A top official on Tuesday said the anticipated cost of the joint venture project between San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) connecting Cavite and Batangas is P75 billion, as the transaction between both firms is expected to be finalized soon.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Pasay City on Tuesday, July 25, that the tollway project will take some four years to build and is expected to be completed by 2027.
“Mag-co-closing na kami. ‘Pag nag-closing, umpisa ng bili ng mga right of way,” he said.
“One year to buy the right of way. After that, itatayo ‘yan within three years at the most, so four years from now, 2027, tapos ‘yun,” he added.
Ang was referring to the 96-kilometer joint venture tollway that will connect Batangas with the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) and connect Cavite to Batangas.
When asked about the project's cost, Ang responded, "Maybe about P75 billion," which is still less than the P90 billion charged for the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3.
The ongoing New Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan, which is planned to open in 2025 and has a goal passenger capacity of up to 50 million, is also supported by SMC.
As for the company's future plans, Ang stated that it is eager to participate in the open bidding process for the second phase of the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX), which entails funding, designing, and building a four-lane, 35.70-kilometer expansion from Cabanatuan City to San Jose City.
It will provide a different route to the Pan-Philippine Highway and go via the Nueva Ecija towns of Talavera and Llanera.
It also covers the development of the CLLEX Phase 1 toll facilities.
“Siyempre sasali kami dun,” Ang noted.
The portfolio of SMC Infrastructure includes the Boracay Airport, the Metro Rail Transit Line 9, MRT7, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, the NAIA Expressway (NAIAX), and the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project.
