MANILA, Philippines – Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is planning to construct a bus rapid transit (BRT) system from Susana Heights in Muntinlupa City to Balintawak in Quezon City.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang told reporters his company is considering the possibility of building a BRT system that would run along the Metro Manila Skyway from Susana Heights to Balintawak.
“We will prepare landing station everywhere. So can you imagine, from Susana Heights going to Balintawak, you can ride a bus like a train,” he said.
He said SMC would come up with the design and build the BRT system.
Ang said the BRT, which would provide a roadway dedicated to buses, would make travel from Muntinlupa to Balintawak much easier.
SMC’s infrastructure arm San Miguel Holdings Corp. and Philippine National Construction Corp. are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. and City Intercity Tollways Inc., the respective concession companies of Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and 4.
Last week, SMC and PNCC entered into an agreement to expand the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and Metro Manila Expressway C6 or Skyway Stage 4, as well as other projects for P554 billion.
Also covered by the agreement are the Tanauan-Tagaytay Expressway or Sky 8, TR5 (extending the South Luzon Expressway or SLEX from the end of TR4 in Pagbilao, Quezon to Matnog, Sorsogon), Sky 7 (connecting Taguig to Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City), Buendia Interchange and Ramp Extension to Macapagal Blvd. and Sky 9 (Pasig River Alignment) including ramps to Buendia, Pioneer and Bonifacio Global City.
Ang said earlier the parties hope to begin work on the extension of the SLEX, Skyway Stage 3 and C6 within the next year.
“We have within our agreement all the extensions that will help us create an entire seamless network of roads and expressways connecting Metro Manila to neighboring provinces. We will operate, between us, the most extensive network of Philippine tollways,” he said.
02 May 2017
By Louella Desiderio
