MRT-7 to bring relief to commuters – SMC

FOOD-BASED conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (SMC), which will serve as the sole concessionaire of the multibillion peso Metro Rail Transit-7 project connecting Quezon City to Bulacan province north of Manila, assured the commuting public of “great relief” when the transport facility becomes operational in 2020.

MRT-7 is expected to accommodate 850, 000 passengers a day.

“It will decongest Metro Manila and make Bulacan a more viable location for residential developments, call centers and BPO businesses,” SMC Chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr said during a stockholders’ meeting on Tuesday.

The P69.30-billion MRT-7 project includes the construction of 14 stations that will connect North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte town in Bulacan.

SMc also said Bulacan province will benefit from the incoming investment and the additional infrastructure in the area.

“It will inconvenience the public in a while but once it is completed, there will be great relief. Traveling from Quezon City to Bulacan would already cost less,” SMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang told reporters later at a news conference.

The Regalado Highway in Quezon City has been closed temporarily to give way to the construction of MRT-7, which is expected to be completed in 2019.

Ang said the Skyway 3 connecting Buendia to Balintawak will be finished by the last quarter of 2019, and the construction of the expressway connecting Rosario to La Union will be finished next year.

SMC is also hopeful of connecting the South Luzon Expressway to Tagaytay, Ang added.

SMC set to extend Skyway to San Jose del Monte City

San Miguel Corp. said it plans to start the construction of Skyway Stage 4―a 58-kilometer expressway that will begin at the existing Skyway to San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan province via C5.

The conglomerate said it was one of the projects that were part of  strategy to invest in new growth sectors while strengthening core businesses, ten years after its diversification into high-growth industries from being a food and beverage conglomerate.

San Miguel said in an annual report that would be presented during the annual stockholders’ meeting Tuesday it would continue to add scale to new businesses by building additional power plants and toll roads.

The conglomerate said that over the next there years, its toll road network was expected to reach 308 kilometers, accounting for 54 percent of the country’s total road network, up from the current 48 percent.

The conglomerate said it would also begin work on South Luzon Expressway Tollroad 4―a 57-km, four-lane toll road that will extend the existing South Luzon Expressway from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City in Quezon province.

It is also currently in the process of constructing Skyway Stage 3, the remaining section of Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the modernization of the Boracay Airport and construction of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 and the Bulacan bulk water projects.

San Miguel said it would also expand its core business. Units San Miguel Brewery Inc. and San Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc. started executing their respective expansion programs.

This involves the construction of new facilities and new manufacturing lines in key regions across the Philippines.

San Miguel said the diversification into new sectors like power, infrastructure, oil refining and petrochemicals made it more resilient and more profitable.

San Miguel registered record consolidated revenues of P685.3 billion and operating income of P99.7 billion in 2016. Net income reached P52 billion, up by 80 percent from 2015.

“Today, our portfolio is a healthy balance of businesses that expand our revenue stream and overall impact on our markets. Through our products and services, we help people make the most of their lives,” San Miguel said.

MPIC keen on pursuing MRT-3 O&M deal

Infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) on Thursday said it is keen on pursuing a deal with the government on the operations and maintenance (O&M) of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

"One project that we're really keen to work with the government is to work on MRT-3. So I would hope that they would be open to some sort of cooperation," MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters in Makati City.

MPIC first proposed the idea of investing $500 million in the rehabilitation of MRT-3 in 2011. The proposal was relayed to then-Department of Transportation and Communications.

It was rejected by the government as it would entail a fare hike.

"We're in the process of updating it, the proposal itself," Pangilinan said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is now interested in buying out Metro Rail Transit Corp. – MRT-3's private sector operator – before privatizing the mass rail system. — VDS, GMA News
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LRMC embarks on restoration program for LRT 1 vehicles

