MANILA, Philippines, August 11, 2014 (STAR) - Infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) vowed to comply with the decision of the Supreme Court with regards to the final location of the proposed P1.4 billion common station connecting the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) systems.
MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said it has adopted a neutral position on the location of the common train station that is subject to a tug-of-war by two of its major business partners.
“We are partners with them. The SM Group is with us in the tollways business while Ayala is with us in LRT1 and the single ticketing system. So we are neutral,” Pangilinan said.
The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) as well as the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) from transferring the location of the train station to Trinoma Mall of property giant Ayala Land and SM City North EDSA of mall and banking giant Henry Sy.
Pangilinan said the company is open to both locations and would abide by the decision of the high tribunal as to the final site of the train station that would house the LRT1, MRT3, and MRT7 of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC).
“We are agnostic whether where it is located. It is either in SM, Trinoma or somewhere in between. We are just interested in the train system. If the Supreme Court tells us move here then we will move there,” he said.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The legal battle has put on hold the issuance of the Notice of Award to the MPIC-led Light Rail Manila Consortium that offered P9.35 billion to undertake the P65 billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project.
The TRO issued by the Supreme Court has tied the hands of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) from issuing the final green light for the public private partnership (PPP) project.
MPIC Light Rail Corp. leads the Light Rail Manila Consortium with 55 percent followed by AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. of conglomerate Ayala Corp. with 35 percent, and Macquaire Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. with 10 percent.
Pangilinan said the company would abide by the decision of the Supreme Court on the final location of the train station.
“The common station being in Trinoma is part of the terms of reference of the bid. I doubt whether unless that issue is resolved by the Supreme Court, the DOTC will award the project since it could be cited for contempt,” he added.
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya has proposed the construction of a “mini” train station that would house LRT1, MRT3 and MRT7 in front of SM City North EDSA apart from the common station in front of Trinoma Mall that would serve LRT1 and MRT3 as a “win-win” solution to the legal battle.
MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said it has adopted a neutral position on the location of the common train station that is subject to a tug-of-war by two of its major business partners.
“We are partners with them. The SM Group is with us in the tollways business while Ayala is with us in LRT1 and the single ticketing system. So we are neutral,” Pangilinan said.
The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) as well as the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) from transferring the location of the train station to Trinoma Mall of property giant Ayala Land and SM City North EDSA of mall and banking giant Henry Sy.
Pangilinan said the company is open to both locations and would abide by the decision of the high tribunal as to the final site of the train station that would house the LRT1, MRT3, and MRT7 of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC).
“We are agnostic whether where it is located. It is either in SM, Trinoma or somewhere in between. We are just interested in the train system. If the Supreme Court tells us move here then we will move there,” he said.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The legal battle has put on hold the issuance of the Notice of Award to the MPIC-led Light Rail Manila Consortium that offered P9.35 billion to undertake the P65 billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project.
The TRO issued by the Supreme Court has tied the hands of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) from issuing the final green light for the public private partnership (PPP) project.
MPIC Light Rail Corp. leads the Light Rail Manila Consortium with 55 percent followed by AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. of conglomerate Ayala Corp. with 35 percent, and Macquaire Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. with 10 percent.
Pangilinan said the company would abide by the decision of the Supreme Court on the final location of the train station.
“The common station being in Trinoma is part of the terms of reference of the bid. I doubt whether unless that issue is resolved by the Supreme Court, the DOTC will award the project since it could be cited for contempt,” he added.
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya has proposed the construction of a “mini” train station that would house LRT1, MRT3 and MRT7 in front of SM City North EDSA apart from the common station in front of Trinoma Mall that would serve LRT1 and MRT3 as a “win-win” solution to the legal battle.
No comments:
Post a Comment