(CNN Philippines, April 1) — A congressman from Metro Manila has proposed another 30-day extension of the enhanced community quarantine, noting that "science" and "common sense" would prove that the Philippines is still grappling with the COVID-19 crisis.
"Science, the experience of other countries and common sense would dictate that the Philippine government should extend the enhanced community quarantine for another 30 days as we continue to grapple with hard facts on the real statistics of COVID-19 spread in our communities," said Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice.
Erice, a senior vice chair of the House committee on Metro Manila Development, noted that the "gains" of the ongoing 30-day Luzon-wide quarantine will only be put to waste if there will be no extension.
"The ECQ would most likely result the resurgence of the dreaded virus and more likely would affect the blighted areas of urban centers," the congressman said.
He also stressed the need for government to use all resources so that food supply goes to the low-income households affected by the crisis.
Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Thursday described the situation as "far from over."
"Totoo po iyon. Hanggang wala pang vaccine, then ito nga ang sinasabi nating 'new normal' (That is true. As long as there's no vaccine, then this is what we call the 'new normal')," Nograles said.
He earlier said that the task force has not yet made a decision whether the Luzon-wide lockdown will be lifted, extended, or expanded to other areas.
It has been 16 days since President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under the enhanced community quarantine. It has also been a week since he signed into law the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which gives him additional powers to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Both chambers of Congress have yet to convene for a joint congressional oversight committee to review the first weekly report submitted by Duterte last Monday.
The Philippines currently has 2,084 COVID-19 cases to date, with 88 fatalities, and 49 recoveries.
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/1/congressman-proposes-another-30-day-extension-Luzon-lockdown-covid-19.html
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
LRMC begins LRT-1 Cavite Extension works along CAVITEX
Construction progress of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension has reached 36.8% completion to date since the start of its civil works last September 2019. The pre-cast yard and staging area have been completed, with pillars already built along the stretch of Dr. Santos Station until MIA Station.
The 11.7-kilometer project of the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), private operator of LRT-1, is expected to service and benefit 800,000 passengers daily by cutting down travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from 1 hour and 10 minutes to just about 25 minutes.
With the construction works in full swing, a temporary road closure of the inner most lane (northbound) along CAVITEX – Paranaque bridge is set for implementation from March 17 – 31, 2020. This is to give way to the scheduled test pit works (bridge and pipe inspection) required for the construction in the area relative to the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project.
LRMC works closely with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the Cavite Extension project under President Rodrigo Duterte’s Build Build Build program.
“We would like to request for the understanding and cooperation of all motorists using the CAVITEX. The temporary road closure of one lane is necessary to prepare the foundations needed to construct the LRT-1 Cavite Extension in the area and complete it as scheduled. We are working closely with various government offices such as the DOTR, LRTA, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Reclamation Authority, Toll Regulatory Board, Metro Manila Development Authority, Maynilad, CAVITEX Infrastructure Corporation, and the local government units for the construction works and traffic management. We thank the public for their patience, and we would like to reassure them that this temporary inconvenience will bring long-term benefits,“ LRMC Cavite Extension Management Team (CEMT) Project Execution Manager Reynaldo Pangilinan said.
The 11.7-kilometer project of the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), private operator of LRT-1, is expected to service and benefit 800,000 passengers daily by cutting down travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from 1 hour and 10 minutes to just about 25 minutes.
With the construction works in full swing, a temporary road closure of the inner most lane (northbound) along CAVITEX – Paranaque bridge is set for implementation from March 17 – 31, 2020. This is to give way to the scheduled test pit works (bridge and pipe inspection) required for the construction in the area relative to the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project.
LRMC works closely with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the Cavite Extension project under President Rodrigo Duterte’s Build Build Build program.
