Cojuangco fights for new TPLEx route
COJUANGCO UPDATES
FOR SMOOTHER TRAFFIC FLOW
SISON —Former Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco disputed Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan’s claim that his (Cojuangco’s) long-time proposal to transfer the exit of Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) will cost the government additional P1-billion and would delay the project.
Cojuangco, son of business magnate and former ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., told local newsmen that,“ The no. 1 that I dispute is the claim that it will cost P1-billion more.”
The three-term Pangasinan lawmaker said his efforts to amend the route never stopped since 2009. “Having studied our proposed route intensely, it is precisely the additional P1-billion claim of Private Infrastructure Development Corporation (PDIC) which I dispute,” he said.
“It is dismaying, tragic and unfortunate that the DPWH did not do its due diligence over the last years to ascertain PDIC’s claim and instead chose to rely on just the “say so” of a contractor,” Cojuangco added.
He said Cosalan, chairman of the House Committee on Public Works is “misinformed” since his proposed route will pass through Pozorrubio, Sison and on to barangay Cataguintingan, in Rosario, La Union.
Cojuangco shows his proposed route for the revised exit of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway that would effectively ease traffic going to the North.
“At no point will it pass through Santo Tomas (LU) and it only skirts to San Jacinto and San Fabian for a few hundred meters,” Cojuangco said. “It still passes through Binalonan, Pozorrubio and Sison but exits at Barangay Cataguintingan, Rosario, La Union, just a short distance from Saytan (La Union),” he added.
“The diversion adds only less than five kilometers travel to Saytan but it reduces the travel to all points further North by five kilometers which is the greater bulk of the traffic that will use TPLEX and representing a much bigger population,” Cojuangco said.
He noted that both the DPWH and the National Economic Development Authority never consulted with the population of Pozorrubio and Sison on the original route, “the design of which he said is “defective” under the law.
Per their calculations, the cost is about the same “but much straighter and direct, as well as save over five kilometers to all points North”.
“Using DPWH’s own per cubic meter costs multiplied by the total number of cubic meters, a computation will bear me out,” he added.
Cojuangco belied Cosalan’s claim that his proposal would nullify the purpose of TPLEX to boost tourism in Pangasinan, Ilocos, Cordilleras and other parts of Northern Luzon.
“My proposal will be a boon to tourism as it provides panoramic views of the West Philippine Sea and the western Luzon coastline for traffic heading North and spectacular views of the Lingayen Gulf and Zambales mountains for traffic heading South,” he said.
He cited how it would greatly ease traffic congestion in Rosario town as evidenced by the 12-hour bottleneck experienced last Christmas and during holidays.
“This can be a great example of a win-win solution,” he said. “Yes, the TPLEX will cut travel time from Subic- Clark-Tarlac Expressway and North Luzon Expressway by at least three and a half hours only to end up in the bottleneck in Rosario traffic for people going to Baguio and the North,” Cojuangco pointed out.
He said his proposed route would greatly ease traffic for those going to Marcos Highway and Kennon Road thus further enhancing the saved time possibly by many hours during holidays.
“Again, the Chairman (Cosalan) is misinformed. The exit we propose is in barangay Cataguntingan, Rosario, La Union and not in San Fabian or Santo Tomas in La Union,” he stressed.
He said Cosalan “should at least inform the local governments that he is “rallying to pass resolutions against diverting TPLEX” so that their resolutions would be factually correct rather than based on rumor and half-truths.”
Cojuangco’s proposal was supported by resolutions by the municipal councils of Sison, Pozorrubio as well as provincial boards of Pangasinan and La Union
Cojuangco said he wonders why Cosalan is against his proposed route when the latter was among the congressmen from the North who signed a letter dated May 19, 2011 to Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson endorsing “the realignment of this thoroughfare as per the proposal of Rep. Kimi Cojuangco”.
Cojuangco added that the type of roadwork for his proposed route is much simpler than what was done for the SCTEX going to Subic. “The hills in Pozzorubio and Sison where the route will pass are mostly flat plateau,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cojuangco also clarified that neither he or any member of his family does not own any property along the proposed route.
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