Permit to collect fees for CALAX Subsection 5 sought

MPCALA Holdings, Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), is seeking the implementation of initial fees on the Cavite-Laguna Expressway’s (CALAX) Subsection 5, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said.

“Notice is hereby given that MPCALA Holdings, Inc. filed a supplemental petition to include and implement the approved initial base toll in Subsection 5 of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway,” TRB Executive Director Alvin A. Carullo said in a notice on June 3.

“Any interested expressway user may file within… 30 days from the date of the first publication of this notice a petition for review with the TRB,” he added.

The notice and the company’s supplemental petition were published in a newspaper on June 12.

In its petition, MPCALA said that the regulator had issued a permit on Feb. 7, 2020, authorizing it to collect the initial authorized toll rates for the operational Subsections 6, 7, and 8 of CALAX, effective on Feb. 11.

MPCALA filed another motion on Jan. 21 this year for the final approval of the initial authorized toll rates.

The motion remains pending with the board, the company noted.

The company added that it expects the issuance of a certificate of substantial completion for another segment of CALAX — Subsection 5 — “on or before June 15.”

Subsection 5 is a 6.175-kilometer portion of the project that runs from Silang East Interchange to Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange.

“In view of the… completion of Subsection 5, MPCALA is targeting its commercial opening to the motoring public on June 30, 2021, and the collection of the initial base toll rates thereon, as provided in the CALAX Concession Agreement and as currently implemented in the operational Subsections 6, 7, and 8,” the company said.

The company is seeking the TRB’s issuance of a toll operation permit and a notice to start collection effective June 30 for Subsection 5.

The fees range from P15 to P64 for class 1 vehicles or ordinary cars, P30-P128 for class 2 vehicles (buses and small trucks), and P45-P192 for class 3 vehicles (large trucks and trailers).

MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong-Kong based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in ����ý through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin