THE Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), the infrastructure arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), underscored its commitment to build long-term big-ticket projects in areas that need efficient transportation systems.
“The MPTC is committed to transforming Central and North Luzon into investment havens by providing efficient road networks for faster mobility. Our investment philosophy has always been to deploy capital where efficient motoring is needed,” MPTC President Ramoncito Fernandez told businessmen in the recently held 20th North Luzon Area Business Conference.
The MPTC has earmarked P10 billion for the ambitious Harbor Link project, an 8-kilometer extension connecting the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) westward to Manila’s port area.
The government, meanwhile, has allocated P4.5 billion for its right-of-way (ROW) acquisition.
Fernandez said the detailed engineering design of Harbor Link has been completed while the ROW component of Segment 9 of the project is expected to be fully accomplished early next year. The ROW acquisition will pave the way for the immediate start of project construction.
The MPTC has also set the stage for a proposed P21-billion,13.4-kilometer elevated Connector Road linking the Nlex to the South Luzon Expressway (Slex).
Fernandez said the MPTC has been granted the original proponent status, which in turn, opens their proposal to the Swiss challenge by other interested bidders. As designed, MPTC’s Connector Road Project boasts of the most efficient Nlex-Skyway/Slex road alignment optimizing use of ROW while ensuring the least traffic disruption during construction.
“The Harbor Link and the Connector Road shall complete the missing link in the country’s expressway network. It shall reduce travel time between Nlex and the Skyway to less than 20 minutes, and shall also give direct expressway access to the port area while easing truck-ban concerns,” Fernandez said.
More recently, the MPTC expanded its tollways investment portfolio through a 33-year business and operating agreement forged with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
The two corporations sealed their partnership with the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), MPTC’s unit, gaining management, operations and maintenance of the BCDA-held 93.7-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. The arrangement virtually relieved the government of the debt-servicing burden arising from the P37-billion loan secured from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to bankroll construction of the SCTEx.
“The formal turnover of management [of the SCTEx] to MNTC would take place after finalizing the Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement and its approval by President Aquino,” said Fernandez. “Once we take over, we shall start working on the integration of SCTEx and Nlex to reduce the number of stops from five to two when traveling between Manila and Subic or Tarlac, providing a seamless expressway travel in the North,” he said.
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By: Lenie Lectura
Source: Business Mirror, Aug. 24, 2011
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