EXPRESSWAY. The NLEx expansion is pushing through in 2013. Map from www.mpic.com.ph

MANILA, Philippines - The toll unit of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is allocating P2.5 billion in 2013 to expand and repave parts of the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

In a disclosure on Wednesday, October 31, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) confirmed reports that it has "budgeted P2.5 billion as capital expenditure for 2013, a significant amount of which is earmarked for the construction of NLEx Segment 9."

MPTC chief financial officer Christopher Daniel C. Lizo was earlier quoted as saying that the Segment 9 expansion works and repavement of some parts of the tollway will be funded "mostly by internal cash."

The amount represents 5-times more than the P500 million capital expenditure planned this 2012.

Included in the plans for 2013 are:

• Segment 9 is a P1.6 billion-worth toll road that will link NLEx Cloverleaf and McArthur Highway near the Valenzuela City Hall with a 2.1-kilometer, 4-lane highway. Depending on how fast the government is in securing right-of-way, construction for Segment 9 will likely start by November or December and will be completed in 2013
• Segment 10 is a 7-km road that will connect Segment 9 to Circumferential Road 3 (C3) in Caloocan City. It will cost the company P8 billion and set to be finished by 2015
• Segment 8.2 is an 8-km road that will link Mindanao Avenue and the C5-Commonwealth connection. It will cost approximately P10 billion, and the detailed design is be completed mid-2013

MPTC operates the 84-kilometer NLEX through Manila North Luzon Tollways Corp. (MNTC). - Rappler.com