Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar on Tuesday (Aug. 23) led the ceremonial opening of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAx) Sub-section 5 from Silang East Interchange to Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange in Cavite.
“While this pandemic may have slowed down and disrupted the implementation of projects, the Sub-section 5 or 5.14 kilometers Silang East Interchange to Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Interchange component of Cavite Laguna Expressway or CALAX Project was completed and will be now opened to public use,” Secretary Villar said during the event.
“The opening of Sub-section 5 will be able to cater to around 5,000 motorists daily, adding to the roughly 10,000 users of the already opened CALAx subsections 6, 7, and 8 from Sta. Rosa to Mamplasan,” Secretary Villar said.
According to Secretary Villar, ongoing subsections are also being fast-tracked by concessionaire MPCALA Holdings to be able to fully open the entire 45-kilometer CALAx connecting CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite, and South Luzon Expressway-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.
Once fully completed, CALAx will significantly reduce travel time between CAVITEX and SLEX to only 45 minutes, reducing traffic congestion particularly in Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road which is heavily congested and supporting national development policy and provides efficient transport facilities for the Eco-zones in Cavite and Laguna Provinces.
“More than providing efficient transportation links, the CALAX project under public-private partnership arrangement with the MPCALA Holdings – a unit of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, will help hasten economic recovery by providing jobs and promote the Calabarzon as a preferred destination for investment and growth,” Secretary Villar added.
The P35.68 Billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway which began construction in July 2017 is part of a bigger Build, Build, Build Program of the government. (DPWH) – bny
