Subic-Clark Railway project up for Duterte’s go-signal

Economic managers have approved the P50-billion Subic-Clark Railway project that would not only connect the two industrial hubs in Central Luzon but also eventually be part of the larger network of rails connecting major seaports in Luzon island.

The project was approved during last Friday’s National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee meeting, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III told reporters late Friday.

As such, it would be next for approval by the Neda board, chaired by the President.

Railway network

Dominguez noted that once completed, the project would be part of the railway network connecting Subic, Manila and Batangas, which host busy ports.

Besides the Subic-Clark Railway, also to be rolled out are rail systems connecting Clark to Malolos City, Bulacan to Manila, and to the Bicol Region through Laguna and Batangas provinces.

Neda Undersecretary Rolando Tungpalan told the Inquirer on Saturday that the Subic-Clark Railway would be financed by the Chinese government.

The Department of Finance earlier said China might provide a $947.64-million loan to roll out the railway system.

Memo of understanding

Last November, Dominguez and the Chinese commerce vice minister and international trade representative, Fu Ziying, signed a memorandum of understanding “to jointly identify and study an indicative list consisting of the second basket of key infrastructure cooperation projects for possible Chinese financing,” which besides the Subic-Clark Railway also included the Davao City Expressway, as well as the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Inter-Island Bridge.

The first basket of infrastructure projects to be funded by China included the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam.

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DOTr: Better MRT 3 service coming in February

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) assured long-suffering Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) passengers of an improvement in service starting next month as brand-new spare parts for the aging train system begin arriving.

“Many of the spare parts intended to increase MRT 3’s reliability have been ordered as of Dec. 29. With delivery lead times of 30 days to 6 months, delivery of critical components will begin in February, and restoration of service reliability is expected to begin toward the latter part of February and gradually thereafter,” the DOTr said in a statement on Saturday.

It apologized to those affected by the electrical fire that broke out in one train on Friday, leading to the unloading of around 600 passengers and the disruption of services for nearly an hour.

Soonest time possible

“Fault analysis is ongoing, and in the interest of accuracy and transparency, DOTr has directed MRT 3 management to release to the public their technical findings at the soonest possible time,” it said.

According to DOTr, it fully supports the MRT 3 management’s efforts to ensure the train system operates safely.

“The DOTr appeals to the riding public’s understanding while it pushes ahead, in the most expeditious manner, strategies and actions to effectively and sustainably restore and rehabilitate the current MRT 3 system — a system that has deteriorated due to cumulative errors in policy and operational decisions made across several administrations,” it added.

The DOTr said the purchase of spare parts was just the next step after government took over maintenance of the MRT 3 from a private contractor.

The MRT 3 Maintenance Transition Team (MTT) is supposed to oversee the train’s maintenance for three to six months until a replacement maintenance service provider can be found.

DOTr-Japan agreement

The DOTr also referred to an agreement with Japan in which the latter expressed its commitment to help rehabilitate and properly maintain the MRT 3 starting in May.

Japan was also asked to ensure that the maintenance provider it would nominate was “highly qualified and with a proven track record.”

The DOTr earlier said it would be pursuing an unsolicited proposal for the 30-year operation and maintenance of MRT 3 from Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. The proposal would soon be endorsed to the National Economic and Development Agency.

The entire MRT 3 system is undergoing an independent audit and assessment by TUV Rheinland to give DOTr more inputs and guidance on the interventions needed to rehabilitate and restore its reliability.

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MPTC to raise P35 billion for 2 projects

METRO PACIFIC Tollways Corp. (MPTC) plans to raise P35 billion during the first quarter to fund its Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) and the C-5 South Link project.

“For C-5 South Link and CALAX, we expect to have financial close in the first quarter,” MPTC chief financial officer Christopher Daniel C. Lizo told reporters in a recent interview.

Mr. Lizo said the tollways arm of the Metro Pacific group allotted P11 billion for South Link and around P25 billion for CALAX .

MPTC earlier said it is planning to spend P10 billion this year for its projects located in the south of Metro Manila, including CALAX and South Link.

In June 2017, the Metro Pacific group broke ground on the P35.43-billion CALAX project, which involves the construction of a 44.6-kilometer four-lane toll road between the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) in Kawit, Cavite and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) — Mamplasan Interchange.

MPCALA Holdings, Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific, received the notice of award for the 35-year contract to build, operate, and maintain the planned expressway on June 8, 2015, but right-of-way issues for the project site delayed the start of construction.

MPCALA tapped DM Consunji, Inc. for the construction of the Laguna segment, and Leighton, a unit of Australia’s CIMIC Group Ltd., formerly Leighton Holdings, for the Cavite segment.

CALAX is scheduled to open in 2020 or early 2021, but Metro Pacific may open some portions ahead.

The C-5 South Link Expressway is a 7.7-kilometer, six-lane project which will connect C-5 road to Cavitex. The first phase of the project, worth P2.5 billion and covering 2.2 kilometers including a flyover above the SLEx and Skyway from C-5 Road in Taguig to Merville in Sucat, Parañaque, is now under construction.

The whole alignment of the C-5 South Link will be operational in 2020, but will be opened in phases starting next year.

DOTr to pursue unsolicited proposal for MRT-3 maintenance, operation

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pursuing an unsolicited proposal for the 30-year operation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit-3 to end the blame game associated with the repeated breakdowns of the MRT-3’s rolling stocks.

“Many of MRT-3’s problems in recent years resulted from successive short-term and fragmented maintenance contracts, and from finger-pointing due to having different entities maintaining and operating MRT-3,” the DOTr said in a statement over the weekend.

