SMC waives P20 Skyway fee

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is waiving for one month the P20 toll fee in the new tollroad section that links the Metro Manila Skyway and Naia Expressway.

Both projects, controlled by SMC, are in the process of being fully integrated in terms of toll collection, SMC said. The objective is to provide seamless travel for motorists.

SMC said the toll fee is P20 for the new section of the Skyway, and P35 for the Naia Expressway. The two toll roads are separate infrastructure projects with separate concessions.

SMC said the integration was in line with ongoing programs to improve service and lessen congestion on the Skyway, South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) and NAIAX.

SMC Infrastructure is expanding critical toll plazas to accommodate more vehicles at any given time and lessen queuing time.

For NAIAX, SMC said average daily traffic volume was now 70,000 vehicles, helping cut congestion in Manila, Parañaque, Las Piñnas, Makati, and Pasay.

The conglomerate recently said it was preparing to spend P554 billion to expand its tollroad network. Apart from SLEx, Skyway and NAIAX, it operates the Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway and Star Tollway.

SMC’s tollroad expansion plan involves a partnership with the state-run Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) to jointly undertake the expansion of toll roads under their existing joint venture.

These projects include the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, which is already underway, as well as the Skyway Stage 4 or C-6.

SMC and PNCC are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. (CCEC) and Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. (CITI), the concession companies of Skyway Stages 3 and 4, respectively.

New expansion projects in partnership with the PNCC include the San Pedro-C6 Laguna Lake Road, Tanauan-Tagaytay Expressway or Sky 8 and the extension of SLEx to Matnog, Sorsogon. —MIGUEL R. CAMUS