SMC, PNCC eye P700-B tollroad linking Quezon, Bicol, Samar

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and state-run Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) are looking to build a  P700-billion tollroad that would connect Quezon, Bicol and Samar.

PNCC president and chief executive officer Mario Espinosa told reporters they are looking to build a 388-kilometer tollroad that would start in Lucena in Quezon and pass through the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon.

From Matnog in Sorsogon, he said they are also studying if the tollroad could be linked to Allen in Samar.

Espinosa said the tollway being studied is covered by PNCC’s franchise. “We will come up with a feasibility study,” he said.

He added the feasibility study could be completed within one year after the work begins.

The tollroad, when pursued and completed, could cut travel time from Manila to Bicol to about four hours from 10 hours.

For his part, SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said the tollway would be beneficial particularly for businesses. “Many Filipinos would be able to improve their lives. And for businesses, it will be much easier,” he said.

SMC and PNCC signed a P554-billion deal to expand the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and Metro Manila Expressway C6 or Skyway Stage 4 and other projects.

SMC’s infrastructure arm San Miguel Holdings Corp. and PNCC are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. and Citra Intercity Tollways Inc., which serve as the respective concession companies of Skyway Stages 3 and 4.

In addition to Metro Manila Skyway, SMC currently operates other tollroads such as the South Luzon Expressway, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway,  Southern Tagalog Arterial Road or STAR Tollway and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway.