TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite (PIA) --The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with MPCALA Holdings Inc. (MHI) inaugurated the 4th section of the 45-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) early today, with the opening of the CALAX Silang East Interchange section.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar led the inauguration with several top government executives including, Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, and Mayor Corazon Poblete of Silang, Cavite.

Officials of the MHI who were in attendance were Metro Pacific Investment Corporation President Jose Ma. Lim, Metro Pacific Tollways President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, MHI President and CEO Robert V. Bontia, and selected members of the project team.

“We are grateful for the trust and continued partnership with the government of the Philippines in providing the much-needed mobility infrastructure in the form of CALAX to help boost tourism and economic activity in the CALABARZON Region,” said MPT South President and General Manager Roberto V. Bontia during his speech.

The 7.2 kilometer Subsection 5 connects Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Tagaytay Interchange going to Silang East Interchange.

As a result, the Laguna Segment with 17 kilometers long is estimated to service additional 5,000 vehicles per day. This would also cut travel time from Laguna from 2 hours to under an hour.

"CALAX is included in the Luzon Spine Expressway Network -- a master plan aimed at increasing the high standard highway network by three-fold. We are now closer to our dream of connecting the northernmost part of Luzon to its southernmost portion. We are confident that we will be able to deliver majority of this high-impact project within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte," said DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar.

Based on the last development of the right of way acquisition, the whole stretch of CALAX would be operational by early 2023 according to Bontia.