San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and the Pangasinan provincial government on Thursday broke ground for the construction of the Pangasinan Link Expressway (P-LEX).
P-LEX is expected to further unlock the province’s economic potential through improved accessibility and mobility.
SMC president and chief executive Ramon S. Ang said the 76.80-kilometer expressway would be a game-changer for Pangasinan, boosting local industries, agriculture and tourism and linking the province’s eastern and western corridors.
“The P-LEX project affirms SMC’s affinity with, and deep commitment to Pangasinan. We believe in the bigger potential of the province and its people, and that is why we continue to invest here. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership, and with the help and support of the provincial government, create more jobs, livelihood, and business opportunities in the province,” Ang said.
The project is structured in two phases, with the first phase linking Binalonan to Lingayen, the provincial capital. This phase is subdivided into three segments—a 6.90-km. section from Binalonan to Manaoag, an 11.30-km stretch from Manaoag to Calasiao and a 22.17-km passage from Calasiao to Lingayen, along with a 2.39-km. spur road in Calasiao.
Phase 2 of the project will be a demand-driven expansion all the way to Alaminos, Pangasinan.
P-LEX will connect to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) at the Binalonan exit, providing direct access to the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.
Ang said the construction of P-LEX would incur no costs for the provincial government and committed to timely completion of the project, pending the acquisition of the necessary right of way.
“The provincial government will also receive a substantial share of the project’s earnings, which it can use to provide more social services to our kababayans,” Ang said.
Ang thanked the Pangasinan provincial government led by Governor Ramon Guico III and Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino for the opportunity to work together on the P-LEX project.
“This collaboration between the provincial government of Pangasinan and the private sector is proof that when people work together toward a common goal, anything is possible,” Ang said.