A UNIT of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) signed a deal with a China-based company to start constructing the second phase of the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) C5 Link Segment 2.

In a press release, MPTC said that its subsidiary Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., the concession holder for CAVITEX, inked a partnership with China Road and Bridge Corp. for the project which they aim to start within the first quarter.

鈥淭his is something we cannot do alone, hence our search for a contractor that would be up for the task 鈥 delivering world-class quality infrastructure for our motorists within our timeline,鈥 Cavitex Infrastructure President and General Manager Raul L. Ignacio said.

C5 Link Segment 2 is a 1.9-kilometer (km), two-by-three expressway that will connect CAVITEX Coastal Road from Para帽aque Toll Plaza to Sucat through the R-1 interchange.

The segment is expected to reduce the travel time to Sucat Road from CAVITEX R-1 by 10 minutes.

鈥淭he CAVITEX C5 Link is a vital segment of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway Project, so far, we managed to open 3.8-kmsegments 3A1 and 3A2 to the motoring public, serving more than 16,000 vehicles daily,鈥 Mr. Ignacio said.

CAVITEX C5 Link Segment 2 is targeted to be opened to the public before the year ends.

Meanwhile, segment 3-B of the C5 Link, from Sucat to E. Rodriguez, is set to begin its construction by the third quarter of 2023.

In its entirety, the C5 Link project encompasses a 7.7-km, two-by-three-lane expressway that will connect CAVITEX R2 to C5 Road in Taguig.

The project is expected to serve 40,000 vehicles per day, reduce travel time to Makati and Taguig from Para帽aque City, Las Pi帽as City and Cavite province by 45 minutes, and decongest traffic in the metro.

MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is 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 大象传媒 through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. 鈥 Justine Irish D. Tabile