The infrastructure unit of San Miguel Corp. and state-run Philippine National Construction Corp. plan to build a 388-kilometer expressway at a cost of P700 billion that will connect Quezon, Bicol provinces and Northern Samar.
PNCC president Mario Espinosa told reporters that the state-run company and partner San Miguel Holdings Corp. would jointly study the development of an expressway from Lucena City to Matnog, Sorsogon and a bridge to Northern Samar.
Espinosa said once completed, the project would cut travel time from Manila to Bicol to four hours from 10 hours at present.
He said both companies were also planning to build a bridge from Matnog to Allen, Northern Samar.
“It’s a big project, maybe 388 kilometers,” he said.
Espinosa said the project could be completed in eight to 10 years. “We are still studying it,” he said.
MHC and PNCC are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. and Citra Intercity Tollways Inc., the concession companies of Skyway Stages 3 and 4, respectively.
Through its legislative franchise, PNCC has the authority to construct, maintain and operate the South Luzon Expressway and Skyway Stages 1, 2, 3 and all extensions, linkages or stretches from any part of the existing toll roads.
“We will together pursue more expansion,” San Miguel president Ramon Ang said.
SMHC and PNCC earlier signed an agreement to jointly undertake the expansion of toll roads under the existing joint venture.
The expanded road network will include extension of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project and the Metro Manila Expressway, or C6/Skyway Stage 4.
Under the agreement, SMHC and PNCC will build San Pedro-C6 Laguna Lake Road, extending the South Luzon Expressway from San Pedro, Laguna and passing along the shores of Laguna Lake and ending at C6 in Taguig.
Other projects are Tanauan-Tagaytay Expressway or Sky 8; TR5 which will extend SLEx from the end of TR4 in Pagbilao, Quezon to Matnog, Sorsogon; Sky 7, which will connect Taguig to Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City; Buendia Interchange and Ramp Extension to Macapagal Boulevard; and Sky 9 or the Pasig River Alignment which will included ramps to Buendia, Pioneer and Bonifacio Global City.