LIGHT RAIL Manila Corp. (LRMC) launched its free ikotMNL mobile app which gives commuters travel route information for the LRT-1 train line, LRMC said in a statement on Tuesday.
The app, which is available for both iOS and Android, allows users to plan trips ahead of time. It features real-time train arrivals, departures, fare information, crowd monitoring in twenty stations, information on tourist spots, safety reminders, passenger advisories, and announcements.
It also has a chat box for customer service assistance and a feedback form to help improve passenger experiences.
LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso talked about innovation as a tool to improve customer experience.
“This is the first railway and tourism app in the Philippines. We constantly look for modern ways to change the way we move people and this ikotMNL app is an innovative tool to delight our passengers with a comfortable, safe, and convenient experience when riding the LRT-1,” he said.
For tourists, the app contains detailed directions to tourist spots close to LRT-1 stations and information about local tour operators.
LRMC Corporate Communications Head Jacqueline Gorospe said the organization has spent time and effort in making the app “the best it can be” in its early stages.
“We already have more features in mind to add to the app. It is our way to keep improving it so that those who have downloaded and yet to download the ikotMNL mobile app may continue to enjoy using it,” she said.
LRMC said the app is a unified urban mobility and transport app, and could be developed into a lifestyle app.
The company plans to further upgrade the app by including beep card and QR code options for fares as well as participating in tie-ups with merchants.
LRMC is a private joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp's AC Infrastructure and Holdings Corp., and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings.
LRMC took over operations of LRT-1 in September 2015, through a P65 billion three decade long concession agreement with the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority.
LRMC in Oct. acquired 90% of the right of way for the Phase 1 of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, a P64.9 billion public-private partnership. — Jenina P. Ibañez
https://www.bworldonline.com/lrmc-launches-app-for-lrt-1/
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Subway to evict us for oligarchs’ sake, homeowners cry to Rody
The subway is taking our property for giveaway to big business.” Home and lot owners at both ends of a planned Metro Manila underground rail relayed that plot to President Rody Duterte. For “oligarchic interest” the subway is evicting them from prime residential, commercial, and industrial property even though nearby government lands are available as alternatives. The homes and lots are to be expropriated at huge government expense, then granted to influential conglomerates for commercial use.
Anguished are folk from Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, north side of the capital region, and Barangay San Martin de Porres, Parañaque City, south. An oversized depot is planned in Ugong, despite Japanese rail experts’ study for only one-fourth the size and at a different site. A previously announced “Bicutan station” is to rise in San Martin, less than a kilometer from the original end-station at Food Terminal Inc., Taguig, where vast public lands are aplenty.
The Valenzuela and Parañaque property owners separately have petitioned Duterte to save them from dispossession. They seek audiences with him to detail their findings.
“We are 100-percent behind our President’s ‘Build, Build, Build Program’,” the Valenzuelans wrote on June 22, 2017. “We realize there is Public-Private Partnership in big projects like [the subway]... Conglomerates that have money, power, and connections look for economical means of expanding their businesses, and use this opportunity to acquire land. As they have the capacity to influence, they do not need to look for land that is for sale, or spend money accommodating and working around resistant landowners. They may simply exploit government’s power of eminent domain.”
They went on: “Unlike multibillionaire businessmen, we cannot find cheap land and turn them to gold. We have to wait and rely on our fate and our government to build us nice roads and highways for the value of our land to appreciate.”
Some petitioners have been living in Ugong for half a century, inheriting ancestral land when there were yet no roads or utilities. Once outback, it is now mostly commercial-industrial, with factories, shops, restaurants, resorts, schools, hospitals, and churches. “Painful for us that just when our land is starting to flourish, it will be taken away,” they said. “There can be no other better land with this much potential for us to move and transfer our residences and businesses. Taking our land is tantamount to taking our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a good future.”
The 32 hectares being taken in Ugong is quadruple what Japan International Cooperation Agency recommended to the Dept. of Transportation in 2015, they said. Elongated, the area has a 2.5-km prime highway frontage. Lots are worth P33,000 per square meter. An adjacent largely uninhabited residential subdivision, across the boundary in Caloocan City, is being sold for far less. Beside it are two abandoned factories and squatter colonies presently being relocated. Unlike parts of Ugong, the subdivision never floods up during rains, ideal for a depot.
Nearly 1,300 lot owners, businessmen, residents, and employees signed. DOTr policy is to use government lands as much as possible, while JICA’s is to minimize socio-economic dislocations.
“At first we were hesitant to bother you with our problem, but it seems you are our only hope,” the Valenzuela petitioners followed up with Duterte on Sep. 13, 2017. “We have to safeguard our property and livelihood against corrupt officials [and] oligarchs, because their motives and actions will adversely affect the future and welfare of our children... We hope we can sit down and discuss this matter with you at the soonest possible time.”
In Parañaque, homeowners of United Hills Village wrote Duterte two years later, Sep. 20, 2019. Along with residents and shop owners of United Parañaque Subd.-2, Makati South Hills, East Service Road, and Malugay, they had been notified by Ecosys of expropriation and displacement for a newly disclosed Bicutan station. Supposedly their property are to serve as temporary road and construction yard, then for “mixed use or commercial business purposes.” They pointed to three nearby government lands, as well as two abandoned private lots, as alternative. One is owned by DOTr itself, another by Philippine National Construction Co., and the third, at least 26 hectares, by the Dept. of Agriculture. The latter is inside sprawling Food Terminal Inc. where the subway end-station originally was proposed.
“Expropriation is unnecessary since the purpose is temporary in nature,” they told Duterte. “There are sufficient available public lands covering many hectares all around the area, which could be utilized by the contractors. As such the government will save millions of taxpayers money as public land is free for government use.”
They added: “There is no necessity for government to exercise its power of eminent domain, otherwise it would lead to oppression and sacrifice of private property to benefit business interests.”
The Parañaque folk asked Duterte to order a DOTr resurvey of the area for new lot plans and site maps using government lands in FTI.
“Nothing would make us happier than to build a future in which our children can live in a prosperous and stable society,” they said. “But expropriation, which would ultimately benefit private individuals and enterprises, will deny that future.”
They also petitioned the Parañaque city council to first publicly hear their side, in accordance with the Local Government Code, before granting permits for the subway works. They cited health and environment hazards of the construction and operation.
“Investigate possible vested interests of big businesses regarding the Bicutan station and sudden interest in expropriation of United Hills Village,” they said in that earlier petition. Any expropriation must be solely for public, not for mixed commercial use. Alarming for them is a Mar. 25, 2018 article in the Philippine Information Agency website, “Gov’t Eyes Commercial Development of Metro Subway Stations to Help Pay Off JICA Loan for Project.”
In Quezon City, where seven of 15 subway stations are to be built, property owners are resisting too. City councilors have asked DOTr to revert to the original alignment along EDSA, to augment MRT-3.
The subway suddenly was rerouted in Dec. 2016 to Katipunan Avenue, QC, onto FTI-Taguig. In that new alignment it would twice traverse a major earthquake fault and flood zones. Cost estimate shot up from P208 billion to P357 billion. JICA engineers had preferred the EDSA route benefiting more riders and disturbing few structures.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2019/11/20/1970241/subway-evict-us-oligarchs-sake-homeowners-cry-rody
Anguished are folk from Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, north side of the capital region, and Barangay San Martin de Porres, Parañaque City, south. An oversized depot is planned in Ugong, despite Japanese rail experts’ study for only one-fourth the size and at a different site. A previously announced “Bicutan station” is to rise in San Martin, less than a kilometer from the original end-station at Food Terminal Inc., Taguig, where vast public lands are aplenty.
The Valenzuela and Parañaque property owners separately have petitioned Duterte to save them from dispossession. They seek audiences with him to detail their findings.