“We would like to request for the understanding and cooperation of all motorists using the CAVITEX. The temporary road closure of one lane is necessary to prepare the foundations needed to construct the LRT-1 Cavite Extension in the area and complete it as scheduled. We are working closely with various government offices such as the DOTR, LRTA, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Reclamation Authority, Toll Regulatory Board, Metro Manila Development Authority, Maynilad, CAVITEX Infrastructure Corporation, and the local government units for the construction works and traffic management. We thank the public for their patience, and we would like to reassure them that this temporary inconvenience will bring long-term benefits,“ LRMC Cavite Extension Management Team (CEMT) Project Execution Manager Reynaldo Pangilinan said.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Spanish colonial stations in Bulacan to be restored for Tutuban-Clark railway system
By Gilbert P. Felongco
MALOLOS CITY – Spanish colonial-era structures connecting the old train stations in Bulacan will be restored as part of the ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Project (NSCRP), officials said.
Aside from improving travel time and riding comfort throughout the train journey, commuters will be given added treat when they revel at the heritage structures that, at one point played an important role in the railway’s 128 year history.
Among the structures that will undergo restoration will be the Spanish-era station in Malolos which was constructed from bricks, as well as the several other train stops in Bulacan such as in Guiguinto, Balagtas, Marilao and Meycauayan.
According to Jason Patrick Torres of Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. (SMCC), rehabilitation works for the old railway station structures are ongoing with scaffolding's already being put up at the old Malolos train station in prelude for the actual civil works.
The Japanese firm is the Japanese contractor for the 38 kilometer Tutuban-Malolos juncture of project.
Torres said that while the heritage train stops would be put up just alongside the modern railway stations, they will be careful not to cause any damage on the old historic structures,
In the case of the Malolos station, the modern train station that would be put up will be three storey structure compared to the single-level building that had been in use for decades.
The Tutuban-Malolos railway juncture comprises the first phase of the northern route phase of the (NSCRP) P777.5-billion project under the current administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the Tutuban-Malolos line is envisioned to be completed during the term of President Duterte.
The ground breaking rites for the line’s second phase was conducted last year. This will be the 53-kilometer line from Malolos to Clark in Pampanga.
The last time that the Tutuban to Malolos commuter route was used was in the early 1990s.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/03/03/spanish-colonial-stations-in-bulacan-to-be-restored-for-tutuban-clark-railway-system/
MALOLOS CITY – Spanish colonial-era structures connecting the old train stations in Bulacan will be restored as part of the ongoing construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Project (NSCRP), officials said.
 |
| Workers erect scaffoldings on the more than a century old Malolos Railway Station as part of efforts to rehabilitate and improve the railway line linking Central Luzon to Metro Manila and south of the capital. (Gilbert Felongco / MANILA BULLETIN) |
Among the structures that will undergo restoration will be the Spanish-era station in Malolos which was constructed from bricks, as well as the several other train stops in Bulacan such as in Guiguinto, Balagtas, Marilao and Meycauayan.
According to Jason Patrick Torres of Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. (SMCC), rehabilitation works for the old railway station structures are ongoing with scaffolding's already being put up at the old Malolos train station in prelude for the actual civil works.
The Japanese firm is the Japanese contractor for the 38 kilometer Tutuban-Malolos juncture of project.
Torres said that while the heritage train stops would be put up just alongside the modern railway stations, they will be careful not to cause any damage on the old historic structures,
In the case of the Malolos station, the modern train station that would be put up will be three storey structure compared to the single-level building that had been in use for decades.
The Tutuban-Malolos railway juncture comprises the first phase of the northern route phase of the (NSCRP) P777.5-billion project under the current administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the Tutuban-Malolos line is envisioned to be completed during the term of President Duterte.
The ground breaking rites for the line’s second phase was conducted last year. This will be the 53-kilometer line from Malolos to Clark in Pampanga.
The last time that the Tutuban to Malolos commuter route was used was in the early 1990s.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/03/03/spanish-colonial-stations-in-bulacan-to-be-restored-for-tutuban-clark-railway-system/
Monday, March 2, 2020
DPWH readies NLEx ‘Segment 8.2’
THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is looking to start this year the construction of 8.35 kilometers of the 11.5-kilometer NLEx “Segment 8.2” project linking C.P. Garcia Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City to Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Avenue in Novaliches, Quezon City.
