SMC confirms cancellation of construction of PaREx
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) CEO, Ramon S. Ang (RSA) has confirmed that the company will no longer push for the construction of the PHP 100 billion, 19.4-kilometer Pasig River Expressway (PaREx).
“I’m the type of businessman who thinks that if my fellowmen don’t want the project, I won’t push through it,” said RSA during yesterday’s press conference at the Manila International Airport.
He added that all he wants is to help decongest the eastern and western side of Metro Manila and therefore make commuting much more convenient to its residents. But, public opinion made him not push through with the mega project.
“Like this one, I proposed the Pasig River Tollway to help decongest East and West [of Metro Manila], but a lot of people complained and said they don’t like it [PaREx], it hurts their feelings or it’s disrupting the view [of Pasig River] or whatever, did you hear me say that I’m going for it? No! That’s because we’re sensitive. We also listen to public opinion,” added RSA.
The idea of building an elevated expressway over the Pasig River is not new. 30 years ago, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study on the proposed expressways system in Metro Manila.
Back then, the proposed expressway would connect Santa Ana, Manila, via Pasig River to Taguig. In 2021, the project seemed to be taking off, even onboarding renowned urban planner Jun Palafox as a consultant to introduce “green architectural and urban features” in the Pasig River Expressway system.
The construction was set to begin in 2022 and was to be completed in 2023.
Public opinion vs PaREx
While PaREx was envisioned to decongest the East and West sides of Metro Manila and provide its residents a more convenient alternative to inner roads, the elevated tollway project was not without its opponents.
Environmentalist groups claim that PaREx’s mega concrete structure would have an impact on Pasig River’s flow and therefore would contribute to flooding during the monsoon season. Additionally, the concrete megastructure would add additional heat to the already hot and humid Metro Manila.
Also, rubber, road dust, microplastics, and other forms of pollution from the vehicles using the elevated expressway will worsen the already dreadful state of Pasig River, according to environmentalists.
Mobility advocates, on the other hand, pointed out that the project will encourage more vehicular use and therefore would not solve traffic congestion.
There are also those who oppose the PaREx project due to heritage issues. According to these groups, since the project will be constructed near Intramuros, not only that the elevated expressway will disrupt the visual integrity of heritage sites, but could also damage the structural integrity of these centuries-old buildings due to the vibrations from the project’s heavy equipment.
