SMC urged to w/draw permit applications for PAREX, halt other expressway plans

By J.Lo

“It is win for  Pasig River and its communities,”  environmental, heritage and mobility advocates Ilog Pasiglahin movement  in  statement called on  San Miguel Corporation (SMC) to scrap its toll deal and environmental permit application for  planned Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) after  conglomerate’s chief announced  project is no longer pushing through. 

Ilog Pasiglahin movement welcomed  statement of SMC President and CEO Ramon Ang , his company is abandoning plans for  19-kilometer elevated expressway.

Ang said  public opposition led  conglomerate to drop  project pitched as  solution to address  traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

“Sinasabi ng maraming tao na ayaw nila ‘yan…laban sa kalooban nila, hindi magandang tingnan or whatever…narinig mo kung tinuloy ko…hindi na…kasi very sensitive din kami…nakikinig kami sa pulso ng bayan,” Ang was quoted in media reports as saying. 

Advocates from  Move as One Coalition earlier argued  PAREX,  proposed to run along  banks of Pasig River, “will deliver little or no benefit while causing significant harm.”

Critics of the project stressed it will exacerbate not solve metro’s traffic congestion as increased road capacity can induce demand, meaning more people will be encouraged to drive.

They also said that PAREX will worsen air pollution, increase temperature in the capital region, damage heritage structures, and further degrade Pasig River.

To formally cancel the project,  Ilog Pasiglahin movement demanded  SMC to revoke  expressway’s Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA) with  Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

It added that  conglomerate should withdraw their Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) application with  Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and scrap their permit applications and resolutions with local governments. 

Ilog Pasiglahin movement said  if SMC were truly committed to saving Pasig River, it must also cancel  portion of  Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) that will be constructed along  easternmost part of  river from Buting in Pasig City to Taytay in Rizal.

It also urged SMC to scrap  portion of  Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX) that will be built around  Manila Bay Port Area, Intramuros, and Hospicio de San Jose in Manila near  Pasig River. 

Advocates pointed out that these proposed expressways, if continued without modification, “will also bring  same disastrous impacts of PAREX” to  environment, heritage structures, and local communities.

“Whatever happens to Pasig River also affects its connected bodies of water Manila Bay, Laguna de Bay, Marikina River, San Juan River, Taguig River, and many others ..any destructive activity in those areas–reclamation, deforestation, and expressway construction will also affect  Pasig River, SMC must withdraw all PAREX permits and immediately stop all their environmentally destructive projects within  Manila Bay-Laguna de Bay area and beyond to truly protect nature,” Ilog Pasiglahin said.

Ilog Pasiglahin also called on  government to issue policies disallowing river and coastal expressways as well as to review current projects such as  SALEX, SEMME, and C5 Southlink Expressway, also known as  Marikina River Expressway.

SMC is set to take over  operations and maintenance of  Ninoy Aquino International Airport as it builds  New Manila International Airport along Manila Bay, another project that scientists and environmentalists warned would destroy important ecosystems.