“Definitely we’re gonna start it this year, and hopefully we get a significant accomplishment before the end of the term of the President,” DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said last week on the sidelines of the final inspection of the Malabon Exit of the 2.6-kilometer C3-R10 Section of the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10. He said the government is currently working on the right-of-way (ROW) for the P7.48-billion project.
Mr. Villar said further that the government faces several challenges in acquiring the ROWs as various families will be affected. “Kailangan bigyan ng housing (We need to provide housing for these families). At this point, nakikipag-coordinate kami sa NHA (we are coordinating with the National Housing Authority),” he said. — Arjay L. Balinbin
https://www.bworldonline.com/dpwh-readies-nlex-segment-8-2/
“Definitely we’re gonna start it this year, and hopefully we get a significant accomplishment before the end of the term of the President,” DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar said last week on the sidelines of the final inspection of the Malabon Exit of the 2.6-kilometer C3-R10 Section of the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10. He said the government is currently working on the right-of-way (ROW) for the P7.48-billion project.
Mr. Villar said further that the government faces several challenges in acquiring the ROWs as various families will be affected. “Kailangan bigyan ng housing (We need to provide housing for these families). At this point, nakikipag-coordinate kami sa NHA (we are coordinating with the National Housing Authority),” he said. — Arjay L. Balinbin
https://www.bworldonline.com/dpwh-readies-nlex-segment-8-2/
NLEX keen on Port Expressway Link project
Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) is keen on pursuing its massive unsolicited proposal to construct an expressway linking the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), with hopes of securing the green light from the government this year.
“If it will be approved, the intention of the NLEX Corp. is to be able to build it in phases because the extent of the project is really big. You cannot construct it in one go because of the huge capital expense,” said Luigi Bautista, president and general manager of MPTC-unit NLEX Corp.
“The project cost is not final, but based on our estimate, it’s about P95 billion to P100 billion. It’s a huge project,” he said, referring to the proposed NLEX-Cavitex Port Expressway Link project.
At present, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark VIllar said his agency is still in the process of evaluating the project for original proponent status (OPS).
“We’re working on it. There are still some additional requirements. It is still under evaluation so there is still no OPS,” Villar said.
The NLEX-Cavitex Port Expressway Link is a proposed 15-kilometer expressway with six lanes (2x3 configuration) combined elevated and tunnel expressway from NLEX Segment 10 up to Cavitex which will provide an ideal truck route directly linked to Manila Port Area.
It is divided into three sections which are C3 Road to Anda Circle (5.7 km), Connection from Cavitex to Buendia Ave. (4.8 km), and Buendia Ave. to Anda Circle (4.6 km).
The project seeks to reduce truck traffic within its limited capacity road network and significantly contribute to the decongestion of the metropolis 24 hours a day.
MPTC said earlier that it is also eyeing to commence construction of a P16-billion elevated expressway extension of the Harbor Link this year.
Dubbed as the Harbor Link Port Access Mobility Facility, the project aims to improve access to the port area in Manila as it would continue the Harbor Link from C3 corner Navotas interchange all the way to Anda Circle.
The project, which is within the scope of MPTC’s existing concession, is still under evaluation of the Toll Regulatory Board.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/03/02/1997328/nlex-keen-port-expressway-link-project
“If it will be approved, the intention of the NLEX Corp. is to be able to build it in phases because the extent of the project is really big. You cannot construct it in one go because of the huge capital expense,” said Luigi Bautista, president and general manager of MPTC-unit NLEX Corp.
“The project cost is not final, but based on our estimate, it’s about P95 billion to P100 billion. It’s a huge project,” he said, referring to the proposed NLEX-Cavitex Port Expressway Link project.
At present, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark VIllar said his agency is still in the process of evaluating the project for original proponent status (OPS).
“We’re working on it. There are still some additional requirements. It is still under evaluation so there is still no OPS,” Villar said.
The NLEX-Cavitex Port Expressway Link is a proposed 15-kilometer expressway with six lanes (2x3 configuration) combined elevated and tunnel expressway from NLEX Segment 10 up to Cavitex which will provide an ideal truck route directly linked to Manila Port Area.
