Ayala in talks with SLEX, Skyway operators

MANILA, Philippines - Conglomerate Ayala Corp. is talking with the operators of the South Luzon expressway (SLEX) and Metro Manila Skyway for the seamless travel of 50,0000 motorists expected to pass through the P2-billion Muntinlupa-Cavite expressway (MCX) scheduled to open in the first quarter of next year.

AC Infrastructure Holdings Inc. executive vice president Noel Kintanar said in a press conference that the company is in talks with Skyway O&M Corp. (Somco) as well as South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) to finalize an interoperability agreement.

Kintanar said the agreement would provide motorists seamless travel from the MCX as well as SLEX and Skyway as they would be allowed to exit and pay in the three toll roads.

“Currently finalizing the interoperability agreement. Both SLEX and Skyway have their own clearing operations and this is what we are currently discussing,” Kintanar said.

According to him, the agreement is expected to be finalized prior to the opening of the new four-kilometer expressway connecting Muntinlupa and Bacoor in Cavite scheduled in March next year.

“Right now it is just cleaning up the details with the SLEX and Skyway team. We are confident that we will be able to sign this before the opening of the road in the first quarter,” he said.

The MCX formerly known as the Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road project involves the construction of a new four-kilometer four-lane toll road, from the junction of Daang Reyna and Daang Hari in Las Piñas and Bacoor, Cavite to SLEX through the Susana Heights Interchange in Muntinlupa, traversing the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Reservation.

The proposed link-road would use the Susana Heights Interchange as exit and entry from north and south of SLEX and would include the construction of a new bridge or widening of the existing bridge crossing SLEX as well as the expansion of the Susana Heights toll plaza.

It was supposed to be completed last June but was delayed to December due to problems with interconnection to SLEX.

The company inked an agreement with SLTC paving the way for the construction of the interchange linking the toll road to SLEX.

The toll for the expressway has been set at P17 for Class 1 vehicles mostly cars and vans and P34 for Class 2 vehicles including busses and trucks.