Cavite–Laguna Expressway

The Cavite–Laguna Expressway (CALAX  or CALAEX), signed as E3 of the Philippine expressway network, is a partially operational controlled-access toll expressway in the provinces of Cavite and Laguna, Philippines. The construction of the 44.63 km expressway, which began in June 2017, costs an estimated ₱35.43 billion. Once completed, it will connect the Manila–Cavite Expressway in Kawit to the South Luzon Expressway in Biñan and is expected to ease the traffic congestion in the Cavite–Laguna area, particularly along the Aguinaldo Highway, Governor's Drive, and the Santa Rosa–Tagaytay Road.

Route description


CALAX begins as the Mamplasan Rotunda, a roundabout intersecting with South Luzon Expressway's Greenfield City-Unilab (Mamplasan) Exit, LIIP Avenue, and Greenfield Parkway in Biñan. It continues west then making a reverse curve to the southwest through the future Greenfield City Biñan development. It enters the Laguna Boulevard right of way near the boulevard's intersection with Greenfield Parkway. It approaches the first toll plaza near the Verdana Homes gated community, and continues southwest, passing through a mix of developed and undeveloped areas at barangays Loma, Timbao and Malamig, then turning south into barangay Biñan, where it passes near Laguna Technopark, De La Salle University – Laguna Campus and several gated communities; access for them is provided by service roads. The expressway partially runs above grade, utilizing underpass bridges, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls and a viaduct at this section to pass above major intersections and accesses.

Entering Santa Rosa, CALAX descends into grade level to cross the Silang–Santa Rosa River and clear a power line, then gently curves to the southwest to follow the Nuvali Boulevard right of way, where the expressway ascends above grade again to pass over South Boulevard, served by the Laguna Boulevard Exit. Past the exit, it leaves the Nuvali Boulevard right of way and crosses the Silang–Santa Rosa River once again, this time the Cavite–Laguna provincial boundary into Silang. It makes another reverse curve through cornfields to the Santa Rosa–Tagaytay Exit, a trumpet interchange which leads to Santa Rosa–Tagaytay Road.

The expressway continues southwest and makes a few turns before traversing a bridge and enters a cut section, passing near South Forbes Golf City and Ayala Westgrove Heights. It turns northwest and passes under Tibig Road, passing by Silang East Exit, a diamond interchange which leads to Tibig-Kaong Road. Then, it runs for 4 km until it reaches its current terminus at Silang (Aguinaldo) interchange, which provides access to Aguinaldo Highway. Its section from there to Kawit, where it will be linked to Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) via the elevated CAVITEX–CALAX Link.

Planning and development


In the 1990s and 2000s, the original plan for the expressway was Segment 5 of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP) under the 11.3-km R-1 Expressway Extension, when Cavite was going to transform into a highly industrialized province, which was conceptualized by former assistant trade secretary and later President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 1988 when she proposed the implementation of the Cavite Trade and Industry Plan. The segment would have been a 4.3-km extension from Kawit, connecting to the existing Segment 4 to Noveleta that was also being proposed in 2004. However, the 1-kilometer portion was absorbed into what is now the planned link between CAVITEX and CALAX (CAVITEX–CALAX Link).

In 2006, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study on the CALA East-West National Road. JICA later again conducted the study, this time on the master plan of the High Standard Highway Network (HSH) in 2010, which included the expressway project. In 2012, JICA also conducted a study for the expressway that proposed to build the Laguna section.

The original plan was that the project had to be financed through two funding schemes: the official development assistance (ODA) would have funded the portion of the Laguna section, while the public-private partnership (PPP) would handle the construction of the Cavite section. The project would later be revised as a PPP scheme, which was later approved by President Benigno Aquino III on January 18, 2013.

Construction and groundbreaking
In November 2013, there were four pre-qualified bidders vying for CALAX: Alloy MTD Philippines Inc.; Team Orion, the consortium of AC Infrastructure Holdings Inc., AboitizLand, Inc., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings Philippines; MPCALA Holdings Inc.; and Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc. of San Miguel Corporation.

On June 12, 2014, Team Orion, the joint venture of Ayala Corporation and Aboitiz Equity Ventures, won the bid, placing a concession payment of ₱11.659 billion for the project. Optimal Infrastructure was disqualified on grounds that its bid security fell short of the 180 days required by the government. Its bid envelope specified a financial bid of ₱20.105 billion. The bidding became controversial, and in October of that year, the tandem of Ayala and Aboitiz expressed disappointment over the government when they rebidded.

The Office of the President has finally decided to rebid the project until then and re-approve it on February 17, 2015. MPCALA Holdings, the consortium led by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation and its subsidiary, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), won by submitting a concession premium of ₱27.3 billion to be paid to the government. This is higher than San Miguel's bid of ₱22.2 billion.

Groundbreaking of the project occurred on June 19, 2017, and right-of-way acquisition is continuing as of October 2017. According to a statement by MPCALA Holdings President Luigi Bautista, construction of the Cavite portion of the expressway was expected to begin in April 2018. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Cavite segment was eventually held on March 27, 2019. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways, then headed by Secretary Mark Villar, expected the Laguna segment to be opened by October 2019. The Laguna segment became fully operational while the Cavite segment is still undergoing construction. Both segments were expected to be fully operational and completed by 2022, but was delayed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and again to 2025 due to construction delays.

Partial opening and gradual extensions
The first section of the expressway between Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan and Santa Rosa–Tagaytay Road was made accessible on October 30, 2019, in time for All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. However, its length is conflicting, with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation stating it as 8.9 km, while news outlets report it as 10 km. The entry and exit points at each end were opened to serve an estimated 10,000 cars. According to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, this would cut travel time from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes. However, the segment was supposed to be operational back in December 2018 or by February 2019.

The expressway was closed from January 28 to 31 and February 4 to 7, 2020 at 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM (PST) to give way for construction and clearing operations due to ashfalls brought by the 2020 Taal Volcano eruption.

On August 18, 2020, the Laguna Technopark and Laguna Boulevard Exits in Biñan and Santa Rosa, respectively, were opened to the public.

On August 24, 2021, the 6 km section leading to the Silang East interchange in Silang, Cavite was opened to the public two months behind its initial June 2021 opening. Meanwhile, the section leading to the Silang (Aguinaldo) interchange opened to motorists on November 8, 2023, two months behind its initial September opening.

Toll
Cavite–Laguna Expressway is a closed road system, where motorists pay a toll rate based on the vehicle class and distance travelled. Toll collection is done upon exit. The electronic toll collection (ETC) system on the expressway is operated by Easytrip Services Corporation and collections are done on mixed lanes at the toll barriers.

In accordance with law, all toll rates include a 12% value-added tax.

In 2023, the tollway system between Greenfield and Santa Rosa–Tagaytay toll plazas initiated a two-month dry-run of contactless tolling operations.