I-ACT revived to confront traffic crisis

Anticipating the Christmas rush and the pledged infrastructure projects that could further slow down traffic, the government has reactivated the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) to lay down plans to address the traffic problem in the metropolis.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the I-ACT will focus on five “Es” of traffic management: enforcement, education, environment, engineering and economics.

The original members of I-ACT: Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office will be joined by Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metro Manila mayors who compose the Metro Manila Council, the Liga ng mga Barangay ng Pilipinas, and then Department of Interior and Local Government.

“Our priority program on addressing traffic is infrastructure, and provision of efficient transport integrated system. Projects underway are to put up trains, subway, integrated transport terminals, education and enforcement of traffic rules. We will enforce them with discipline and unity,” said Tugade.

Tugade said they are still waiting for the passage of the emergency powers that seek to present more plans on how to address the traffic crisis not just in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country.

MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said they can share the problems of traffic management with other agencies.

“Traffic woes cannot be solved by one agency alone, not just MMDA which always gets the blame. Now we have lead organization that will be in charge of coordinating, controlling, giving of direction through integrated plans and programs in an integrated approach,” said Lim, citing that he is positive that the umbrella organization will make a difference in addressing traffic problems.

Lim said among the concrete programs lined up this holiday season are setting up of shoppers lanes, dialogue with mall owners on regulation of night time deliveries, implementation of no weekday sale, moratorium on road diggings.

The new i-ACT components will cover the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal.

DOTr Undersecretary Tim Orbos said the revival of I-ACT will focus on alleviating traffic congestion on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City caused by construction of Metro Rail Transit 7.

Aside from traffic management, i-ACT will conduct intensified operations against illegal parking, colorum and out-of-line vehicles, and illegal terminals along major thoroughfares.

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/09/06/i-act-revived-to-confront-traffic-crisis/

Subway from Mindanao Avenue to NAIA now for Duterte’s approval

The Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) – Phase I is now for approval of President Rodrigo Duterte who chairs the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board. This is after NEDA Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC) approved the said project on September 5.

NEDA said the subway line will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City and will terminate at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Paranaque City.

The project’s initial investment requirement is estimated at PHP355.6 billion, which is higher from the previous projection of PHP227 billion.

“The first phase of the MMSP will not only ease traffic in Metro Manila but also improve the quality of life of Filipinos. For one, carbon emissions will be reduced. And, with greater mobility, people can spend more time on things that matter to them,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.


The entire MMSP is envisioned to start from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to Dasmarinas City, Cavite.

“The project also involves the construction of a 28-hectare training center and depot, as well as and other related facilities. Implementation period is from 2018 to mid-2025,” NEDA said.

NEDA OKs P355.6-billion metro subway project

A project that will build the country's first subway system is now one step behind construction after a government body approved it for implementation by 2018, the National Economic and Development Authority said on Wednesday.

The P355.6-billion Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1 has been approved by NEDA's Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), which evaluates big-ticket infrastructure projects worth at least P1 billion.

It will now go to the NEDA Board, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, for final evaluation and approval, after which it can be bid out.

"The first phase of the (project) will not only ease traffic in Metro Manila, but also improve the quality of life of Filipinos," Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia was quoted as saying in a statement.

"For one, carbon emissions will be reduced and with greater mobility, people can spend more time on things that matter to them," he added.

The project will run from Quirino Highway, in Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City. It was first conceived in 2015 under the previous administration and whose initial studies were conducted by Japan.

While full government approval may be secured soon, it's impact on traffic will only be felt by 2025 when construction, targeted to begin 2018, is expected to have already completed.

Currently, the Philippines does not have a subway system but rely on three elevated railways in Metro Manila, the center of business and economy.

Of the three railways, Light Rail Transit lines 1 and 2 are both operating below daily capacity, but the busier Metro Rail Transit 3—which 560,000 passengers are riding daily—are way beyond its daily limit of 380,000.

Meanwhile, data show LRT-1 has an average of 440,000 daily passengers against a 640,000-capacity. LRT-2 has the smallest passenger volume of 217,000 against 570,000 capacity.

Aside from the Metro Manila subway, the government is also building the first railway in Mindanao starting next year. The first phase of the project will cost P120 billion.

Meanwhile, NEDA-ICC also approved the use of hybrid public-private partnership scheme for the construction of new airport in Clark, Pampanga.

This means the government will build the project and transfer it to a private consortium for operations after.

The ICC also approved P3.5-billion Lower Agno River Irrigation project amounting to P3.5 billion.

The project will cover the development of new service area and rehabilitation of the Lower Agno River, with a combined total of 12,650 hectares service area.

Mega Manila subway to partially open within Duterte term

The capital's first ever subway system will be partially opened before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down on June 30, 2022, one of his economic managers said Wednesday.

The $5 billion subway, which will connect Quezon City in the north to the Taguig financial district in the south, is scheduled for completion in 2024.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government would "make sure" 10 to 12 stations would open within Duterte's term.

Construction will begin by 2019 or early 2020, he said.

The subway is one of major projects under "Dutertenomics," the President's ambitious plan to build P8 trillion in new railways, roads and airports to help spur economic growth.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/06/17/mega-manila-subway-to-partially-open-within-duterte-term

Metro Pacific proposes P700-M Cavitex upgrade

METRO PACIFIC Tollways South Corp.  (MPTSC) is set to spend about P700 million to enhance the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) with the aim of reducing congestion.

“We have this Cavitex enhancement project. It has three components,” MPTSC President Luigi L. Bautista told reporters in an interview.

Mr. Bautista said the project will involve additional lanes, a flyover, and road improvements in the area of Pacific Drive, and that the MPTSC has submitted the plan for evaluation by the Tolls Regulatory Board. The project will take about eight months to complete once approved.

“We are adding one lane in each direction. Number two is we’re building a flyover southbound along the carriageway. The reason for that flyover is that the left-turning traffic, if you are coming from the south coming from Pacific Drive, you won’t have to stop… We will remove the traffic light. We will be improving Pacific Drive, that small stretch from R1 to Macapagal [Avenue]. I think that’s about 300 meters, so we want to improve the road, the surface there,” Mr. Bautista said.

Mr. Bautista said that there are about 140,000 transactions in Cavitex each day, from the 90,000 recorded when the company took over the operations and maintenance through a government concession.

“We’re averaging about 140,000 transactions a day. When we took over in January 2014, the traffic was at about 90,000 only. It continues to grow. That’s why a lot of motorists, during peak hours in the morning and in the evening [experience a] really long queue [particularly] at the Parañaque toll plaza,” he said.

Mr. Bautista added: “If you add lanes, you will have additional area to be used by the motorists.”

Mr. Bautista said that there will be an increase in toll fees once the project is completed.

“Part of the investment proposal is to tuck in the recovery of the investment in the toll [fees],” Mr. Bautista said.

Cavitex is a 14-kilometer expressway along Bacoor Bay south of Roxas Boulevard which exits to Bacoor City and Kawit.

MPTSC is a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

http://bworldonline.com/metro-pacific-proposes-p700-m-cavitex-upgrade/