The concession agreement for two proposed multi-billion-peso toll road projects—the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) Toll Road 5 and Pasig River Expressway (PAREX)—will soon be finalized, paving the way for construction within the next two years.
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) in a June 29, 2020 resolution agreed to designate the two projects as toll road projects, as proposed by the Philippine National Construction Corp (PNCC) and San Miguel Holdings Corp (SMHC) joint venture.
TRB’s technical working group is now in discussion with the joint venture on the technical, financial, and legal details of the projects that will lead to finalization of the concession agreement.
The TWG is composed of representatives from the Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Finance, National Economic and Development Authority, and the private sector.
“The PNCC-SMHC Joint Venture requested that government recognize the 2 projects as toll road project. These have their respective basic design plan. The TRB has given an instruction to 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 eyed to start within the remaining two years of the administration, Sales said.
Presidential Decree No. 1112 mandates the TRB to supervise, monitor and regulate the construction, operation and maintenance of toll facilities as well as the rates these facilities may charge.
The Toll Road 5 or TR5 will be a four-lane divided toll road that starts from the terminal point of the SLEx TR4 Project in Barangay Mayao, Lucena City in Quezon, and ends in Matnog, Sorsogon, near the Matnog Ferry Terminal. The toll road is approximately 420 kilometers, to be composed of eight segments and a total of 28 interchanges:
- Segment 1 (Lucena to Gumaca) – 61 km
- Segment 2 (Gumaca to Tagkawayan) – 58.6 km
- Segment 3 (Tagkawayan to Sipocot) – 61.4 km
- Segment 4 (Sipocot to Naga City) – 39.5 km
- Segment 5 (Naga City to Polangui) – 45.9 km
- Segment 6 (Polangui to Legazpi City) – 33.6 km
- Segment 7 (Legazpi City to Sorsogon)- 57.7 km
- Segment 8 (Sorsogon to Matnog) – 62.3 km
The project has an estimated cost of P22.6 billion (for Segment 1 only) and an implementation period of 24 months.
Through its legislative franchise, PNCC has the authority to construct, maintain and operate SLEx and Skyway Stages 1, 2, 3 and all extensions, linkages or stretches from any part of the existing toll roads.
Meanwhile, the proposed 19.365-km PAREX toll road aims to connect Manila with the province of Rizal through a six-lane elevated expressway that will traverse the entire Pasig River.
The PAREX project, another PNCC-SMHC joint agreement, starts from Radial Road 10 in Manila and ends at a connection to the South East Metro Manila Expressway on Circumferential Road 6 (C6).
The project will connect and utilize a 2.7-km portion of the Skyway Stage 3 from Nagtahan to Plaza Azul, according to TRB and will be composed of three segments:
- Segment 1 (R-10 to Plaza Azul) – 5.7 km and (Plaza Azul to San Juan River [MMSS3]) – 2.7 km
- Segment 2 (San Juan River to C5 Intersection) – 7.32 km
- Segment 3 (C5 Intersection to C6 Intersection) – 6.3 km
The project, earlier approved in principle by members of the TRB Board, has an estimated cost of P95.413 billion and an implementation period of 36 months.
