DPWH sets May 19 deadline for P35.4-B CALAX rebid

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is giving interested companies until May 19 to submit technical and financial proposals for the Malacañang-mandated rebidding of the P35.4 billion Cavite –Laguna expressway (Calax).

DPWH Undersecretary Rafael Yabut said a single stage qualification and bidding would be adopted for the public private partnership (PPP) project.

“The DPWH is inviting local and international companies to bid to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the Calax project,” he said.

According to Yabut, interested companies could buy bid documents starting March 10 up to May 18 and should pay a non refundable fee of P100,000.

Yabut said the floor price for the rebidding is pegged at P20.105 billion.

Malacañang has ordered the DPWH to rebid the Calax project after diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) questioned the disqualification of its unit Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. (OIDI) from the bidding in June last year.

The tandem of conglomerate Ayala Corp. and listed Aboitiz Land Inc. through Team Orion emerged as the highest bidder in June last year with P11.66 billion followed by MPIC’s MP CALA Holdings with P11.33 billion, and Malaysian-owned Alloy MTD Philippines with P922 million.

However, SMC filed an appeal before the Office of the President after OIDI was disqualified from the bidding and its financial proposal containing a bid of P20.105 billion was not opened.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved the rebidding of the project during its last meeting.

The PPP project is a four-lane 45.5 kilometer closed-system tolled expressway connecting the Manila – Cavite toll expressway (Cavitex) in Kawit, Cavite and the Mamplasan interchange along South Luzon expressway in Biñan, Laguna.

The toll road would feature eight interchanges in Kawit, Daang Hari, Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Sta. Rosa – Tagaytay, Laguna Boulevard, Technopark, and a toll barrier before SLEX.

The proposed expressway would provide a more convenient and faster route to or from Metro Manila to the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) region.

The toll road would decongest traffic on the existing road network in Cavite and Laguna reducing travel time from the Calabarzon region to and from Metro Manila.