DPWH Inspects CALAX Laguna Segment Interchanges, Sec. Villar Announces August 18 Opening

Laguna,Philippines – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar inspects the Interchanges of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (“CALAX”) along with MP CALA HOLDINGS INC (MCHI) Executives prior its opening. These are the Laguna Boulevard Interchange and the Laguna Technopark Interchange.

“I am very happy that this BBB project has progressed despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Community Quarantine affected the mobilization of construction, the manpower that oversee the coordination to secure the service roads and the overall timeline of the project. We have carefully navigated through this situation and we are ready to open these interchanges to the public at 12:01AM on August 18,2020. It is really a delicate balance as we aim to reach more milestones of this project, while keeping our people, the community and the construction sites safe.” Secretary Mark Villar said.

With these interchanges operational, motorists can enjoy access to and from the Laguna Technopark and have an alternative route to and from Nuvali via Laguna Boulevard and South Boulevard, thus decongesting Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road and other local service roads in the area.

“About 10,000  cars per day are currently served by the Laguna Segment, and these interchanges are added catalysts for the much needed economic activity at all levels, it will allow the flow of output of goods and services that people utilize thereby spurring growth in the community and the region.” Villar further said.

MP CALA Holdings Inc President Bobby Bontia is optimistic as he shares their plans. “These interchanges will open in full electronic mode to help stem the spread of Covid-19. Safety is our highest priority for both our motorists and personnel. Operating the interchanges using 100% RFID will eliminate cross contamination of the virus which may spread through bills and coins used in cash payments. By November the whole of CALAX will be on RFID technology. The DOTr leads the initiative on the use of RFID in all MPTC toll roads steered by Secretary Art Tugade, and DPWH headed by Secretary Mark Villar as the grantor of CALAX has approved the adoption of 100% RFID for the whole stretch of the expressway. To support this, we have made the Easytrip RFID available through the online store Shopee, and we also have customer service centers one each direction of CALAX and soon a drive through installation and loading center.”

The 45-kilometer CALAX has (9) interchanges in the following locations: Kawit, Governor’s Drive, Open Canal, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang East, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay, Laguna Boulevard, Laguna

Technopark, and Greenfield (Mamplasan). This 4-lane expressway will soon connect the Manila-Cavite Expressway (“CAVITEX”) in Kawit City, Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway (“SLEX”) at

Greenfield (Mamplasan) Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. When completed, CALAX shall serve about 45,000 vehicles cutting travel time from 2hours to under an hour.

MPCALA Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, which also holds the concession rights for the CAVITEX, Cavitex C5 Link, the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the NLEX Connector Road, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.