“We are 100-percent behind our President’s ‘Build, Build, Build Program’,” the Valenzuelans wrote on June 22, 2017. “We realize there is Public-Private Partnership in big projects like [the subway]... Conglomerates that have money, power, and connections look for economical means of expanding their businesses, and use this opportunity to acquire land. As they have the capacity to influence, they do not need to look for land that is for sale, or spend money accommodating and working around resistant landowners. They may simply exploit government’s power of eminent domain.”
They went on: “Unlike multibillionaire businessmen, we cannot find cheap land and turn them to gold. We have to wait and rely on our fate and our government to build us nice roads and highways for the value of our land to appreciate.”
Some petitioners have been living in Ugong for half a century, inheriting ancestral land when there were yet no roads or utilities. Once outback, it is now mostly commercial-industrial, with factories, shops, restaurants, resorts, schools, hospitals, and churches. “Painful for us that just when our land is starting to flourish, it will be taken away,” they said. “There can be no other better land with this much potential for us to move and transfer our residences and businesses. Taking our land is tantamount to taking our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a good future.”
The 32 hectares being taken in Ugong is quadruple what Japan International Cooperation Agency recommended to the Dept. of Transportation in 2015, they said. Elongated, the area has a 2.5-km prime highway frontage. Lots are worth P33,000 per square meter. An adjacent largely uninhabited residential subdivision, across the boundary in Caloocan City, is being sold for far less. Beside it are two abandoned factories and squatter colonies presently being relocated. Unlike parts of Ugong, the subdivision never floods up during rains, ideal for a depot.
Nearly 1,300 lot owners, businessmen, residents, and employees signed. DOTr policy is to use government lands as much as possible, while JICA’s is to minimize socio-economic dislocations.
“At first we were hesitant to bother you with our problem, but it seems you are our only hope,” the Valenzuela petitioners followed up with Duterte on Sep. 13, 2017. “We have to safeguard our property and livelihood against corrupt officials [and] oligarchs, because their motives and actions will adversely affect the future and welfare of our children... We hope we can sit down and discuss this matter with you at the soonest possible time.”
In Parañaque, homeowners of United Hills Village wrote Duterte two years later, Sep. 20, 2019. Along with residents and shop owners of United Parañaque Subd.-2, Makati South Hills, East Service Road, and Malugay, they had been notified by Ecosys of expropriation and displacement for a newly disclosed Bicutan station. Supposedly their property are to serve as temporary road and construction yard, then for “mixed use or commercial business purposes.” They pointed to three nearby government lands, as well as two abandoned private lots, as alternative. One is owned by DOTr itself, another by Philippine National Construction Co., and the third, at least 26 hectares, by the Dept. of Agriculture. The latter is inside sprawling Food Terminal Inc. where the subway end-station originally was proposed.
“Expropriation is unnecessary since the purpose is temporary in nature,” they told Duterte. “There are sufficient available public lands covering many hectares all around the area, which could be utilized by the contractors. As such the government will save millions of taxpayers money as public land is free for government use.”
They added: “There is no necessity for government to exercise its power of eminent domain, otherwise it would lead to oppression and sacrifice of private property to benefit business interests.”
The Parañaque folk asked Duterte to order a DOTr resurvey of the area for new lot plans and site maps using government lands in FTI.
“Nothing would make us happier than to build a future in which our children can live in a prosperous and stable society,” they said. “But expropriation, which would ultimately benefit private individuals and enterprises, will deny that future.”
They also petitioned the Parañaque city council to first publicly hear their side, in accordance with the Local Government Code, before granting permits for the subway works. They cited health and environment hazards of the construction and operation.
“Investigate possible vested interests of big businesses regarding the Bicutan station and sudden interest in expropriation of United Hills Village,” they said in that earlier petition. Any expropriation must be solely for public, not for mixed commercial use. Alarming for them is a Mar. 25, 2018 article in the Philippine Information Agency website, “Gov’t Eyes Commercial Development of Metro Subway Stations to Help Pay Off JICA Loan for Project.”
In Quezon City, where seven of 15 subway stations are to be built, property owners are resisting too. City councilors have asked DOTr to revert to the original alignment along EDSA, to augment MRT-3.
The subway suddenly was rerouted in Dec. 2016 to Katipunan Avenue, QC, onto FTI-Taguig. In that new alignment it would twice traverse a major earthquake fault and flood zones. Cost estimate shot up from P208 billion to P357 billion. JICA engineers had preferred the EDSA route benefiting more riders and disturbing few structures.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2019/11/20/1970241/subway-evict-us-oligarchs-sake-homeowners-cry-rody
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Commentary: Tracking the metro rail trains
The MRT-3 is almost two decades old. The glitches and malfunctions that this metro rail system continues to suffer are symptomatic of the need to undertake serious rehabilitation and repairs.
Last September 6, the said metro rail only resumed regular operations at 5 p.m. after the northbound lane of the Guadalupe station suffered from a power supply problem at 6:45 a.m. Partial operations were however continued at 9:35 a.m.
On October 3, another power glitch forced 508 passengers to disembark at 10:17 a.m.; but normal operations continued several minutes after power supply was returned. And on November 4, around 530 passengers were unloaded from the train after smoke emission was detected at the Santolan station at 4:08 p.m. Normal operations were restored at 6:06 p.m.
In 2017, hundreds and thousands of commuters were affected by more than 500 recorded glitches and malfunctions. This is unacceptable by any standard and underscore the public’s continuing aspiration for an efficient and reliable rail based systems for efficient daily transport of millions of commuters of Metro Manila
Despite serious delays in the rehabilitation schedule, the Department of Transportation rail sector led by Undersecretary Timothy John Batan is optimistic that MRT-3’s rehabilitation and maintenance provider, Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy, will be able to deliver on its commitment to carry out extensive repairs to all rolling stock and equipment in order to restore the MRT-3’ s safety and efficiency.
Aside from the external risks brought by the Philippine government’s insistence on using the Dalian coaches, rehabilitation would include ensuring high operating rates of entire line even after the repairs are finished.
In fact, the MRT-3’s rehabilitation plan includes repairs covering the rail lines, wiring, transformers, signals, communications, rolling stock, among others. Basically, the ultimate objective of the rehabilitation is to return the MRT-3 to its original state when it first went into full operation in 2000.
Meanwhile, there is a new controversy on the DoTr’s flagship rail project, the Metro Manila Subway. Senate Public Services Committee Chair Grace Poe has sought an inquiry on the country’s first underground rail service, due to cost concerns and the alteration of original plans.
The Quezon City Council led by Councilor Winston Castelo raised concerns related to the proximity of the subway to the West Valley Fault, and proposed a rerouting of the subway alignment along EDSA.
However, no less than Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had dismissed all possibility that the subway alignment may be changed. “The alignment will not be changed anymore because the study has already been approved. At a certain point, if there are solutions that we can use, we will study them,” he said.
In fairness to the DoTr, the approved subway proposal was the result of a thorough study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and validated by country’s state planning agency, the National Economic Development Authority.
The subway will connect different Metro Manila cities, from Quezon City in the north to Parañaque in the south, which would definitely address the transportation needs of a growing public and alleviate serious traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
In fact, the subway project is envisioned to be one of the main north-south transport backbones of Metro Manila, together with other upcoming rail projects such as the North-South Commuter Railway project (NSCR).
Courtesy of Japan, the Philippine government in March 2018 signed the first loan agreement from JICA covering 104.53 billion yen (P51 billion). The total project cost is estimated at 800 billion yen (P393 billion). The loan will have an interest rate of 0.1% a year and a repayment period of 40 years, including a 12-year grace period.
The subway trains are projected to travel at a scheduled speed of 35.6-48.5 kilometer per hour plying a tunnel structure that is designed as a double, single track with a standard diameter of 6.8 meters. Further, the joint DOTr-JICA project summary also provided that the planners have studied alternate routes, namely, along Metro Manila’s main road Edsa and Greenhills in San Juan. Lastly, the final alignment was chosen based on project cost, demand forecasts, connectivity to business districts, earthquake and flood risk as well as noise and vibration.
