SM group keen on more projects with gov’t

THE SM group is keen to expand its involvement in government-led infrastructure projects, SM Engineering Design & Development Corp. President Hans T. Sy, Jr. said.

“We’d love to do more (projects) with the government because we’re at the point where it’s really partnership with the government that will truly help the country move forward,” Mr. Sy, Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of an event last week. 

In April, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) began construction on the EDSA Busway Concourse, a key infrastructure project designed to improve commuter access and efficiency.

This initiative is being developed in partnership with SM Prime Holdings, Inc., the property development arm of SM Investments Corp., which has interests in retail, property, banking, and tourism.

The SM group and the DoTr partnered to develop concourses along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue at three locations: SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, SM North EDSA in Quezon City, and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong.

SM Prime is involved in managing and developing various real estate projects, including shopping malls, residential, and commercial properties.

The project will feature a ticketing booth, automatic fare collection turnstiles, ramps, and elevators. Once finished, the project is expected to accommodate around 300,000 commuters daily.

“That is something to be excited about. That is a public-private partnership project with the DoTr,” Mr. Sy noted.

“We plan to showcase exactly what we mean by sustainable transport. So, what we hope to showcase with the North EDSA bus station is an example of how it can be if done properly. So, look out for that. We should be finishing that by the end of this year,” he said.

He added that the station at SM North EDSA is expected to be completed by the end of this year, while the SM Megamall station is scheduled for completion by mid-2025.

The SM group originally intended to complete the stations simultaneously. However, due to right-of-way issues, the completion will now be done in phases.

“Like a lot of government infra projects, (there are) some right-of-way issues. But, you know, that takes a while. Some things don’t generally always pan out the way you want them to pan out,” Mr. Sy said. — A.E.O. Jose