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.

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)

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/

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/

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

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

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

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/

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

NLEX Harbor Link Malabon Exit open to motorists

The entire 2.6-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is expected to open by March 2020

The Malabon Exit of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link C3-R10 section opened to motorists on Friday, February 21.

The Malabon Exit is an alternate route for those from the northern provinces bound for the Port Area, as well as to Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela (Camanava). It starts from the Caloocan Interchange in Caloocan City to Radial Road 10 (R-10) in Navotas City, and passes through Karuhatan in Valenzuela City and Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City.

The entire 2.6-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is expected to open by March 2020, cutting travel time from NLEX to Camanava from an hour to 10 minutes.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said that about 30,000 motorists are expected to benefit from the new tollway once it opens in March.

"About 30,000 motorists per day will stand to benefit from this new road once the entire Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is fully completed, helping reduce travel time for the traffic-weary public, providing more turnaround trips for the trucking sector, and growing businesses for merchants and local communities," Villar said.

Concessionaire NLEX Corporation president and general manager Luigi Bautista said they agreed to fast-track the opening of the Malabon Exit ahead of the entire section to help alleviate traffic congestion in the area.

"We are cognizant of the government's desire to find quick solutions to the traffic problem in Metro Manila. That is why aside from expediting the completion of the entire project, we have also rationalized our construction sequence and resource planning to accommodate the early opening of this Malabon Exit," Bautista said.

The C3-R10 section is the second phase of the NLEX Harbor Link tollway project that seeks to ease congestion in major Metro Manila roads bound for the Port Area.

The first phase, Segment 10, a 5.65-kilometer elevated tollway, opened February last year.

The next phase is the 8.35-kilometer Segment 8.2 which would connect Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, cutting travel time from 45 minutes to 10 minutes. Construction is set to start this year.

NLEX Corporation, formerly the Manila North Tollways Corporation, is the builder and concessionaire of the NLEX. It also operates the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

NLEX Corporation is a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, which in turn is a subsidiary of conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corporation. – Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/business/252417-nlex-harbor-link-malabon-exit-open

NLEX Harbor Link Malabon Exit opens to motorists

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – The Malabon Exit of the C3-R10 Section of the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is now open to motorists.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark A. Villar led on Friday the inaugural drive-through for the formal opening of Malabon Exit, which reduces the travel time from North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to Malabon, Caloocan, and Navotas to 10 minutes from the usual 30 minutes to almost one hour due to the daily traffic gridlock in these areas.

With Villar during the inaugural ride were NLEX Corp. officials led by president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III, and Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan.

Villar said some 30,000 motorists per day would benefit from the new road once the entire Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is completed, helping reduce travel time for the traffic-weary public, providing more turnaround trips for the trucking sector, and growing businesses for merchants and local communities.

“In the meantime, we are opening this new Malabon Exit to provide immediate relief from the daily bumper-to-bumper traffic in the Camanava area, especially along the C3 Road. The entire 2.6-km. C3-R10 Section will be operational by March,” he said.

Bautista, on the other hand, said the NLEX Corp. is committed to supporting the government’s aim to alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila through high-impact infrastructure projects, such as the NLEX Harbor Link, which improves commuter mobility between airports, seaports, and growth corridors in both the north and south.

He said the tollway company decided to open the Malabon Exit a month before the whole NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is completed in response to the clamor of motorists for immediate relief from heavy traffic along the Camanava area.

"The partnership of NLEX and DPWH is forever and the opening of this NLEX Harbor Link Malabon Exit is anticipated for public use," Bautista said.

The Malabon Exit is part of the 2.6-km. elevated NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section between the new Caloocan Interchange in C3 Road, Caloocan City to Radial Road 10, Navotas City, connecting the previously opened 5.65-km. NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 that traverses Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and 5th Avenue/C3 Road, Caloocan City.

Aside from significantly easing up the daily traffic congestion and serving as an alternative route to Dagat-Dagatan Avenue, the Malabon Exit also aims to open up development potentials in the area.

“This new Malabon Exit also ignited optimism for the future of the City of Malabon. We are happy with the opening of the Malabon Exit, which will definitely decongest traffic and improve the accessibility of our city from those coming from the North and Central Luzon areas,” Oreta said.

The NLEX Harbor Link is one of the high-impact projects of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Also present during the event were Navotas Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo, Malabon Vice Mayor Bernard dela Cruz, and some DPWH and NLEX officials.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1094497

SMC open to new design of MRT-7 in Quezon Memorial Circle

San Miguel Corp. said Wednesday it is open to a revision of the design of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7  station in  Quezon Memorial Circle following the suspension order issued by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

The private proponent also expressed optimism the Transportation Department and the Quezon City government would soon resolve the design issue.

Belmonte ordered the suspension of construction of the QMC station on Tuesday, saying it would “affect the landmark’s identity as a national heritage park.” 

She also called for a “win-win” solution to protect open spaces and advance the welfare of commuters.

San Miguel assured it would cooperate with stakeholders to deliver the project with minimal delays, even with a possible redesign of the station’s above-ground structure which would be finalized with the DOTR.

“The resolution of issues is really up to DOTR as main proponent, and the LGU. For us, while the order is a setback, we will do everything we can to make sure we keep to the timetable, and at the same time take into account the mayor’s concerns. This includes revisions to the design,” said SMC president Ramon Ang.

Ang said most of the works at the Quezon Circle were underground and that no major above-ground structure was built yet.

He said the design of the above-ground station was still being finalized with DOTR. The QC LGU expressed concerns over the original design, which was approved by the previous local administration.

The MRT7 project, classified as a national infrastructure project, suffered several delays from the time of the signing of the concession agreement in 2008.  When SMC finally took over the project in 2016, construction officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

It was further delayed by right-of-way issues. As of February 2020, the entire project was over 50-percent complete.

MRT7 is composed of 14 stations and aims to cut travel time from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to 35 minutes. It is seen to serve 850,000 commuters daily once it becomes operational.

https://manilastandard.net/business/biz-plus/317725/smc-open-to-new-design-of-mrt-7-in-quezon-memorial-circle.html