NLEx Secures P10-Billion Loan from Chinabank to Expand Tollway Operations

North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) operator NLEx Corp. has secured a P10-billion loan from China Banking Corp. to fund tollway expansion projects and manage existing debts. The 10-year term loan agreement with the Sy-led bank will support the company’s capital expenditure program and refinance maturing debt, according to Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president and CEO Rogelio Singson.

Part of the loan will be allocated to the ongoing Candaba 3rd Viaduct project, a 5-kilometer toll road connecting Apalit, Pampanga, and Pulilan, Bulacan, aimed at increasing road capacity between the two existing viaducts. Currently 95% complete, the project is scheduled to open before the Christmas travel season, easing transport flow and bolstering economic activity in the region.

NLEx has earmarked P12 billion in total capital expenditures for 2024, with other ongoing projects including the NLEx C5 Link Segment 8.2 – Section 1A, a 2-km toll road connecting Mindanao Avenue to Quirino Highway in Novaliches, and the widening of NLEx from San Fernando to the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway Spur in Pampanga. Additional infrastructure improvements include roadway lighting and the construction of the Mexico interchange.

In January, NLEx Corp. also opened the F. Raymundo Exit in Brgy. Pandayan, providing a new route for class 1 vehicles and completing the widening of the Meycauayan northbound exit ramp.

In addition to NLEx, MPTC operates other tollways, including the NLEx Connector, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and Manila-Cavite Expressway.