Construction of access road linking Subic Bay Freeport to SCTEX-Mabiga Exit in Bataan underway

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started work on a 17.74-kilometer access road that will connect the Subic Bay Freeport Zone to the Mabiga Exit of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) in Bataan.

DPWH region III director Roseller Tolentino said the new diversion road will bring the Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park closer to major seaports and airports in the region.

 

Tolentino said it will also be linked to the Luzon Spine Expressway Network, thus providing ease in inter-regional accessibility.

 

Starting in 2020, the multi-year project has an initial allocation of PHP120 million for the improvement of the 3.95-kilometer Mabiga-Morong segment, which had an accomplishment rate of 74.28 percent as of March 31, 2022.

 

Meanwhile,  the construction of the 7.264-kilometer Mabiga-Palihan section was given a total of PHP200 million under the 2021 national budget.

 

“Our thrust is to increase our road investments in the region. Expanding our existing road networks in the country’s industrial heartland will primarily benefit ecozone locators as there will be greater mobility that can result in lower business costs and faster delivery of goods and services,” Tolentino said in a statement.

 

The multi-year access road project has a total estimated cost of PHP4.05 billion and is expected to be completed in 2027.

 

“Right now, we are working on this project in phases and there is a lot of extensive work that need(s) to be done before it can be fully used by the public. The Regional Construction Division and our Bataan 1st District Engineering Office are committed to fast-track the implementation of this project," he added. (SNL)

 

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20 new lanes to hike SCTEX toll capacity

NLEX Corp., the operator of the North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, continues to conduct systematic repairs, upgrading and capacity expansion to ensure safe, reliable and seamless travel for the motoring public.

After rushing repair works on cracks and deformations on road pavements caused by the recent earthquakes that hit the Porac and Floridablanca portions of SCTEX in Pampanga, NLEX Corp. engineers are now focused on capacity expansion works.

Due to start in July is the construction of 20 additional lanes in various toll plazas along SCTEX, including vital construction at the Subic Freeport Expressway.

The additional toll plazas at SCTEX is aimed at improving the customer processing time at exit and entrance booths, the company said in a statement.

The toll plaza capacity expansion project, which is expected to be completed by November this year, covers Clark North, Clark South, San Miguel, Bamban, and Tarlac toll plazas.

One new toll lane each will be built in Clark North entry/exit and Clark South B exit. Two new toll lanes each will be added at Clark South A exit and Tarlac entry/exit to serve the growing number of motorists traveling in these areas.

NLEX Corp. will further increase the service capacity of San Miguel (Luisita) entry/exit plaza and convert it to a full interchange. This means that San Miguel will be more accessible to motorists, as those coming to and from San Miguel will now have complete entry and exit points from both northbound and southbound directions.

Meanwhile, two lanes each will be constructed at San Miguel northbound entry and southbound exit and another toll lane will be added to the northbound exit.

The soon-to-open Bamban Interchange will likewise have three entry and three exit lanes. The new interchange will become the direct connection to New Clark City, the main venue for this year’s Southeast Asian Games.

Luigi Bautista, president and general manager of NLEX Corporation, said “the additional toll lanes will help improve SCTEX’s connectivity in its areas, particularly in Clark, which is being positioned as Asia’s next aerotropolis and investment center.”

The new lanes aim to enable speedy toll transactions even during peak hours and holidays when traffic volume on the expressway rises sharply.

In previous years, the NLEX Corporation, together with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, implemented several enhancement projects along SCTEX’s 94-kilometer stretch. These projects include the NLEX-SCTEX electronic toll collection integration, the expansion of Tipo Toll Plaza and the Mabiga Interchange.

CCTV System, LED lights, emergency call boxes, crash cushions, and reflective delineator plates were also installed at the expressway to enhance the safety of motorists. A new traffic control room was also built in Dolores, Mabalacat City to track real-time traffic at SCTEX.

The NLEX and SCTEX are safe for expressway users despite some pavement cracks observed in bridge approaches along SCTEX, following the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that seriously affected Pampanga and other parts of Central Luzon last April 22.

Meanwhile, post-earthquake assessment results conducted by NLEX Corp. and its engineering consultant AMH Philippines, showed there was no major structural damage found in NLEX-SCTEX bridges and slopes following the temblor, except for cracks and deformations on pavements and bridge expansion joints that were immediately repaired and are now 100% safe for expressway users.

NLEX and SCTEX bridges performed and behaved well and the cracks and deformations caused by the quake were all within anticipated range of structural-design assumptions. Comprehensive repairs have already been accomplished to ensure the riding comfort of motorists.

Repaired were four bridges in SCTEX Porac (Pasig-Potrero, Babo Pangulo, Planas, and Porac) and two bridges in SCTEX Floridablanca (Caulaman and Gumain) that sustained minor pavement cracks while steel plates and expansion joints that became uneven were now levelled.

“Our Quick Response Teams are on 24-hour stand-by mode and ready to immediately assist motorists to assure the safety of the public plying our expressways,” Bautista noted.

New expressway lanes, bridges, and tunnel will also be constructed at the Subic Freeport Expressway as the NLEX Corporation and Sta. Clara International Corporation recently signed the agreement for the P1.6-billion SFEX Capacity Expansion Project.

The project ― which involves the construction of two additional expressway lanes, two new bridges at Jadjad and Argonaut, and a tunnel ― aims to better accommodate the growing number of vehicles going in and out of the Subic Bay Freeport.

In addition, expressway-standard LED lights will be installed to keep the SFEX safe and convenient for motorists, particularly for those driving at night.

The SFEX Capacity Expansion is seen to improve traffic in the area and promote road safety as the new lanes will segregate northbound and southbound motorists along separate carriageways. It will also complement the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s infrastructure development program which includes the improvement of airport and seaport, the widening of roads, and the construction of an SBMA Corporate Center.

Bautista said their structures, including those elevated ones, were designed and built in such a way that they do not collapse during an earthquake. He also stressed that the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the elevated expressway from Karuhatan, Valenzuela City to Caloocan Interchange in C3, Caloocan City, is earthquake-resistant and can withstand high magnitude quakes.

