MPIC tollways unit hopeful of CTBEX project award

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Pacific Tollways South Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), is hopeful it could get original proponent status for the P23.7 billion Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX) before the end of the year as it submitted the additional requirements for the proposed project yesterday.

Metro Pacific Tollways South president Luigi Bautista told reporters the firm submitted the additional requirements which includes the updated draft concession agreement for the proposed CTBEX to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The proposed CTBEX is a 46-kilometer expressway that will link Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex) and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) at Silang in Cavite to Tagaytay City, and will terminate at Nasugbu in Batangas.

The firm submitted the unsolicited proposal to the DPWH last July 7.

After submitting the additional requirements, Bautista said the DPWH could declare it as a complete submission and it could begin evaluation of the proposal.

Following declaration of complete submission, the DPWH has 60 days to evaluate the proposal before they can award it or give Metro Pacific Tollways South the original proponent status.

“Perhaps, towards the end of the year, we will be able to get the original proponent status for CTBEX,” Bautista said.

At present, there are two tollway concessions under Metro Pacific Tollways South — Cavitex and Calax.

MPIC also operates other tollways such as the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

The infrastructure conglomerate is likewise working on other tollway projects such as NLEX-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road, NLEX-Harbor Link Segment 10, C-5 South Link and Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

Apart from tollways, MPIC is engaged in other businesses such as water, power, hospitals, rail and logistics.