ILOILO CITY – The proposed expressway on Panay Island will bring more progress to Iloilo and neighboring provinces, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
“This can be the new centerpiece of the direction in the development of Iloilo province,” Defensor said.
The Department of Public Works and Highways-Public Private Partnership Service (DPWH-PPP Service) recently presented the proposed Iloilo-Capiz-Aklan Expressway (ICAEx) project to Defensor and the provincial government.
Director Alex Bote of the DPWH-PPP Service told the Defensor administration that the ICAEx will be built under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) system.
The 210-kilometer expressway that will pass through 20 towns in Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan will make travel time faster, eliminate congestion on national roads, enhance the logistical networks of delivering products, improve emergency responses, and boost tourism development.
Defensor thanked the Marcos administration for the inclusion of the ICAEx, which has long been part of the regional development plan.
The DPWH-PPP Service is finalizing the Terms of Reference (TOR) and estimated budget for the contract of the proposed ICAEx.