“Rest assured that our roads adhere to world-class standards as we use top grade materials and undertake regular road condition surveys,” he added. (Orlan L. Mauricio, Manila standard)

http://manilastandard.net/lgu/luzon/295744/20-new-lanes-to-hike-sctex-toll-capacity.html

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NLEX spending P1.6b to expand toll road in Subic

NLEX Corp. said it is spending P1.6 billion to expand the capacity of Subic Freeport Expressway, or SFEx, amid growing vehicle traffic.

NLEX vice president for project management Nemesio Castillo said SFEx, or the Tipo section of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, would be expanded by one lane in each direction.

The Subic-Tipo Tunnel of the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEx)

The project is expected to be completed in 16 months starting this month.

Castillo said a new tunnel and two new bridges—Jadjad Bridge and Argonaut Bridge—would also be constructed while expressway-standard LED lights would be installed to keep the expressway safe for motorists, especially for those driving at night.

SFEx, which was constructed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Subic in 1996, is now a part of SCTEx.

NLEX holds the concession to manage, operate and maintain SCTEx, a 93.77-km four-lane highway, traversing the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac.

The management, operation, and maintenance of SCTEX was turned over by BCDA to the NLEX in 2015.

NLEX said last week it allotted P400 million this year to expand the capacity of SCTEX.

The company, which operates SCTEX, said more lanes would be built in Clark South A and South B exits; Clark North entry and exit; San Miguel northbound entry and exit; and Tarlac entry and exit.

NLEX said the construction would start on July 1 this year and be completed by November this year.

The construction of the Bamban Interchange, which will link the expressway to New Clark City, is also ongoing in time for country’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games.

Data show since the SCTEx was opened in 2008, the average daily traffic grew by close to 600 percent from just 9,302 to 62,643 in 2018. (Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Standard)


http://manilastandard.net/business/corporate/292969/nlex-spending-p1-6b-to-expand-toll-road-in-subic.html

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Rail to enhance Subic port’s attraction

Subic port is increasingly becoming an important trade center pushed by and its attraction will be enhanced with government’s plan to build a P57-billion railway connecting the Freeport with Clark.

In a report, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said exports going out of Subic port rose 38 percent to $2.3 billion in 2017 from $1.7 billion in 2016.

Imports that passed through the port similarly rose 11 percent to $1.77 billion from $1.6 billion in 2016.

The report shows containerized cargo volume jumped 13 percent to 140,938 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 124,707 TEUs in 2016.

In contrast, non-containerized cargo volume fell 6 percent to 6.6 million metric tons from 7 mmt in 2016.

Ship calls improved in the international front, outstripping domestic calls.

Foreign ship calls stood at 1,526, up 12 percent from 1,365 in 2016. Domestic ship calls however declined 27 percent to 1,252 from 1,704 in 2016.

As a result of these activities, port revenues in Subic in 2017 rose 6 percent to P1.21 billion from P1.14 billion in 2016.

Government is planning to build a railway connecting Subic with Clark airport, initially as a cargo and eventually as a passenger service.

Joshua Bingcang, vice president for business development and operations of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said a new alignment would be set up between Subic and Clark passing through Dinalupihan in Bataan and Floridablanca, Porac and Angeles City in Pampanga.

Bingcang said the establishment of the cargo rail will incentivize business to shift from Manila and decongest public roads.

He said hauling goods via rail could be cheaper by 25 to 50 percent than by land.

“This system will further bring down cost of movement of goods, an alternative to truckers especially those using Gapan-Olongapo road and the Subic-Clark Tarlac expressway,” said Bingcang.

The project, awaiting approval of the National Economic and Development Authority board, is one of the projects under official development assistance from the government of China.

Bingcang said the BCDA hopes to finalize the loan support this year and start construction next year.

Construction could take three years.

Subic-Clark railway is part of the Greater Luzon Railway System being planned by government. Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/rail-enhance-subic-port%E2%80%99s-attraction

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Victory Liner starts P2P services in Clark-Subic, Clark-Dagupan routes

VICTORY Liner Incorporated (VLI), one of the biggest bus companies in Northern Luzon, announced the start of Point-to-Point (P2P) bus services from Clark International Airport to Subic Bay in Olongapo and the City of Dagupan in Pangasinan.

P2P buses pick up and drop off passengers only at designated terminals. VLI operations manager Ronald Sarmiento said Victory Liner decided to provide this service to allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales and Pangasinan to travel to and from Clark International Airport, instead of having to go to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

There will be four routes, with all trips going to and from Clark international airport in Dagupan and Subic.

For faster trips, Victory Liner will use the TPLEX and SCTEX. “From Clark international airports, there will be a trip from Clark to Subic. This trip begins at 1:00 am and the last trip will be at 8:00 pm.

For those living in Bataan and Zambales, there will be trips from Subic to San Fernando.

For residents of Pangasinan, trips to Clark will start at 1:00 am and the last trip at 8:00 pm,” said Sarmiento.

For the Clark to Dagupan routes, Victory Liner will only pick up passengers from Clark airport, SM Clark, SM Carmen and Urdaneta Victory Liner terminals.

Passengers going from Clark to Subic, pickup and drop-off points are to be found at Clark international airport, SM Clark, Victory Liner bus terminals at San Fernando and Dinalupihan and Harbort Point. (PR)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/business/2018/03/12/victory-liner-starts-p2p-services-clark-subic-clark-dagupan-routes

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NLEX to expand Subic Expressway

NLEX Corp. is spending over P2 billion to expand the Subic Freeport Expressway to accommodate growing vehicle traffic, a top executive said over the weekend.

NLEX president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said SFEx or the Tipo section of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority would be expanded from 1x1 lane to 2x2 lanes in each direction.

“We are spending over P2 billion for the project but we are still calibrating that,” Franco said.

Franco said the investment proposal would be submitted to the Toll Regulatory Board by October, while construction was expected to start next year.

SFEx, which was constructed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Subic in 1996, is now a part of SCTEx.

NLEX holds the concession to manage, operate and maintain SCTEx, a 93.77-km four-lane highway, traversing the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac.

