The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) might secure the approval of its P22.43-billion Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX) from the government next year, according to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.
The STAR reported that Villar said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is expected to complete the review of the CTBEX project by the first quarter of 2020.
“I think very soon, in the next few months. We can get it out in the first quarter next year,” Villar said.
In July 2018, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) granted the original proponent status (OPS) to MPTC’s unsolicited offer to develop the CBTEX.
The STAR reported that the OPS gives MPTC the right to match offers from other parties when a Swiss challenge is conducted for the project. The Swiss challenge will be undertaken once the proposal gets approval from NEDA.
The billion-peso project will start from the west of Silang East Interchange of the Cavite Laguna Expressway and pass through Silang, Pook, Amadeo, Tagaytay, Mendez, Alfonso, Magallanes, Tuy, and Nasugbu.
Villar earlier said that the project was given the OPS because of its significance in addressing congestion in the Calabarzon area.
Aside from the CTBEX, the MPTC also submitted to the DPWH an unsolicited proposal to construct a P92-billion expressway which will link the North Luzon Expressway and the Manila-Cavite Expressway or the NLEX-CAVITEX Port Expressway Link project.