Another critical factor in the development of this subway project is to ensure that all money spent for undergoes the right processes, particularly related to right-of-way acquisition.
As the country’s first underground rail service, affected property owners along the subway alignment may be uncertain of their legal rights in the event the project tunnels through their properties. In this respect, the DoTr is expected to conduct and present a legal study defining these novel types of property rights which will certainly come to the fore as subway construction starts.
The Metro Manila subway will span 35 kilometers with stations in Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Katipunan, Ortigas North, Ortigas South, Kalayaan Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Cayetano Boulevard, the Food Terminal Inc. complex and NAIA.
Current Philippine infrastructure challenges portend strategic developmental opportunities that government and private sector should jointly seize. It is hence imperative for government to initiate and implement effective collaborative partnerships. We just have to do it right.
Terry Ridon is fellow for Infrastructure of the Stratbase ADR Institute, convenor of Infrawatch PH, and former chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. He was a member of the House Transportation Committee of the 16th Congress.
https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/news-feature/2019/11/17/1969521/commentary-tracking-metro-rail-trains
Last September 6, the said metro rail only resumed regular operations at 5 p.m. after the northbound lane of the Guadalupe station suffered from a power supply problem at 6:45 a.m. Partial operations were however continued at 9:35 a.m.
On October 3, another power glitch forced 508 passengers to disembark at 10:17 a.m.; but normal operations continued several minutes after power supply was returned. And on November 4, around 530 passengers were unloaded from the train after smoke emission was detected at the Santolan station at 4:08 p.m. Normal operations were restored at 6:06 p.m.
In 2017, hundreds and thousands of commuters were affected by more than 500 recorded glitches and malfunctions. This is unacceptable by any standard and underscore the public’s continuing aspiration for an efficient and reliable rail based systems for efficient daily transport of millions of commuters of Metro Manila
Despite serious delays in the rehabilitation schedule, the Department of Transportation rail sector led by Undersecretary Timothy John Batan is optimistic that MRT-3’s rehabilitation and maintenance provider, Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy, will be able to deliver on its commitment to carry out extensive repairs to all rolling stock and equipment in order to restore the MRT-3’ s safety and efficiency.
Aside from the external risks brought by the Philippine government’s insistence on using the Dalian coaches, rehabilitation would include ensuring high operating rates of entire line even after the repairs are finished.
In fact, the MRT-3’s rehabilitation plan includes repairs covering the rail lines, wiring, transformers, signals, communications, rolling stock, among others. Basically, the ultimate objective of the rehabilitation is to return the MRT-3 to its original state when it first went into full operation in 2000.
Meanwhile, there is a new controversy on the DoTr’s flagship rail project, the Metro Manila Subway. Senate Public Services Committee Chair Grace Poe has sought an inquiry on the country’s first underground rail service, due to cost concerns and the alteration of original plans.
The Quezon City Council led by Councilor Winston Castelo raised concerns related to the proximity of the subway to the West Valley Fault, and proposed a rerouting of the subway alignment along EDSA.
However, no less than Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had dismissed all possibility that the subway alignment may be changed. “The alignment will not be changed anymore because the study has already been approved. At a certain point, if there are solutions that we can use, we will study them,” he said.
In fairness to the DoTr, the approved subway proposal was the result of a thorough study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and validated by country’s state planning agency, the National Economic Development Authority.
The subway will connect different Metro Manila cities, from Quezon City in the north to Parañaque in the south, which would definitely address the transportation needs of a growing public and alleviate serious traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
In fact, the subway project is envisioned to be one of the main north-south transport backbones of Metro Manila, together with other upcoming rail projects such as the North-South Commuter Railway project (NSCR).
Courtesy of Japan, the Philippine government in March 2018 signed the first loan agreement from JICA covering 104.53 billion yen (P51 billion). The total project cost is estimated at 800 billion yen (P393 billion). The loan will have an interest rate of 0.1% a year and a repayment period of 40 years, including a 12-year grace period.
The subway trains are projected to travel at a scheduled speed of 35.6-48.5 kilometer per hour plying a tunnel structure that is designed as a double, single track with a standard diameter of 6.8 meters. Further, the joint DOTr-JICA project summary also provided that the planners have studied alternate routes, namely, along Metro Manila’s main road Edsa and Greenhills in San Juan. Lastly, the final alignment was chosen based on project cost, demand forecasts, connectivity to business districts, earthquake and flood risk as well as noise and vibration.
Another critical factor in the development of this subway project is to ensure that all money spent for undergoes the right processes, particularly related to right-of-way acquisition.
As the country’s first underground rail service, affected property owners along the subway alignment may be uncertain of their legal rights in the event the project tunnels through their properties. In this respect, the DoTr is expected to conduct and present a legal study defining these novel types of property rights which will certainly come to the fore as subway construction starts.
The Metro Manila subway will span 35 kilometers with stations in Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Katipunan, Ortigas North, Ortigas South, Kalayaan Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Cayetano Boulevard, the Food Terminal Inc. complex and NAIA.
Current Philippine infrastructure challenges portend strategic developmental opportunities that government and private sector should jointly seize. It is hence imperative for government to initiate and implement effective collaborative partnerships. We just have to do it right.
Terry Ridon is fellow for Infrastructure of the Stratbase ADR Institute, convenor of Infrawatch PH, and former chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. He was a member of the House Transportation Committee of the 16th Congress.
https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/news-feature/2019/11/17/1969521/commentary-tracking-metro-rail-trains
Saturday, November 16, 2019
56 flagship projects to be completed by 2022
MORE than half of the 100 flagship projects under the government’s infrastructure program is expected to be completed by 2022, while nearly half will be funded through official development assistance (ODA), according to a preliminary copy of the revised list was sent by Albay Rep. Jose Maria Clemente “Joey” S. Salceda to reporters on Friday.
The document showed 56 out of 100 projects under the revised list are targeted for completion by 2022.
The first phase of the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) Road Transport Information Technology Infrastructure Project, worth P8 billion and funded through the national budget, is set to be completed this year.
Twelve projects are on track to be completed by 2020, namely:
Bonifacio Global City- Ortigas Center Link Road Project;
Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road;
Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line 1 (Quezon Ave);
Clark International Airport Expansion Project Phase 1;
Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 East Extension;
Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project;
Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project;
National Government Data Center;
Luzon Bypass Infrastructure Project;
Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3;
Laguindingan Airport; and
Agus 3 Hydroelectric Power Project.
Sixteen projects are expected to be done by 2021. These are:
Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project;
Chico River Pump Irrigation Project;
Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7;
North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road;
Boracay Circumferential Road;
Surallah-T’Boli-San Jose Road, South Cotabato;
MRT 3 Rehabilitation Project;
Cebu BRT;
Automated Fare Collection Clearing House;
LRT 6 Cavite;
New Bohol International Airport;
Unified Grand Central Station;
Pasacao-Balatan Tourism Coastal Highway;
Reconstruction and Development Plan for Greater Marawi (JICA grant);
Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange;
China Grant Bridges (Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge).
Another 27 projects will be finished by 2022, include airports, expressways, and railways. These include:
Sangley Airport;
Bicol (New Legaspi International Airport);
Kalibo International Airport;
North South Commuter Railway;
LRT 1 Cavite Extension;
C-5 MRT 10;
Fort Bonifacio-Makati Sky Train;
MRT 11;
EDSA Greenways;
New Cebu International Container Port;
Mindanao Rail Project Phase 1;
Camarines Sur Expressway;
Metro Cebu Expressway;
Southeast Metro Manila Expressway;
C-5 Southlink;
SLEX Toll Road 4;
Sindangan-Bayog- Lakewood Road in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte;
Davao City Coastal Road Project, including Bucana bridge;
Philippine Identification System;
Metro Manila Priority Bridges for Seismic Improvement Project;
Subic-Clark Railway;
Arterial Road ByPass Project Phase III (Plaridel Bypass);
Davao City Bypass Construction Project;
Panguil Bay Bridge;
Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in the Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay;
Marawi Rehabilitation (China Grant), including bridge, bypass, the Grand Padian market and sports complex; and
New Clark City Phase 1, involving the National Government Administrative Center Phase 1 and the Filinvest Mixed Use Industrial Development Phase 1 site development.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte steps down from office on June 30, 2022.
