DPWH set to award NLEX-SLEX connector road to MPIC unit

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to award to a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) the contract for the North Luzon Expressway - South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) connector road after no comparative proposals were submitted yesterday.

“As of today, because there is no other proponent, no challenger…so we have to prepare resolution of award recommending Metro Pacific and it will be submitted to the Secretary,” Public Works assistant secretary Eugenio Pipo Jr., who is also the Special Bids and Awards Committee chairman for civil works, told reporters.

He said the project would be awarded to the original proponent Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) within the week. The contract is expected to be signed by November.

A Swiss challenge was conducted for the project as it is an unsolicited proposal received by the government from MPTDC in April 2010.

Among the firms which expressed interest in the project by purchasing bid documents are San Miguel Holdings Corp., Obrascon Huarte Lain SA, Hunan Road and Bridge Corp. and four law firms.

The connector road project which has an estimated construction cost of P15.74 billion and right-of-way cost of P7.46 billion, involves an elevated four-lane, eight-kilometer tolled expressway starting at NLEX Segment 10 at C-3 or Fifth Avenue, Caloocan City and connecting to the SLEX, through Stage 3 of the Metro Manila Skyway System Project in Manila.

The project will have at least two interchanges and two tolling plazas.

It is expected to decongest Metro Manila traffic and cut the travel time between NLEX and SLEX to just 15 to 20 minutes from 1.5 to two hours at present.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco said the firm is pleased the Swiss challenge process is almost over, and the next step following the issuance of notice of award is to come up with a detailed design as well as begin right-of-way acquisition.

“We hope construction for the first section can start in 2018,” he said in a text message.