Business World Online, 16 July 2012
AYALA CORP. will have to revise the design of its public-private partnership (PPP) project — so far the only one awarded by the government — to make way for the possible expansion of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx).
“It was agreed that Ayala will submit its proposed design revisions and costing to remove some constraints in… anticipation of future SLEx expansion requirements,” the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said in a statement, referring to a July 11 meeting regarding the P1.96-billion Daang Hari-SLEx project.
Present during the meeting were officials from the TRB, Public Works department and the Public Private Partnership Center. Ayala Corp. was also represented, the TRB said, although its officials were not immediately available for comment yesterday.
Cosette V. Canilao, PPP Center executive director, said the decision was prompted by a design concern raised by SLEx concessionaire South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC).
“The SLTC wants that its toll operations will not be disrupted while construction is ongoing,” Ms. Canilao yesterday said.
She said the design revision would have a minimal impact on the project’s cost and timetable.
“I think it will not affect the timetable because the revision will not be [for] the entire stretch,” she said. “And if there is a [discrepancy] in the cost, it will not be substantial.”
Ayala Corp. has targeted construction to start this month.
Ms. Canilao went on to say that the government, under the PPP contract, had the prerogative to suggest design changes even after the deal’s awarding.
“It is in the contract that variations in the design can be introduced by the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” she said.
In a related development, the government will also ask Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and San Miguel Corp. on how the firms will align complementary designs for the North Luzon Expressway-SLEx connector.
“On the NLEx-SLEx connector, MPIC and SMC-Citra will submit proposals on how they intend to execute the project in the common segment,” TRB spokesperson Julius T. Corpuz said in a text message.
