MANILA, Philippines – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the construction of an alternate entry point to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via Mindanao Avenue would generate some 100,000 jobs.

The President led the groundbreaking of the NLEX Phase 2-Circumferential 5 project on Mindanao Avenue, near the Valenzuela City border on Thursday.

“One hundred thousand jobs are available in the construction of this network,” Arroyo said in a chat with construction workers and truck drivers at the site.

She said the alternate entry point to the NLEX, Metro Manila’s gateway to Central and Northern Luzon, would reduce travel time.

Traffic is usually heavy in the Balinatawak Area, where the main entry point to the NLEX is located.

This is aggravated by the construction of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) extension from North Avenue in Quezon City to Monumento in Caloocan City.