The company reported a net income of P2.3 billion in January to June, up 17 percent from last year’s P2 billion on higher toll revenues at North Luzon Expressway and SCTEx and efficient utilization of resources covering toll operations and maintenance costs.

NLEX said toll revenues increased 8 percent in the six-month period to P5.7 billion from P5.2 billion a year ago, led by the increase in traffic from both NLEx and SCTEx operations.

Average daily traffic along NLEx reached 233,652 daily entries in the first half, or 7 percent higher than the same period last year, while average daily traffic at SCTEx reached 54,991 daily entries, up by 24 percent from a year earlier.

NLEX earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to build the P60-billion C5 Expressway, a 21.8-kilometer elevated toll road from the end of NLEX Segment 8.2 on Luzon Avenue, Quezon City to Cavitex C5 South Link.

The project will complete the missing segment of the C5 Circumferential Expressway alignment, a crucial component of the Metro Manila Urban Expressway Network. (Darwin G. Amojelar, Manila Standard)

PHOTO:
A portion of the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEx)
(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subic%E2%80%93Tipo_Expressway)

http://manilastandard.net/business/banking-report/244950/nlex-to-expand-subic-expressway.html

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Subic-Clark railway project feasibility study now underway

The feasibility study for the Subic-Clark railway project being conducted by China Harbor Engineering Co. Ltd. (CHEC) is now underway.

The multi-billion-peso railway project was proposed to the national government by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

CHEC is a world-renowned international contractor and provider of full services in engineering-procurement-construction (EPC), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) for both public and private sectors, providing prestigious services globally and becoming a world-renowned brand in the field of engineering.

SBMA Seaport general manager Jerome Martinez said the Subic-Clark Railway Transit project is part of the P100-billion elevated coastal highway and railway system that would link Subic to Clark Economic Zone and the Port of Manila.

Martinez said the multi-billion project is currently on its data gathering stage: counting the number of cargo trucks passing through, where the cargos are being sent or collected, and the rates.

Aside from CHEC, the official said that there are other proponents that expressed interest in funding the Subic-Clark Railway Transit project.

“There are, actually, many proponents that would like to join in the project. However, the project is still in its conceptual stage where they do data gathering related to the volume, rates and destinations of the cargoes, the range, elevation and other technical issues,” Martinez said.

Aside from the Seaport Department, other SBMA offices (Engineering Department, Project Development Office, Land Asset Management Department, Ecology Center, and Public Works and Transportation Services Group) are members of the technical group that are coordinating with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) in coming up with the feasibility study with engineering consulting firm Atkins.

Meanwhile, PDO manager Vicente Evidente, Jr. explained that the railway development project is one of the priority projects of President Rodrigo Duterte under the “Build, Build, Build” Program that includes Mindanao and Visayas.

For Subic, Evidente said, the railway system will be aligned to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. This would save the government from right-of-way issues. There are also plans to connect it with the Clark-Manila Railway up to the Port of Manila. When finished, the rail system will open new investment opportunities and improve container and passenger traffic, as well as help decongest other ports, especially Manila.

The feasibility study is expected to complete by the third semester of the year, while the Subic-Clark Railway Transit project is expected to be finished before the end of the President’s term. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)

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MNTC to invest P2B for SCTEx 2016 makeover

THE tollways arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is investing P2 billion to implement a makeover program for the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), making it at par with its sister, the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex).

The amount will be spread over a period of three years, Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) President Rodrigo E. Franco said, and will help modernize the expressway.

“After SCTEx was turned over to us last year, we slated several modernization works all aimed at making the SCTEx at par with the Nlex,” he said.

At the top of the list are the recently completed integration of the two thoroughfares which amounted to P758 million, and the ongoing pavement improvement of the SCTEx from 2016 to 2018, which costs P1 billion.

The integration project unified the toll collection systems of the two expressways, thus continually creating a faster and seamless traveling experience for motorists going to and coming from the North.

The integration project also modernized SCTEx’s toll collection system by making available to SCTEx electronic-toll collection through EasyTrip.

The SCTEx pavement repair includes three-year asphalt overlay and road patching of the 94-kilometer expressway to make the SCTEx’s pavement as smooth as that of the Nlex.

Also part of the enhancement program is the installation of modern traffic and telecommunications systems worth P266 million.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and emergency call boxes are currently being installed along the expressway to ensure the security of motorists. The roadside emergency-call boxes will aid distressed motorists to directly and quickly connect to the SCTEx traffic control room.

The CCTV cameras will enable real-time monitoring of the entire stretch of the expressway which, in turn, will allow expressway teams to respond faster to motorists who may need assistance.

Variable message signs that provide motorists with useful and updated traffic information are being put up along the expressway as well. These signs will be located in Concepcion, Tarlac, and Porac and Floridablanca, Pampanga.

To further guarantee the safety of motorists, high-risk slopes along the expressway are undergoing repair through slope restoration using gabions and geosynthetics reinforcements and adding drainage lines for P22 million.

MNTC has also allotted P47 million in capital expenditures for system and software, traffic devices and facility enhancements.

Toll booths in all SCTEx toll plazas are also up for rehabilitation which will include repainting and replacement of equipment.

“Once these improvements are fully implemented, our motorists can surely expect a smoother and safer travel at SCTEx,” Franco said.

The infrastructure giant is the largest toll-road operator in the Philippines. The conglomerate also has significant shareholdings in expressways in Vietnam and Thailand. (BusinessMirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/mntc-to-invest-p2b-for-sctex-2016-makeover/

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Seaoil builds P350-million station along SCTEX route

Competition of oil industry players along tollways onward to North Luzon is expected to intensify as independent player Seaoil Philippines, Inc. is now advancing to completion its P350 million mega-station along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) route.

The company is one of the ‘independents’ given the permit to put up a new gasoline station within the SCTEX stretch.

A portion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)

While other gasoline stations – generally by the oil industry majors – serve the expanse of proximate North Luzon Expressway, it is anticipated that the contest on cornering customer patronage will eventually converge among all tracts of these so-called fast travel-designed roads, including that of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

According to Seaoil, its SCTEX station is targeted for full commercial operations by the last quarter of this year.

