CLARK FREEPORT – The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) will start providing access to this freeport, the tourism establishments here and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) when the Bases Conversion Development Authority opens the Panday Pira Road on Dec. 23, BCDA officials said.

Edgardo Lena, BCDA-SCTEx project engineering chief, announced the opening date in Monday’s yearend briefing to the press here.

Construction work on the 3.8-km, two-lane road began on April 23 and was 66.1 percent completed as of last week, Lena said in his presentation.

Connected to the Clark North B interchange in Mabalacat, Pampanga, the Panday Pira Road leads straight to Clark on the left and Sacobia in Bamban town to the right.

The three interchanges in Pampanga are 22 to 33 percent finished.

The Clark South cloverleaf interchange leads to the DMIA, Angeles City, Tarlac and the Subic Bay Freeport. It is due to be finished on Feb. 14, 2009, Lena said.

The Floridablanca and Porac interchanges, both began on March 17, will be opened to motorists on June 9, 2009.

The Panday Pira Road costs P167 million and the three interchanges, P1.1 billion, according to Lena. The funding was obtained from the P7-billion supplemental loan obtained by the BCDA from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The 94-km SCTEx was built by the BCDA at a cost of P27 billion.