Manila, Philippines, 02 April 2009 - Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. ("MPTC") today unveiled a P38.1-billion road construction package designed to significantly boost the government's national development program and create an estimated 107,000 jobs during the five-year construction period.

During the groundbreaking rites for Segment 8.1 of the North Luzon Expressway ("NLEX") which initiated Phase 2 of the road construction program, MPTC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan presented to Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the ambitious road building plan that will dramatically change the metropolitan landscape.

Mr. Pangilinan said "With key government support, MPTC intends to fast track construction of these toll road projects and allow motorists to enjoy substantial savings in travel time, fuel and vehicle operating costs."

The various projects in the pipeline consists of Segment 8.1, Segment 9 and 10 in MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Expressway and Skyway Stage 2. Breakdown of the estimated project cost include Segment 8.1 with Pesos 2.1 billion, Segments 9 and 10 entailing Pesos 10 billion, the NLEX-SLEX connector expressway requiring investments of Pesos 16 billion while the Skyway Stage 2 will need more than Pesos 10 billion to construct. The total cost of the package will amount to 38 billion with another P5 billion required from the government for right of way acquisition.

NLEX Segments 9 and 10 covering a distance of 8 kilometers will connect NLEX to MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela and Port Area in Manila.

Ramon S. Fernandez, President and CEO of MPTC revealed, "MPTC's agreement with the Philippine National Railways to undertake the feasibility study on the proposed NLEX-SLEX connector will be submitted to the government within the month. This development will provide an essentially important link in decongesting the heavy traffic in EDSA that will help travelers save on fuel costs and travel time."

Under the plan, the elevated, 13-kilometer, four-lane expressway linking the NLEX to the SLEX and Skyway through Road C-3 in Caloocan and Buendia Avenue in Makati City will reduce travel time from NLEX to SLEX to only 15 to 20 minutes.

MPTC's negotiations with Citra regarding Skyway Stage 2 are still ongoing. This project will extend the existing Skyway from Bicutan to Alabang in Muntinlupa City, while facilitating the needed rehabilitation works on the existing expressway including toll collection systems and the toll plazas.

MNTC president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco concluded by saying, "Aside from improving the country's infrastructure system the NLEX Phase 2 expansion projects will also perk up the county's economy as it opens an estimate of 107,000 job opportunities in engineering, construction, traffic patrolling, monitoring and toll collection ." MPTC currently has a total of 880 employees in its workforce efficiently manning the company's operations.