SCTEX Luisita expansion seen to improve access to ALI’s Tarlac estate

AYALA LAND, Inc. (ALI) said the expansion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Luisita Interchange is expected to improve access to its 290-hectare Cresendo estate in Tarlac City. The project, led by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) with local government units and tollway partners, will add dedicated northbound entry and exit ramps to the existing Luisita Interchange, the company said in a statement on Thursday. Once completed, the expansion is expected to provide motorists traveling between Tarlac City and Northern Luzon with more direct access to SCTEX, while easing congestion along MacArthur Highway and improving traffic flow in and around the city. BCDA estimates that the project will improve mobility for about 11,200 motorists daily, including travelers from Baguio, La Union, and Pangasinan. “Connectivity is a critical driver of regional development. The SCTEX Luisita Interchange expansion will improve access to Cresendo and strengthen connections between Tarlac and key economic centers,” said Rica Balbido, estate development head for Central Luzon at Ayala Land Estates. “This supports our vision for Cresendo as a community where businesses can grow and people can live, work, and thrive.” Cresendo is a 290-hectare master-planned estate in Tarlac City developed by Ayala Land Estates, ALI’s estate development arm. ALI said the interchange expansion is expected to strengthen Cresendo’s links to Clark International Airport, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Metro Manila, and other parts of Northern Luzon. The estate includes commercial, industrial, educational, and residential components. Its industrial component, Cresendo Industrial Park, opened in 2023 and has been partly leased to manufacturing and logistics locators. Cresendo is about three kilometers (km) from SCTEX and around 40 km from Clark International Airport in Pampanga. It is also about 15 minutes from New Clark City. — Juliana Chloe A. Gonzales