The Indonesian developer of the South Metro Manila Skyway Project plans to build a new road to link the elevated toll road to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC), which is backed by Indonesia’s Citra group, said it would submit an unsolicited proposal to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction of an extension to Skyway from Gil Puyat Avenue in Manila to Balintawak in Quezon City.

The project, which will cost P17 billion to build, will challenge a similarly priced proposal dubbed the “connector road” by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC)—also an Indonesian-backed firm—which is already being evaluated by the government.

“We are looking at Stage 3, which is the Skyway extension from [Gil Puyat] to Balintawak,” CMMTC president Shadik Wahono said.

“We’ve requested to make a presentation before the DPWH,” CMMTC deputy CEO Dodik Marseno Catur Utomo said separately. “We plan to submit a proposal this month.”

The Skyway consists of the 9.53-kilometer elevated highway from Buendia in Makati to Bicutan in Parañaque and the 13.5-kilometer at-grade section from Magallanes in Makati to Alabang in Muntinlupa. The elevated portion is currently being extended by another 6.88 kilometers southward to Alabang.

CMMTC said the link to NLEx, which is part of the tollroad company’s original plan for the road, will go head-to-head with MPIC’s proposal to build the connector road. MPIC, chaired by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, operates NLEx.

MPIC is the local unit of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., which is backed by Indonesia’s Salim group.

Sought for comment, Ramoncito Fernandez, president and CEO of MPIC’s road unit Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. welcomed the challenge.

“Sure, it’s part of the process,” he said. (From Philippine Daily Inquirer)