This venture is its collaboration with Double Dragon Properties Corporation of Tony Tan Caktiong of the Jollibee Foods Corporation fame.

Seaoil president for retail and chief finance officer Mark L. Yu noted that the SCTEX mega-station “will be the company’s banner station that will greatly improve our brand presence.”

He added that this shall also be the oil firm’s new network “to serve more motorists, especially those travelling from Northern Luzon and cities like Baguio.”

It has been indicated that one of the distinguishing and striking amenities of the service station would be a mall within its compound, courtesy of its property developer-partner.

“The full service filling station will have an array of restaurants and convenience stores, and will feature spacious rest rooms, parking spaces and relaxation areas for travellers,” the oil firm said.

It was some sort of a prognostic vision for Seaoil, which sounded off years back, that it wants to be “the fuel of choice” – in some way parallel to “the fast food of choice matrix” that its partner’s food venture affiliate is known for.

For the longest time, the expressways had been confined to the petroleum retail service of the traditional players, but with the downstream oil industry’s deregulation, even these segments of the market also opened up for wider competition. (Myrna Velasco, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/seaoil-builds-p350-million-station-along-sctex-route/

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NLEX-SCTEX integration speed up traffic during the Holy Week

The recent integration of the NLEX and SCTEX greatly helped in managing the surge in traffic volume at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) at the just concluded Holy Week exodus to Central and North Luzon.

The Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) reported that motorists experienced light-to -moderate traffic flow through in the whole stretch of NLEX-SCTEX, except at the peak of the Lenten Season, last March 24 and 27 when traffic hit 275,000 and 260,000, respectively, when traffic became really heavy.

SCTEX portion going to Subic Bay Freeport (file photo)

MNTC traffic data indicated vehicle entries rose to 275,000 from 263,000 in 2015. “Without integration, this kind of vehicle volume could have created a worse traffic situation on the country’s two premier expressways.

“Travel to the North Luzon was a breeze this year with the integration of NLEX and SCTEX into one seamless road network. The decreased number of toll plaza stops to two made travel to the north faster and more convenient for motorists,” said MNTC president Rodrigo Franco.

The NLEX-SCTEX Integration unified the NLEX and SCTEX toll collection systems into a single system, reducing toll collection stops to two instead of five from Balintawak to Subic and back, instead of four from Balintawak to Tarlac and back.

The integration also introduced other payment option at SCTEX since it now features electronic toll collection through Easytrip.

“This was the first Holy Week that we had the NLEX and SCTEX integrated, more system improvements are on the way to further provide comfort and convenience to motorists,” said Franco.

Aside from the integration of the two expressways, MNTC also attributed the manageable traffic flow to the efficient traffic schemes.

“On Maundy Thursday, we implemented counter-flow in San Simon to address the traffic build-up caused by high volume of vehicles going to the provinces,” explained Franco, adding that “additional toll collection points at Bocaue Toll Plaza were in placed on Black Saturday and Easter Sunday to accommodate motorists returning to Manila.” (Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/nlex-sctex-integration-speed-up-traffic-during-the-holy-week/

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NLEX, SCTEX integrated, eases northbound travel

CLARK, Pampanga, Philippines – The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) have been combined into one seamless road network to accommodate the heavy influx of motorists for the Holy Week.

Senate President Franklin Drilon led officials in a ceremonial drive yesterday to the Sta. Ines toll plaza, marking the launch of the combined tollways.

The integration of the two expressways cost P650 million and involved the conversion of the NLEX and SCTEX toll collection into a single system.

This reduces toll collection stops to two instead of five from Balintawak to Subic and back, instead of four from Balintawak to Tarlac and back.

To unify the system of NLEX and SCTEX, the Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) has constructed seven new toll plazas in Tarlac, Subic-Tipo, Sta. Ines and the northbound and southbound side of Dau and Mabiga.

MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said the seamless and faster travel can now be experienced at NLEX and SCTEX as toll collection stops are lessened and additional options are introduced at the SCTEX.

Franco added the integration speeds up the queues on the toll plazas. Motorists who will drive from Manila to Subic will just have to stop for toll payments at Balintawak and Subic or Tarlac.

“This will save them up to 40 minutes of travel time,” he said.

Drilon said he had temporarily suspended his campaign sortie to savor the launching of the toll integration project.

Drilon recalled the plan for the two expressways to be integrated was brought about by the 11-hour traffic ordeal he had on the two expressways in 2014.

To spare motorists from experiencing a similar fate, Drilon said he summoned officials of the MNTC and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) to find a solution to the traffic congestion in the two expressways.

Drilon noted the integration project also features a unified ticketing system, electronic toll collection and magnetic payment methods, which are projected to increase up to 800 transactions per hour compared to manual lanes which could only service 200 transactions per hour.

On the other hand, BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano Casanova said the integration is a game-changer that will greatly benefit the motorists in terms of faster travel time and conveniences and set the standard for what is doable in the future.

Casanova said the NLEX-SCTEX integration is the first among expressways in the country.

With the integration completed, Franco added the MNTC is open to discussions to link NLEX to TPLEX, which is operated by San Miguel Corporation.

“That would be a natural next step to try to talk to the concessionaire or operator to see if that integration is possible, so that may be something we could eventually explore with the concessionaire of TPLEX,” Franco said.

For the Holy Week, MNTC will implement Safe Trip Mo Sagot Ko 2016 motorist assistance program to enhance traffic management and toll collection services at the NLEX, SCTEX and CAVITEX.

From March 18-28, additional patrol vehicles and enforcers will be fielded to immediately respond to distressed motorists while ambulant toll tellers equipped with portable toll collection gadgets will be deployed and additional traffic informatory signs will be installed in strategic areas and road works will also be suspended to ensure smooth traffic flow. (Louella Desiderio, The Philippine Star)

PHOTO:
Senate President Franklin Drilon leads the inauguration of the NLEX-SCTEX integration system at the Sta. Ines toll plaza in Pampanga yesterday.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/19/1564423/nlex-sctex-integrated-eases-northbound-travel

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NLEx-SCTEx integration nears completion, to cut tollway travel time

THE TOLLWAYS arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said the P650-million project integrating the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), which will cut travel time from Balintawak to Subic by up to 40 minutes, is nearing completion.

