It is a huge improvement from the 90 minutes.
On Monday, March 30, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the opening of CAVITEX C5 Link Segment 3B, which aims to significantly improve the movement of people and goods, reduce travel costs, and ease traffic congestion during peak travel season.
The said 7.7-kilometer CAVITEX C5 Link will provide “efficient” access to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and C5, via key interchanges at the R1 Expressway (Coastal Road), Sucat Road (Dr. A Santos Avenue), and C.P. Garcia Avenue (C5 Road).
Additionally, it is expected to cut travel time from Parañaque City to Taguig City from 90 to just 15 minutes, with direct connection between Sucat and Merville.
The connector road is also being touted as one that will help ease congestion on major arterial roads across Cavite and southern Metro Manila and strengthen logistics link between the industrial hubs of Cavite and the commercial centers of Metro Manila.
Vehicular congestion will be also reduced in the Kaingin area and will provide motorists with seamless connection from Cavite to C5 Taguig.
The construction was jointly undertaken by the Toll Regulatory Board and the joint venture partners: the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation (CIC), and shall be operated by the PEA Tollway Corporation (PEATC).
The project notably marks the completion of all segments of the CAVITEX C5 Link, which is projected to accommodate around 36,000 vehicles daily.
As for the toll fee for Segment 3B, it will be waived from March 30 to April 30, 2026, to accommodate Filipinos traveling home for the Holy Week.
During the visit, President Marcos conducted an inspection of the two-kilometer stretch with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
PBBM noted, “Malaking bagay ito kasi made-decongest ‘yung mga maliliit na kalsada dahil dito na dadaan [sa expressway]. At yung biyahe na dati isang oras kalahati, magiging 15 minutes na lang. Napakalaking bagay niyan dahil sa savings sa oras ng komyuter.”
Likewise, he pointed out that the expressway will also help motorists save a lot from the soaring cost of fuel. “Napakalaking savings nito sa gasolina, sa krudo, sa fuel. Hindi maliit na bagay ang mabawasan mo ang biyahe mo mula sa isang oras kalahati. Malaking savings ‘yan.”
“Para naman ay mapagbigyan ang ating kababayan na dumadaan dito, lalong-lalo na ngayon, Holy Week na ngayon, at maraming bumabiyahe. Kaya ito ay patuloy naming ginagawa at bubuksan natin,” the President stated.
For his part, Transportation Secretary Lopez told, “Ito po ‘yung pinaka-importante—‘yung dalawang kilometro [ng expressway] na sinasabi natin. Kasi nga sabi ni Sec. Vince (Dizon) Paranaque to Taguig umaabot ng 1.5 hours to 2 hours, ‘yun ay kapag maswerte ka pa walang traffic. Imagine mo 15 minutes lang ngayon [ang biyahe],” Secretary Lopez said.
According to Secretary Dizon, the Department of Pubic Works and Highways (DPWH) and DOTr will open networks of highways in the coming weeks—including the opening of the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX), connecting Tarlac City to Cabanatuan City on Tuesday (March 31).
“Ang objective, ang utos ni Pangulo sa amin ni Sec. Banoy [ng DOTr], magbukas ng as many new roads as possible between now and Holy Week. Lalung-lalo na ngayon na mataas ang presyo ng gasolina, hirap ‘yung mga kababayan natin, kailangan magbukas tayo nang magbukas ng mga bagong kalye para ma-cut ‘yung travel time—menos biyahe, menos konsumo, menos gastos,” he said.
He continued, “Very timely po [itong pagbubukas ng expressway] sa crisis na nangyayari ngayon sa supply ng langis. At ‘yung 15 minutes [na biyahe] ‘yung konsumo ng gasolina at krudo, malaking tulong po sa ating mga kababayan.”
In a media interview, President Marcos said the opening of Segment 3B is critical to alleviating the effects of rising oil prices driven by ongoing tensions in the Gulf Region and support the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) under Executive Order No. 110 or the declaration of the State of National Energy Emergency.
“Kagaya ng ating mga laging iniisip ngayon dahil nga sa kaguluhan sa Middle East, ay napakalaking savings ito sa gasolina, sa krudo, sa fuel. At hindi maliit na bagay ang babawasan ang biyahe mo mula sa isang oras at kalahati hanggang 15 minutes. Malaking savings ‘yan,” the President said. “Ito ay kasama sa ating utos na nanggaling sa UPLIFT na ating ginagawa na buksan ang lahat ng mga daan upang maging mas maginhawa ang pagbiyahe ng ating mga traveling public.”
Also present during the visit were Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) Board of Directors Chairman Alex Lopez, and MPTC Senior Adviser Mr. Jose Maria Lim.