It is divided into three sections which are C3 Road to Anda Circle (5.7 km), Connection from Cavitex to Buendia Ave. (4.8 km), and Buendia Ave. to Anda Circle (4.6 km).
The project seeks to reduce truck traffic within its limited capacity road network and significantly contribute to the decongestion of the metropolis 24 hours a day.
MPTC said earlier that it is also eyeing to commence construction of a P16-billion elevated expressway extension of the Harbor Link this year.
Dubbed as the Harbor Link Port Access Mobility Facility, the project aims to improve access to the port area in Manila as it would continue the Harbor Link from C3 corner Navotas interchange all the way to Anda Circle.
The project, which is within the scope of MPTC’s existing concession, is still under evaluation of the Toll Regulatory Board.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/03/02/1997328/nlex-keen-port-expressway-link-project
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
LRTA promises full LRT-2 operations by June
The Light Rail Transit-2 will be operational by June, the agency that operates the train line assured Tuesday.
"We are confident that in June or prior to June, we can complete the repair and that the provisional operation will be implemented," said Jose Jobel Belarmino, officer-in-charge of the LRT Authority's Office of the Deputy Administrator.
The progress in the repair of the LRT-2 was tackled by the House Committee on Transportation, four months since the line's fire-damaged power rectifier caused the suspension of operations from Santolan to Anonas stations.
Belarmino told the panel led by Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento that the LRTA has already completed its bidding process on the necessary equipment for the line's repair.
"We're implementing an alternative procurement process and are now looking for a third-party consultant to lead the restoration of the damaged railway," LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera added.
Once the contractor for the power supply is awarded in a month's time, the project can be finished in two to three months which would allow provisional operations, Cabrera added. This means trains may run slower along the damaged areas of the line, he said.
In a hearing last October, LRTA officials first bared that lightning struck the system of the LRT 2, damaging at least 189 items of the railway system.
Commuter advocacy group AltMobility PH says the line services around 200,000 passengers daily, with over 116,000 getting on board or alighting the three station.
The LRT-2 currently runs from Cubao Station in Quezon City up to Recto Station in Manila and vice versa.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/26/LRT-2-operational-by-June.html
"We are confident that in June or prior to June, we can complete the repair and that the provisional operation will be implemented," said Jose Jobel Belarmino, officer-in-charge of the LRT Authority's Office of the Deputy Administrator.
The progress in the repair of the LRT-2 was tackled by the House Committee on Transportation, four months since the line's fire-damaged power rectifier caused the suspension of operations from Santolan to Anonas stations.
Belarmino told the panel led by Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento that the LRTA has already completed its bidding process on the necessary equipment for the line's repair.
"We're implementing an alternative procurement process and are now looking for a third-party consultant to lead the restoration of the damaged railway," LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera added.
Once the contractor for the power supply is awarded in a month's time, the project can be finished in two to three months which would allow provisional operations, Cabrera added. This means trains may run slower along the damaged areas of the line, he said.
In a hearing last October, LRTA officials first bared that lightning struck the system of the LRT 2, damaging at least 189 items of the railway system.
Commuter advocacy group AltMobility PH says the line services around 200,000 passengers daily, with over 116,000 getting on board or alighting the three station.
The LRT-2 currently runs from Cubao Station in Quezon City up to Recto Station in Manila and vice versa.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/26/LRT-2-operational-by-June.html
Master plan for Quezon Memorial Circle on hold due to MRT 7 construction
At the heart of Metro Manila’s largest city, a 27-hectare national park located inside an elliptical traffic circle attracts an average of 14,000 visitors a day—with the number doubling on weekends.
The Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC), which features a shrine of President Manuel L. Quezon with an art deco theme, continues to be the city’s top recreation space for residents and tourists, said park head and action officer Zaldy dela Rosa.
But as modern cities embrace urbanization, the park administration was put in a conundrum: How can they build a greener and more sustainable national park?
The solution, said Dela Rosa, was to craft a new master plan for the Circle, as residents fondly refer to the park.
