The Philippines Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has held a ground-breaking ceremony for an 18km Laguna section project of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX). 

The whole CALAX project is part of the 45km closed system modern tolled expressway awarded by the DPWH to private company MPCALA Holdings, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Group. MPCALA won the contract under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) programme.

The entire expressway project is being constructed with an investment of PHP35.425bn ($702m). 

Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Mark Villar said: “The whole CALAX project, which will have eight interchanges and one main toll barrier is expected to reduce travel time from Cavitex to Slex by 45 minutes. 

"Knowing what is at stake with this project that will benefit many generations to come, DPWH will give it all to deliver everything we can and finish the project by 2020."

"The road construction project from Tirona Highway to the end of Greenfield near Mamplasan Exit, Laguna will be closely monitored so that by 2020, our travel time from Cavitex to Slex will be reduced to only 45 minutes."

Upon completion, CALAX will be an advanced highway in the country and will ease traffic along Governor's Drive, Aguinaldo Highway and Santa Rosa Tagaytay Road. 

In March, MPACALA Holdings signed a contract with DM Consunji for the development of Laguna segment, which will see construction of four-lane highway with four interchanges from Aguinaldo Interchange to the existing Mamplasan Interchange of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Biñan.

Villar further added: "Knowing what is at stake with this project that will benefit many generations to come, DPWH will give it all to deliver everything we can and finish the project by 2020."