The government is set to roll out one railway and two road projects under public-private partnership (PPP) after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the three (3) projects in the current pipeline.
The PPP projects that were approved for implementation by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Transport and Communications (DOTC) are the following with their indicative costs:
1. North-South Railway Project (NSRP) (South Line) – Php 170.7 billion
2. NLEx-SLEx Connector Road – Php 25.6 billion
3. Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAx) – Php 35.4 billion
After the Board approval, implementing agencies (IAs) will now prepare for the publication of the invitation to pre-qualify and bid for the two solicited projects: NSRP and CALAx and an advertisement for the Swiss Challenge of NLEx-SLEx Connector Road, an unsolicited project.
The proposed NSRP South Line PPP covers Metro Manila to Legazpi City, Albay, plus a number of existing and proposed branch lines totaling to approximately 653 km. It consists of commuter railway operations between Tutuban and Calamba and long haul railway operations between Tutuban and Legazpi, including extended long haul rail operations on the branch line between Calamba and Batangas and extension between Legazpi and Matnog.
The NLEx-SLEx Connector Road project involves the construction and operation and maintenance (O&M) of a 13.5 km. four-lane elevated expressway over the Philippine National Railway (PNR) right of way which starts in Caloocan City and ends in Buendia, Makati City. The project will connect North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to decongest traffic in Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, the CALAx project will provide a critical link for the provinces of Cavite and Laguna connecting two major toll roads – the Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). It will include the construction of centralized toll plazas, a toll collection system, viaducts and bridges (i.e. waterway, expressway, overpass, underpass, and ramps).
Last year, the NEDA Board approved eleven (11) PPP projects worth Php 527 billion. The government also rolled out (eleven) 11 projects worth Php 283.922 billion.
