The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said that the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) project remains on the table following San Miguel Corp.'s commitment to meeting all requirements and addressing environmental concerns.
Alvin Carullo, TRB executive director, said San Miguel would comply with the necessary regulations, including obtaining an environmental clearance certificate for the P81.53 PAREX project.
“San Miguel wrote that they will comply with the requirements vis a vis environmental clearance certificate. As of now, they are not abandoning the project. As of now, it is a live project,” Carullo said.
The statement from the TRB official follows initial doubts expressed in March by Ramon S. Ang, San Miguel chairman and chief executive officer, who indicated that the project might not proceed due to concerns raised by environmental and conservation advocates.
To proceed with the PAREX project, San Miguel is required to submit finalized engineering drawings (FED) certified by an independent consultant. The deadline for this submission has been extended to October this year.
“They must submit a final engineering drawing or FED certified by an independent consultant. The submission deadline was postponed until October. So come October, they have to come up with the FED and submit it to TRB.,” Carullo added.
The TRB expects that construction of the PAREX will commence in 2025.
The PAREX project envisions a 19.37-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway that will run along the Pasig River, connecting Radial Road 10 in Manila to the proposed South East Metro Manila Expressway at Circumferential Road 6.
Additionally, the project will incorporate a 2.7-kilometer segment of the Skyway Stage 3 from Nagtahan to Plaza Azul.
San Miguel has already allocated P2 billion for environmental cleanup efforts along the Pasig River and plans to integrate a bus rapid transit system, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian walkways into the project.
With a track record of managing various expressways such as the TPLEX, STAR, SLEX, Skyway System, and NAIAX, San Miguel is positioned as a key player in the development of transportation infrastructure in the Philippines.