The remaining 44 projects will be completed beyond 2022.
On the funding side, 49 projects worth P2.31 trillion will be financed by foreign-aided loans or ODA, while 29 projects are under public-private partnerships (PPP) with total government cost of P1.77 trillion.
Meanwhile, the remaining 22 projects worth P167.95 billion will be financed by the government through the national budget.
Among the PPP projects included in the list are the unsolicited proposal of Iloilo International Airport, Bacolod-Silay International Airport, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Extension Project and the Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway Project, which are all now at advance stages of approval from the government.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia earlier announced that the total government’s cost for the infrastructure flagship program is estimated to reach P4.2 trillion, while the entire “Build, Build, Build” program, which consists of over 4,000 projects, is about P8.2 trillion.
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO and the presidential adviser for flagship programs Vivencio B. Dizon earlier said that the infrastructure flagship program is an “evolving list” as new projects that are “deemed of national and regional importance” will be included later on.
Earlier this month, the government officially announced that it reviewed and decided to revise the initial list of infrastructure flagship projects to 100 from 75, including more PPPs, while scrapping projects deemed not feasible.
The list was later on approved by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee and the Cabinet-level Committee on Infrastructure.
In an event this week, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez said that PPP projects should promote the interest of the public by “avoiding contracts that are disadvantageous to the government and a burden to the people with very high fees.”
“The vibrant participation so far from international and local companies in our Build, Build, Build program is proof that they have trust in the Duterte administration and in the transparent, fair and corruption-free bidding process implemented by the government,” Mr. Dominguez said. — Beatrice M. Laforga
https://www.bworldonline.com/56-flagship-projects-to-be-completed-by-2022/
The document showed 56 out of 100 projects under the revised list are targeted for completion by 2022.
The first phase of the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) Road Transport Information Technology Infrastructure Project, worth P8 billion and funded through the national budget, is set to be completed this year.
Twelve projects are on track to be completed by 2020, namely:
Bonifacio Global City- Ortigas Center Link Road Project;
Cagayan de Oro Coastal Road;
Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Line 1 (Quezon Ave);
Clark International Airport Expansion Project Phase 1;
Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 East Extension;
Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project;
Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project;
National Government Data Center;
Luzon Bypass Infrastructure Project;
Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3;
Laguindingan Airport; and
Agus 3 Hydroelectric Power Project.
Sixteen projects are expected to be done by 2021. These are:
Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project;
Chico River Pump Irrigation Project;
Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7;
North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway Connector Road;
Boracay Circumferential Road;
Surallah-T’Boli-San Jose Road, South Cotabato;
MRT 3 Rehabilitation Project;
Cebu BRT;
Automated Fare Collection Clearing House;
LRT 6 Cavite;
New Bohol International Airport;
Unified Grand Central Station;
Pasacao-Balatan Tourism Coastal Highway;
Reconstruction and Development Plan for Greater Marawi (JICA grant);
Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange;
China Grant Bridges (Binondo-Intramuros Bridge and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge).
Another 27 projects will be finished by 2022, include airports, expressways, and railways. These include:
Sangley Airport;
Bicol (New Legaspi International Airport);
Kalibo International Airport;
North South Commuter Railway;
LRT 1 Cavite Extension;
C-5 MRT 10;
Fort Bonifacio-Makati Sky Train;
MRT 11;
EDSA Greenways;
New Cebu International Container Port;
Mindanao Rail Project Phase 1;
Camarines Sur Expressway;
Metro Cebu Expressway;
Southeast Metro Manila Expressway;
C-5 Southlink;
SLEX Toll Road 4;
Sindangan-Bayog- Lakewood Road in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte;
Davao City Coastal Road Project, including Bucana bridge;
Philippine Identification System;
Metro Manila Priority Bridges for Seismic Improvement Project;
Subic-Clark Railway;
Arterial Road ByPass Project Phase III (Plaridel Bypass);
Davao City Bypass Construction Project;
Panguil Bay Bridge;
Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Measures in the Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay;
Marawi Rehabilitation (China Grant), including bridge, bypass, the Grand Padian market and sports complex; and
New Clark City Phase 1, involving the National Government Administrative Center Phase 1 and the Filinvest Mixed Use Industrial Development Phase 1 site development.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte steps down from office on June 30, 2022.
The remaining 44 projects will be completed beyond 2022.
On the funding side, 49 projects worth P2.31 trillion will be financed by foreign-aided loans or ODA, while 29 projects are under public-private partnerships (PPP) with total government cost of P1.77 trillion.
Meanwhile, the remaining 22 projects worth P167.95 billion will be financed by the government through the national budget.
Among the PPP projects included in the list are the unsolicited proposal of Iloilo International Airport, Bacolod-Silay International Airport, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Extension Project and the Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway Project, which are all now at advance stages of approval from the government.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia earlier announced that the total government’s cost for the infrastructure flagship program is estimated to reach P4.2 trillion, while the entire “Build, Build, Build” program, which consists of over 4,000 projects, is about P8.2 trillion.
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO and the presidential adviser for flagship programs Vivencio B. Dizon earlier said that the infrastructure flagship program is an “evolving list” as new projects that are “deemed of national and regional importance” will be included later on.
Earlier this month, the government officially announced that it reviewed and decided to revise the initial list of infrastructure flagship projects to 100 from 75, including more PPPs, while scrapping projects deemed not feasible.
The list was later on approved by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee and the Cabinet-level Committee on Infrastructure.
In an event this week, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez said that PPP projects should promote the interest of the public by “avoiding contracts that are disadvantageous to the government and a burden to the people with very high fees.”
“The vibrant participation so far from international and local companies in our Build, Build, Build program is proof that they have trust in the Duterte administration and in the transparent, fair and corruption-free bidding process implemented by the government,” Mr. Dominguez said. — Beatrice M. Laforga
https://www.bworldonline.com/56-flagship-projects-to-be-completed-by-2022/
Thursday, November 14, 2019
'Build, Build, Build' beyond 75 key infra projects: DOTr
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday rejected Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon’s claim that the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program was a failure, citing numerous completed and ongoing infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration.
In a phone interview, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications and Commuter Affairs Goddes Hope Libiran said the list presented by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) which include 75 flagship projects were submitted back at the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term and does not reflect the evolving needs of the country.
“As you go along, you need to have an evolving list kung ano yung mga projects na sa tingin ng economic managers kailangan masimulan saka mas kailangan ng mga tao ngayon (of what projects are seen by economic managers as necessary to begin and most needed by people),” Libiran said.
Such a list, Libiran said, would naturally include projects that should be completed or started during the Duterte administration.
She added that the BBB project was beyond those initial 75 projects and that the department has already completed numerous projects with more ongoing.
“As far as the DOTr is concerned, nagde-deliver kami ng mga (we deliver) infrastructure projects. Even more than what is expected of us,” Libiran said.
For airports, Libiran said 64 projects have been completed by the DOTr and its partners, with another 133 projects ongoing.
The completed airport projects include the new passenger terminal building of the Puerto Princesa International Airport completed on May 2017, “World’s Friendliest Resort Airport” Mactan-Cebu International Airport inaugurated on June 2018, the country’s first eco airport—Bohol-Panglao International Airport—inaugurated on November 2018, among many others.
