MANILA - San Miguel Corp is no longer pursuing the construction of the proposed Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), the company's President and CEO Ramon Ang said on Monday.

"Yung project, hindi ko itutuloy (The project, I won't push it anymore)," Ang said citing opposition to the controversial proposed tollway.

PAREX was supposed to be a 19-kilometer 6-lane elevated tollway running the length of the Pasig River.

It was expected to reduce travel time between the Eastern and Western sections of Metro Manila and connect Rizal province to Manila.

In 2021, the Department of Transportation said San Miguel signed a Supplemental Toll Operations Agreement (STOA) for PAREX, signaling the start of the project.

However, environmentalists and heritage advocates opposed the project saying it would further damage the already polluted Pasig river and would be an eyesore along Metro Manila's main waterway.

Transport advocates also doubted that the expressway would lessen congestion in Metro Manila.

"If the public thinks that it is not good to the public welfare, hindi namin gagawin yun (we won't push through with it)," Ang added. 

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Last week, a newspaper also reported that San Miguel and Metro Pacific Investments Corp were mulling elevated expressways over C5 and EDSA.

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San Miguel is set to take over the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport this year, even as it builds another international aiport in Bulacan.

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