MPIC unit, DPWH sign concession deal for Calax

The Aquino administration’s biggest toll road public private partnership (PPP) deal, the 45.5-kilometer Cavite Laguna Expressway, is moving forward as the private-sector winner and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) signed the concession agreement on Friday.

Ariel Angeles, head of the PPP service of the DPWH, confirmed that the contract was signed with winner MPCALA Holdings, a unit of Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

As part of the requirement, MCALA also paid on Friday P5.46 billion to the DPWH, which serves as the 20-percent upfront payment on its winning premium bid of P27.3 billion. The premium bid amount comes on top of the toll road’s estimated cost of P35.4 billion.

A ceremonial signing would be held on July 16, Angeles added.

MPCALA was awarded last June the contract to build and operate the Calax, a toll road that would spur development in areas south of Metro Manila. Its sole rival was San Miguel Corp., whose San Miguel Holdings Corp. offered P22.2 billion.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollroad subsidiary of MPIC, already operates the 14-km Cavite Manila Expressway in southern Metro Manila apart from 90-km North Luzon Expressway and 94-km Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) north of the capital.

It is also seeking to build an elevated connector road cutting through Metro Manila that would link NLEx with SMC’s South Luzon Expressway.

The Calax will be a four-lane toll road starting at the Cavitex toll gate in Kawit, Cavite, and end at the SLEx-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.