Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) [Merged]

[mikaztro]

HOUSE Deputy Speaker Eric Singson, leader of the Northern (Luzon) Alliance, said yesterday the Philippine National Construction Company (PNCC), in the presence of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has committed to immediately start work on the extension of the North Expressway up to Rosario, La Union, and to be finished within 10 years.

Singson also said the PNCC is also committed to consider a reduction in toll fees to heighten the competitiveness of farmers bringing their produce to markets in Metro Manila and other urban centers.

“We are deeply gratified by the President’s support and Congress’ responsiveness to the problems of our farmers in transporting their agricultural produce to markets in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces in the wake of increasing toll fees,” Singson said as he thanked his colleagues, including Rep. Salacnib Baterina and other Luzon lawmakers, for their endorsement of the highway extension.

The House of Representatives last Sept. 20 approved on final reading House Bill 5749 granting extension to the franchise of the PNCC to another 25 years.

Singson said the toll fees being charged by the private operator of expressways have increased almost one thousand (1,000 percent) from their original charges.

Singson, however, presented a motion to reconsider the third-reading approval by the House in view of their concerns affecting their constituents in central and northern Luzon. The House leadership obliged to pave the way for a meeting in Malacañang with President Arroyo and officials of the PNCC to thresh out their concerns.

“We, lawmakers from northern and central Luzon, went to see the President in the presence of PNCC officials. The authors, led by chairman Zubiri, agreed to include a provision that the PNCC commits, under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law, to extend the North Expressway all the way to Rosario, La Union, within the next 10 years,” Singson said.

The Philippine BOT law, a brainchild of Speaker Jose de Venecia and considered a model BOT law in the world, effectively attracted billions of dollars in foreign investments and allowed the surge of infrastructure projects in the country without using public funds.

The principal authors of the bill are led by House committee on legislative franchises chairman Juan Miguel Zubiri, Majority Leader Prospero Nograles and Reps. Justin Chipeco and Benjamin Agarao Jr.

Following the positive commitment from the PNCC in the presence of the President, Singson subsequently withdrew his motion to reconsider the final reading passage of the extension bill.

“The author (Zubiri) accepted our proposal to extend the NLEX up to Rosario, La Union, within 10 years from the start of the extension period of the franchise of PNCC,” Singson said.

However, Singson, added the third-reading approval will not prejudice continuing discussions or other agreements with the regulatory board and the PNCC which would heighten economic benefits for the people.

Another salient point is a congressional review of the toll rates every two years. “So, we would like the public, especially Congress, to be involved in public hearings to be done whenever the rate is to be reviewed.”

“Our number one concern is the very high toll rates which increased by about 1,000 percent from the previous rate. If ever farmers are allowed to use the NLEX, the exorbitant toll fees makes the transport of vegetables and other farm products very expensive, resulting in higher prices for consumers,” Singson said.

The original franchise of the PNCC, formerly known as the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP), was granted under Presidential Decree No. 1113, as amended by PD 1894, for a period of 25 years for the North Luzon Expressway and the South Luzon Expressway, including the Metro Manila Expressway and all extension linkages, stretches and diversions.

Under the franchise extension, which would become effective by next year, the PNCC shall undertake the expansion and development of existing expressways pursuant to PD 1894, which is the extension of the NLEX to Carmen, Rosales, Pangasinan, and further north to Rosario, La Union, and the South Luzon Expressway to Lucena, Quezon.

“Failure by the PNCC to build the extension highway up to Rosario, La Union, within the 10-year time frame would mean cancellation of its franchise, ” Singson concluded.
People's Tonight
10/4/2006 13:41 PM

[team_PONGLAI_11]

good news nga yan, mapapabilis ang kalakal ng mga farmers at negosyante

[oldblue]

yehey di na tayo dadaanan sa hinayupak na mata-tricycle na bayan ng probinsya.

[mikaztro]

Correct! Pero di naman kaya P2,000 ang singil sa NLEX to La Union? :D

[oldblue]

hehehe hindi naman but I'm sure mas mataas. just imagine the savings on fuel expenses and travel time. baka puwede na isang full tank na lang to Baguio.

[mikaztro]

I hope you're right Oldblue. I've heard sinisumulan na ang NLEX portion of the Clark/Tarlac/Subic mega highway.

[Hayward]

Very good news indeed! I hail from the north and I fully support this proposal. This will definitely spur economic development in the entire region. If the SLEX will also be extended to Lucena City, then definitely ganun din ang expected na mangyayari. Bakit ngayon lang nila naisip yan?!

[oldblue]

bakit ngaun lang naisip?

pinagkakakitaan na kasi expressway ng pulitiko ngaun hehehe. siguro after more than a year of operations, they have the income figures na and some forecasts.


million million kinikita nyan present NLEX ngaun sa tingin ko. sa "tax" pa lang laki pera pano pa yun mga kumpanya ng mga pulitiko na nangongontrata sa paggawa ng expressway.

[Camgen6]

More roads = economic development. Ilang kilometro kaya idadagdag?

[isketi]

bakit ngaun lang naisip?

