Two major expressway projects of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) are set to begin construction in the first quarter of this year, with their combined cost expected to surpass P300 billion, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said.
These projects are the proposed 136.4-kilometer Northern Access Link Expressway (NALEX) and the 40.65-kilometer elevated expressway network called the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX).
Alvin Carullo TRB executive director said the TRB targets to approve the final engineering design of the projects this quarter and then issue a notice to start construction.
“This quarter, the target of the TRB is to approve the [NALEX and SALEX] final engineering design and issue the notice to proceed… so, construction will proceed in the first quarter,” Carullo said.
In 2022, the TRB under the previous administration approved the Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA) of these projects. The estimated project cost was P148.30 billion for NALEX and P152.4 billion for SALEX as of 2021.
The NALEX consists of two phases:
Phase 1 is a proposed 136.4-kilometer expressway envisioned to connect Metro/Mega Manila, the New Manila International Airport (NMIA), and Central Luzon as an extension and/or linkage of the Metro Manila Skyway-Stage 3 (“MMSS3”) at Balintawak. Phase 2 is a demand-driven expansion from Masantol, Pampanga to Tarlac City.
SALEX is a proposed 40.65-km elevated expressway network comprising the Shoreline Expressway and three Metro Manila Skyway Stage (MMSS3) Extensions, namely: C3-R10 Extension, Quirino Extension and Buendia Extension.
Skyway O&M Corp is the operator of these two projects. The investors are SMC Northern Access Link Expressway Corp for NALEX and SMC Southern Access Link Expressway Corp. for the SALEX project.
Other expressway projects operated by SMC include the Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway, NAIA Expressway, South Metro Manila Skyway, South Luzon Expressway and Southern Tagalog Arterial Road.
