LLEX project underway after official MOU signing

CEBU, Philippines — After delays and setbacks, the long-awaited Lapu-Lapu Expressway (LLEX) project officially moved forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

The Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) Group of Companies, through its subsidiary Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC), formalized the agreement with the Lapu-Lapu City Government, Premium Megastructures Inc. (PMI), and Ulticon Builders Inc.

The 12-kilometer expressway will be constructed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, ensuring that the city government will not bear any financial burden for its construction.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has prioritized LLEX since 2023, emphasizing its benefits in reducing travel time and easing congestion.

“It will ease the flow of traffic. With lesser vehicles now using existing roads navigating through the city, it will now be a walk in the park. It will cut short travel from Lapu-Lapu City to Cebu via CCLEX through the LLEX multiple entry and exit points,” said Chan.

The expressway is expected to cut travel time from Cebu City to Lapu-Lapu City from 35 minutes to just 12 minutes. Additionally, Chan highlighted that the project will generate an estimated P3.6 million in daily economic benefits, amounting to P1.32 billion annually.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who was present at the signing, expressed strong support for the project, underscoring the advantages of PPPs in accelerating infrastructure development.

“I have always been an advocate of PPP because I believe that this is the only way to go. Government, because of its huge bureaucracy and shackled by government rules and COA guidelines, cannot move as fast as the private sector,” Garcia said.

She also emphasized that private sector investments reduce the risk of corruption, ensuring that funds are utilized efficiently.

 “In the private sector, because it is their own money that is being spent, we see certainly little or no corruption at all. Every single centavo is spent on the project,” she added.

Garcia commended the MVP Group for its continued investment in Cebu, acknowledging its role as a vital partner in the province’s progress.

MVP Group Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan highlighted the importance of infrastructure in regional growth, calling LLEX a step toward economic advancement in Cebu and the Visayas.

“Starting today, we lead to progress. We promise that the journey the Cebuanos will take will not be too long, not too trafficky, and dreams not too far to achieve,” Pangilinan said.

During a media interview, Pangilinan admitted that a minor setback occurred when their Spanish private partner withdrew from the project. He explained that after the completion of the CCLEX bridge, the Spanish partner decided to focus on other international projects, leaving the MVP Group to fully finance LLEX.

Once completed, LLEX will be the first four-lane elevated expressway in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. The project is expected to accommodate approximately 50,000 vehicles daily, significantly improving travel conditions in the area.

LLEX aims to alleviate congestion on existing roads, benefiting residents and visitors traveling to key locations, including the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The project will also improve road conditions in Barangays Pajac, Buaya, Mactan, Bankal, and Punta Engaño, while decongesting roads in Barangays Babag and Basak by providing a direct link between CCLEX and the airport via Aviation Road.

Chan mentioned that only a few households in Barangay Basak—approximately eight—will be affected by the construction, and relocation plans are already in place.

When asked about the project timeline, Chan expressed hope that construction would commence this year, pending further discussions on cost-sharing and revenue allocation among stakeholders. The expressway is targeted for completion within two years, with officials committed to ensuring its timely delivery.- FPL (CEBU NEWS)