CLARK FREEPORT – The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has bared plans here to remove toll areas between the Balintawak point of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic Freeport at the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) as part of its plans amid its pending takeover of the latter.
MPTC president and chief executive officer Ramon Fernandez bared this in his speech during the general meeting of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) here last Tuesday, after the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) awarded his firm the concession for the operation of the 94-kilometer SCTEX.
He said that MPTC poised to sign soon a toll operating agreement with the BCDA and the Tollways Regulatory Board.
In an interview with Punto, however, he could not say whether toll rates at the SCTEX would increase pending the removal of the toll booths from Balintawak to Subic.
“It’s really the concern still of the BCDA at this point,” he said.
Fernandez said that by Holy Week next year, only the toll plazas in Balintawak and Subic Freeport will remain. He noted that at present, motorists traversing the entire routes have to pass through three others in the area of Angeles City and Mabalacat in Pampanga and in Subic.
“Since we will operate the entire stretch of the NLEX and SCTEX, we can do away with the toll payments between the two end points, so there would be no need for motorists traveling between the two points to make a stop in between,” he said.
Fernandez also bared plans to create more service facilities along the SCTEX.
“The problem with SCTEX is that if you need to go to the toilet, you have to wait because there is no toilet in the entire stretch,” he said, noting that such facilities are adequate at the NLEX.
He also said that electronic facilities at the SCTEX could not yet be installed because of the significant cost it would require.
“At present, an average of only 25,000 motorists daily use the SCTEX, as against 165,000 motorists daily at the NLEX,. “ he noted.
MPTC president and chief executive officer Ramon Fernandez bared this in his speech during the general meeting of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) here last Tuesday, after the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) awarded his firm the concession for the operation of the 94-kilometer SCTEX.
He said that MPTC poised to sign soon a toll operating agreement with the BCDA and the Tollways Regulatory Board.
In an interview with Punto, however, he could not say whether toll rates at the SCTEX would increase pending the removal of the toll booths from Balintawak to Subic.
“It’s really the concern still of the BCDA at this point,” he said.
Fernandez said that by Holy Week next year, only the toll plazas in Balintawak and Subic Freeport will remain. He noted that at present, motorists traversing the entire routes have to pass through three others in the area of Angeles City and Mabalacat in Pampanga and in Subic.
“Since we will operate the entire stretch of the NLEX and SCTEX, we can do away with the toll payments between the two end points, so there would be no need for motorists traveling between the two points to make a stop in between,” he said.
Fernandez also bared plans to create more service facilities along the SCTEX.
“The problem with SCTEX is that if you need to go to the toilet, you have to wait because there is no toilet in the entire stretch,” he said, noting that such facilities are adequate at the NLEX.
He also said that electronic facilities at the SCTEX could not yet be installed because of the significant cost it would require.
“At present, an average of only 25,000 motorists daily use the SCTEX, as against 165,000 motorists daily at the NLEX,. “ he noted.