While waiting for the government to procure 120 new light rail vehicles (LRVs), Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has embarked on a P1-billion program to restore 25 LRVs to expand its current fleet from 77 (when the company took over in September 2015) to 102 at the end of last month.
“With the expanded fleet, we can implement a new train timetable increasing the number of trips on weekdays from 498 to 554 trips daily,” announced LRMC president and chief executive officer Rogelio L. Singson. “This will result to shorter queuing time and reduced headway for our passengers.”
Already, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) administrator Reynaldo Berroya and deputy administrator Felix Leyson has welcomed the proposal for the new timetable to add more trips, he disclosed.
LRMC’s restoration program included the sourcing of spare parts from the original European manufacturers of the 32-year old Generation 1 trains and the 18-year old Generation 2 trains.
“Our engineers successfully gained the confidence of European spare parts manufacturers such as Alstom, Gerkens and Knorr Bremse for the supply of electromechanical parts essential to restore the LRVs,” Singson added.“With 102 LRVs available as of May 31, we can now serve the passengers better with increased capacity and shorter waiting time.”
Following the restoration of LRVs, LRMC also embarked on body repair of 43 Gen 1 trains to further improve passenger comfort. The work included the repair of corroded exterior walls and floorings. To date, the old rail system has almost been fully replaced ahead of schedule.
LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL).

Cavitex C5 South Link to serve Parañaque, Cavite motorists by 2019

7.7-km Cavitex C5 South Link to start this year; to be completed 2019

Pending right-of-way issues and construction traffic management plans, the C5 South Link Expressway of Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation (CIC) is set to commence construction this year.

The 7.7-kilometer long expressway will connect C5 road to the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway and is expected to be fully operational by 2019. It will include a 2x3 lane carriageway, an R1 Expressway (Coastal Road) interchange, Sucat toll barrier, Merville ramp and a flyover.

Phase 1 is the construction of a flyover that will connect C5 to Merville Subdivision in Paranaque and will cost Php 2.5 billion.

Phase 2 connects Merville Subdivision to Cavitex, virtually linking Paranaque to the province of Cavite and will cost Php 7.5 billion.

C5 South Link Expressway will also connect to R1 Expressway in order to speed up the commute of motorists and travelers from Paranaque, Las Pinas and Cavite by allowing them to bypass EDSA.

An estimated 45,000 vehicle traffic per day will be serviced by the C5 South Link Expressway and that will count on top of the current 130,000 vehicles already using Cavitex on a daily basis.

“C5 South Link is part of the solution to the traffic congestion in Paranaque, Las Pinas and Metro Manila in general,” said CIC president Luigi Bautista.

The long-term plan will also include the connection of C5 South Link Expressway to the Cavite-Laguna Expressway that is slated to be open by 2020.

Metro Pacific interested in possible LRT-2 O&M auction

THE METRO PACIFIC group is open to participating in the bidding should the government decide to privatize the operations and maintenance (O&M) of Light Rail Transit (LRT)-2.
Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Reynaldo I. Berroya said last week that there are ongoing discussions to privatize the operations and maintenance of LRT-2 which could be decided in its next “two or three board meetings.”
“I think that’s welcome news, we’d be really interested to take a look at it. They just broke ground on the extension,” Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a chance interview when asked whether the group is open to the possibility of bidding for the project should government pursue that path for the mass rail system.
The government recently broke ground on the LRT-2 East extension project targeted for completion by August 2018, which will extend the rail system by two stations to Antipolo. The two new stations will be built: Emerald station, in front of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia in Cainta; and the Masinag station, at Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.
On the other end of LRT-2 -- which will run from Recto to Pier 4 -- the Department of Transportation has a target of starting construction by the end of this year.
MPIC is part of the Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) which operates and maintains the LRT-1 which runs from Baclaran in Pasay to Roosevelt in Quezon City.
Mr. Berroya said last week that aside from discussions on the possibility of privatizing LRT-2, LRTA is also reviewing the existing concession of LRT-1.
“There are many issues, including many breaches of the concession agreement. The government bears some responsibility, as in the case of the shortcomings of 120 rail cars that have not been turned over to the concessionaire, which is why there is a need for a review, which will cover everything,” the LRTA chief said.
The ongoing review will not however consider any cancellation of existing concessions.
“We haven’t reached that point, we’re carefully studying the advantages to the government since the direction is privatization,” he added.
The 120 new coaches are set to be deployed to the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project. It will be operated in 30 four-car train sets, allowing the line to accommodate 750,000 passengers daily, from just around 500,000 at present, the Transportation department earlier said.
LRMC is a consortium of MPIC, Ayala Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. which bagged in September 2015 the P64.9-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension public-private partnership project, which will extend the train line from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite. It will operate and maintain LRT-1 for 32 years.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension project meanwhile involves rehabilitation of the 21-kilometer (km) line and an 11.7-km extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite.
MPIC is involved in the tollways, water, power, health care, rail, and logistics business.
Its shares slipped to P6.36 from P6.37 previously.
MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