“All other domestic projects na napabayaan in the last years, natapos natin (that were neglected in previous years, we completed)—the Ormoc Airport, the Tacloban Airport, and so many other airport projects,” Libiran said.
For maritime ports, she said the DOTr has completed 243 port projects nationwide in partnership with the Philippine Ports Authority and other stakeholders.
For land terminals, she cited the completion of the country’s first land port, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, with two more terminals in the pipeline—the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange and the North Integrated Terminal Exchange.
Libiran said there are also numerous ongoing rail projects with six under construction, one rehabilitation project, and another eight in the pipeline.
The ongoing projects include the Metro Manila Subway which broke ground in Feb. 2018, the MRT-7 which was 49.22 percent complete as of October, MRT-3 rehabilitation which began in May 2019, and the Common Station for the MRT-3, MRT-7, LRT-1, and the Metro Manila subway to be completed in 2021, among others.
“Yung subway nga lang eh. ‘Di ba, when we came in, sinasabi nila diyan, drawing lang yan, hindi daw totoo. Nananaginip lang daw kami. Pero ano nangyari? Nag-groundbreaking tayo nung February (Let’s just talk about the subway. Isn’t it when we came in, they were saying this will not push through? That we were just dreaming. But what happened? We already had a groundbreaking back in Feb.),” Libiran said.
During plenary deliberations on the proposed 2020 budget on Tuesday, Drilon said the BBB project was a “dismal failure” with only nine out of 75 flagship projects under construction halfway into Duterte’s term. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1085890
In a phone interview, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Communications and Commuter Affairs Goddes Hope Libiran said the list presented by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) which include 75 flagship projects were submitted back at the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term and does not reflect the evolving needs of the country.
“As you go along, you need to have an evolving list kung ano yung mga projects na sa tingin ng economic managers kailangan masimulan saka mas kailangan ng mga tao ngayon (of what projects are seen by economic managers as necessary to begin and most needed by people),” Libiran said.
Such a list, Libiran said, would naturally include projects that should be completed or started during the Duterte administration.
She added that the BBB project was beyond those initial 75 projects and that the department has already completed numerous projects with more ongoing.
“As far as the DOTr is concerned, nagde-deliver kami ng mga (we deliver) infrastructure projects. Even more than what is expected of us,” Libiran said.
For airports, Libiran said 64 projects have been completed by the DOTr and its partners, with another 133 projects ongoing.
The completed airport projects include the new passenger terminal building of the Puerto Princesa International Airport completed on May 2017, “World’s Friendliest Resort Airport” Mactan-Cebu International Airport inaugurated on June 2018, the country’s first eco airport—Bohol-Panglao International Airport—inaugurated on November 2018, among many others.
“All other domestic projects na napabayaan in the last years, natapos natin (that were neglected in previous years, we completed)—the Ormoc Airport, the Tacloban Airport, and so many other airport projects,” Libiran said.
For maritime ports, she said the DOTr has completed 243 port projects nationwide in partnership with the Philippine Ports Authority and other stakeholders.
For land terminals, she cited the completion of the country’s first land port, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, with two more terminals in the pipeline—the Taguig City Integrated Terminal Exchange and the North Integrated Terminal Exchange.
Libiran said there are also numerous ongoing rail projects with six under construction, one rehabilitation project, and another eight in the pipeline.
The ongoing projects include the Metro Manila Subway which broke ground in Feb. 2018, the MRT-7 which was 49.22 percent complete as of October, MRT-3 rehabilitation which began in May 2019, and the Common Station for the MRT-3, MRT-7, LRT-1, and the Metro Manila subway to be completed in 2021, among others.
“Yung subway nga lang eh. ‘Di ba, when we came in, sinasabi nila diyan, drawing lang yan, hindi daw totoo. Nananaginip lang daw kami. Pero ano nangyari? Nag-groundbreaking tayo nung February (Let’s just talk about the subway. Isn’t it when we came in, they were saying this will not push through? That we were just dreaming. But what happened? We already had a groundbreaking back in Feb.),” Libiran said.
During plenary deliberations on the proposed 2020 budget on Tuesday, Drilon said the BBB project was a “dismal failure” with only nine out of 75 flagship projects under construction halfway into Duterte’s term. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1085890
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
QC, Manila North Tollways Corp. agree to work together to address traffic caused by NLEX C-5 Link project
By Chito Chavez
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte allayed fears of worsening traffic situation after the city government inked an agreement with the Manila North Tollways Corporation that would help alleviate the impact of the NLEX C-5 Link to the public.
Earlier, mounting complaints have bombarded local traffic authorities as portions of Congressional and Mindanao Avenues have been heavily congested amid the ongoing construction of the NLEX C-5 Link project.
Based on the agreement, Quezon City District 6 Representative Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte revealed that the right of way required for the project will be reduced from 90 to 60 meters.
He said the difference of 30 meters will be allocated for the in-city resettlement of those affected by the construction.
“With this proposed solution, the traffic along (Congressional Avenue and Mindanao Avenue) will be decongested dramatically, while at the same time addressing the displacement of project-affected families,” Belmonte said.
The lady mayor has established a task force to mitigate the impact of major infrastructure projects within the city.
Called Task Force Build 5, the team includes the Department of Transportation (DoTr), Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Quezon City government also plans to construct mid- to high-rise socialized housing for the affected residents while allowing the private sector to get involved through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The NLEX C-5 Link, also known as Segment 8.2, will connect NLEX and C-5 through Mindanao and Republic Avenue.
The project aims to reduce travel time from Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth from 45 to 10 minutes and will cut through seven Quezon City barangays and one barangay in Valenzuela.
Based on a census by the National Housing Authority (NHA), a total of 18,000 families will be affected by the construction, 60 percent of which are residents of Barangays Talipapa, Pasong Tamo, Culiat, and Sauyo in District 6.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/11/12/qc-manila-north-tollways-corp-agree-to-work-together-to-address-traffic-caused-by-nlex-c-5-link-project/
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte allayed fears of worsening traffic situation after the city government inked an agreement with the Manila North Tollways Corporation that would help alleviate the impact of the NLEX C-5 Link to the public.
Earlier, mounting complaints have bombarded local traffic authorities as portions of Congressional and Mindanao Avenues have been heavily congested amid the ongoing construction of the NLEX C-5 Link project.
Based on the agreement, Quezon City District 6 Representative Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte revealed that the right of way required for the project will be reduced from 90 to 60 meters.
He said the difference of 30 meters will be allocated for the in-city resettlement of those affected by the construction.
“With this proposed solution, the traffic along (Congressional Avenue and Mindanao Avenue) will be decongested dramatically, while at the same time addressing the displacement of project-affected families,” Belmonte said.
The lady mayor has established a task force to mitigate the impact of major infrastructure projects within the city.
Called Task Force Build 5, the team includes the Department of Transportation (DoTr), Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Quezon City government also plans to construct mid- to high-rise socialized housing for the affected residents while allowing the private sector to get involved through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The NLEX C-5 Link, also known as Segment 8.2, will connect NLEX and C-5 through Mindanao and Republic Avenue.
The project aims to reduce travel time from Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth from 45 to 10 minutes and will cut through seven Quezon City barangays and one barangay in Valenzuela.
Based on a census by the National Housing Authority (NHA), a total of 18,000 families will be affected by the construction, 60 percent of which are residents of Barangays Talipapa, Pasong Tamo, Culiat, and Sauyo in District 6.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/11/12/qc-manila-north-tollways-corp-agree-to-work-together-to-address-traffic-caused-by-nlex-c-5-link-project/
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
House panel wants in-city relocation for 18k informal settlers along QC's Segment 8.2
The National Housing Authority have made 1,000 relocation units available, but they are in Bulacan
Quezon City representatives, councilors, and other stakeholders pushed for on-site, in-city relocation for the 18,000 informal settler families (ISFs) that will be affected by the construction of the Segment 8.2.