The NLEx and SCTEx integration, which is currently 85% finished, is expected to be operational by March, as the firm braces for a surge in traffic volume during the Holy Week, Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) Assistant Vice-President Glenn G. Campos reporters during an inspection of the project yesterday.

“The integrated system will be operational by March because we are expecting a 15%-20% surge in volume during the Holy Week,” he said.

Around 200,000 vehicles travel through the NLEx every day, while 35,000 pass thorough the SCTEx. The combined vehicular traffic is expected to increase 5%-7% this year, MNTC Senior Vice-President Raul L. Ignacio said at the same venue.

As part of the integration, the company is reducing toll collection stops, while toll plazas at Dau and Mabalacat are being converted to pass-through lanes.

Motorists can also start using the EasyTrip Tag on both tollroads. Around 20%-25% of NLEx’s motorists use the digital payment scheme, while all SCTEx users pay in cash.

“We are estimating [time] savings to be at 35 to 40 minutes,” Mr. Campos said. “If your travel time from Balintawak to Tarlac used to take one hour and 50 minutes, it will be reduced to one hour and 10 to 15 minutes.”

The company said toll rates will remain unchanged as the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has yet to act on its petitions for rate hikes.

Last Sept. 30, 2015, MNTC filed a petition with the TRB for toll rate adjustment and the inclusion of a 12% value added tax at the SCTEx. If granted, SCTEx toll rates would rise by P4.67 per kilometer (km) for Class 1 vehicles, P9.32 per km for Class 2 vehicles, and P13.97 per km for Class 3 vehicles.

MNTC had earlier said it is spending more than P1.5 billion to upgrade the SCTEx over the next three years, saying the upgrade will make it at par with the NLEx. (Daphne J. Magturo, BusinessWorld)

PHOTO:

SCTEX toll plaza at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=nlex-sctex-integrationto-be-completed-by-march&id=122211

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MPIC unit allocates over P1.5B for SCTEx upgrade

THE TOLLWAYS arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is spending more than P1.5 billion to upgrade the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) over the next three years, saying the upgrade will make it at par with the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

“Aside from integrating the two tollways seamlessly, we have lined up a lot of enhancement works for SCTEx,” Rodrigo E. Franco, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president and chief executive officer, said in a statement yesterday.

MPTC is the holding company of Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), which operates the two toll roads.

“These include pavement works, construction of new facilities, and the improvement of the toll collection and communications systems,” Mr. Franco said.

One the integration of the two tollways is completed this year, SCTEx will adopt NLEx’s modern toll collection system, which uses dedicated short-range communication tags, as well as contactless and magnetic cards.

“The MNTC is investing more than P1.5 billion to improve the SCTEX and bring to it all the world-class features of the NLEX. A three-year asphalt overlay project covering the entire 94-kilometer length of the expressway will eventually make the SCTEX’s pavement as smooth as that of the NLEX,” Mr. Franco said.

Motorists will start to feel the improvements during the Holy Week in March, when traffic volume is expected to surge.

The country’s longest four-lane expressway serves around 34,000 vehicles every day, generating an annual revenue of around P1.4 billion, MPTC’s immediate past president Ramoncito S. Fernandez said in November last year.

MPTC said it is installing closed-circuit television cameras and emergency call boxes along the toll road.

“The roadside emergency call boxes will enable distressed motorists to directly and quickly connect to the SCTEX traffic control room. The CCTV cameras, on the other hand, will enable real-time monitoring of the entire stretch of the expressway which, in turn, will allow MNTC teams to respond faster to motorists who may need assistance,” the company said.

There will be additional lights and reflectorized strips to guide motorists at night, variable message signs with updated traffic information, as well two additional restrooms at the Dolores Exit and Luisita Interchange.

“By Holy Week 2016, some physical barriers currently standing between the two tollways will be removed. Motorists will no longer need to stop at Dau and Mabalacat as these will be converted into pass-through lanes,” MNTC said.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the state-run agency that built SCTEx, awarded last year to MNTC the contract to manage, operate and maintain the expressway until 2043.

The 94-kilometer SCTEx passes through the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac. It is linked to the northern tip of 93-kilometer NLEx at Sta. Ines in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Shares in listed MPIC added four centavos or 0.78% to end Monday at P5.14 apiece.

MPIC is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Philex Mining Corp.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld. (Daphne J. Magturo, BusinessWorld)

PHOTO:
CARS are seen along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway. (file, bcda.gov.ph)

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Corporate&title=mpic-unit-allocates-overp1.5b-for-sctex-upgrade&id=121675

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Metro Pacific officially takes over SCTEX

The Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) expects up to 9% growth in the annual vehicular traffic of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), as it formally takes over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the country’s longest toll road.

State-run Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) on Thursday, November 5, officially turned over the O&M of SCTEX to the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led MNTC. The concessionaire shelled out an upfront payment of P3.5 billion ($74.60 million) for the contract.

"We do expect that the operations of SCTEX will be viable from the start. Actually, the traffic has been building up because of the long delay. Between 2009 and today, the traffic has increased to over 30,000 vehicles daily from below 8,000," Jose Ma Lim, president and CEO of MNTC’s parent firm Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), said on the sidelines of the ceremonial turnover in Pampanga.

Higher traffic

"With the higher traffic, the difficult years when the operations were not yet profitable has already been passed," Lim added.

According to the MPIC executive, his group is expecting 8% to 9% growth in annual vehicular traffic.

Average daily vehicular traffic along SCTEX has grown more than threefold to about 30,855 from 9,302 when the road started operations in 2008, BCDA said.

To recall, MNTC submitted revised proposals for the SCTEX deal after Malacañang suspended the company's July 2011 business and operating agreement with BCDA for the 94-kilometer toll road.

Malacañang approved MNTC’s proposal in November 2014, but decided to subject it to a "price challenge" to get "the highest upfront cash value."

