San Miguel, MPIC road projects to start soon

P-Noy to repeal EO prohibiting TRB from entering into contracts

MANILA, Philippines - The construction of major road projects in the North Luzon expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon expressway (SLEX) are expected to take off soon as the Aquino administration is set to repeal an order issued by former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

In an interview with reporters, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said President Aquino is set issue an executive order repealing Executive Order 686 signed by President Arroyo in 2007.

EO 686 that transferred back the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) stripped the TRB from entering into road concession agreements.

 â€œThe EO prohibits TRB from entering into contracts. We were made aware of this by the legal staff of the office of the Executive Secretary. We met with the President recently, and the decision was to repeal the EO... we’re just waiting for the repealing EO,” Abaya stressed.

Once the repealing EO is issued, he said TRB could approve several agreements including the Supplementary Toll Operations Agreement (STOA) for the construction of the Skyway phase 3 by concessionaire Citra Metro Manila Tollways Inc.

Citra, the tollway arm of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), is pursuing Skyway 3 to connect it with NLEX.

On the other hand, infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) through tollway arm Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is pursuing the connector road that would connect NLEX and SLEX.

Both Citra and MPTC are putting up roads that would link NLEX operated by MPTC’s Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) and the SLEX that is operated by Citra.

Citra is spending P25.4 billion to put up a 14-kilometer, six-lane toll way exiting in Quirino and Plaza Dilao in Manila; and in Aurora Boulevard, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon Boulevard, Sgt. Rivera, and Balintawak in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, MPTC has earmarked P25.6 billion for the 13-kilometer connector road that would link up NLEX and SLEX.

Both road would have a common alignment stretching five kilometers from Buendia Ave. in Makati City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Both SMC and MPIC reached an agreement on the proposed P7 billion common alignment. SMC would shoulder 62.5 percent of the cost while MPIC would reimburse 37.5 percent of the total cost.

In return, Citra would no longer contest under the Swiss challenge rule MPTC’s unsolicited proposal to build the connector road.

“Once the EO is repealed, (Citra’s) STOA will be sent to the President for approval. Then we can issue the notice to proceed,” the DOTC chief said.