Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the opening of the 7.88-kilometer Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) Subsection 3, extending the toll road to the Governor’s Drive Interchange in General Trias, Cavite.
The new segment is expected to significantly improve connectivity in South Luzon and ease travel to Metro Manila.
“I can announce na mabuksan ito starting 12 midnight tonight and for one month, wala na muna toll. So, ‘yung ating mga kababayan, gamitin po ninyo, makita ninyo, maramdaman ninyo na ang malaking ginhawa na dinadala nitong mga ganitong malalaking project,” Marcos said on Monday, May 4.
[Translation: I can announce that this will open starting 12 midnight tonight, and for one month, there will be no toll. So our fellow citizens should use it, see it, and feel the great convenience brought by projects like this.]
CALAX Subsection 3, covering the stretch from Governor’s Drive to Aguinaldo Interchange, will be toll-free for all vehicle classes for one month. Existing toll fees will continue to apply for other operational segments, particularly Subsections 4 to 8, from Mamplasan in Biñan, Laguna, to Silang (Aguinaldo) in Cavite.
The president, along with transportation and public works officials, conducted a windshield inspection of the newly opened segment.
The CALAX project is developed and operated by MPCALA Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation under Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.
The new segment is expected to cut travel time between Biñan, Laguna, and General Trias, Cavite, to about 26 minutes from the usual one hour. It also provides an alternative route for motorists, bypassing congested local roads in key industrial and residential areas.
“Bubuksan natin itong section, which is about four and a half kilometers. ’Yung dating kalahating oras na biyahe ay magiging five minutes na lang, six minutes, kaya’t malaking bagay ito,” Marcos said.
[Translation: We will open this section, which is about four and a half kilometers. What used to be a 30-minute trip will now take only five to six minutes, so this is a big deal.]
Once fully completed, CALAX will span 44.6 kilometers, linking the Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) in Kawit to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Mamplasan, Laguna. The expressway is expected to accommodate up to 95,000 vehicles daily, serving as a major transport backbone for trade and mobility in South Luzon.
