NLEX Corp. on Thursday won the contract to build a new interchange in Sto. Tomas, Pampanga and formally signed the agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
The Sto. Tomas Interchange is part of the Greater Pampanga circumferential road masterplan and will serve as link to the future Lubao-Guagua-Minalin-Sto. Tomas (LGMST) bypass road project of the DPWH.
This interchange should soon connect to other big infrastructure projects in the municipality, including a new hospital and a university, bringing more progress to the place.
While this is a DPWH project, its completion and subsequent operation and maintenance will be a collaborative effort of the DPWH, the TRB and NLEX with the support of the Sto. Tomas local government unit and the 4th District of Pampanga.
“With the opening of our NLEX [Sto. Tomas] Interchange, I see us being one of the most progressive areas not just in the municipality of Sto. Tomas but the entire 4th district and southern Pampanga,” 4th District of Pampanga Representative Anna York Bondoc – Sagum said.
Sto. Tomas Mayor Johnny A. Sambo also expressed his excitement towards this project and said the new interchange will serve as an instrument in achieving the municipality’s goal of bringing progress to the town. “Gaganda po ang ating ekonomiya, higit sa lahat, darami po ang trabaho sa ating bayan,” he said.
Sto. Tomas Interchange will also help decongest the Olongapo-Gapan Road by bringing NLEX closer to the towns in the west. This is seen to improve the lives of the communities within the project vicinity and serves as a solution to the increasing traffic demand in the region driven by agro-industrial growth.
Executive Director Alvin Carullo, on behalf of the TRB, also expressed support for the project saying, “as long as it’s technically, financially, and legally feasible, we will defend all projects like this that will spur economic development.”
Rogelio Singson, MPTC president and chief executive officer, emphasized MPTC’s goal is to address the needs of the communities traversed by its expressways. This is aligned with MPIC’s vision to propel economic growth and national progress by responsibly connecting communities.
The Sto. Tomas Interchange is one of many infrastructure projects in Pampanga. The NLEX Candaba 3rd Viaduct Project is now 34 percent complete and expected to be delivered by November this year while the expansion of NLEX in San Fernando to Sta. Ines in Mabalacat, Pampanga is targeted to start in the second quarter of 2024.
