San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is still keen on pursuing its P81.53-billion proposal to build the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), after previously announcing it is shelving the project over environmental concerns raised by some groups.
“We’re not [withdrawing our proposal]. If there is a withdrawal, there might be a violation,” SMC president and chief executive Ramon Ang told reporters at the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing.
“We are trying to address it [environmental concerns], so it is on hold for now,” Ang said.
Ang said in March the PAREX project would not push through because of the concerns raised by some environmental and conservation advocates.
Toll Regulatory Board executive director Alvin Carullo earlier said the agency had yet to receive official communications from San Miguel about its intention to drop the project.
Carullo said San Miguel has six months from March to send official communications to the TRB.
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.
The project 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).