For everybody's info, panahon pa ni Marcos nung 80s 'tong plano na i-extend ang NLEX to La Union. Ilang pulitiko na rin ang nagsabing matutuloy na 'tong project na 'to, including JDV in the mid 90s. The "greatest" step taken toward realizing this goal was the extension of the NLEX from Dau to Sta. Ines way back in 1989.

[swordsman]

“Failure by the PNCC to build the extension highway up to Rosario, La Union, within the 10-year time frame would mean cancellation of its franchise, ” Singson concluded.
People's Tonight
10/4/2006 13:41 PM

Kung seryosohan 'tong statement na to, most likely matutuloy, and not something na ningas cogon lang mangyayari. May remaining 15 years pa, tapos ica-cancel e di wala kita.

Pahirapan siguro dyan yong pagbili/pagkuha ng right of way.

Overall, good news ito.

[squatt3r]

naku nangako lang yung PNCC just to extend its franchise.
sarap sigurong mag-imagine, manila to laoag in 3hours :-)

[isketi]

Bakit naman 10 years? Hindi ba puwedeng maging mas agresibo at gawing 5 years na lang?

Baka hindi na nakakapagmaneho ang ilan sa atin kung 10 years pa....
Hehehe

paano yung madadaanan na bahay sa gilid nga kalsada?

Pahirapan siguro dyan yong pagbili/pagkuha ng right of way.

Ang makakatagal diyan yung expropriation ng mga properties. All these years dapat yan ang inasikaso ng gobyerno, kaso nasa Pilipinas tayo.

[gearspeed]

Tagal ten years sana huwag kulangin sa budget ang NLEX project na yan.

[mikey177]

This is a welcome development indeed. In 10 years time siguro marami nang technological advancements sa pag-assemble ng kuliglig kaya mahahataw na ng mga farmers hanggang 100 kph ang mga kuliglig nila sa bagong gawa na expressway

[bardigones]

1. di pa sure na mntc/nlex ang magconstruct niyan. malamang pangako lang to have their franchise extended

2. mas malamang na bcda ang magextend ng construction kasi sila ang may project ng SCTEx

3. ang nlex (mntc) ay hanggang diyan lang. ang sctex (bcda) ang mag-magpapagawa ng connection mula dulo ng nlex sa sta ines papunta sa sctex-mabalacat portion (so makikikabit lang ang mntc)

4. after construction ng sctex, maaring ipasa ng bcda sa mntc ang expressway toll operations para maging valid ang extension ng franchise (due to new alignment)

5. IMO, may plano ang bcda na magextend ng hiway from Hac. Luisita (sctex is under construction since June 2005) to Poro Point (yung port/base na pag-aari ng bcda/govt na gustong ioperate ni Chavit) in San Fernando La Union, nothing concrete yet.

6. SCTEx (Subic-Clark-Tarlac) construction started June 2005, projected finish December 2007

7. sctex tolls rates (per kilometer) must be the same as the (overpriced) rates in nlex

8. therefore, the rates in the planned extension to laoag or a union or wherever will be the same. ;)

[vhenok]

Hirap dito sa atin puro plans wala namang implementation.....

This is welcome development lalo ako, road user ako palagi dyan sa north. imagine, kung taga Tarlac/Pangasinan ka, exit ka lang sa Tollgate and ayun asa hometown ka na.

Pero mahirap umasa unless fully operational na ito, 10 years ba? extend yan plus 5, then another and another and so on.

Sana gawing fasttrack mga ganitong klaseng project.

[rdecruze]

Tagal ten years sana huwag kulangin sa budget ang NLEX project na yan.

Ang sabi eh BOT project meaning financed by private companies, operate on approved terms/conditions then transfer to Philippine government. Walang public fund except siguro ang right of way. Leighton Australia build our NLEX expansion joint venture with Lopez kaya very good quality. My company wish to join BOT projects in our country kaya lang doubt pa sa political situation.

[isketi]

Leighton Australia build our NLEX expansion joint venture with Lopez kaya very good quality.

Er, uh, I beg to disagree. Palaging may nireretoke sa NLEX, di na yata natapos yung mga yun.

Dito lang ata sa tin pwedeng i-contest sa korte ang power of eminent domain.

Alala ko yung kanto ng C5 & Katipunan Ave dati. Di ba natagalan magawa yung flyover dun dahil ayaw pumayag ni Lucio Tan na ipaexpropriate yung property niya na tatamaan? Ang alam ko pinag-isipan pang ilihis na lang yung flyover para yung Monasterio de Sta. Clara yung matamaan.

[boybi]

Er, uh, I beg to disagree. Palaging may nireretoke sa NLEX, di na yata natapos yung mga yun.

yup, napansin ko rin ito just 6 months after officially na turn over sa MNTC ang operations ng NLEX.

ito yung thread ko dati: http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showt...NLEX%3A+months

also, napapansin nyo ba yung portion sa long bridge (south bound)na under repair? ilan months na yun pero every time na nadadaanan ko, wala naman akong nakikitang nagrerepair.