Government retains stake in SCTEX, allots P1 billion for tollway upgrades

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February 10, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —The government is keeping its stake in the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and plans to spend P1 billion for enhancements, viewing the tollway as a strategic investment to promote national development, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

BCDA president and CEO Joshua Bingcang told reporters that the government is no longer planning to sell its stake when asked if the agency had received an updated offer for SCTEX.

“It’s for our investment. I was thinking we can capitalize on the future revenues to build more and accelerate more projects,” he said.

Earlier, the BCDA received a P20-billion offer from Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) to acquire the government’s stake in SCTEX.

Bingcang earlier said that the offer was not considered acceptable.

For the BCDA to consider MPTC’s proposal, Bingcangearlier said that it should cover the remaining balance of the government’s debt to the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which was used to build the expressway.

The 94-kilometer expressway is operated and managed by MPTC subsidiary NLEX Corp.

Bingcang said the BCDA has allotted P1 billion for the upgrade of SCTEX’s facilities to be used for streetlights and store service facilities.

He said the amount would also be used to put up three interchanges in Luisita, Hermosa and Mabalacat.

The BCDA is spending for the tollways’ enhancements in line with its push for national development and goal to attract more investments.

“Our mindset is that this is a national project. It’s important that the FDI (foreign direct investment) comes in,” Bingcang said.