The ongoing construction of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 7 QMC station, however, has thrown a spanner in the works.
“The finalization of the master plan is in stalemate because of the QMC station. We don’t know how much land the construction would really occupy,” Dela Rosa told the Inquirer. “When they first presented the MRT project to the city, they said it would only take up a small portion as it would be built underground.”
But now, the above-the-ground construction for the project has encroached on the park’s jogging lane.
The roadwork has also led to heavy traffic in the area, reducing by over 10 percent the Circle’s monthly income of P5 million, Dela Rosa said.
Following complaints from historians and environmentalists, Mayor Joy Belmonte last week ordered a temporary halt to work on the MRT 7 station “because it would affect the landmark’s identity as a national heritage park.”
The contractor, EEI Corp., had indicated around 4,997 sqm as the project’s floor area. But the city government recently discovered that the actual site was now over five times the size of the approved figure.In a statement on Feb. 19, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and San Miguel Corp., MRT 7’s concessionaire, promised to present a new, “mutually acceptable design” for the station within 10 days.
Win-win solution
Belmonte said that while the city government supported the Duterte administration’s project, it would look for a “win-win solution” to “protect the city’s open spaces while advancing the welfare of thousands of commuters.”
On Dec. 26 last year, the Department of Tourism and city government decided to work together to develop QMC into a more sustainable tourism site.
“Mayor Belmonte instructed us to create a master plan because she wanted it to focus on tourism,” said Dela Rosa. “This year, the city government gave us an initial funding of P300 million for the development of the Circle, but we cannot put up new projects pending the approval of the master plan.”
During the term of former Mayor Brigido Simon Jr. in the late 1980s, Dela Rosa said the city entered into a tripartite agreement with the National Historical Institute (NHI), now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and National Parks Development Administration (NPDA).
Under the agreement, NPDA took over management of the park, but the area covering the Quezon shrine was placed under NHI’s jurisdiction.
The NPDA later turned over management of the park to the Quezon City Parks Development Foundation which was authorized by the city government to look after it and raise revenues for maintenance.
“If there are structures that need to be built, we are in charge of that. But once that master plan is approved, that will be our main reference in building new structures,” said Dela Rosa.
According to him, P30 million has been allotted for the park’s maintenance expenses this year, almost thrice its budget during the previous city administration.
The park raises around P50 million in revenues annually, mostly from parking fees and the rent coming from restaurants and vending stalls. Entrance to the Circle remains free. Among the park’s mainstays are 62 stalls selling ornamental plants and flowers. Most of them, said Dela Rosa, had come from the Manila Seedling Bank, which was shuttered in 2013 for lack of a permit.
Daily exercise classes
For those who want to join zumba or aerobics sessions, there are classes held daily at the garden gazebo starting at 6 a.m.
Over the last few years, however, museums have become the park’s newest attractions, including the Quezon City Experience Museum built in 2015 and the Museo ng Demokrasyang Pilipino in 2019.
In August 2018, the NHCP inaugurated its Presidential Car Museum on what used to be the basketball and volleyball courts. The museum which stands on a 3,000-sqm lot houses the official cars of past Philippine presidents.
But Dela Rosa maintains that despite having more than 100 structures and stalls inside the park, 70 percent of its total land area remains open spaces.
“Every structure here must be related to former President Quezon or the city’s history,” he said. “We have the Quezon Heritage House, which is the actual house of the Quezon family in New Manila. The World Peace Bell and the Philippine-Israel Friendship Park are special markers in honor of Quezon.”Stalls, on the other hand, must offer or promote local products and culture.
“They say we are turning the park into a concrete jungle, but we have to create parking spaces and cemented walkways for park-goers,” he added. “That’s why the focus of the new master plan is to have more greenery.”
It has been a longstanding vision for the city, said Dela Rosa, who has been with city hall for 42 years. When he started working for the city government at 19 years old, there were no trees in QMC.
As head of the city’s parks development and administration, he saw it slowly turn into a green space over the years.
