| Country: | PHL |
| Type: | E |
| Route: | 2 |
| CAVITEX–C-5 Link | |
| Alternate Name: | C-5 Southlink Expressway |
| Image Notes: | The expressway in Pasay, near Merville, Parañaque |
| Maint: | PEA Tollway Corporation[1] and Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation |
| Length Km: | 7.708 |
| Length Round: | 1 |
| Established: | 2019 |
| Length Ref: | [2] |
| Length Notes: | 5.7km (03.5miles) currently operational as of |
| Allocation: | [3] [4] |
| Restrictions: | No motorcycles below 400cc[5] |
| Direction A: | East |
| Terminus A: | in Taguig |
| Direction B: | West |
| Terminus B: | in Parañaque |
| Regions: | Metro Manila |
| Cities: | Parañaque, Pasay, and Taguig |
CAVITEX–C-5 Link, formerly the C-5 Southlink Expressway and signed as E2 of the Philippine expressway network, is a 7.708adj=onNaNadj=on controlled-access toll expressway in Metro Manila, connecting the Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) to Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) in Taguig. The project is being built at the cost of, and is a joint project of the Philippine Reclamation Authority, Toll Regulatory Board, and Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation. Currently operational between Taguig up to E. Rodriguez Avenue (Segment 3A) and the segment between Parañaque Interchange up to CAVITEX Interchange (Segment 2) in Parañaque only, the remaining segment between E. Rodriguez Avenue up to Parañaque Interchange (Segment 3B) is currently under construction.
CAVITEX C-5 Link starts at Carlos P. Garcia Avenue (C-5) in Taguig near its interchange with the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). It then ascends as the existing flyover that crosses Skyway, the PNR Metro Commuter Line, SLEX and the at-grade expressway's service roads before descending along C-5 Extension, which serves as its frontage roads, in Pasay. It then continues its course south of Ninoy Aquino International Airport until it meets its current terminus at C-5 Road Extension in Parañaque, near a Shell station. Unlike most expressways in the Philippine expressway network, the maximum speed on its existing section is 60km/h.[6]
The expressway's section towards Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX) is currently under construction. It will continue its course south of the airport. It will then pass by the Global Airport Business Park and Amvel City, where an interchange towards Dr. Santos Avenue and a future toll plaza are located. A flyover crosses Dr. Santos, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, and Diego Cera Avenue. It ends at a trumpet interchange with CAVITEX near the latter's Parañaque toll plaza.
In 1993, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study on the proposed urban expressway system in Metro Manila. The master plan included the proposed Central Circumferential Expressway that would follow the old Circumferential Road 5 alignment from Navotas to Parañaque with the total length of about 45.8km (28.5miles).[7]
On December 27, 1994, a Joint Venture Agreement by and between the Public Estates Authority (now called Philippine Reclamation Authority) and the Malaysian group of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and Renong Berhad (Renong) was signed to develop the Manila–Cavite Toll Expressway Project (MCTEP). The project includes the original south extension of Circumferential Road 5, referred to as Segments 2 and 3.[8] It was later approved by the Senate and C-5's south extension have been made as a toll expressway. However, in 2010, the project was scrapped in favor of the toll-free C-5 Road Extension that was controversial for traversing several of then-Senator Manny Villar's properties in Parañaque and Las Piñas.[9] [10] The toll expressway project was later revived as the C-5 Southlink Expressway project.
The construction of the expressway started on May 8, 2016.[11] [12] The expressway is being built in two phases, with the first phase that fills the gap between the C-5 main route and the C-5 Extension near Merville, Parañaque by constructing a 2.2km (01.4miles) flyover over South Luzon Expressway and Skyway, and the second phase involving construction of the Merville–R-1 segments.
Phase 1 or Section 3A-1 (C-5 to Merville) was opened to traffic on July 23, 2019.[13] [14] The 1.6km (01miles) Segment 3A-2 (Merville to E. Rodriguez) then opened on August 14, 2022,[15] [16] with the Merville Exit opening later on October 25.
On June 23, 2024, the expressway's 1.9km (01.2miles) Segment 2, which runs from CAVITEX to Parañaque (Sucat) interchanges, was opened to traffic. The latter interchange is, however, independent from the existing 3.8km (02.4miles) section from C-5 to Barangay Santo Niño in Parañaque. The 2km (01miles) Segment 3B will complete the missing link connect the sections between the Parañaque and Merville exits. It broke ground two days earlier,[17] with completion slated for March 2025.[18]
The expressway currently uses a barrier toll system wherein motorists pay a fixed toll rate upon exit. Integrated with the toll system of CAVITEX, the electronic toll collection (ETC) system on the expressway is operated by Easytrip Services Corporation and collections are done on both dedicated lanes and mixed lanes at the toll barriers. However, the newly opened Segment 2 (CAVITEX to Parañaque) is currently toll-free until the resumption of toll collection to be announced by the Toll Regulatory Board.[19]
Tolls are assessed in each direction at each barrier, based on class. In accordance with the law, all toll rates include a 12% value-added tax.
| Class | Toll[20] (Taguig–Merville) | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 (Cars, motorcycles, SUVs, Jeepneys) | ||
| Class 2 (Buses, light trucks) | ||
| Class 3 (Heavy trucks) |