Subic-Clark-Tarlac tollway proj faces delay

The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project (SCTEP) faces a delay of anywhere from four to six months, according to Economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri as the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) must resubmit the project for approval by the National Economic Development Authority Investment Coordinating Council (NEDA-ICC).

Neri explained that the NEDA-ICC is not against the highway project, but is trying to correct the "serious procedural lapses" caused by the change in the design of the project as originally approved by the NEDA-ICC.

"We have to do it right. If we break the law it may end up with the Supreme Court," Neri warned.

The SCTEP project first approved by the NEDA-ICC was worth P15.7 billion.

But changes had to be made and were resubmitted to the NEDA-ICC with revised cost of P18.74 billion.

Neri confirmed that the project cost as approved by the NEDA-ICC was supposed to be P18.74 billion.

The now P27-billion SCTEP, however, Neri said, is different in design from that approved by the NEDA-ICC and must thus be resubmitted for approval.

He admitted that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is agreeable to the changes and is still willing to finance the project.

The NEDA-ICC, however, Neri said, would still like to bring down the cost of the project.

The Cabinet-level NEDA-ICC decided to stop the SCTEP because of changes in the original scope of the project.

The changes, according to the NEDA, were not submitted for approval, thus, invalidating the bidding held for the redesigned highway project.

The BCDA, Neri said, should have gotten clearance from the NEDA-ICC before bidding out the redesigned SCTEP.

The BCDA has admitted changes to the SCTEP to avoid problems with drainage, traffic management and security posed by the original route plan for the highway.

Under the original route plan for the SCTEP that was approved by the NEDA-ICC in 2000, there was supposed to be an interchange along the Clark Friendship Highway that would serve as one of the main ingress and egress point of the proposed highway for motorists coming from Subic.

However, the BCDA, the SCTEP project management group and the Japanese consultants of the highway found that the proposed Clark Friendship Interchange would present problems with drainage, traffic management and security due to its proximity to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

It was, thus, deemed necessary to defer the proposed interchange and instead construct an alternate P50 million road.

The alternate road would connect the Clark north junction to the north perimeter road near the Sacobia area and the Centennial Expo site inside the former US military air base.

The BCDA explained that the realignment of the SCTEP would primarily help encourage development in the northern portion of the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) and cater to the needs of the future facilities of the DMIA.

It would also eliminate right of way problems.

The JBIC is financing 85 percent of the project, while the BCDA would fund the remaining 15 percent cost of the highway.