CCLEX marks one year, earns nearly P800M with a stream of 3.6M users

CEBU CITY – The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) marked its one year of operations this month when it opened for motorists in 2022 and since then, the iconic and longest bridge in the country has seen a stream of 3.6 million motorists using the 8.9-km modern toll Expressway, with an estimated earning of nearly P800M over the past 12 months, contributing to the revival of tourism and Cebu’s local economy after the pandemic.

    

Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC) president and general manager, Allan Alfon bared this in a press conference on April 27 at Fili All-day dining restaurant, Nustar. “We are happy to see the support and patronage we have received since we opened our expressway. We look forward to serving more motorists in the years to come," Alfon said.

Alfon pointed out that CCLEX's traffic has consistently been increasing month-to-month, from 6,000 average daily traffic on its opening week to double now at more than 12,500 per day, majority of CCLEX users are Class 1M or motorcycles with engine displacements 110cc to 399cc and Class 1 vehicles (motorcycles 400cc and up; cars, jeeps, pick-ups, and small vans).

In time for its one year of operations, CCLEX will be turning over P1.69 million each to Cebu City and Municipality of Cordova as their respective share of the expressway's income, Alfon bared.

Under the Joint Venture Agreement with the two local government units, Cebu City and Cordova will each receive a share of one percent of the annual toll revenues. Their respective shares are to be remitted not later than April 30 of each year throughout the 45-year concession period.

 Business and Tourism

"CCLEX has made it more convenient for people to go around Cebu. The increased mobility is good for business, especially retailers, because it brings increased foot traffic to our stores. It also makes it easier for us to move around our products," Philippine Retailers Association (PRA)-Cebu President Christian Paro-an noted.

For business leader Bunny Pages, chairman and CEO of The Pages Food Group, CCLEX has changed Cebu business for the better forever- especially those of them operating enterprises in the South Road Properties (SP).

"Conservatively, I credit CCLEX as the driver of the 30 to 50 percent increase in sales that our restaurants and food stores (Lantaw, ChixBoy BBQ, Matana Café, Manong's Butterfry Chicken, Mr. Sizzlers, Taters Snacks, Fruitful and Thirsty) have experienced in the past year,” Pages bared.

More importantly, its existence has made The SM Seaside Mall and Il Corso properties into attractive investment opportunities for entrepreneurs today. "As sports car enthusiast, I love driving my cars on CCLEX during weekends just to relax and enjoy Cebu from different point of view," Pages added.

According to Alfon that the expressway has also become the host of major sporting events in the past year—Ironman 70.3 Philippines, which gathered over 1,800 triathletes from 42 nations as well as Cebu Marathon which attracted over 8,000 runners from all over the country.

 More Developments

Alongside these milestones, Alfon bared that CCLEC has made further developments inside the expressway which included the opening of its temporary food park while preparation of the permanent Drive & Dine facility is underway.

CCLEC has also completed its solar farm as part of the company's efforts toward sustainability.  Looking ahead, CCLEC is eyeing to already open its pedestrian and bike lanes in May this year and the use of these bike lanes are free.

CCLEC is also closely working with the Cebu City Government for the CCLEX Guadalupe Ramps to open additional access to CCLEX at the center of Cebu City to V. Rama Ave. The Guadalupe Ramps are part of the Concession Agreement for CCLEX. It is a development project lobbied and initiated by the Cebu City Government to support the Guadalupe River Development Program.

For a more convenient CCLEX experience, CCLEC continues to encourage motorists to use and reload their RFIDs.  CCLEX was inaugurated on April 27, 2022 after four years of construction and was opened to the public on April 30, 2022.

CCLEX, which connects mainland Cebu through Cebu City's South Road Properties to the Mactan Island through the Municipality of Cordova, is the first toll road project outside Luzon of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), a publicly listed infrastructure holding company and member of the MVP Group of Companies.

MPTC is the largest toll road concessionaire and operator in the Philippines, which expansion goals include establishing toll operations in the Visayas, other parts of the Philippines, and in neighboring countries notably Vietnam, and Indonesia. (Photos: MBCNewman)