SMC, nat'l gov’t break ground on Pasig River Expressway

The San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and the Philippine government have recently broken ground on the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX).

The groundbreaking rites for the country’s premier green, hybrid 19.37-kilometer prject was led by SMC President Ramon Ang, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary for Planning and PPP Service Maria Catalina Cabral.

With a P95-billion investment coming from SMC, the project will be a six-lane elevated expressway that will run along the bank of the river, from Radial Road 10 in Manila to C-6 Road or the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) in Taguig.

 When completed, PAREX is set to link the eastern and western cities of Metro Manila and will connect the Skyway system.

“I believe this project is bound to be one of the most impactful projects during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte, in terms of integrating the social, economic, and environmental needs of our people. I’m very proud that we have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide an inclusive, future-ready solution to traffic, and at the same, restore the Pasig River back to its old glory,” Ang said.

 “We thank government and especially the Build, Build, Build team, for allowing us to deliver another game-changing infrastructure, to help ease traffic, boost our economy, and improve the lives of so many Filipinos in Metro Manila,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Tugade verified that the PAREX will not only benefit the public, but also the environment.

“We are happy because we have a project like this connecting north to south and east to west. Never has this connectivity been thought of, and now it is being implemented. We thank RSA and the whole of San Miguel. Unequivocally I say, the DoTR fully supports this project because I know it is good for the people and the environment,” he said.

For his part, Medialdea said: “This 19.37-km six-lane road will definitely ease traffic in Manila. This was just a dream before, but now it’s becoming a reality. PAREX will be a gateway for the future of urban transport and will address the needs of urban living in today’s environment.”

Further, Cabral said: “We in the DPWH, led by Secretary Mark Villar , believe that this will be a monumental and significant project as it will serve as the east-west connection from R-10 in Manila all the way to Taytay, Rizal. It will complete the network of expressways within Metro Manila area and will provide a solution to the growing traffic problem within the metropolis. The travel time from Manila to Pasig will be reduced to just about 15 to 20 minutes once this project is finished.”

Ang shared that the PAREX is set to various forms of land transportation such a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that will benefit commuters all over Metro Manila and dedicated bike lanes.

Photos from San Miguel Corporation

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