DPWH eyes full SCTEX-Cabanatuan link via CLLEX Phase I by July
By Trixee Rosel
At A Glance
- The DPWH targets full completion of the SCTEX-Maharlika Highway link via CLLEX Phase I by July 2025.
- The 10.30-kilometer Cabanatuan Section is 98 percent complete.
- The 29.55-kilometer expressway will reduce travel time between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City from 70 minutes to 20 minutes.
- CLLEX Phase I is a key project under the Build Better More program, supporting the Bagong Pilipinas agenda.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is aiming to complete by July 2025 the full connection of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) to the Maharlika Highway in Nueva Ecija through the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Phase I.
DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain said the 10.30-kilometer Cabanatuan Section, or Contract Package 4, is already 98 percent complete.
The 29.55-kilometer, four-lane expressway is expected to cut travel time between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City from 70 minutes to 20 minutes, benefiting over 11,200 motorists daily.
CLLEX is a flagship infrastructure project under the Marcos Jr. administration’s “Build Better More” program and part of the "Bagong Pilipinas" initiative to strengthen regional mobility and economic development in Central Luzon.
Construction also continues on the Zaragoza Interchange, or Contract Package 5, which is 73.46 percent complete.
This includes a 113.4-meter bridge, a 4.88-kilometer access road, and other structures, with completion targeted in the third quarter of 2025.
While most of CLLEX is funded through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Zaragoza Interchange is financed by the Philippine government.
DPWH officials, led by Unified Project Management Office–Roads Management Cluster I Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, conducted a field inspection on May 7 to assess progress and ensure compliance with construction and safety standards.