MPTC, DMCI ink P7.2-B contract for Calax segment
MANILA, Philippines - Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) subsidiary MPCALA Holdings Inc. and D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) signed yesterday a P7.2 billion contract for the construction of the Laguna segment of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) project.
“We plan to break ground next month, three months ahead of schedule,” MPCALA Holdings president and CEO Luigi Bautista said.
The contract covers the construction of the 18-kilometer (km) Laguna segment from Aguinaldo interchange until Mamplasan in Laguna.
Bautista said the government has delivered an initial seven-km or approximately 16 percent of the entire area for right of way.
“It’s enough for DMCI to work for maybe, six months,” he said.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said in the same event, his department is committed to deliver the right of way so the project could start and proceed.
MPCALA Holdings bagged the P35.43 billion Calax under the public-private partnership program in 2015.
Calax covers the construction, as well as operation and maintenance of a four-lane 45-km expressway from the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (CAVITEX) in Kawit, Cavite until the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)-Mamplasan interchange in Biñan, Laguna.
The expressway will have eight interchanges and one main toll barrier.
For the construction of the Cavite segment, Bautista said MPCALA Holdings is currently in talks with Leighton of Australia.
“Hopefully, in the next two weeks, we get to finalize the contract,” he said.
To fund the construction of the project, MPCALA Holdings is currently in discussions with banks to borrow P17 billion.
MPCALA Holdings expects to complete the Calax in 2020.
Once completed, the Calax is expected to ease congestion particularly in Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway and Santa Rosa Tagaytay Road.
It would also reduce travel time from CAVITEX to SLEX by 45 minutes.
MPTC is the tollways arm of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp.
Aside from CALAX and CAVITEX, MPTC is the concessionaire of toll roads such as the North Luzon Expressway, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and the upcoming Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.