MPIC interested in taking over LRT-2 O&M if gov't decides to privatize – official

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is open to the possibility of bidding for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) if the government pushes with privatizing the mass rail transit system.
"I think that's welcome news. We'd really be interested to take a look at it. They just broke ground on the extension," MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters in Makati City.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade was reported to have said that the government is looking at the possibility of privatizing the operations and maintenance of the LRT-2.
The government earlier this week broke ground for the construction of two additional LRT-2 stations – Emerald, in front of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia in Cainta, and Masinag, before the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.
MPIC is part of the Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) which operates and manages the LRT-1. — VDS, GMA News

Station work begins on Line 2 extension in Manila

PHILIPPINES: A ceremony to mark the start of station construction on the Light Rail Transit Line 2 East Extension Project in Manila was held on May 30. Work on the two stations is due to begin on June 6, for completion in August 2018.
The 4 km extension would take Line 2 from the eastern terminus of Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag, Antipolo City, with an intermediate station at Emerald. Work on the viaduct began in 2015 and has been completed. DM Consunji is building the stations under a 1·2bn peso contract.
The third works package, covering E&M systems, is due to be carried out between October 2017 and April 2019, with opening of the line expected shortly after.
Ridership on Line 2 is expected to increase by one-third from the current figure of 240,000 passengers per day once the extension is operational.

LRT-2 east extension project breaks ground

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday broke ground on the Light Rail Transit (LRT)-2 East extension project targeted for completion by August next year, which will extend the rail system by two stations to Antipolo.

The project involves the construction of a 4- kilometer (km) extension of the existing LRT-2 system from Santolan in Pasig to Masinag in Antipolo.

Two new stations will be built: the Emerald station, which will be located in front of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia in Cainta; and the Masinag station, which will be located before the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) said yesterday that the project will reduce travel time to 40 minutes from Masinago to Claro M. Recto in Manila from the current average of three hours. It is expected to accommodate 80,000 passengers daily during its first five years of operation, adding to the current LRT-2 average daily ridership of 240,000.

“It will be a timely addition to have both new stations in the LRT Line 2 as we acknowledge the need for greater accessibility of passengers coming from the eastern side of Metro Manila, extending to key areas of Antipolo and its nearby cities,” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said on Tuesday.

The construction of the stations is set to be finished by August 2018.

Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Reynaldo I. Berroya noted that the project is part of efforts to further decongest Metro Manila roads.

“The completion of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is part of the fulfillment of the government’s promise to ease traffic congestion by extending the service of the LRT-2 to the eastern part of Metro Manila,” Mr. Berroya added.

On the other end of LRT-2 -- which will run from Recto to Pier 4 -- Mr. Tugade said the government is targeting to start it by year’s end.

“For the Recto Extension to Pier 4, my instructions are that we should not wait for the completion of the East extension before starting on the West,” Mr. Tugade told reporters during the groundbreaking ceremony in Antipolo.

The LRT-2 west extension is initially expected to run 3.02 kilometers and with three proposed additional stations including Tutuban (next to the Cluster Mall); Divisoria (west of the Recto Avenue and Asuncion Street intersection); and Pier 4 (50 meters north of Zaragoza Street).

Meanwhile, Mr. Berroya said yesterday that discussions are still ongoing on whether to privatize the Operations and Maintenance of both LRT-2 and LRT-1.

“We are studying that, reviewing what direction to take,” the LRTA official said.

“In the next 2-3 board meetings we may have a decision if we privatize,” he added.

The ongoing review will not however consider any cancellation of existing concessions.

LRT-1 to add more trips, cut waiting time

The Light Rail Transit 1 said Wednesday it would add more daily trips, cutting the waiting time for hundreds of thousands of commuters in one of the capital's main elevated railways.
The train system will increase weekday trips by 8 percent to 554 from 512, Light Rail Manila Corp president Rogelio Singson said in a statement.
The extended operating hours, which are on dry run, will be made official, with the first trip on both the Baclaran and Roosevelt Stations set at 4:30 a.m. The last trip will leave Baclaran at 10 p.m. and Roosevelt at 10:15 p.m.
“For LRT-1 passengers, more trips mean shorter waiting time and lesser crowding on the platforms,” Singson said.
The speed limit for trains on the four-kilometer extension from Monumento to Roosevelt will be raised to 60 kilometers per hour from 40 kph, the statement said.
The LRT-1 has 103 trains or light rail vehicles running on its 20-kilometer stretch.