The contract required from MNTC a P3.5-billion ($74.60 million) upfront payment, inclusive of value-added tax. It is also required to share half of gross toll revenues with BCDA, as well as assume road operations and maintenance costs of SCTEX.

NLEX-SCTEX integration

For MNTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco, the turnover "paves the way for the start of improvement of services on SCTEX," citing the integration of toll collection systems of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and SCTEX.

This is aimed at "removing toll barriers along NLEX and SCTEX so that instead of the current 5 stops motorists from Manila have to make to get to Subic, it will be reduced to just two,” Franco said.

With Japan’s assistance, BCDA spent P34.9 billion ($743.87 million) to build SCTEX, which opened in 2008. The 4-lane expressway cuts through Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac, and is directly linked to the NLEX, which is also operated by MNTC. (Chrisee Dela Paz, Rappler.com)

http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/208-infrastructure/111850-metro-pacific-sctex-official-takeover

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SCADC renews push for Clark, Subic expansion

The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) is pursuing plans to expand the areas of the neighboring Subic Bay and Clark free ports to attract more investors and help solve the problem of congestion in Metro Manila.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who is also chairman of SCADC, said on Monday that council members have agreed to develop new industrial estates within the corridor between Subic and Clark.

“Accordingly, there are about 100,000 hectares of land suitable for development on both sides of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway [SCTEx],” Garcia said in a media briefing here.

“Initially, we’re looking for a 1,000-hectare pilot area. We’d allow Japanese or Korean investors to construct facilities there at their own expense to convince others that it’s beneficial to locate along the Subic-Clark corridor,” he added.

Garcia said that plans for the expansion of the Subic and Clark free ports have been in existence since the administration of former SBMA Chairman Felicito Payumo and former Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Rufo Colayco, but these did not push through.

The integrated development of Subic and Clark, as well as the vast corridor of flat lands between them, had been set as the objective of SCADC, which also seeks to harmonize programs and policies pertaining to Clark and Subic.

SCADC is composed of representatives from the BCDA, SBMA, Clark Development Corp., Department of Trade and Industry, Clark International Airport Corp. and, lately, North Luzon Railways Corp.

Subic, which has a total land area of 67,852 hectares, and Clark, which has 4,500 hectares, had since been developed into separate but complementary economic zones connected by the 94-kilometer SCTEx.

However, Subic, in particular, increasingly suffered from lack of space, as most of its mountainous territory is designated as a nature preserve and only less than 3,000 hectares have been put up for lease to business locators.

Garcia said that with the worsening traffic situation in Manila, as well as the diminishing space for industrial and commercial use in Subic, there is a need to find alternative investment sites to sustain economic growth.

“Foreign investors no longer find Manila attractive because of the traffic congestion,” Garcia pointed out. “But there’s no congestion, no truck ban and no flood in Clark and Subic.”

Garcia said it would be ideal for new investors to locate near Subic and Clark to make use of the distinct advantages the two free ports can offer.

“If investors need to deliver materials fast, there is Clark with its airport; and if they need to bring in heavy machinery, then there is the port of Subic,” he added. (Henry Empeño, Business Mirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/scadc-renews-push-for-clark-subic-expansion/

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NLEX, SCTEX integrate to ease holy week traffic

Motorists using the two tollways, NLEX and SCTEX, during the Holy Week break will already experience the ease and convenience resulting from the integration of the toll systems.

“To handle the expected increase in traffic volume during Holy Week, we will pilot-test the integrated toll system to provide motorists with a foretaste of the smooth travel experience that the project, once completed, will bring about,” said Rodrigo E. Franco, president of the Manila North Tollways Corporation , builder and concessionaire of the expressway. “With the integration, travel through NLEX and SCTEX will be faster and more convenient.”

On April 1 and 2, northbound motorists exiting NLEX, except for those whose vehicles are equipped with Easytrip tags, will not have to stop and pay at the Dau Exit Toll Plaza. All manual lanes in the toll plaza will be designated as “pass thru” lanes. However, there will still be dedicated Easytrip lanes where payment stubs that serve as receipts will be given to motorists with Easytrip transactions.

At the Dau and Sta. Ines interchanges, temporary booths will be set up to collect toll from motorists exiting NLEX. On the other hand, motorists exiting NLEX and continuing on to SCTEX—either to Subic or Tarlac —will have to pay their combined NLEX and SCTEX toll at the SCTEX Mabalacat Entry Toll Plaza. Payment stubs and manual official receipts will be issued to motorists as proofs of payment.

In anticipation of the usual 20% increase in the expressway’s traffic volume during Holy Week, MNTC is putting up 20 additional booths in the area. And as an added treat to motorists going all the way from NLEX to SCTEX Subic or SCTEX Tarlac, they can buy Express Cards in any of the gas stations along NLEX that will entitle them to a toll discount.

Motorists traveling to SCTEX Subic or SCTEX Tarlac just need to surrender the payment stubs issued to them in Mabalacat or the Express Cards bought from NLEX gas stations when they exit the expressway.

On April 4 and 5, southbound motorists using NLEX will not need to stop at the Dau Entry Toll Plaza where all entry lanes will be designated as “pass thru” lanes. No transit tickets will be given out.

While traveling along the expressway, motorists can again buy Express Cards from any of the NLEX gas stations to entitle them to toll discounts. Toll payments as well as Express Cards will be collected at the Bocaue Toll Plaza. To speed up collection, 15 temporary toll booths will be installed.

“While this system is still temporary and just being set up for Holy Week, it will soon be a permanent fixture once the NLEX-SCTEX system integration is fully completed,” Franco said.

The agreement to integrate the two expressways’ toll systems was signed last January between MNTC and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the government-owned and controlled corporation that built SCTEX.

The integration will bring to SCTEX the modern features of NLEX’s toll payment system. These include dedicated short-range communication, radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker tags, as well as contactless and magnetic cards.

