SCTEX-Maharlika link completed by July

SUBIC BAY Freeport — The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Maharlika Highway is set to be completed by July of this year.

This was the announcement made by the Department of Public Works and

Highways (DPWH), citing that the link is now 98 percent complete.

“The 10.3-kilometer Cabanatuan Section under CLLEX Phase I will cut travel time between Tarlac City and Cabanatuan City from 70 minutes to just 20 minutes, easing commutes for over 11,200 motorists daily,” the DPWH stated.

The agency added that despite delays caused by right-of-way issues, the project is now in its final stages. This includes key structures such as an interchange, three bridges, and multiple underpasses.

Meanwhile, the 4.88-kilometer Zaragoza Interchange (Contract Package 5) is 73 percent complete and is expected to be finished by the third quarter of 2025.

The expressway is part of the government’s Build Better More program and a flagship of President Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda, aimed at boosting logistics, linking farmlands to cities, and driving regional growth.