NEDA board approves rebid of controversial CALAX PPP

(Updated 7:58 p.m.) The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board chaired by President Benigno Aquino III on Monday approved the re-bidding of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) Project.

The board set a minimum bid price of P20.1 billion for the controversial public-private partnership (PPP) project, which is estimated to cost P35.4 billion.

Last October, Aquino said he was inclined to rebid the CALAX project, saying such a move will "meet the attainment of the goal of getting the best deal for our people."

CALAX is a 47-kilometer tollway that starts at the Cavite Expressway in Kawit and ends at the Mamplasan interchange of South Luzon Expressway in Biñan. It will have nine interchangesat Kawit, Daang Hari, Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay, Laguna Blvd., Technopark, and a toll barrier before SLEX.

Team Orion, a joint venture of Ayala Corp. and  Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., won the bidding for the project.

Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc., a unit of San Miguel Corp., saw its bid disqualified. In response to its query, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the company "submitted a defective bid security."

5 more projects approved

Aside from the CALAX rebidding, five other infrastructure projects were approved by the NEDA Board.

Two more PPP projects were green-lighted: the P2-billion Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) expansion project and the P20-billion NLEX-SLEX Connector Project.

The board also approved the P5.09-billion Panguil Bay Bridge Project, which will connect Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and Tubod town in Lanao del Norte. The project is expected to reduce travel time between these areas from 2.5 hours to 37 minutes.

Two projects under the North-South Railway masterplan were also given the go-ahead. First is Phase 1 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project, which involves the construction of a 36.7-kilometer narrow-gauge elevated commuter railway from Malolos to Tutuban.

Second is the North-South Railway Project – South Line, a PPP project with a total estimated cost of P170.70 billion that involves the building of a commuter railway between Tutuban and Calamba, Laguna.

In a statement, NEDA Director-General Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the approved projects will improve connectivity in Luzon and Mindanao.

“Most of these projects aim to have a more reliable and efficient transport infrastructure system. These are consistent with the government’s thrust to increase investment in connective infrastructure,” he said. – Andreo C. Calonzo/VS/BM, GMA News