Motorists will now be able to use the first 18-kilometer portion of the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) from SCTEX/TPLEX connection in Tarlac City up to the intersection of Aliaga-Guimba Road in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. President Rodrigo Duterte, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, Senator Bong Go, and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa led on Thursday the inauguration ceremony of the four lanes toll-free expressway project connecting the provinces of Tarlac and Nueva Ecija. The initial part of CLLEX that will be opened are the following sections covered by three contract packages: 4.10 kilometer Tarlac Section, 6.40 kilometer Rio Chico River Bridge Section including the 1.5 kilometer Rio Chico Viaduct, and Aliaga Section with up and down ramps at Guimba-Aliaga Road. This new highway project was implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) led by Undersecretary Emil Sadain and Project Director Benjamin Bautista of UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 (Bilateral) who have worked double-time to deliver the completion of this project. CLLEX is among the key infrastructure projects with funding assistance from the Government of Japan thru the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in support of the Build, Build, Build program. The entire 30-kilometer expressway project is expected to shorten the usual travel time of 70 minutes between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City to just 20 minutes. More than just scenic views experienced while you drive and visit the stunning places in Central Luzon, this new highway will help ensure the Philippines’ sustainability and development by addressing barriers in distance and mobility. The Build, Build, Build program continues to deliver its promise of creating infrastructure that improves the lives of Filipinos in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges. While Build, Build, Build continued to make progress, it is also setting up the foundation in terms of infrastructure for the next generation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways aims to complete and open the other half of the work for the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project toward the end of this third quarter. Secretary Mark Villar said that since the bridge component of new Sta Monica-Lawton Bridge now known as Kalayaan Bridge was opened on June 12 connecting the cities of Makati, Pasig, and Mandaluyong, DPWH has continued working the viaduct segment across Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City towards Bonifacio Global City’s 8th Avenue. The DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations have hastened work as we targets to fully complete the BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project in this third quarter of the year, added Secretary Villar. In his report to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary for UPMO Operations Emil K. Sadain said that piers on bored piles for the elevated structure along 8th Avenue were already constructed. Undersecretary Sadain together with UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Director Benjamin Bautista and Project Manager Ricarte Mañalac inspected the on-going works for the viaduct now in full swing with some of the pre-fabricated girders or the horizontal support structure of the slabs already installed on top of piers. The contractor Persan Construction has also started with the construction of lean concrete retaining wall for the approach ramp at 8th Avenue, Undersecretary Sadain reported. DPWH has been in close coordination with the service utility providers including Meralco for the necessary relocation activities to prepare the area that may get affected by the construction of ramp. The P5.72 Billion BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road Project involves the construction of 440-meter 4-lane Kalayaan Bridge, rehabilitation and widening of 362 meter Brixton (corner Reliance St.) to Fairlane Street, and 565 meter viaduct structure traversing Lawton Avenue onwards to the entrance of Bonifacio Global City. Once fully completed, travel time between Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas Central Business District will be reduced to 12 minutes.

Photo Credit: Department of Public Works and Highways Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar expressed confidence that the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) will be an efficient alternate route for the motoring public going to Nueva Ecija when it opens next month. Despite work slowdown due to the pandemic, the first 18-kilometer segment of CLLEX will be of service to motorists from SCTEX/TPLEX connection in Tarlac City up to the intersection of Aliaga-Guimba Road in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija this July 2021, declared Secretary Villar. Secretary Villar said that contract packages 1 and 2 covering Tarlac Section and Rio Chico River Bridge Section having a combined length of 10.5 kilometers are already completed while construction of 9.2 kilometers contract package 3 - Aliaga Section is 87 percent finished. Secretary Villar together with Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain and Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino personally checked on Tuesday, June 8, 2021 the project’s progress which already has an overall accomplishment of 94 percent, making sure that the road is built with quality construction materials and specifications. Construction of the ₱11.811 Billion road project funded by loan with Japan International Cooperation Agency is implemented by UPMO-Roads Management Cluster 1 headed by OIC Project Director Benjamin C. Bautista. In his report to Secretary Villar, Undersecretary Sadain said that the delivery of right of way (ROW) requirements are being fast-tracked, with the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for expropriation complaints and other ROW-related cases. “We are hopeful that we will finally secure full site possession of the remaining required ROW to allow our construction activities to go on full throttle”, added Undersecretary Sadain. Expropriation proceedings with the appropriate court were initiated for properties whose owners were unable to grant the request to donate or accept price offer for negotiated sale within a given timeframe. More available ROW and favorable weather conditions will enable DPWH to catch up and finish the 10.3-kilometer Contract Package 4 - Cabanatuan Section which is now 88 percent completed. Meanwhile, the Zaragoza Interchange Section under Contract Package 5 is at 26 percent which involves construction of 113 meters Zaragoza Interchange Bridge, 4.88 kilometers access road, two (2) pre-stressed concrete deck girder bridge with a total length of 19.4 meters, five (5) reinforced concrete box culverts for equalizer and farm passage, and seven (7) irrigation canals. Once fully completed, the 30-kilometer CLLEX will shorten the usual travel time of 70 minutes between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City to just 20 minutes. This new expressway will also form an important east-west link for the expressway network of Central Luzon to ensure a continuous seamless traffic flow for the motoring public from Metro Manila and vice versa passing thru NLEX, SCTEX/TPLEX.   Article Courtesy of the Department of Public Works and Highways