MANILA, Philippines – The construction of the expressway for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) could now start after conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) gave the P11-billion upfront payment to the government for the project, a Palace official announced on Wednesday.
The company released the upfront payment through the SMC Vertex Tollways Development Inc., according to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
San Miguel won the P11-billion bid last April 15 and a formal notice for award was given by the Department of Public Works and Highways to the company last May 6.
Lacierda said that with the payment, the project could start sometime in June.
The proposed NAIA Expressway, which has a total length of 7.15 kilometers, will connect the airport’s Terminals I and II to Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard and the Entertainment City casino complex. The project has two phases: Phase II-A and Phase II-B.
The Cabinet official said Phase II-A will be completed in time for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2015.
Phase II-A will connect NAIA Terminals I and II through an elevated tollway structure to Roxas Boulevard and the Entertainment City, he said.
“Hopefully before APEC, that will be completed. There’s another phase which is II-B, which will connect the Skyway to the existing tollways,” Lacierda said.
