San Miguel Corp. is pursuing its P81.53-billion proposal to build the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
The TRB said PAREX is still a “live” project after San Miguel agreed to comply with the requirements and address environmental issues.
“San Miguel wrote that they will comply with the requirements vis a vis environmental clearance certificate. As of now, they are not abandoning the project. As of now, it is a live project,” TRB executive director Alvin Carullo said.
San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang said in March the PAREX project would not push through because of the concerns raised by some environmental and conservation advocates.
Carullo said the conglomerate has until October to submit the documents for the TRB. “They have to submit a final engineering drawings or FED certified by an independent consultant. The deadline for submission was postponed until October. So come October, they have to come up with the FED and submit it to TRB,” he said.
Carullo said once approved, the construction of the PAREX may start by 2025.
PAREX is a proposed 19.37-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway which would traverse the Pasig River from Radial Road 10 in Manila to its connection with the proposed South East Metro Manila Expressway at Circumferential Road 6.
It will connect and utilize a 2.7-km. portion of Skyway Stage 3 from Nagtahan to Plaza Azul.
San Miguel earlier said it invested P2 billion to clean up the Pasig River and integrate a bus rapid transit system, bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways in the project.
San Miguel built and manages several expressways including the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System and the NAIA Expressway (NAIAX).
