SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION and the Batangas provincial government on Wednesday signed a joint venture agreement for the P44.77-billion Nasugbu-Bauan Expressway (NBEX) project that will provide faster connection between the eastern and western portions of Batangas province.

The Batangas provincial government granted the company’s infrastructure arm, SMC Infrastructure, a 35-year concession to design, build, operate, and maintain the four-lane, 61-km. toll road, which SMC president and CEO Ramon S. Ang described as “a project that will further unlock the economic potential of Batangas.”

The two parties signed the joint venture agreement for the project in a ceremony held at the Balayan Government Center, where Ang was also officially named an adopted son of Batangas.

“This project will drive a lot of development for our province and for our towns here in the first district. Higit sa lahat, mas marami itong maibibigay na tulong at serbisyo sa ating mga mamamayan. Tunay pong partner in development ang San Miguel hindi lamang po sa Batangas, kundi sa buong Pilipinas,” said Gov. Herminilando Mandanas.

“Batangas province has always been very close to my heart. It is home to many of our facilities,” said Ang.

Ang said is vital to their efforts to support the national economy and uplift the lives of many Filipinos through regional development.

NBEX, Ang said, is a vital infrastructure initiative in Southern Luzon. It will improve travel across towns throughout Batangas, particularly the first district. Once complete, it will make Nasugbu, Balayan, Lemery, Bauan, the City of Calaca, and other municipalities, more accessible.

Transportation of people and goods will be easier, faster, and more efficient, resulting in a lower cost of business and higher economic activity.

Ang said the 61-km expressway is expected to cut travel time by half between Nasugbu to Bauan, Batangas from 1.5 hours to just 45 minutes.

It will also reduce the usual 5-hour trip to and from Manila to only 2 hours.

NBEX, which begins in Bgy. Kaylaway, Nasugbu town, runs parallel to Tagaytay-Nasugbu and Palico-Balayan highways. The terminus of NBEX in Bgy.Kaylaway connects the expressway to another SMC Infrastructure project, the Cavite-Batangas Expressway (CBEX), which leads to Tagaytay City and Silang, Cavite.

Ang said: “NBEX is an exciting opportunity for us to come together once again and work towards our common goal of building a better future for our beloved Batanguenos.

And said the target for substantial project completion is 48 months, including the 12-month development of the detailed engineering design.

NBEX is the latest addition to the growing infrastructure portfolio of SMC, the country’s most diversified conglomerate.

Aside from NBEX, SMC operates the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the Skyway System that connects Balintawak to Makati through an elevated expressway, the South Luzon Expressway, and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road ( STAR ) Tollway. By Jane Eleda and Jojo Magsombol