22/08/2026
Cool!😃
MANILA–BICOL EXPRESSWAY NETWORK SET FOR A MAJOR TRANSPORT TRANSFORMATION 🛣️
South Luzon is on the verge of a major infrastructure breakthrough as two large-scale expressway projects move forward to establish a direct, high-speed connection between Metro Manila and the Bicol Region.
San Miguel Corporation (SMC), together with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is advancing the development of SLEX Toll Road 4 (TR4) and Toll Road 5 (TR5). Together, these projects are envisioned to create a continuous expressway corridor stretching deep into Southern Luzon.
HOW TR4 AND TR5 WILL CONNECT 🔗
TR4 and TR5 are designed to function as one integrated expressway network.
- TR4 will extend the existing SLEX from Santo Tomas, Batangas, to Lucena City, Quezon.
- TR5 will connect to TR4 in Barangay Mayao, Lucena City, and continue approximately 420 kilometers southward to Matnog, Sorsogon.
Once completed and connected, the network could provide motorists with an uninterrupted closed-toll expressway from Manila toward the southernmost part of Luzon, significantly reducing reliance on the congested Maharlika Highway.
TR4: INITIAL SECTIONS TARGETED FOR OPENING IN LATE 2026 🚗
The 66.74-kilometer TR4 is already under construction and is approaching a major milestone.
Initial Opening: DOTr is targeting the opening of Packages A to C, covering approximately 31.6 kilometers from Santo Tomas, Batangas, to Tiaong, Quezon, by late 2026.
Shorter Travel Time: The Santo Tomas–Tiaong journey is expected to be reduced from roughly two hours to just 30 minutes.
Full Project Impact: Once all six TR4 packages are completed up to Lucena City, travel between Batangas and Quezon could be reduced from approximately four hours to just one hour.
TR5: MOVING THROUGH PRE-CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN 📐
While TR4 progresses toward completion, the 420-kilometer TR5 is advancing through its planning and preparatory stages.
Initial Focus: The first phase centers on Segment 1, a 61-kilometer stretch connecting Lucena City and Gumaca, Quezon.
Current Preparations: Project stakeholders are working on detailed engineering designs, right-of-way requirements, and regulatory approvals involving the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
Long-Term Network: TR5 is planned to consist of eight segments traversing Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.
A POTENTIAL GAME-CHANGER FOR BICOL'S ECONOMY 📈
The completion of TR4 and TR5 could mean far more than shorter travel times. Improved connectivity has the potential to accelerate investment, tourism, trade, and job creation across the Bicol Region.
Attracting Major Investments: Faster transportation and lower logistics costs could encourage more private-sector investments in manufacturing, commercial centers, logistics facilities, and industrial parks along the expressway corridor.
Unlocking Economic Zones: Better connectivity could strengthen developments such as the Bicol Ecozone in Libon, Albay, supporting manufacturing and logistics activities and potentially creating thousands of employment opportunities.
Boosting Tourism and Trade: A significantly faster journey between Manila and Bicol could make the region more accessible to tourists while strengthening the movement of goods toward Matnog, an important gateway to the Visayas.
With TR4 building the connection toward Lucena and TR5 extending the corridor through the heart of Bicol, the Manila–Bicol expressway network could become one of the most transformative transport infrastructure developments in Southern Luzon.
