APRIL 13, 2016

NR # 4169

House panels approve bill creating Quezon-Bicol Expressway

The development and progress among regions in Southern Luzon is expected to be
enhanced by a bill seeking to establish the Quezon-Bicol Expressway, which has already
been endorsed for plenary approval.
The House Committees on Southern Tagalog Development chaired by Rep. Isidro
S. Rodriguez, Jr. (2nd District, Rizal) and on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Isidro T.
Ungab (3rd District, Davao City) have both approved House Bill 6475 or the proposed
Quezon-Bicol Expressway Act and have endorsed it for plenary passage.
The bill substituted HB 5623 authored by Rep. Scott Davies S. Lanete, M.D. (3 rd
District, Masbate) and HB 3741 by Rep. Aleta C. Suarez (3rd District, Quezon).
It provides for the creation of the Quezon-Bicol Expressway (QuBEx) which shall
be financed, constructed, operated and maintained by a grantee, offeror, consortium or
proponent, under and by virtue of Republic Act No. 6957, as amended by RA 7718,
otherwise known as the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law.
The QuBEx shall link the province of Quezon with the Bicol Region starting from
Malicboy, Quezon and terminating in Sorsogon.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Engineering District
concerned shall construct the connect road for the purpose of linking the terminus of the
SLEX Toll Road 4 (TR4) in Lucena City and the entrance of the QuBEx in Malicboy.
The DPWH shall be the lead implementing agency of the Act. The amount
necessary to defray the cost of undertaking and completing the feasibility study of the
project and other activities relative thereto shall be included in the General Appropriations
Act (GAA).
Lanete said the State has continuously failed to promote simultaneous development
among the countrys regions as shown for example by the construction of expressways
leading to Northern and Southern Luzon.
Lanete said there are only two expressways leading to Southern Luzon namely the
South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Star Tollway, and with these two combined lead
up to Batangas only.
Whereas, Lanete said the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX),
which opened in 2014, is the third expressway built connecting the countrys capital of
Manila to the northern areas of Luzon.

Lanete, a vice chairman of the House Committees on Appropriations, on Poverty

Alleviation, and on Public Order and Safety, said the TPLEX construction has brought
immediate impact in the development of trade and tourism in Northern Luzon.
It made Baguio City, a popular tourist destination, more accessible. In fact, travel
time from Manila to Baguio City had been cut short from seven hours to less than five
hours. Thus, Baguio City has experienced an exponential rise in the number of visiting
tourists and consequently its revenues also increased significantly, said Lanete.
Thus, compared to the expressways of Northern Luzon, which cover at least five
provinces, it can be inferred that Southern Luzon has been spared from development
according to Lanete.
The promising tourist destinations located in the southern areas of Luzon have
remained stagnant, untapped and underappreciated due to difficulty in access. Along with
the underdevelopment of these areas is the slow growth in terms of commerce, he said.
To pursue optimum opportunity for development among the regions, the lawmaker
said there is a need to give attention to Southern Luzon. By constructing additional
expressways that would make areas, as far as Sorsogon Province, more accessible by road,
only one result will be achieved which is progress, said Lanete.
Lanete said through his proposal to create the Quezon-Bicol Expressway or QuBEx,
the State will be fulfilling its responsibility in promoting optimum growth among the
regions in Southern Luzon. It is envisioned that there will be an improvement in the
tourism industry which will translate to a developed and progressive citizenry, said
Lanete.
Meanwhile, Suarezs proposal seeks to amend Presidential Decree No, 1894 which
provides that the grantee of the franchise has the right and privilege to construct, maintain
and operate the SLEX from Nichols, Pasay City to Lucena City.
After almost 30 years from its enactment, there is a need to amend P.D. 1894 to
respond to the changes of time. The proposed amendatory law will extend the SLEX from
Lucena City to Malicboy, Quezon by an additional 21.96 kilometers, said Suarez.
Suarez, a member of the Committees on Southern Tagalog Development,
Appropriations, Reforestation, Health, and Accounts said the proposed extension of road
network from Lucena City to Malicboy, Quezon aims to make travel to the Bicol Region
faster and more convenient.
It will decongest traffic within and around the area. As a result, it will improve the
mobility of goods and products from Quezon Province and the Bicol Region. The faster
and convenient travel would also translate to a growth of the tourism industry in these
areas to the benefit of people living therein, said Suarez. (30) rbb