Once the talks between the city, DOTr and MRT 7 stakeholders were finalized, Dela Rosa vowed to finish the master plan that would make QMC a “world-class national park.”
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1233364/master-plan-for-quezon-memorial-circle-on-hold-due-to-mrt-7-construction
The Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC), which features a shrine of President Manuel L. Quezon with an art deco theme, continues to be the city’s top recreation space for residents and tourists, said park head and action officer Zaldy dela Rosa.
But as modern cities embrace urbanization, the park administration was put in a conundrum: How can they build a greener and more sustainable national park?
The solution, said Dela Rosa, was to craft a new master plan for the Circle, as residents fondly refer to the park.
The ongoing construction of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 7 QMC station, however, has thrown a spanner in the works.
“The finalization of the master plan is in stalemate because of the QMC station. We don’t know how much land the construction would really occupy,” Dela Rosa told the Inquirer. “When they first presented the MRT project to the city, they said it would only take up a small portion as it would be built underground.”
But now, the above-the-ground construction for the project has encroached on the park’s jogging lane.
The roadwork has also led to heavy traffic in the area, reducing by over 10 percent the Circle’s monthly income of P5 million, Dela Rosa said.
Following complaints from historians and environmentalists, Mayor Joy Belmonte last week ordered a temporary halt to work on the MRT 7 station “because it would affect the landmark’s identity as a national heritage park.”
The contractor, EEI Corp., had indicated around 4,997 sqm as the project’s floor area. But the city government recently discovered that the actual site was now over five times the size of the approved figure.In a statement on Feb. 19, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and San Miguel Corp., MRT 7’s concessionaire, promised to present a new, “mutually acceptable design” for the station within 10 days.
Win-win solution
Belmonte said that while the city government supported the Duterte administration’s project, it would look for a “win-win solution” to “protect the city’s open spaces while advancing the welfare of thousands of commuters.”
On Dec. 26 last year, the Department of Tourism and city government decided to work together to develop QMC into a more sustainable tourism site.
“Mayor Belmonte instructed us to create a master plan because she wanted it to focus on tourism,” said Dela Rosa. “This year, the city government gave us an initial funding of P300 million for the development of the Circle, but we cannot put up new projects pending the approval of the master plan.”
During the term of former Mayor Brigido Simon Jr. in the late 1980s, Dela Rosa said the city entered into a tripartite agreement with the National Historical Institute (NHI), now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), and National Parks Development Administration (NPDA).
Under the agreement, NPDA took over management of the park, but the area covering the Quezon shrine was placed under NHI’s jurisdiction.
The NPDA later turned over management of the park to the Quezon City Parks Development Foundation which was authorized by the city government to look after it and raise revenues for maintenance.
“If there are structures that need to be built, we are in charge of that. But once that master plan is approved, that will be our main reference in building new structures,” said Dela Rosa.
According to him, P30 million has been allotted for the park’s maintenance expenses this year, almost thrice its budget during the previous city administration.
The park raises around P50 million in revenues annually, mostly from parking fees and the rent coming from restaurants and vending stalls. Entrance to the Circle remains free. Among the park’s mainstays are 62 stalls selling ornamental plants and flowers. Most of them, said Dela Rosa, had come from the Manila Seedling Bank, which was shuttered in 2013 for lack of a permit.
Daily exercise classes
For those who want to join zumba or aerobics sessions, there are classes held daily at the garden gazebo starting at 6 a.m.
Over the last few years, however, museums have become the park’s newest attractions, including the Quezon City Experience Museum built in 2015 and the Museo ng Demokrasyang Pilipino in 2019.
In August 2018, the NHCP inaugurated its Presidential Car Museum on what used to be the basketball and volleyball courts. The museum which stands on a 3,000-sqm lot houses the official cars of past Philippine presidents.
But Dela Rosa maintains that despite having more than 100 structures and stalls inside the park, 70 percent of its total land area remains open spaces.
“Every structure here must be related to former President Quezon or the city’s history,” he said. “We have the Quezon Heritage House, which is the actual house of the Quezon family in New Manila. The World Peace Bell and the Philippine-Israel Friendship Park are special markers in honor of Quezon.”Stalls, on the other hand, must offer or promote local products and culture.
