MANILA, Philippines — Tollway developer San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has been tasked to complete in three years the first phase of a new expressway that would bridge the north and south of Metro Manila.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista yesterday said he expects SMC to pick up the pace in building the P45.29-billion Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME).
SMC has received the green light for the construction of the SEMME as the government, led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is ready to hand over the right-of-way (ROW).
Bautista said the nearly 33-kilometer SEMME was hit by delays in ROW procurement but with the issue addressed, he hopes the tollway’s concessionaire SMC can finish the first phase before President Marcos steps down in 2028.
“Funding for this will be provided by the private sector, so we expect this to be quick. The (first phase of SEMME) has to be completed within the next two to three years,” Bautista said.
The SEMME, a combination of elevated and at-grade roads, will connect the north and south of Metro Manila through the eastern corridor, mainly the C6 Road.
The first leg of the project will run for more than two kilometers from FTI to C5 Road, linking to the Skyway System, which is also operated by SMC.
In its entirety, SEMME is expected to trim the travel time between Western Bicutan, Taguig City and Batasan Hills, Quezon City to less than 30 minutes, from two hours currently.
SMC Foundation chairman Cecile Ang said the conglomerate would start putting up SEMME as soon as it receives ROW for the project. She underscored the importance of building the tollway, especially as it can facilitate the travel of up to 88,000 motorists per day.
Moreover, SEMME is the closest expressway to what would become the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange (TICTX), which Ayala Land Inc. is now constructing. The two projects are designed to generate traffic for one another.
At present, the DOTr is finalizing the feasibility study for a similar landport to the north of Metro Manila, much like the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and TICTX.
Bautista said the study should be completed within the year, and the DOTr has begun looking for possible sites, preferably near an ongoing rail project like the North-South Commuter Railway or the Metro Manila Subway Project.