P118-B projects can collect toll

The TRB has instructed the TWG to discuss the details of the project with the JV that will be the basis of the concession agreements

The South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) Toll Road 5 and Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) projects which have a total cost of P118 billion to build have been designated as toll road projects, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), an agency under the Department of Transportation (DoTr), has indicated.

In a TRB resolution dated 29 June 2020, the two road projects were declared as toll roads upon the request of and based on the proposal submitted by the joint venture of the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) and San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC).

With the declaration, a technical working group of the TRB, composed of representatives from the DOTr, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Finance, and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), as well as the private sector, is now in discussion with representatives of the joint venture (JV) on the technical, financial and legal details of the two projects that will lead to the finalization of the concession agreement.

San Miguel, PNCC team up

“The PNCC-SMHC joint venture said the two projects have their respective basic designs. The TRB has instructed the TWG to discuss the details of the project with the JV that will be the basis of the concession agreements. We are also waiting for the JV to submit certain requirements,” TRB Executive Director Abraham Sales said.

Construction of the two projects is being eyed to start within the remaining two years of the Duterte administration,” sales added.

The TR5 is a four-lane toll road that starts from the terminal point of the SLEx TR4 Project at Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in Quezon and ends at Matnog, Sorsogon, near the Matnog Ferry Terminal.

Construction of the two projects is being eyed to start within the remaining two years of the Duterte administration.

The toll road is approximately 420-kilometers long, and will be composed of eight segments and a total of 28 interchanges.

The project has an estimated cost of P22.6-billion for the first segment and has an implementation period of 24 months.

Through its legislative franchise, PNCC has the authority to construct, maintain and operate the South Luzon Expressway and Skyway Stages 1, 2, 3 and all extensions, linkages or stretches from any part of the existing toll roads.

Manila to Rizal in record time

The proposed 19.365-km PAREX aims to connect Manila with the province of Rizal with a 6-lane elevated expressway that will traverse the entirety of the Pasig River.

The PAREX, which is also a joint agreement project between the PNCC and the SMHC, starts from Radial Road 10 in Manila and will end at a connection to the South East Metro Manila Expressway at Circumferential Road 6.

According to the TRB, the project will connect and utilize a 2.7-kilometer portion of the Skyway Stage 3 from Nagtahan to Plaza Azul.

Once completed, PAREX will be composed of three segments.