Under the integration plan, some toll barriers and toll plazas will be removed or transferred. Among the barriers that will be removed are the NLEX Dau Barrier and the SCTEX Mabalacat Toll Barrier. New toll plazas will be constructed at the existing entry and exit ramps at NLEX Dau and Sta. Ines. A new SCTEX Tarlac Toll Plaza will also be constructed.

The project is expected to be completed within the year. (Manila Standard Today)

http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/03/29/nlex-sctex-integrate-to-ease-holy-week-traffic/

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Nlex-SCTEx integration done by November

THE Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) is aiming to complete the integration of the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressways (SCTEx) by the fourth quarter this year, a senior official said.

This development came after the toll-road company and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) signed on Thursday the P650-million contract to link the two expressways, thereby making it faster for motorists to transfer from the Nlex) to the SCTEx and vice versa.

“Immediately after this signing, we will start the works. We are just waiting for the approval from the Toll Regulatory Board, but while waiting for that we’ll start the needed preparations,” MNTC President Rodrigo E. Franco said in an interview. “Our target is to complete the integration works by November.”

The integration of the two expressways would speed up the queues on the exit plazas of the Nlex and the SCTEx, increasing the amount of transactions per hour to 800 from the current 200.

“This would pave way for seamless travel between the two expressways, lessening the stops that motorists have to do in the current setup,” Franco said.

The toll-linkage project involves the conversion of separate Nlex and SCTEx toll-collection systems into a single system that should allow more efficient toll collection and faster movement of traffic for motorists.

It also involves the installation and removal of temporary plazas, and the construction of interchange plazas that will also require the widening of existing entry or exit ramps.

BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the integration would facilitate trade to and from three key economic zones of Central Luzon: the Subic Bay Freeport, the Clark Freeport Zone and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac.

“The actual integration may even be faster because MNTC will soon be awarded the contract for the SCTEx as well,” he said. “The BCDA board formally approved the toll-integration proposal, clearing all hurdles to toll integration from our end.”

The tollways arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. will soon take over the reins of the central expressway after the disposition agency failed to muster bids for the price challenge of the thoroughfare’s multibillion-peso operations contract.

The toll-road business of tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan offered P3.5 billion to win the deal way back President Arroyo’s term. It also proposed a 50-percent revenue-sharing scheme.

President Aquino late last year directed the state-run asset-disposition agency to subject the offer of MNTC to a price challenge “in the interest of transparency and for competition.”

The 94-kilometer expressway allows for the merging of Clark and Subic Bay Freeport zones into a single facility resulting in the convergence of land-, air- and sea-based transport.

As of end-November 2014, the number of vehicles that used the toll road was at 10,305,688, a 12.93-percent increase compared to the 9,125,480 vehicles that used the toll road for the same period in 2013. It booked P1.07 billion in revenues during the period under review.

The Pangilinan group also operates the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway. Its parent company, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., has significant interests in toll roads abroad. (Lorenz S. Marasigan, BusinessMirror)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/nlex-sctex-integration-done-by-november/

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MNTC keeps SCTEX concession contract

Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC) subsidiary Manila North Tollway Corp. (MNTC) has finally won the concession of State-owned Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

This developed as the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) did not receive yesterday any proposal matching MNTC’s P3.5-billion upfront cash bid for the rights, interest and obligations in the operation, maintenance and management of the SCTEX until 2043.

BCDA President Arnel Casanova said neither San Miguel Corp. nor the unidentified firm represented by the law firm of Aguirre, Abaño, Pamfilo, Paras, Pineda, and Agustin submitted proposals to match MNTC’s bid during yesterday’s deadline.

“This just proves that the latest improved offer of MNTC is the best offer in the market,” Casanova said.

As such, the SCTEX concession will be awarded to MNTC following the conclusion of the price challenge. Sought for comment, MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said they are ready to takeover the SCTEX anytime.

“We are happy that the process has finally concluded. We are ready to takeover anytime [since] our operational readiness is already there,” he said, stressing out that MNTC sister company Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) has been operating SCTEX since its opening in April 2008. TMC also operates the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on MNTC’s behalf.

For the government’s part, Casanova said the SCTEX Price Challenge Selection Committee will sit down with the BCDA Board in a meeting on February 4 to present the result of the price challenge.

“We still have to undergo the process and get the Board’s approval before we finalize the contract and award it to MNTC,” Casanova explained.

Asked if the awarding of the SCTEX concession to MNTC could still face hurdles, Casanova said “we do not see any reason for that,” adding that Malacañang has already approved the SCTEX concession agreement on the condition of a price challenge.

“We have observed all the transparency required for this deal and worked hard to preserve the integrity of the process. We are happy to move on and close this deal, proceed to working for the improvement of the service in SCTEX, and serve the public interest,” he added.

Casanova, however, did not disclose the definite timetable for the SCTEX concession awarding. Franco said the MNTC expects the issuance of the notice of award next week, shortly after the BCDA Board meeting.

To recall, the BCDA and MNTC have signed in 2011 a business and operating agreement (BOA) for SCTEX but the Office of the President has postponed the approval of the BOA and instead directed that the MNTC offer be subject to a price challenge in the interest of transparency and fair competition.

MNTC’s latest improved offer made in February 2012 include the payment of P3.5- billion upfront cash, a 50-50 sharing of gross revenues with the government, assumption of the operation and maintenance costs of running the SCTEX and assumption of cost for the NLEX-SCTEX toll collection integration.

The 94-kilometer SCTEX connects the province of Bataan, Pampanga and Tarlac to the NLEX, which in turn links Central Luzon to the National Capital Region and Metro Manila. The world-class toll road has 34 bridges, eight interchanges and a four-lane divided toll road to connect the Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Zambales, the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga, and the Central Techno Park in Tarlac.

The SCTEX was built through a 59 billion yen (P28-billion) loan provided by the Japanese government, through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The loan used to finance the construction of SCTEx will mature in 2041. Since it was opened to the motoring public in 2008, the SCTEX recorded an average daily traffic of 9,302 vehicles, which rose to 30,855 vehicles in 2014. (Kris Bayos, Manila Bulletin)

http://www.mb.com.ph/mntc-keeps-sctex-concession-contract/

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NLEX, SCTEX integration pushed

Senate President Franklin Drilon has set deadline on the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) to approve and implement the integration of the North Luzon and Subic-Clark-Tarlac expressways to avoid travel dilemmas and inconvenience experienced by commuters from happening again, especially during peak seasons.

