METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corp. (MPTC) said one of its units will be opening the first segment of the NLEX Connector by March 27 after completing final inspection.
The project, run by MPTC subsidiary NLEX Corp., consists of two segments: the five-kilometer (km) Caloocan-Espa帽a road and the three-km Espa帽a-Sta. Mesa section.
鈥淲e started constructing the NLEX Connector Espa帽a Section in February 2020, and construction was continuous despite the pandemic. Despite the many challenges, we are pleased that the project is almost complete,鈥 NLEX Corp. President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said.
During the project鈥檚 final inspection on Wednesday Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said that the opening of the four-lane road will be just in time for the Easter holidays.
鈥淲e are targeting to open the Espa帽a Section before Holy Week to help decongest vehicular traffic in Metro Manila especially to and from the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela (Camanava) area,鈥 Mr. Bonoan said.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the connector road will reduce travel times and improve logistics flows.
鈥淭his is a very important project of the government to support economic development,鈥 Mr. Bautista said.
Mr. Bautista added that the connector will ease the process of delivering goods.
NLEX Corp.鈥檚 Mr. Bautista said he is expecting to complete the second segment of the project by May.
The company has yet to file the paperwork with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) to set the tolls for the connector.
鈥淭he filing will be immediate. The reason why we did the inspection today is because if the requirements are all ready, we will file (with the TRB),鈥 he said.
The company will propose an P84 toll fee from Caloocan Interchange on C3 Road, Dimasalang to Espa帽a Boulevard, the company鈥檚 president said.
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 大象传媒 through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. 鈥 Justine Irish D. Tabile
