Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to place bids for the first phase of the country’s Clark-Nueva Ecija expressway (CLEX) project before the end of this year.

Divided into two phases, the project is to be built under the public private partnership (PPP) model.

Phase I of the project will see the construction of a 30.7km-long four-lane road that will deviate from the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and pass over the Central Luzon up to the Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija.

In addition, the first phase will also link the SCTEx and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx).

"The completion of the CLEX project will decongest traffic on the Pan-Philippine Highway and support the socio-economic development of the region."

According to DPWH undersecretary Rafael C Yabut, the Filipino Government will seek financial help from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to provide PHP11.36bn ($253.3m) for the first phase of the project, reported InterAksyon.

The second phase of the project will include the construction of a 35.7km-long two-lane expressway at a cost of PHP14.2bn ($316.7m).

Phase II is an extension of CLEX Phase I and will connect Cabanatuan City with San Jose City in Nueva Ecija.

According to DPWH, the completion of the CLEX project will decongest traffic on the Pan-Philippine Highway and support the socio-economic development of the region.

Before bidding the CLEX project, the government will bid the PHP122.8bn ($2.73bn) Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike (LLED) project, which has so far received 22 prospective bids.

The CLEX is the fifth PPP project for DPWH after the $2.73bn LLED project, PHP34.5bn ($769.4m) Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAX) project, PHP15.5bn ($345.7m) NAIA Expressway and the PHP1.96bn ($43.7m) Daang Hari-SLEX link.