BAGUIO CITY—A proposal from a former lawmaker in Pangasinan province to change the route of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) has alarmed officials of Baguio City and Benguet province.
On Monday, Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan, chair of the House committee on public works, and Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr., met officials in their respective districts to gather opposition to a proposed rerouting of TPLEx through the coastal town of San Fabian in Pangasinan.
The proposed amendment to the 88-kilometer expressway is again being pushed by former Rep. Mark Cojuangco, who pitched a similar route when the project was being drawn up in 2011, Cosalan said.
The 15th Congress rejected Cojuangco’s proposal, he said.
Last year, however, many lawmakers were surprised to discover that Cojuangco had resumed his lobby during the final stages of the construction of TPLEx, which is scheduled to open later this year, Cosalan said.
Altering the approved road design, which would lead to the junction of Kennon Road in Rosario town in La Union province, would cost the government P1 billion more to finance the construction and address road right-of-way issues. he said.
Backed by endorsements from businessmen and local officials in Pangasinan, Cojuangco’s proposal had been sent to Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and the National Economic and Development Authority. Amending the design would need the approval of both agencies, Cosalan said.
Aliping said he and Cosalan had asked the Baguio City council and the Benguet provincial board to issue resolutions expressing their objections to Cojuangco’s renewed drive.
The Inquirer tried to reach Cojuangco on Monday, but his employees said he was still in the United States.
Cojuangco is the son of businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., chair and chief executive officer of San Miguel Corp., which owns TPLEx concessionaire Private Infra Development Corp. (PIDC).
In a 2011 Inquirer report, the younger Cojuangco said he preferred to set TPLEx’s Rosario interchange along the Manila North Road (MacArthur Highway) so it would also open access to San Fernando City in La Union.
Aliping said this would add 7 km to the TPLEx. Its current design would reduce travel time from Metro Manila to Baguio from seven hours to about four. Vincent Cabreza with a report from Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon