MANILA, Philippines - State-run Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) yesterday expressed dismay over allegations of Sen. Benigno C. Aquino III on the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) saying that the tollway was completed in time and that the government saved P940 million on the project.
During his speech before the Makati Business Club (MBC), the presidential candidate said that SCTEX took around eight years to construct before it finally opened. Projects of this scale normally require two years to complete. Furthermore, when SCTEX finally became operational, it was found that the central hub, which was Clark, did not have an exit excluding Clark from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway itself.”
However, BCDA countered that contrary to the statements made by Aquino, SCTEX took only a little less than two years to build and not eight years. BCDA explained that the contract date was set on April 21, 2005 and BCDA completed construction of the SCTEX Main Alignment as scheduled and without any delay on March 15, 2008 for the Subic-Clark segment and April 5, 2008 for the Clark-Tarlac segment.
Also, BCDA said that SCTEX Subic-Clark segment and a portion of the Clark-Tarlac segment were opened for commercial operations on April 28, 2008. The remaining portion of the Clark-Tarlac segment was opened for commercial operations a little over three months after due to the commitment of the BCDA to construct overpasses and service roads in Concepcion, Tarlac.
“A project of this magnitude cannot be finished in two years,” BCDA stressed.
In fact, BCDA said that funding agency Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) commended BCDA for completing the SCTEX in record time despite challenges faced in the acquisition of land for the right-of-way.
In addition to completing the tollway, BCDA said that they were able to do it for less money because they were able to reduce the civil works costs by P940 million.
At the same time, additional works were implemented through the construction of additional three Interchanges (Clark South, Porac and Floridablanca)and Panday Pira Access Road.
The Panday Pira Road, which is the access road to and from Clark via the Clark North Interchange, was completed on Dec. 23, 2008. The Clark South Interchange was completed on April 4, 2009. The Porac and Floridablanca Interchanges were completed on July 31, 2009.
BCDA said that this means that the additional works extended the construction period by an additional one year. They explained that the road’s connection to Clark via the Panday Pira Road was not part of the original scope of works.
It was implemented as additional work and was completed eight months after. But despite the pending completion of the Panday Pira Road back then, motorists in the SCTEX could still easily access the Clark Freeport Zone by taking the Mabalacat Exit, proceed towards MacArthur Highway and then Clark, BCDA said.
The Clark South Interchange, the other interchange providing additional access to and from Clark and Angeles City, was finished after nearly a year, the agency added.