During a hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development on Tuesday, November 12, the North Luzon Expressway-C5 North Link project, or Segment 8.2, was discussed with regard to the issue of relocating ISFs, since the construction will affect 8 barangays in Quezon City.
The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) said it can build around 2,500 to 9,400 units for the informal settlers, depending on the number of levels that will be built. The design has yet to be discussed with stakeholders.
When asked of their plans for the informal settlers, the National Housing Authority (NHA) said the 1,000 units they have made available for the ISFs are outside Quezon City. The units are located in Bulacan, in the municipalities of Norzagaray and Pandi.
Manila 1st District Representative and committee chairperson Manuel Lopez responded that off-city relocation has been proven to be ineffective in the past. NHA National Capital Region manager Emma Angeles said these locations were picked by ISFs themselves because they wanted houses and lots, whereas the area provided by the MPTC only allowed for mid- to high-rise buildings.
Quezon City 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte acknowledged that while some ISFs may prefer to be relocated outside the city, it is more important to allow the local government and other stakeholders to have a role in making the decisions.
Luz Savilla, representing the ISFs in Barangay Bagbag and Barangay Sauyo in Quezon City, said the families had not been provided a list of entitlements, census claims, and beneficiary selections from the NHA, as well as details of the proposed relocation site. They also asked to participate in the design of the housing.
But most importantly, they pushed for in-city relocation. "Mas mabubuhay kami sa mataas na building kaysa sa malayo," Savilla said. (We will survive better in a high-rise building than in a housing that's far away [from economic centers].)
For the Quezon City government's part, District 6 Councilor Marivic Co-Pilar asked if the funds for housing could be transferred to the city government instead. Public Works Director for Public-Private Partnership Alex Bote said the department has had no experience in doing so.
Savilla said they would prefer to have the city government handle the relocation, since their vision for in-city relocation is aligned with what the ISFs want.
Earlier, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte pushed for a township initiative that would accommodate ISFs, which will be located within the city. She also formed a task force that would address the relocation of the 18,000 informal settlers along the construction site.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/244702-house-panel-wants-city-relocation-isfs-nlex-segment-8-2
Quezon City representatives, councilors, and other stakeholders pushed for on-site, in-city relocation for the 18,000 informal settler families (ISFs) that will be affected by the construction of the Segment 8.2.
During a hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development on Tuesday, November 12, the North Luzon Expressway-C5 North Link project, or Segment 8.2, was discussed with regard to the issue of relocating ISFs, since the construction will affect 8 barangays in Quezon City.
The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) said it can build around 2,500 to 9,400 units for the informal settlers, depending on the number of levels that will be built. The design has yet to be discussed with stakeholders.
When asked of their plans for the informal settlers, the National Housing Authority (NHA) said the 1,000 units they have made available for the ISFs are outside Quezon City. The units are located in Bulacan, in the municipalities of Norzagaray and Pandi.
Manila 1st District Representative and committee chairperson Manuel Lopez responded that off-city relocation has been proven to be ineffective in the past. NHA National Capital Region manager Emma Angeles said these locations were picked by ISFs themselves because they wanted houses and lots, whereas the area provided by the MPTC only allowed for mid- to high-rise buildings.
Quezon City 6th District Representative Kit Belmonte acknowledged that while some ISFs may prefer to be relocated outside the city, it is more important to allow the local government and other stakeholders to have a role in making the decisions.
Luz Savilla, representing the ISFs in Barangay Bagbag and Barangay Sauyo in Quezon City, said the families had not been provided a list of entitlements, census claims, and beneficiary selections from the NHA, as well as details of the proposed relocation site. They also asked to participate in the design of the housing.
But most importantly, they pushed for in-city relocation. "Mas mabubuhay kami sa mataas na building kaysa sa malayo," Savilla said. (We will survive better in a high-rise building than in a housing that's far away [from economic centers].)
For the Quezon City government's part, District 6 Councilor Marivic Co-Pilar asked if the funds for housing could be transferred to the city government instead. Public Works Director for Public-Private Partnership Alex Bote said the department has had no experience in doing so.
Savilla said they would prefer to have the city government handle the relocation, since their vision for in-city relocation is aligned with what the ISFs want.
Earlier, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte pushed for a township initiative that would accommodate ISFs, which will be located within the city. She also formed a task force that would address the relocation of the 18,000 informal settlers along the construction site.
https://www.rappler.com/nation/244702-house-panel-wants-city-relocation-isfs-nlex-segment-8-2
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Bungled rights-of-way delaying rail works
Hail to commercial ship captain Manolo Ebora. As others bow to China’s naval piracy, he insisted as international mariner on his right of innocent passage in Panatag Shoal. Commanding a Liberian-flagged oil tanker, Ebora stuck to his straight path in Panatag waters despite three Chinese warships ordering him away. Two of them cut across his bow in attempts to head him off. But Ebora, voyaging from Thailand to China with 21 Filipino crewmen, replied that he was only passing through and in fact knew the waters to be Philippine.
Panatag, 123 miles off Luzon, is within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone and, 650 miles distant, well beyond China’s. Beijing illegally has been blockading it since 2012 under a bully “nine-dash line” that treats South China Sea as an internal lake. Citing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, The Hague arbitral court outlawed Beijing’s claim in 2016. Defying world law, Chinese gunboats escort to Panatag poachers of fish, giant clams, and fan corals. China’s navy abets militia fishers in other countries’ EEZs. Manila exercised territoriality over the shoal since Spanish and American rules; the Republic allowed foreign commerce free navigation.
* * *
What do LRT-1, MRT-7, Mindanao Railway, and Metro Manila Subway have in common? All have bungled site acquisitions. Haphazardness has delayed the government’s rail works.
LRT-1’s extension from Baclaran, Metro Manila, to Bacoor, Cavite, 11.7 km, is six years late. In a ceremonial groundbreaking in Apr. 2013 the then-President famously said if it wasn’t finished in two years, then he and his transport secretary should be run over by trains. But in signing away the construction to a private consortium, transport bureaucrats overlooked a crucial detail. They had altered the original alignment and so must first acquire rights-of-way along the new one. Failing to do that by Oct. 2015, government fell in default, for which it must pay the contractor P4.5 billion, plus daily interest. “Its transaction advisor did not do homework,” recalled Engr. Rene Santiago, president at the time of the Transport Science Society of the Philippines. Government already had spent billions of pesos to expropriate land and relocate homeowners. “That was as far back as 2003-2005 when the LRT-1 extension was first planned.”
In 2016 the present Dept. of Transport inherited and continued the botched project. Several press releases till May 2019 claimed that “LRT-1 extension is full steam ahead.” Last month constructors finally prepared to lay down the pylons. Yet government had yet to acquire 18 private lots and clear obstructing water, power, and telecom lines.
MRT-7, 22 km from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, to North Avenue-EDSA, Quezon City, is two years behind schedule. “So many right-of-way problems,” builder San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang told The STAR last June. “Roads are too narrow.” DOTr’s alignment foul-up moved back the completion to 2022. Worse was a nine-fold increase in acquisition price of 33.2 hectares in Del Monte for the end station-depot. Since the land revaluation affects the project cost, the National Economic and Development Authority must review it. That can take a year. Still Ang is striving to get half the rail line operating, North EDSA to Fairview, QC, by 2021.
Mindanao Railway Phase 1 – eight stations in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Davao del Sur – was redesigned last minute. Planners shifted to twin from single track, electric from diesel power, and 102-km ground level to 100-km with elevated portions and aqueduct. Rushed realignments drew resistance from middle-class homeowners. Last Feb.’s groundbreaking was postponed indefinitely. Monteritz Classic Estates sought review of the overrun of 40 homes and 67 lots, BusinessWorld reported in May. So did South Pacific Gold and Leisure Estates of the railway cutting through the fairway and clubhouse on which residents had invested. Scoffing at property owners’ rights, DOTr said they should put development above personal concern. Earlier Maria Lourdes Monteverde, ex-president of Davao City’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chided DOTr’s unclear project vision. Property owners were left in limbo about just compensation, so could not move on, she told MindaNews in Jan. Transport Sec. Arthur Tugade wants partial operation of Tagum-Davao City-Digos circuit by 2022, President Rody Duterte’s term end. The first rail track has yet to be laid down.
