THE Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) project faced new delays as the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) was told to harmonize the project with the government’s Pasig River Esplanade project, according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

This follows the expected submission of the final engineering drawings of the project by October which SMC has yet to submit, TRB Executive Director Alvin A. Carullo said.

“They have not submitted (the final design). Because it conflicts with the Pasig Esplanade of the DHSUD (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development), the interagency for the Pasig Development. They have to harmonize the project,” Mr. Carullo told reporters on the sidelines of the Transport Conference 2024 on Thursday.

TRB has also requested the DHSUD to submit the detailed engineering design for the esplanade project to “harmonize” it with PAREX, Mr. Carullo said, noting that the DHSUD has requested the detailed engineering design by end of November.

DHSUD is one of the government agencies in the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development, which the multi-agency tasked for the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli project.

“They need to adjust as per PAREX STOA (Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement). It’s indicated that the proponent is mandated to harmonize. If the government has new or other projects, they are mandated to harmonize,” he said.

To recall, the government inaugurated Phase 1C of the Pasig River Urban Development in June this year.

Earlier this year, TRB said that the construction of the P95-billion PAREX project is expected in 2025 or once the company secures an environmental compliance certificate.

“One of the predicaments right now is the issuance of the ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate). It is now pending with the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). Once it’s issued, (the project will move). As to us, what they need to submit is the project’s engineering design coupled with other government permits,” he added.

In March, SMC said it would abandon the 19.37-kilometer, six-lane, all-elevated expressway that traverses Pasig River amid public opposition given its impact on the environment.

However, merely two months after the announcement, the company said it was not abandoning the project and was trying to address concerns for PAREX to move forward. — Ashley Erika O. Jose