SMC, gov’t agencies ink right-of-way usage agreement for Skyway Stage 4

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) and government agencies on Monday inked a right-of-way usage agreement (ROWUA) for the P45.27-billion Skyway Stage 4 Project, a 32.7-kilometer road that will connect Quezon City and Taguig City.

The ROWUA seeks to facilitate the smooth construction of the Skyway Stage 4 or the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) in portions traversing the property of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines.

The agreement was signed by officials of SMC, the Department of National Defense (DND), the Veterans Federation of the Philippines, and the Toll Regulatory Board.

“The agreement signals another game-changing infrastructure initiative. This toll road, with a combination of at-grade and elevated expressways, will create a much-needed alternate route, bypassing traffic-heavy roads and easing congestion along EDSA and other key corridors,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the signing ceremony.

“With San Miguel Corp. and Philippine National Construction Corp. at the helm, this P45.27-billion project underscores our commitment to long-term solutions for urban mobility,” he added.

The SEMME will connect the Skyway System at Arca South, formerly the FTI Complex in Taguig City, and the Batasan Commplex in Quezon City, providing an alternative route for motorists from Parañaque to Metro Manila and Rizal.

To recall, SMC inked an integration agreement with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) to connect Arca South on and off ramps with the Skyway system in November 2023.

SEMME will have a combination of elevated and at-grade expressways, and is projected to cater to around 42,477 to as much as 88,838 motorists per day, reducing travel time from Bicutan to Batasan to 26 minutes from 1 hour and 50 minutes.

“We cannot overemphasize the importance of SEMME in improving the traffic situation in our cities. It will benefit residents in the southern and eastern parts of Metro Manila by providing an alternative route to Quezon City,” SMC chairman and chief executive officer Ramon Ang said.

“Once fully operational, we project about 150,000 vehicles to use it daily. Travel time from Bicutan, Taguig, to the Batasan area in Quezon City will be significantly reduced from about two hours to just under 30 minutes. Just as Skyway Stage 3 helped decongest EDSA, SEMME can help decongest C-5,” he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News