Metro Manila Subway, 15 stations over 36 km in Quezon City to Taguig, faces similar uncertainty. Work on the first three stations in QC is to start in Jan. 2020, delayed from last Feb. and this Nov. Tugade wants the three running also by 2022. Yet Usec. for rails Timothy Batan told a QC council hearing last month that lands have yet to be purchased. Only 150 of 400 lot owners have agreed to give way to the proposed depot, and only 20 percent of residential to the Tandang Sora station. Four councilors sought restoration of the original alignment of six stations beneath EDSA instead of the new route via Katipunan where five gated subdivisions lie. Councilor Winston Castelo said the original EDSA route would serve more commuters, skirt the West Valley earthquake fault, and be acceptable to home and shop owners. Less costly too: only P208 billion instead of P357 billion. Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. worried about the subway’s continuity beyond Duterte’s tenure, as shoddy right-of-way planning could doom it.
In Parañaque residents of five villages are opposing a previously unannounced Bicutan station one km from Food Terminal Inc.-Taguig terminal. Notified only last July by DOTr consultants of expropriation, they demanded city council public hearing as required in the Local Government Code. Vice Mayor Rico Golez held a forum with Councilors Giovanni Esplana, Edwin Benzon, Viktor Sotto, and Pablo Gabriel Jr. Residents led by Barangay San Martin de Porres chairman Michael Thor Singson pointed to three nearby government lots as alternative station site. DOTr itself owns one of the lots. Its policy is to build stations as much as possible on or beside government property to minimize human dislocation. Encroachment in residential zones showed slipshod design.
* * *
Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ (882-AM).
Gotcha archives: www.philstar.com/columns/134276/gotcha
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2019/11/06/1966302/bungled-rights-way-delaying-rail-works
Panatag, 123 miles off Luzon, is within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone and, 650 miles distant, well beyond China’s. Beijing illegally has been blockading it since 2012 under a bully “nine-dash line” that treats South China Sea as an internal lake. Citing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, The Hague arbitral court outlawed Beijing’s claim in 2016. Defying world law, Chinese gunboats escort to Panatag poachers of fish, giant clams, and fan corals. China’s navy abets militia fishers in other countries’ EEZs. Manila exercised territoriality over the shoal since Spanish and American rules; the Republic allowed foreign commerce free navigation.
* * *
What do LRT-1, MRT-7, Mindanao Railway, and Metro Manila Subway have in common? All have bungled site acquisitions. Haphazardness has delayed the government’s rail works.
LRT-1’s extension from Baclaran, Metro Manila, to Bacoor, Cavite, 11.7 km, is six years late. In a ceremonial groundbreaking in Apr. 2013 the then-President famously said if it wasn’t finished in two years, then he and his transport secretary should be run over by trains. But in signing away the construction to a private consortium, transport bureaucrats overlooked a crucial detail. They had altered the original alignment and so must first acquire rights-of-way along the new one. Failing to do that by Oct. 2015, government fell in default, for which it must pay the contractor P4.5 billion, plus daily interest. “Its transaction advisor did not do homework,” recalled Engr. Rene Santiago, president at the time of the Transport Science Society of the Philippines. Government already had spent billions of pesos to expropriate land and relocate homeowners. “That was as far back as 2003-2005 when the LRT-1 extension was first planned.”
In 2016 the present Dept. of Transport inherited and continued the botched project. Several press releases till May 2019 claimed that “LRT-1 extension is full steam ahead.” Last month constructors finally prepared to lay down the pylons. Yet government had yet to acquire 18 private lots and clear obstructing water, power, and telecom lines.
MRT-7, 22 km from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, to North Avenue-EDSA, Quezon City, is two years behind schedule. “So many right-of-way problems,” builder San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang told The STAR last June. “Roads are too narrow.” DOTr’s alignment foul-up moved back the completion to 2022. Worse was a nine-fold increase in acquisition price of 33.2 hectares in Del Monte for the end station-depot. Since the land revaluation affects the project cost, the National Economic and Development Authority must review it. That can take a year. Still Ang is striving to get half the rail line operating, North EDSA to Fairview, QC, by 2021.
Mindanao Railway Phase 1 – eight stations in Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Davao del Sur – was redesigned last minute. Planners shifted to twin from single track, electric from diesel power, and 102-km ground level to 100-km with elevated portions and aqueduct. Rushed realignments drew resistance from middle-class homeowners. Last Feb.’s groundbreaking was postponed indefinitely. Monteritz Classic Estates sought review of the overrun of 40 homes and 67 lots, BusinessWorld reported in May. So did South Pacific Gold and Leisure Estates of the railway cutting through the fairway and clubhouse on which residents had invested. Scoffing at property owners’ rights, DOTr said they should put development above personal concern. Earlier Maria Lourdes Monteverde, ex-president of Davao City’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, chided DOTr’s unclear project vision. Property owners were left in limbo about just compensation, so could not move on, she told MindaNews in Jan. Transport Sec. Arthur Tugade wants partial operation of Tagum-Davao City-Digos circuit by 2022, President Rody Duterte’s term end. The first rail track has yet to be laid down.
Metro Manila Subway, 15 stations over 36 km in Quezon City to Taguig, faces similar uncertainty. Work on the first three stations in QC is to start in Jan. 2020, delayed from last Feb. and this Nov. Tugade wants the three running also by 2022. Yet Usec. for rails Timothy Batan told a QC council hearing last month that lands have yet to be purchased. Only 150 of 400 lot owners have agreed to give way to the proposed depot, and only 20 percent of residential to the Tandang Sora station. Four councilors sought restoration of the original alignment of six stations beneath EDSA instead of the new route via Katipunan where five gated subdivisions lie. Councilor Winston Castelo said the original EDSA route would serve more commuters, skirt the West Valley earthquake fault, and be acceptable to home and shop owners. Less costly too: only P208 billion instead of P357 billion. Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. worried about the subway’s continuity beyond Duterte’s tenure, as shoddy right-of-way planning could doom it.
In Parañaque residents of five villages are opposing a previously unannounced Bicutan station one km from Food Terminal Inc.-Taguig terminal. Notified only last July by DOTr consultants of expropriation, they demanded city council public hearing as required in the Local Government Code. Vice Mayor Rico Golez held a forum with Councilors Giovanni Esplana, Edwin Benzon, Viktor Sotto, and Pablo Gabriel Jr. Residents led by Barangay San Martin de Porres chairman Michael Thor Singson pointed to three nearby government lots as alternative station site. DOTr itself owns one of the lots. Its policy is to build stations as much as possible on or beside government property to minimize human dislocation. Encroachment in residential zones showed slipshod design.
* * *
Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ (882-AM).
Gotcha archives: www.philstar.com/columns/134276/gotcha
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2019/11/06/1966302/bungled-rights-way-delaying-rail-works
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Villar inspects NLEX Connector construction site
The construction of the integrated and all-elevated expressway connection between the North and South Luzon expressways has started, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Tuesday.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar inspected the NLEX Connector construction site along the Philippine National Railways tracks in Caloocan City together with officials of NLEX Corporation and construction company D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI).
Earlier, NLEX Corp. formally awarded the main works contract to DMCI for the first five-kilometer section of the NLEX connector road from Grace Park, Caloocan City to España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila.
Spanning a total of eight kilometers, the full NLEX Connector will be an all-weather, all vehicle class elevated expressway that will traverse the new Caloocan Interchange in 5th Avenue/C3 Road in Caloocan City, pass through España and eventually link up with the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at PUP Sta. Mesa in Manila.
