SLEX Toll Road 5 extension to Bicol nears TRB approval

A planned toll road extension of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the Bicol Region is anticipated to significantly lower transportation expenses, enhance supply chains, and generate numerous employment opportunities.

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) is nearing approval for the final engineering design of the initial phase of SLEX Toll Road 5 (TR5), which will extend from Lucena to Gumaca in Quezon province.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda highlighted that this segment, along with ongoing work on TR4, will provide substantial relief to commuters and truckers, drastically reducing the cost of transporting goods to Bicol.

Salceda further explained that the project aims to lessen the region's dependence on expensive and unstable transportation methods.

He noted that the absence of robust land transportation links to Calabarzon isolates Bicol, making it susceptible to disruptions in food and essential goods supply during emergencies and increasing the cost of maintaining supply chains with Manila.