Just when everything in the Philippines seems to be slowing down, the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), now under the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., is working on several expansion projects north of Manila .
Although huge companies cry of the unabated economic recession around the globe, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. is pouring more investments in the local economy.
After completing the rehabilitation and expansion of the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway in 2005, MNTC is now ready to start Phase 2 of the Manila North Expressway (“MNE”) Project.
According to MNTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, this project complements and advances the crucial role of the existing NLEX as the infrastructure backbone to the Central and Northern Luzon regions which are expected to be the key beneficiaries of economic and development growth potentials in the coming years.
Franco added that MNE Phase 2 Project is considered as one of the flagship projects of the Philippine Government. It is also a vital road infrastructure that will help decongest Metro Manila as it provides alternative east and west access to mainline NLEX, bypassing EDSA and Balintawak Toll Plaza .
Phase 2 comprises the construction of the 16-km Circumferential Road (“C-5”) which will connect the existing C-5 expressway with the NLEX and onward with the MacArthur Highway to the west of NLEX.
The Phase 2 components are Segment 8.1 – a 2.7 kilometer road linking Mindanao Avenue to NLEX in Valenzuela City , Manila ; Segment 8.2 – 10.2 kilometers linking Mindanao Avenue to C5, Karipunan, Quezon City ; Segment 9 – 3.8 kilometers linking NLEX to Mac Arthur; and Segment 10 – 5.7 kilometers linking Mac Arthur to Letre.
In a recent briefing with the Pampanga press, Franco said they will start construction on Segment 8.1 on March 2009 as soon as the national government completes the settlement of right-of-way claims. MNTC will infuse some P2 billion for Segment 8.1 and would directly employ 600 workers for the project.
With the ongoing massive retrenchments around the country, MNTC’s expansion project is a welcome note. With 600 direct employment and probably hundreds more to be hired by their contractors, MNTC is doing us a big favor.
The new management, on the other hand, is one of the biggest investors in the country today. Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., formerly known as Philippine Infrastructure Inc., is owned by a Kabalen, Manny Pangilinan and his group, also the owners of Makati Medical Center , Davao Doctor’s Hospital, LandCo, PLDT, Smart Communications, SPi and partly Maynilad and Tollways Management Corp (TMC).
Metro Pacific President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said TMC will also join the slated bidding for the operations and management of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. TMC was the interim operator of SCTEx for six months since it was turned-over by the Japanese contractors to the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) last year. Their contract has already expired so TMC will join the bidding soon.
There is no doubt that TMC, sister company of MNTC, is qualified for the job. TMC is also managing the toll operations of NLEX. Both TMC and MNTC have already shown expertise in tollways development and management so the public are more than eager to wait for their next projects.
Although huge companies cry of the unabated economic recession around the globe, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. is pouring more investments in the local economy.
After completing the rehabilitation and expansion of the 84-kilometer North Luzon Expressway in 2005, MNTC is now ready to start Phase 2 of the Manila North Expressway (“MNE”) Project.
According to MNTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, this project complements and advances the crucial role of the existing NLEX as the infrastructure backbone to the Central and Northern Luzon regions which are expected to be the key beneficiaries of economic and development growth potentials in the coming years.
Franco added that MNE Phase 2 Project is considered as one of the flagship projects of the Philippine Government. It is also a vital road infrastructure that will help decongest Metro Manila as it provides alternative east and west access to mainline NLEX, bypassing EDSA and Balintawak Toll Plaza .
Phase 2 comprises the construction of the 16-km Circumferential Road (“C-5”) which will connect the existing C-5 expressway with the NLEX and onward with the MacArthur Highway to the west of NLEX.
The Phase 2 components are Segment 8.1 – a 2.7 kilometer road linking Mindanao Avenue to NLEX in Valenzuela City , Manila ; Segment 8.2 – 10.2 kilometers linking Mindanao Avenue to C5, Karipunan, Quezon City ; Segment 9 – 3.8 kilometers linking NLEX to Mac Arthur; and Segment 10 – 5.7 kilometers linking Mac Arthur to Letre.
In a recent briefing with the Pampanga press, Franco said they will start construction on Segment 8.1 on March 2009 as soon as the national government completes the settlement of right-of-way claims. MNTC will infuse some P2 billion for Segment 8.1 and would directly employ 600 workers for the project.
With the ongoing massive retrenchments around the country, MNTC’s expansion project is a welcome note. With 600 direct employment and probably hundreds more to be hired by their contractors, MNTC is doing us a big favor.
The new management, on the other hand, is one of the biggest investors in the country today. Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., formerly known as Philippine Infrastructure Inc., is owned by a Kabalen, Manny Pangilinan and his group, also the owners of Makati Medical Center , Davao Doctor’s Hospital, LandCo, PLDT, Smart Communications, SPi and partly Maynilad and Tollways Management Corp (TMC).
Metro Pacific President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said TMC will also join the slated bidding for the operations and management of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. TMC was the interim operator of SCTEx for six months since it was turned-over by the Japanese contractors to the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) last year. Their contract has already expired so TMC will join the bidding soon.
There is no doubt that TMC, sister company of MNTC, is qualified for the job. TMC is also managing the toll operations of NLEX. Both TMC and MNTC have already shown expertise in tollways development and management so the public are more than eager to wait for their next projects.