Villar was also present during the formal awarding of the main civil works contract to DMCI together with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) president and chief executive officer Rodrigo E. Franco, NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, NLEX Corporation chief operating officer (COO) Raul L. Ignacio, DMCI president and CEO Jorge A. Consunji, DMCI associate managing director Christopher R. Rodriguez, and DMCI senior vice president for business strategy and development, Rebecca E. Civil.
The contract covers the main civil works for the Caloocan-España section.
The NLEX Connector will continue the NLEX southward from NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 from the new Caloocan Interchange.
The project will utilize portions of the existing right-of-way (ROW) of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
The PNR's ROW will be shared by the NLEX Connector project and the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), currently also under construction.
Around 35,000 motorists, especially cargo trucks, who are expected to benefit from the project, will be spared using Metro Manila’s congested city roads since they will traverse their routes mostly above the PNR alignment.
Just before the awarding, Villar visited the project site and urged the fast-tracking of the turnover of the ROW.
“We are committed to accelerating the ROW acquisition in order to build traffic solutions for our motorists,” he said in a statement.
The new Caloocan Interchange will serve as a strategic converging point for the 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the 2.6-kilometer R-10 section, and the eight-kilometer NLEX Connector.
Since its groundbreaking witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte last February 28, several constructions have been achieved and the engineering works have progressed.
“Upon full completion in 2021, the NLEX Connector will significantly cut travel time from NLEX to SLEX by at least 60 percent. Instead of the usual two hours, travel time will now be reduced to about 20 minutes,” Villar said.
"Likewise, it will provide improved accessibility for cargo trucks bound for the Manila Ports (North and South Harbor) and the international airports such as NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) and Clark,” he added.
For his part, Bautista is confident that their team including their contractor, and government partners will work together to deliver high-quality elevated expressway.
“We are looking forward to provide further convenience to our motorists as the NLEX Connector aims to decongest major thoroughfares such Edsa and C5,” he said.
Aside from providing a solution to traffic congestion in Metro Manila, the NLEX Connector is also expected to stimulate economic development in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas, as well as its surrounding areas.
The NLEX Connector is one of the first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects awarded by the Duterte administration in 2016.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1085091
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar inspected the NLEX Connector construction site along the Philippine National Railways tracks in Caloocan City together with officials of NLEX Corporation and construction company D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI).
Earlier, NLEX Corp. formally awarded the main works contract to DMCI for the first five-kilometer section of the NLEX connector road from Grace Park, Caloocan City to España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila.
Spanning a total of eight kilometers, the full NLEX Connector will be an all-weather, all vehicle class elevated expressway that will traverse the new Caloocan Interchange in 5th Avenue/C3 Road in Caloocan City, pass through España and eventually link up with the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at PUP Sta. Mesa in Manila.
Villar was also present during the formal awarding of the main civil works contract to DMCI together with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) president and chief executive officer Rodrigo E. Franco, NLEX Corporation president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, NLEX Corporation chief operating officer (COO) Raul L. Ignacio, DMCI president and CEO Jorge A. Consunji, DMCI associate managing director Christopher R. Rodriguez, and DMCI senior vice president for business strategy and development, Rebecca E. Civil.
The contract covers the main civil works for the Caloocan-España section.
The NLEX Connector will continue the NLEX southward from NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 from the new Caloocan Interchange.
The project will utilize portions of the existing right-of-way (ROW) of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
The PNR's ROW will be shared by the NLEX Connector project and the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), currently also under construction.
Around 35,000 motorists, especially cargo trucks, who are expected to benefit from the project, will be spared using Metro Manila’s congested city roads since they will traverse their routes mostly above the PNR alignment.
Just before the awarding, Villar visited the project site and urged the fast-tracking of the turnover of the ROW.
“We are committed to accelerating the ROW acquisition in order to build traffic solutions for our motorists,” he said in a statement.
The new Caloocan Interchange will serve as a strategic converging point for the 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the 2.6-kilometer R-10 section, and the eight-kilometer NLEX Connector.
Since its groundbreaking witnessed by President Rodrigo Duterte last February 28, several constructions have been achieved and the engineering works have progressed.
“Upon full completion in 2021, the NLEX Connector will significantly cut travel time from NLEX to SLEX by at least 60 percent. Instead of the usual two hours, travel time will now be reduced to about 20 minutes,” Villar said.
"Likewise, it will provide improved accessibility for cargo trucks bound for the Manila Ports (North and South Harbor) and the international airports such as NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) and Clark,” he added.
For his part, Bautista is confident that their team including their contractor, and government partners will work together to deliver high-quality elevated expressway.
“We are looking forward to provide further convenience to our motorists as the NLEX Connector aims to decongest major thoroughfares such Edsa and C5,” he said.
Aside from providing a solution to traffic congestion in Metro Manila, the NLEX Connector is also expected to stimulate economic development in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas, as well as its surrounding areas.
The NLEX Connector is one of the first Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects awarded by the Duterte administration in 2016.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1085091
NLEx Corp. awards P8-B Phase 1 connector road to DMCI
NLEx Corp. on Tuesday awarded to D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) the first phase of an elevated toll road connecting the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) to South Luzon Expressway.
The P8-billion contract to build the first five kilometers of the NLEx Connector project was handed to DMCI during a site inspection at Grace Park in Caloocan City.
Phase 1 of the project will connect NLEx from the Caloocan Interchange to España Boulevard.
“The actual work on the ground, for the first four or five [kilometers] would be towards the end of November,” NLEx Corp. president Luigi Bautista said.
The first section of the NLEx Connector project is targeted to be completed within 20 months.
The entire elevated road project spans eight kilometers, traversing the Caloocan Interchange along 5th Avenue through to España. It will eventually link with the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The tender offer for the procurement process covering the second phase from España to PUP Sta. Mesa will start next month, Bautista said.
“Towards the end of March next year we should be able to appoint already a contractor for Section 2,” he said.
Section 2 is targeted to be completed in 18 months, he added.
The project will use portions of the existing right-of-way of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
“Upon full completion in 2021, the NLEx Connector will significantly cut travel time from NLEx to SLEx by at least sixty percent. Instead of the usual two hours, travel time will now be reduced to about 20 minutes,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.
“It will also provide accessibility for cargo trucks bound for Manila ports and the international airports such as NAIA and Clark,” the Cabinet official added. —VDS, GMA News
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/714225/nlex-corp-awards-p8-b-phase-1-connector-road-to-dmci/story/
The P8-billion contract to build the first five kilometers of the NLEx Connector project was handed to DMCI during a site inspection at Grace Park in Caloocan City.
Phase 1 of the project will connect NLEx from the Caloocan Interchange to España Boulevard.
“The actual work on the ground, for the first four or five [kilometers] would be towards the end of November,” NLEx Corp. president Luigi Bautista said.
The first section of the NLEx Connector project is targeted to be completed within 20 months.
The entire elevated road project spans eight kilometers, traversing the Caloocan Interchange along 5th Avenue through to España. It will eventually link with the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
The tender offer for the procurement process covering the second phase from España to PUP Sta. Mesa will start next month, Bautista said.
“Towards the end of March next year we should be able to appoint already a contractor for Section 2,” he said.
Section 2 is targeted to be completed in 18 months, he added.
The project will use portions of the existing right-of-way of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
“Upon full completion in 2021, the NLEx Connector will significantly cut travel time from NLEx to SLEx by at least sixty percent. Instead of the usual two hours, travel time will now be reduced to about 20 minutes,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.
“It will also provide accessibility for cargo trucks bound for Manila ports and the international airports such as NAIA and Clark,” the Cabinet official added. —VDS, GMA News
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/714225/nlex-corp-awards-p8-b-phase-1-connector-road-to-dmci/story/
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