“They say we are turning the park into a concrete jungle, but we have to create parking spaces and cemented walkways for park-goers,” he added. “That’s why the focus of the new master plan is to have more greenery.”
It has been a longstanding vision for the city, said Dela Rosa, who has been with city hall for 42 years. When he started working for the city government at 19 years old, there were no trees in QMC.
As head of the city’s parks development and administration, he saw it slowly turn into a green space over the years.
Once the talks between the city, DOTr and MRT 7 stakeholders were finalized, Dela Rosa vowed to finish the master plan that would make QMC a “world-class national park.”
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1233364/master-plan-for-quezon-memorial-circle-on-hold-due-to-mrt-7-construction
Monday, February 24, 2020
More firms eye bidding for Manila subway contracts
By Arjay L. Balinbin
Reporter
MORE Japanese and local companies have shown their interest in two contracts under the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project which will be bid out in mid-March.
BusinessWorld learned last week that as of Feb. 13, four Japanese firms, namely: Sumitomo Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co. Ltd., and Marubeni Corp., have purchased bidding documents for the contract to provide electrical and mechanical (E&M) systems and track works as part of the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project.
Two Philippine-based firms — construction giant D.M. Consunji, Inc. and KDDI Philippines Corp. — also bought bidding documents for the E&M systems and track works contract package.
The Transportation department said Hitachi Ltd., along with Sumitomo and Mitsubishi, bought bid documents “for the design, execution and completion of 30 train sets consisting of eight electric multiple units” or a total of 240 train cars.
Sumitomo is one of the maintenance service providers of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), along with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. and TES Philippines, Inc.
D.M. Consunji has been involved in various railway projects in the country, which include the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 North Extension, North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), and LRT Line 2 East Extension with Marubeni.
Marubeni’s other projects in the country include the improvement and modernization of Commuter Line South Project and the first and second phases of the LRT-1 capacity expansion project.
The contracts for the E&M systems, track works and rolling stock for the Metro Manila subway will go through international competitive bidding in accordance with bidding procedures of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Citing the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) of Japanese ODA Loans, the Transportation department said the primary contractor should be from Japan while sub-contractors can be from other countries.
“If the prime contractor is a joint venture, such joint venture will be eligible provided that the lead partner is Japan,” it added.
The subway is one of the administration’s flagship developments funded by Japan official development assistance (ODA).
According to a bulletin published in newspapers on Dec. 24, 2019, the DoTr said bids for the train sets should be submitted on March 17, 2020 along with a ¥600-million bid security at the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM-PS) in Manila.
For E&M systems and track works, the DoTr set a March 24, 2020 deadline for submission of bids, along with an ¥800-million bid security.
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan previously said the trains and electro-mechanical systems contracts will be awarded to the winning bidders “by the middle of this year.”
The first phase of the subway project covers three packages, namely: rolling stock; E&M system and track works; as well as the first three underground stations (Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, North Avenue), tunnels and depot construction, depot equipment and buildings.
In March 2018, the Philippines and Japan signed the first tranche of the P355.6-billion loan for the subway project.
While the public will have to wait until 2025 for full operations of the 36-kilometer subway, the government targets partial operations — covering the first three stations — by 2021. The government broke ground for the first three stations in February 2019.
The completed subway system will have 15 stations between Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City. It will also link up with Metro Manila’s other railways at the common station being built along North Avenue in Quezon City.
https://www.bworldonline.com/more-firms-eye-bidding-for-manila-subway-contracts/
Reporter
MORE Japanese and local companies have shown their interest in two contracts under the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project which will be bid out in mid-March.
BusinessWorld learned last week that as of Feb. 13, four Japanese firms, namely: Sumitomo Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co. Ltd., and Marubeni Corp., have purchased bidding documents for the contract to provide electrical and mechanical (E&M) systems and track works as part of the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project.
