SMC's Ang debunks misconceptions about PAREX project

MANILA: Last week, SMC conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX). The six-lane elevated expressway will traverse along the bank of the river from Radial Road 10 in Manila to C-6 Road or the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) in Taguig.

However, some quarters have been highly critical of the project — and purveyed some negative points.

In a release, SMC President Ramon S. Ang dispelled what he called "misconceptions"  propagated about the project. He clarified that the infrastructure will not "destroy" the Pasig River. “We are mounting the largest river clean-up and rehabilitation effort for the Pasig River. We will spend P2 billion initially to extract at least 3 million metric tons of solid waste from the river to allow it to channel floodwaters more effectively. This will also allow for safer operations of water ferries,” Ang said.

The executive also stated that images showing PAREX will cover the entire Pasig River are not accurate. “PAREX will be built only on the banks of Pasig River, its posts occupying only one meter of the average 200 meters width of the Pasig River. Adaptations to the environment and local surroundings are part of our commitments with the government and local government units,” he said.

SMC had earlier revealed that PAREX will be a hybrid expressway. Thus, it will accommodate multiple modes of transportation. It will also feature a modern public transport system in the form of a bus rapid transit that will run on both the Skyway and PAREX. It will also incorporate bicycle lanes and pedestrian areas to encourage more Filipinos to use alternative ways of traveling.

“There are many more issues that have been raised to paint the project in a negative light, and we will take the time to explain to the public, so they can properly appreciate the merits of the project,” Ang stated.

SMC had also conducted its initial discussion with multi-disciplinary firm Palafox Associates for a potential consulting agreement for PAREX. 

Palafox Associates Founder Arch. Felino Palafox, Jr. is one of the master-planners of the SMC’s major projects. In a statement, SMC explained, “In our regular meetings with him, he has expressed strong belief in the need to increase accessibility between the eastern and western corridors of Metro Manila as part of a broader strategy towards decongesting Metro Manila, and easing the many negative impacts of traffic.”

In a Facebook post last September 26, Palafox Associates clarified, contrary to misinformation from other parties, that it has not signed any contract to be the official consultant of the project.

“While it is true that the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Mr. Ramon Ang have reached out to our principal architect and urban planner Felino ‘Jun’ Palafox, Jr. to introduce green architecture and green urbanism principles in SMC Infrastructure projects, this has never been formalized, specifically for the PAREX project,” the group stated.

In parallel, SMC said, “There is no formal engagement with Arch Palafox, but we have been in discussion, something that we have been very clear from the start — that we want him to help us do PAREX right.”

Photos from San Miguel Corporation

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