CAVITEX INFRASTRUCTURE Corp. (CIC) said Tuesday that it hopes to meet its original timeline for building new segments of the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) C5 Link Expressway, despite disruptions caused by the pandemic.
“We are doubling our efforts on the construction of Segment 2 and Segment 3A-2 at the beginning of 2021,” Roberto V. Bontia, CIC president and general manager, said at an online briefing.
He added: “With the challenges brought about by the pandemic, we will seek to stick to the timeline as close as we can and be able to open the new segments in Cavitex C5 Link next year.”
The company said it is working with its joint venture partner, the Philippine Reclamation Authority, to implement a traffic management plan, as “there will definitely be an effect on the passage of motorists in the construction areas.”
CIC said Segment 2 of C5 Link Expressway is a 2×3-lane expressway from Cavitex (R1) Expressway to a proposed interchange at Sucat while Segment 3A-2, a subsection of Segment 3, is a 1.6-kilometer, 2×3-lane expressway from Merville to RSG (Airport View) Subdivision in Parañaque.
The company plans to finish Segment 2 and Segment 3A-2 in 2022.
The P15-billion project, upon completion, is projected to serve 50,000 cars and reduce travel time to Makati and Taguig from Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite from one hour to about 10 minutes.
The company expects the project to play a major role in Metro Manila’s economic development.
“Moreover, CIC is set to conduct a heavy maintenance on Cavitex. Mobilization will start on Feb. 27, 2021 and will last for 60 days,” CIC also said.
CIC is a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. The latter’s parent, Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is one of three Philippine units of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin