Motorists use the newly opened Skyway Stage 3 elevated highway from Quezon City to Makati City on January 15, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA (3rd UPDATE) - San Miguel Corp will not close the Skyway Stage 3 project, its president Ramon Ang said Tuesday, following a discussion with Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade.
When asked if the company is not closing the elevated highway, Ang said: "Yes, no closure.
Motorists have been using the 18-km Skyway Stage 3 elevated highway since January 14, 2021.
On Monday night, SMC announced it had “no choice but to comply" with an order issued by the Toll Regulatory Board to indefinitely close Skyway Stage 3 until all ramps are completed.
The TRB, however, denied that it had issued a decision or order for the closure.
"This is to inform the public that the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) DID NOT ISSUE a decision or directive ordering the indefinite closure of the Skyway Stage 3 starting 5 p.m. of 16 March 2021," the agency said in a statement.
"We never issued any directive for any closure. I think that matter is now set aside and resolved so our motorists can enjoy Skyway Stage 3," TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz told ANC.
The TRB met Monday with SMC technical representatives to discuss the schedule of completion of the highway's ramps, Corpuz said.
"They clarified to us many of these ramps would be completed sooner than expected and they’re giving their best efforts to complete it ahead of schedule," he said.
"These ramps are a non-issue to us because many of them will be completed this first or second quarter."
The two also discussed the SMC's toll collection system to avoid any issues on the use of RFID, Corpuz added.
The Skyway Stage 3 connects the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the South Luzon Expressway.
Skyway Stage 3 is expected to cut travel time between SLEX and NLEX to just 20 minutes from 3 hours by bypassing EDSA and C5.
-- with a report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
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