San Miguel Corporation officially opened the final section of the 89.21-kilometer Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway (TPLEX) that covers Pozzorubio, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union.

The last 11-kilometer segment of the TPLEX is expected to further reduce travel time from Tarlac to Rosario to just one hour from three-and-a-half hours. With that, Metro Manila to Baguio will take just three-and-a-half hours from the current six hours.

SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said that the opening of the final stretch of the TPLEX will help boost the economy amid the pandemic: “The economy ground to a halt because of the pandemic, and among the most affected were our farmers as well as small businesses such as restaurants, hotels, stores, that also rely on tourism. By not scaling back on investments in infrastructure, we will be able to create more jobs, keep the flow of goods and services moving, and pave the way for more local tourism for the long-term.”

In total, the TPLEX now has ten interchanges and 11 toll plazas, namely: Tarlac City, Victoria, Pura, Ramos, Anao, in Tarlac; Carmen, Urdaneta, Binalonan, Pozorrubio, Sison in Pangasinan, and Rosario, La Union. The Sison, Pangasinan exit was added to the original alignment to help locals, and is currently being completed.

Moving forward, the conglomerate received a proposal to extend the TPLEX from Rosario, La Union to San Juan, La Union, which is a hot spot for local tourism for its beaches. The proposed four-lane extension project will cover some 59 kilometers.