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CEBU CITY — Lapu-Lapu City's long-awaited skyway project took a major step forward on March 6, as Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and Lapu-Lapu Expressway Corp. (LLEX Corp.) formalized their commitment through a memorandum of understand-ing.
The expressway, the first of its kind outside Metro Manila, has faced hurdles but is now gaining momen-tum.
Leading the signing were MPTC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, MPTC President and CEO Jose Ma. Lim, LLEX Corp. repre-sentative Francis Lloyd Chua, PMI Chairman Alfredo Comendador Jr. and Ulticon Builders Vice President for Operations Ruben Garcia.
The event was witnessed by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard "Ahong" Chan, Vice Mayor Celedonio Sitoy, Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Corp. President and General Manager Allan Alfon, and Cebu Gov. Gwen-dolyn Garcia.
Pangilinan said the MVP Group of Companies would fully fund the project, despite the withdrawal of MPTC's Spanish pri-vate partner.
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He assured that this investment was a commitment to Cebu's future, emphasizing that travel times for Cebuanos should not be too long.
LLEX Corp., a consortium of Premium Megastructures Inc. (PMI) and Ulticon Builders Inc., expects con-struction to begin soon and finish within two years.
City legal officer James Allan Sayson cited studies showing that the expressway would generate P1.32 billion in annual eco-nomic benefits, or P3.6 million per day.
Chan said the Lapu-Lapu City government would not shoulder construction costs but would receive a share of toll revenues and advertising income.
He added that private stakeholders would finalize financial details in the coming months.
While the bridge alignment will affect at least eight houses in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, Chan assured that affected resi-dents would receive proper assistance and relocation.
Governor Garcia praised the collaboration, saying she had always advocated for public-private partnerships because she be-lieved they were essential for infrastructure development.
She expressed her support for the LLEX project, noting that such partnerships are the way forward.
First proposed in 2021, LLEX will span 12 kilometers, providing a direct link between the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
The elevated toll road aims to decongest the existing Mactan-Mandaue bridges and reduce travel time between Cebu's main-land and Mactan Island.
Originally, the project involved PMI, Ulticon Builders, MTD Philippines Inc. and China First Highway Engineering Co. Ltd. (CFHEC).
However, CFHEC and MTD Philippines withdrew in mid-2024 due to financial and resource allocation concerns.
Despite these changes, the project remains on track.
Pangilinan said MPTC is committed to completing the expressway, with groundbreaking expected in the coming months.
Chan emphasized that the project would not only be cost-free for the city but would generate income, ease traffic congestion and boost the economy of both Lapu-Lapu City and the entire Cebu province.
Once operational, the skyway will provide a seamless alternative route, improving access to MCIA, hotels and resorts while cut-ting transport costs and reducing vehicle wear and tear.
