Saturday, December 21, 2013

MNTC ready to take over SCTEX, and bid for CALA



MALOLOS CITY—Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) is ready to take over operation of the 93-kilometers Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

A unit of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investment Corporation (MPIC), MNTC is also among the top-bidders who recently pre-qualified for the proposed 40 kilometers Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALA).

Ramoncito Fernandez, president and chief operating officer (CEO) of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation said that President Benigno Aquino is happy with their proposal on the take over of the SCTEX.

“We are ready anytime. We are just waiting for the formal announcement of Malacanang,” Fernandez said in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the NLEX-SCTEX first short film contest on Monday.

Part of the MNTC proposal is the 50-50 sharing of revenues and expenses in the operation of the SCTEX, between the MNTC and the government.

Fernandez said that even the rehabilitation of the damage embankment on the Pasig-Potrero River will be shouldered by MNTC and the company.

He added that part of their plant in the full operation of the SCTEX is the integrated toll collection system

Earlier, MNTC offered a P20-Billion concession to the government for the operation of SCTEX which remains under the management of Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

As this developed, Fernandez also announced that MNTC is among the four bidders who prequalified for possible operation of the 40 kilometer CALA.

He said that CALA will stretch from Kawit section of the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) and will pass through Silang town to Sta. Rosa in Laguna  and will eventually interconnect with the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

The new toll road is seen to shorten travel time to Tagaytay, but Fernandez said that its main targets are motorists wanting to cross from SLEX to Cavitex and vice versa.


Fernandez said they are hoping that bidding for CALA will be implemented by April.  (Dino Balabo)