4 extension that will connect CAVITEx to the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).

MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC). MPIC is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kongbased First Pacific Co. Ltd., others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. —