Drilon recently met with officials of the Department of Transportation and Communication, BCDA, MPTC, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC) to iron out issues concerning the implementation of the integration plan for NLEX and SCTEX, which has been pending for years.

Drilon asked the officials to fasttrack the implementation of an integration plan, starting with the signing of the integration agreement scheduled on February 12 of this year.

“To expedite the process, the TRB will simultaneously monitor and review the toll collection systems integration agreement to make sure it will be in conformity with the policy of the government,” said Drilon.

He said the integration will simplify toll collection system and lessen the number of toll collection plazas.

“The integration of the NLEX and SCTEX toll systems will benefit commuters, especially in saving travel time and fuel and increasing convenience for those driving through the tollways,” Drilon said.

“The current setup is too complex and stands improvement. We cannot understand why we have to make five stops going to Subic and four stops going to Tarlac only to pay toll fees, when we can make things better and simpler by simply allowing commuters to pay their fares in full in only one toll plaza,” he added.

Given the dilemma faced by commuters especially during the holiday season, Drilon said it is only proper that changes are put in place, so that the public will not have to endure the same predicament over again.

Drilon said BCDA had informed him preparation will take seven to nine months to be finished, which will cover, among others, the removal of NLEX-Dau and SCTEX-Mabalacat barriers and deployment and commissioning of NLEX integrated toll collection system in all SCTEX and new NLEX toll plazas.

“With the system integration, motorists will no longer have to make several stops only to pay for fares. That means that everyone will soon only have to stop twice in paying tolls throughout NLEX and the SCTEX, as compared to the current situation where we have to stop five times just to pay our fares,” Drilon said.

At present, motorists have to make five stops just to pay toll fees in a trip to Subic. A motorist gets a transit ticket at NLEX entry point in Balintawak, and surrenders it and pays toll fees at NLEX Dau. He then gets a smart card at SCTEX Mabalacat and surrenders it and pays toll fees at SCTEX Tipo toll plaza, only to again pay new toll fees at Subic Freeport Expressway-Tipo.

Drilon said that the tollway authorities and relevant agencies must “exercise diligence” and hasten the reforms in the toll collection systems, given the expected surge of motorists and travellers in the Holy Week and summer season.

He said he is confident that authorities and companies involved in the management of NLEX and SCTEX will be able to introduce and agree on a new collection system to provide commuters seamless travel experience.

He concluded that this is only the first phase of the integration, as plans and discussions to make travel going to North more seamless and convenient are currently being done. These include the integration of NLEX and SCTEX with the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union expressway and the interoperability of the North and South expressways. (Malaya Business Insight)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/business/nlex-sctex-integration-pushed

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Subic expands port, road for P11B

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority is expanding Subic port as well as build a new road that will directly connect to SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) for an estimated cost of P11 billion in preparation of a huge spill over from the Manila port three years from now.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Roberto Garcia told reporters during an interview at the recent Manila Ports Summit that the expansion of the port could cost P7 billion while the new road at P4 billion.

“This expansion is immediate because the volume of cargoes going to Manila is expected to reach 6 million twenty-footer equivalent units (TEUs) in two to three years the existing 3 million TEUs at present,” he said. Of the 3 million TEUs, 15 percent of that comes from the northern and central Luzon areas, which could easily shift to Subic.

“We are in the process of updating an old study of the seaport so we can submit this proposal to NEDA and we can start this project immediately because it will take three years to build a new port and a road network,” Garcia said.

Garcia explained that the two ports in New Container Terminal 1 and 2, which are owned and operated by Subic ICTSI Inc., a unit of International Container Terminal Services Inc., have berthing capacity of 300,000 TEUs each or a combined capacity of 600,000 TEUs.

The current Subic port cargo volume is only 75,000 TEUs or at least 15 percent port capacity. But with 4 international shipping lines (SITC, APL, Wan Hai and NYK) now calling in Subic, they have opened the freeport to wider international coverage that includes China, Jàpan, Taiwan and Singapore.

“These four shipping lines are expected to boost cargo volume to 250,000 to 300,000 TEUs next year,” he said.

This means NCT 1 and 2 could increase their capacity utilization to 30 percent by next year already.

“If we don’t expand the port now, it might be too late when cargoes in Manila reach 6 M TEUs in three years,” he added. Subic and Batangas ports have been designated by the government as alternative Manila ports following the port congestion in Manila.

Garcia said they have already identified another 15-hectare lot for the new port. SBMA may bid out the new port, he said.

The other component in the SBMA plan is to construct a bypass road that will run through Bataan and into the SCTEX.

Garcia stressed that the current TIPO road is running out of capacity with 68 trucks an hour plying this Clark-Subic expressway.

‘So even if we don’t expand the port we still have to build this new road,” he added. It will be a 23-kilometer bypass road that will run through Bataan and into SCTEX.

“This is the long term solution to the Manila port congestion, but this can happen in the short term,” he said.

Meantime, Garcia said that SBMA revenues in the first ten months this year went up by 21 percent while operating revenues grew 42 percent. Combined with unrealized foreign exchange savings in 2013 and 2014, the freeport is expected to post 152 percent increase in net income this year over last year, which was already a record year.

Revenues this year could exceed the P2.5-billion target for the year. For 2015, Garcia expects revenues to reach P2.8 billion largely driven by higher port revenues.

SBMA is the 9th biggest government-owned and controlled corporation revenue contributor to the national coffers with P243 million in cash dividends to the government in 2013. (Bernie Magkilat, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTO:
BUSY PORT – Hauling trucks and reach stackers move some of the container vans in Subic Bay Freeport at the New Container Terminal-1 in Subic Bay Freeport. Manila port has transferred most of its overstaying cargoes to Subic to help ease the port congestion felt in Manila. (Jonas Reyes)

http://www.mb.com.ph/subic-expands-port-road-for-p11b/

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