Two Philippine-based firms — construction giant D.M. Consunji, Inc. and KDDI Philippines Corp. — also bought bidding documents for the E&M systems and track works contract package.
The Transportation department said Hitachi Ltd., along with Sumitomo and Mitsubishi, bought bid documents “for the design, execution and completion of 30 train sets consisting of eight electric multiple units” or a total of 240 train cars.
Sumitomo is one of the maintenance service providers of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), along with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. and TES Philippines, Inc.
D.M. Consunji has been involved in various railway projects in the country, which include the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 North Extension, North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), and LRT Line 2 East Extension with Marubeni.
Marubeni’s other projects in the country include the improvement and modernization of Commuter Line South Project and the first and second phases of the LRT-1 capacity expansion project.
The contracts for the E&M systems, track works and rolling stock for the Metro Manila subway will go through international competitive bidding in accordance with bidding procedures of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Citing the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) of Japanese ODA Loans, the Transportation department said the primary contractor should be from Japan while sub-contractors can be from other countries.
“If the prime contractor is a joint venture, such joint venture will be eligible provided that the lead partner is Japan,” it added.
The subway is one of the administration’s flagship developments funded by Japan official development assistance (ODA).
According to a bulletin published in newspapers on Dec. 24, 2019, the DoTr said bids for the train sets should be submitted on March 17, 2020 along with a ¥600-million bid security at the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM-PS) in Manila.
For E&M systems and track works, the DoTr set a March 24, 2020 deadline for submission of bids, along with an ¥800-million bid security.
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan previously said the trains and electro-mechanical systems contracts will be awarded to the winning bidders “by the middle of this year.”
The first phase of the subway project covers three packages, namely: rolling stock; E&M system and track works; as well as the first three underground stations (Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, North Avenue), tunnels and depot construction, depot equipment and buildings.
In March 2018, the Philippines and Japan signed the first tranche of the P355.6-billion loan for the subway project.
While the public will have to wait until 2025 for full operations of the 36-kilometer subway, the government targets partial operations — covering the first three stations — by 2021. The government broke ground for the first three stations in February 2019.
The completed subway system will have 15 stations between Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City. It will also link up with Metro Manila’s other railways at the common station being built along North Avenue in Quezon City.
https://www.bworldonline.com/more-firms-eye-bidding-for-manila-subway-contracts/
NLEX extension to España eyed in 2021
NLEX Corp. said it expects to complete the first section of an elevated expressway from Caloocan to España Boulevard in Manila by 2021.
“As you know we have already awarded the contract to DMCI. The notice to proceed was awarded last month, and we are already mobilizing,” NLEX president Luigi Bautista told reporters.
NLEX awarded to D.M. Consunji Inc. in November last year the P8-billion contract to build the first section of the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road. The section will span from Caloocan Interchange to España Boulevard.
“The full-blast construction will start next month, and they will bring heavy and big equipment on the side. Necessary equipment will be used for board piling. The intention is to complete the project next year,” Luigi said.
Bautista said the company would also bid out the contract for the second section of the project from España to PUP Sta. Mesa where it would meet the Skyway Stage 3 which is a part of the South Luzon Expressway.
“I cannot name the bidders for the moment, but there were 6 or 7. They are being evaluated, if they are qualified to bid,” Bautista said.
The P23.3-billion NLEX-SLEX Connector Road is an eight-kilometer elevated four-lane expressway extending NLEX southward from the end of Segment 10 on C3 Road Caloocan City to PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila and connecting to Skyway Stage 3 by mostly traversing the PNR rail track.
The project includes two interchanges at C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan and España in Manila.
A crucial infrastructure needed to resolve traffic congestion in Metro Manila, the NLEX Connector is also expected to stimulate economic development in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas and their surrounding areas.
The project will reduce travel time from SLEX to NLEX from two hours to just 20 minutes. Some 35,000 motorists are expected to use the project.
It will also reduce the travel time from Clark in Pampaga to Calamba, Laguna from about three hours to one hour and 40 minutes.
https://manilastandard.net/business/biz-plus/318025/nlex-extension-to-espa-a-eyed-in-2021.html
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