MANILA, Philippines | Environmental groups and civil society organizations have asked Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and the city council to reconsider the issuance of a Certificate of No Objection for the Southern Access Link Expressway (SALEX), citing concerns over heritage structures, trees, communities, public health and the city’s urban environment.
The Stop SALEX Movement and its allies submitted a petition at Manila City Hall on September 28, calling for further review and comprehensive consultations with communities, institutions and establishments along the proposed route. The appeal involved 37 organizations and 424 individuals, according to The Philippine Star.
The groups said the 40.65-kilometer elevated expressway would pass through significant portions of Manila’s central districts and over roads near or associated with important heritage and public institutions. Among those identified are the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Ospital ng Maynila, Ramon Magsaysay Center, Supreme Court, University of the Philippines Manila, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Paco Park, St. Vincent Parish and Adamson University.
Stop SALEX Movement co-convenor Menie Odulio said the institutions provide health, judicial and educational services and warned that the project could affect public health, urban heat, air pollution, heritage structures, traffic congestion, tree cover and overall livability in Manila. The petitioners are seeking consultations with affected communities, institutions and establishments before the project proceeds further.
The controversy follows the removal of trees along Quirino Avenue earlier this year. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said 617 trees within portions of the project area had been assessed, with 523 identified for cutting and 94 for earth-balling. DENR later said tree-cutting activities along Quirino Avenue were voluntarily suspended to allow a further review of safeguards and possible additional earth-balling.
DENR officials have maintained that the tree-cutting permit was issued under existing environmental regulations and that consultations were conducted with affected barangays. The agency also said the project proponent was required to undertake mitigation measures, including the relocation of trees where feasible.
SALEX is a component of the Greater Capital Region Integrated Expressways Network. Government and project documents describe it as an elevated toll-road network of about 40.6 kilometers intended to connect major transport corridors in Metro Manila and the southern portion of the capital region. The Philippine National Construction Corporation’s annual report describes the alignment as including the Shoreline Expressway and extensions connected to the Skyway system.
The project was approved as part of the broader expressway network in 2022. In 2024, the Toll Regulatory Board said the roughly ₱152.39-billion SALEX was expected to move into construction after completion of its final engineering design. The PPP Center currently lists SALEX under pre-construction, with PNCC and the Toll Regulatory Board as implementing agencies.
The latest petition adds another chapter to the long-running debate over how Manila should address congestion while protecting its remaining green spaces, historic areas and established communities. For the Stop SALEX Movement and its supporters, the immediate issue is whether the project should proceed under the existing approval or undergo further public review before additional construction and clearing activities take place.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar is a tenured associate professor at National University (NU) Manila and a steering committee member of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He has contributed to NU's community extension initiatives that introduced the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities within a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with Master of Development Communication (MDC) and Doctor of Communication (DComm) degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Open University in Los Baños and was awarded with a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) SIKAP grant. He previously served as editor-in-chief of The Adamson News and his high school publication Ang Ugat.
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
