P18-B roadwork now a year behind schedule

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. now expects construction of the P18-billion connector road project in Metro Manila to start in 2015—at least a year behind schedule—due to regulatory delays and the recently resolved disagreement within the government on how the project should be implemented.

Metro Pacific Tollways president Ramoncito Fernandez told reporters on Tuesday that the company would consider a Swiss or competitive challenge for the project. A Swiss challenge in this case means that Metro Pacific Tollways has the right to match the offers of other groups interested in building the connector road.

The review comes after the Department of Justice (DOJ) last July 7 struck down an earlier decision by the board of National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to revise the implementation structure of the connector road project from an unsolicited proposal into a joint venture with Philippine National Construction Corp.

“The Neda board approval appears to have been issued beyond its powers, and without factual basis or justification,” according to the DOJ opinion, which was signed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

The broader implication of the decision was that the 8-kilometer project, which would link Metro Pacific Tollways’ North Luzon Expressway to South Luzon Expressway, would be completed by 2017 at the earliest, Fernandez said at the sidelines of a joint briefing by the company and Easytrip Services Corp.

“Our primary mission is to get the project implemented as soon as possible. Having lesser legal risks further facilitates the project,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya yesterday said in a text message, referring to the P18-B roadwork.