(MUNTINLUPA CITY) President Benigno S. Aquino III on Friday led the opening of the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), the first toll road project awarded under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.
Upon his arrival here, President Aquino personally drove his SUV to the toll booth, making him the first customer of the 4-kilometer (km) tollway connecting the Daang Hari Road to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). He was joined by Ayala Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala on the passenger seat and Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson on the back seat.
The Chief Executive paid his toll and drove through the newly constructed four-lane road.
After his short drive-through, the President graced the project briefing led by Zobel, who signed a 30-year concession agreement for the operation and maintenance of the toll road.
“It is truly a great privilege and honor for Ayala Corporation to be part of this first PPP project. We are delighted to deliver the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway to the public,” Zobel said.
“Ayala has always believed in the power of public-private partnership and your administration has pushed this in a big way. We have been delighted to be able to participate and I think your initiatives on this front have made a big difference to the movement of infrastructure in our country and it has been a great privilege for us, Mr. President, to be part of it,” he added.
The business magnate expressed his willingness to undertake more PPP projects with the government, hoping that the next president would “continue with a similar set of policies” as President Aquino.
Zobel then announced the good news that toll fees for commuters would be waived for one month.
The MCX toll rates are set at P17 for Class 1 vehicles, P34 for Class 2 vehicles, and P51 for Class 3 vehicles.
It will formally open at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 24.
The MCX cuts the travel time of road users to one hour since it is 1.5 km shorter than the Daang Hari-Alabang Zapote route to Makati City and 3 km shorter than the Commerce Avenue-Filinvest route to Makati.
It is expected to relieve traffic congestion along the Daang Hari Road and Commerce Avenue and give commuters from Molino and Bacoor, Cavite faster and easier access to the SLEX.
Ayala, which started early works on the road in May 2013, invested about P2.2 billion to build the toll road. PND (jb)
