Cavite, Laguna toll road project attracts 4 groups

MANILA, Philippines - Four groups led by conglomerates Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), San Miguel Corp., Ayala Corp., are set to slug it out for the P35.4-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said yesterday.

Public Works Assistant Secretary Eugenio Pipo Jr. said a total of four groups submitted prequalification documents for the CALAX project yesterday afternoon.

“All the bidders submitted their prequalification documents before the 2 p.m. deadline,” Pipo stressed.

He pointed out that Alloy MTD Philippines Inc. was the first to submit at 11:04 in the morning.

AlloyMtd is the merger between MTD  of Malaysia and Alloy with a long established track record in civil engineering and construction, manufacturing, infrastructure concessions, energy, port operations, real estate and property development. It completed the 36 kilometer portion of South Luzon Expressway.

The group led by conglomerate Ayala Corp. through Team Orion followed at 12:15 p.m. It is led by AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. that tied up with Cebu-based Aboitiz Group, Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings Philippines as well as contractors Bouygues Travaux, Egis Road Operations, and Korea Expressway Corp.

Pipo said the third to submit at 12:39 p.m. was the group of businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan through MPIC’s Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. and partner Leighton Contractors (Philippines) Inc. The tandem formed MPCALA Holdings Inc.

Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. through Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. submitted prequalification documents for the project at 12:58 p.m.

Prior to the submission of bids a total of 18 companies expressed interest in the project.

Angeles said the pre bid conference is scheduled on Nov. 19

The CALAX is the third project of the DPWH under the PPP scheme. With a cost of P35.42 billion, it is so far the biggest PPP project in terms of project cost and involves the financing, design and construction, operation and maintenance of the closed-system tolled expressway connecting the South Luzon expressway (SLEX) and the Manila Cavite Tollroad expressway (Cavitex).

The 47-kilometer expressway would start from the Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at the SLEX-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. It would consist of nine interchanges in Kawit, Daang Hari, Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay, Laguna Blvd., Technopark, and a toll barrier before SLEX.