SMC’s eastern skyway to cost an additional P11 billion

February 6, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Tollway builder San Miguel Corp. (SMC) will spend nearly P11 billion more to construct the new expressway that runs through the eastern section of Metro Manila.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, SMC said the cost of the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME), also called Skyway Stage 4, has ballooned to P55.87 billion.

Likewise, SMC said it can deliver the first leg of SEMME within 24 months, as long as conflicts on right-of-way (ROW) are resolved immediately.

Initially, the project was supposed to cost P45.29 billion, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways. Expectedly, the amount has gone up since the government faced delays in the procurement of ROW.

Now that the government is ready to hand over ROW, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista is asking SMC to pick up the pace right away in paving SEMME. He wants SMC to open the initial phase of the tollway before President Marcos ends his term in 2028.

“To date, the estimated project cost for Skyway Stage 4 is approximately P55.87 billion (P45.29 billion was based on 2013 prices) for the 32.7-kilometer road and first phase may be completed within 24 months from the resolution and settlement with the government of ROW issues,” SMC said.

As a whole, SMC is keen on building SEMME to provide motorists with an alternate route when traversing the eastern and southern metro.

“Skyway Stage 4 will complement the other infrastructure projects of the San Miguel Group and may be an alternate route for the southern and eastern parts of Metro Manila and ease the traffic congestion along EDSA and C5,” SMC said.

SEMME is a tollway combining elevated and at-grade roads. In its entirety, the project will link the north and south of Metro Manila through the eastern segment, mainly the C6 Road.

The first phase of SEMME will span more than two kilometers from FTI to C5 Road, and it will connect to the Skyway System, which is also managed by SMC. SEMME will reduce the travel time between Western Bicutan, Taguig City and Batasan Hills, Quezon City to just half an hour.

Moreover, SEMME is the closest expressway to what would become the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange (TCITX), which Ayala Land Inc. is now constructing.

TCITX is expected to generate the initial traffic for SEMME, especially as the hub is projected to facilitate the travel of 160,000 commuters and 5,200 vehicles daily.