The Philippine Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) are in initial discussions on the latter’s proposal to construct a tollway linking Skyway Stage 3 to Pasig City, which would be an optional route for trucks going to the eastern portion of Metro Manila.
TRB consultant Alberto Suansing, in a chance interview with PortCalls, said an estimated 30% of trucks servicing the Port of Manila go to Pasig, but it takes three hours for these trucks to reach the city due to the numerous roads they need to pass through. Some of these roads are C3 Road, Sgt. Rivera Street, Araneta Avenue, Gilmore Avenue, Ortigas Avenue, and Bonny Serrano Avenue.
“So we really need an expressway to connect Pasig from the port,” Suansing said.
He said informal discussions started November on SMC’s proposal to build an inner-city expressway from an alignment of its Skyway Stage 3 project that will pass over San Juan River, C3, and then on to Pasig.
The unsolicited proposal, Suansing said, has been welcomed by TRB, as it aligns with plans to connect different cities via expressways, removing the need to pass through many roads to reach the final destination.
Suansing noted, however, that discussions on the proposal will take time owing to the usual problems that have to be solved, such as right-of-way issues for erecting ramps. How to keep costs down to ensure toll rates are low is also up for discussion.
If the project is approved by the TRB, Suansing said the proposal will undergo Swiss challenge and other required government approvals and procedures, especially since it will cost billions to build.
Aside from the inner-city expressway, other tollway projects will help trucks achieve a faster turnaround time once completed. These include the North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link and the NLEX-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road, which will connect the port area to northern and southern Luzon. – Roumina Pablo
