MALOLOS CITY—The Manila North Tollways Corporation is poised to take over the operations of the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), however no agreement has been signed yet.
Benigno Valles, corporation communications officer of the MNTC, said they are hoping that agreement will be signed this year.
“We have the notice of award but we still don’t have the detailed agreement,” he said noting that the agreement is still being drafted for finalization.
He said that the detailed agreement is not easy to draft since it will contain how much MNTC will pay, how long will they operate the SCTEx and what are the elements that will remain to the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the current operator of the SCTEx.
Last June, retired General Robert Gervacio, spokesperson of the SCTEXx announced that BCDA is ready to sign an agreement MNTC before the end of September.
The agreement, if signed, will transfer to the MNTC the current operator of the 89-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the right to operate the 94-kilometer SCTEx.
However, as the end of the draw nears, Valles said they are not sure if the agreement will be signed.
This means that the MNTC, despite having granted the notice of award, cannot make any physical changes on the SCTEx for seamless connection with the NLEX.
At present, when a Zambales or Bataan bound motorist entered the Balintawak interchange of the NLEX, they will have to stop two to three times to get toll ticket and pay, a system that will be greatly improved by the seamless connection between the two expressways.
However, Valles said that they will make adjustments especially during the Halloween season when traffic volume on the two expressways are expected to increase.
“Sakaling abutan ng Undas, pipilitin naming maging smooth ang pagbiyahe ng mga motorist dahil pareho naman ang operator ngayon ng NLEX ay SCTEx,” Valles said referring to the Traffic Management Corporation (TMC) of the MNTC.
Valles also said that to achieve seamless connection between the two expressways, they have to complete three-stage integration program.
These include integration of operations, toll collection system and facilities.
“Madali lang yung integration ng operation dahil sa ground level lang iyon; pati yung toll collection system that will require electronic system,” Valles said.
He said that the most difficult stage is the integration of facilities which will require reconstruction and removal of unnecessary toll plaza like the ones in Balem and Mabalacat, Pampanga, and installation of close circuit television (CCTV) on toll plaza and along the expressway.
Earlier, the BCDA said that it awarded the MNTC a notice of award to operate SCTEx in the next 25 years renewable for another eight years.
The award gave the MNTC the right to collect toll fees along the SCTEx based on the signed Toll Operation Agreement signed by the BCDA and the Toll Regulatory Board on June 13, 2007.
In return, the MNTC will pay BCDA lease concession fee amounting to 20 percent of its earnings from SCTEx.
Based on MNTC computation, it will pay BCDA a total of P64.4-billion for the 25-year concession period; which is higher than theP38-billion minimum requirement set by the BCDA under its Terms of Reference (TOR).
Benigno Valles, corporation communications officer of the MNTC, said they are hoping that agreement will be signed this year.
“We have the notice of award but we still don’t have the detailed agreement,” he said noting that the agreement is still being drafted for finalization.
He said that the detailed agreement is not easy to draft since it will contain how much MNTC will pay, how long will they operate the SCTEx and what are the elements that will remain to the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the current operator of the SCTEx.
Last June, retired General Robert Gervacio, spokesperson of the SCTEXx announced that BCDA is ready to sign an agreement MNTC before the end of September.
The agreement, if signed, will transfer to the MNTC the current operator of the 89-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the right to operate the 94-kilometer SCTEx.
However, as the end of the draw nears, Valles said they are not sure if the agreement will be signed.
This means that the MNTC, despite having granted the notice of award, cannot make any physical changes on the SCTEx for seamless connection with the NLEX.
At present, when a Zambales or Bataan bound motorist entered the Balintawak interchange of the NLEX, they will have to stop two to three times to get toll ticket and pay, a system that will be greatly improved by the seamless connection between the two expressways.
However, Valles said that they will make adjustments especially during the Halloween season when traffic volume on the two expressways are expected to increase.
“Sakaling abutan ng Undas, pipilitin naming maging smooth ang pagbiyahe ng mga motorist dahil pareho naman ang operator ngayon ng NLEX ay SCTEx,” Valles said referring to the Traffic Management Corporation (TMC) of the MNTC.
Valles also said that to achieve seamless connection between the two expressways, they have to complete three-stage integration program.
These include integration of operations, toll collection system and facilities.
“Madali lang yung integration ng operation dahil sa ground level lang iyon; pati yung toll collection system that will require electronic system,” Valles said.
He said that the most difficult stage is the integration of facilities which will require reconstruction and removal of unnecessary toll plaza like the ones in Balem and Mabalacat, Pampanga, and installation of close circuit television (CCTV) on toll plaza and along the expressway.
Earlier, the BCDA said that it awarded the MNTC a notice of award to operate SCTEx in the next 25 years renewable for another eight years.
The award gave the MNTC the right to collect toll fees along the SCTEx based on the signed Toll Operation Agreement signed by the BCDA and the Toll Regulatory Board on June 13, 2007.
In return, the MNTC will pay BCDA lease concession fee amounting to 20 percent of its earnings from SCTEx.
Based on MNTC computation, it will pay BCDA a total of P64.4-billion for the 25-year concession period; which is higher than theP38-billion minimum requirement set by the BCDA under its Terms of Reference (TOR).
