San Miguel Corp. said it expects to complete the construction of the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, a toll road connecting Skyway/FTI in Taguig City and Batasan Complex in Quezon City by 2020.
“We’re very glad to be starting 2018 on a very positive note. Because of the hard work of our partners in government, we will finally be able to proceed with this vital infrastructure project,” SMC president Ramon Ang said.
The 34-kilometer expressway is expected to decongest roads in Manila and Quezon City, particularly major thoroughfares such as Edsa, C-5, Ortigas Ave. and Ortigas Extension. It is also seen to provide commuters from Metro Manila and the south faster and direct access to the major airports.
The project represents the first phase of the much larger Metro Manila C-6 Expressway Project, which will extend all the way to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
SMC, together with the Department of Transportation, the Toll Regulatory Board, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority broke ground on Tuesday for Section 1, Phase 1 of the project.
The project, to be undertaken by SMC unit Citra Intercity Tollways Inc., will be a six-lane elevated and at-grade expressway with two-directional traffic. Extending from Skway 1 in FTI, Taguig City to C-5/Diego Silang, the first section of the project is set for completion by 2020.
San Miguel earlier signed an agreement with the Philippine National Construction Corp. to jointly undertake the expansion of toll roads under their existing joint venture worth P554 billion.
The company also proposed to the government a P400-billion flood control project with toll road component in Bataan in partnership with New San Jose Builders Inc.
Under the proposed 50-year concession period, the proponents will implement an integrated infrastructure project in the northern coastline of Manila Bay that involves financing, design and construction of a city flood control in the coastal waters of Navotas City and a coastal sea barrier through the northern part of Manila Bay covering the coastal areas of Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan.
The consortium will also build an expressway that will connect Bataan and Metro Manila and will provide direct access to the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.