“DOTr is addressing this by pursuing an unsolicited proposal for the 30-year operation and maintenance of MRT-3. Original proponent status has been given to the proponent, Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., and the proposal will be soon endorsed to NEDA,” it added.

The DOTr also said it has formalized an arrangement with Japan for assistance in rehabilitating and maintaining the MRT-3, with the government of Japan nominating a service provider that “must be highly qualified and with a proven track record.”

The agency also apologized for the a smoke emitted from one of the seats of an MRT-3 train on Friday afternoon, causing the unloading of 600 passengers who had to walk along the sides of the railway to the nearest stations. The incident happened between the Cubao and Kamuning stations.

“The DOTr expresses sincere apologies to those who were affected and inconvenienced by the recent smoke incident,” the DOTr said.

“Fault analysis is ongoing and in the interest of accuracy and transparency, DOTr has directed MRT-3 management to release to the public their technical findings at the soonest possible time,” it added.

The former maintenance provider for the MRT-3, Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI), said DOTr must stop blaming other parties and take full responsibility over the recent problems experienced by the MRT-3.

“DOTr fails to recall the fact that when they hurriedly took over the maintenance of the MRT3, it was an operational and safe MRT3. They failed to organize a transition team, composed of experienced rail engineers, to ensure the continuing safety and efficient maintenance of the MRT3,” BURI said.

“Is it not obvious that under BURI’s watch, such incidents like the uncoupling of trains on the mainline never happened?” the company added.

Roque defends Duterte’s ‘no public bidding’ policy in big projects

ILOILO CITY — Claiming that there was no “honest-to-goodness bidding” in government projects, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque defended President Rodrigo Duterte on the elimination of competitive public bidding in government projects.

But Roque said there was no need for the President to issue an executive order mandating the use of the Swiss challenge system in the implementation of awarding government projects as this would only apply to “big ticket” projects.

Roque said the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law is the basis for adopting the Swiss challenge system.

Under the Swiss challenge system, unsolicited proposals for a project from a private firm can be matched or improved by third parties. The original proponent can counter the proposal or also offer an improved one.

The President earlier said the he would to scrap the bidding process for government projects claiming that these caused delays in the project completion and bred corruption.

“Let’s just say the President has had it with continuous corruption in government contracts,” Roque said on Sunday during a press briefing conducted on the sidelines of the Dinagyang Festival.

“Please remember that the President for almost three decades was a mayor, was three-term congressman,” he added. “Alam naman niya iyong hocus-pocus na nangyayari diyan sa mga government bidding na ‘yan. Sa totoo lang kaya may ‘tongpats’, kasi wala namang honest-to-goodness bidding na nangyayari. Kasi kung talagang may lowest bidder diyan, walang kita.”

[He knows the hocos-pocus that happens in government biddings. In reality, there is overpricing because there is no honest-to-goodness bidding. No one earns, if there is really a lowest bidder.]

But Roque said the Swiss challenge system is being applied to the reconstruction of the war-ravaged Marawi City.

“The President is exploring an alternative that is still lawful. And if it proves to be better than the current system, he will move at the right time for the to be amended,” Roque said. /atm



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Duterte: No more public bidding on big projects

DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he wanted to eliminate the bidding process for public work projects because it has only caused delays in the completion of government projects and bred corruption.

“So henceforth, all projects of the Philippines would be something like a ‘Swiss challenge.’ If I want [a] building, if I want a highway, if I want railroads built, I’ll show to you (contractors) where it is. There would be an open space for everybody,” the President said.

Under the Swiss challenge system, a government agency that receives an unsolicited proposal for a project from a private group invites third parties to match or offer a better proposal. The original project proponent would be allowed to match that counterbid or improve on it.

Current procurement law

The current procurement law directs the government to bid out its public works or services projects and the lowest bidder normally is awarded the contract.

“I’m telling everybody, I’m telling Congress, COA (Commission on Audit) and the Supreme Court … that policy of lowest bid … was the one that dragged us into corruption,” Mr. Duterte said. “The country would never have a respite because of that.”

The President lamented the operation of syndicates that he said rigged the bidding for government projects and bribed officials to make money. The result, he said, would be either a substandard or an unfinished project.

Mr. Duterte said the Swiss challenge process would be acceptable to “straight people in the government.”

‘Group of idiots’

This would also stop unscrupulous contractors, which he described as a “group of idiots going around just playing golf,” referring to the favored venue where corrupt businessmen concluded their deals.

“That syndicate, they just wait and go their lowest. The true blue contractors are in good faith,” he said.

He warned public works contractors that he would not tolerate excessive delays in their projects and bring them to court if they were delinquent.

He said he was directing the Department of Public Works and Highways to tell contractors to speed up existing projects.

Mr. Duterte said he would only allow, at most, a one-month delay under the principle of slippage, otherwise he would give the project to another group and sue the erring contractor.

Prompt payment

He promised those who completed their work correctly and without corruption that they would be rewarded with prompt payment by the government—within 15 days from finishing the job.

The President said he wanted contractors to tell him what was causing any delay so that he could himself deal with the problem which could include bureaucratic paperwork.

‘I will release it’

“You just tell me. If somebody asks you (for money), tell me, I’ll get the papers for you. I will tell the department secretary or the bureau director,  ‘Give the papers to me. I will release it,’” the President said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson agreed with the President in favoring the Swiss challenge procurement method, saying the current bidding process “leaves a lot to be desired.”

“President Duterte may have a point,” Lacson said in a text message to the Inquirer. “Aside from delays caused by the bidding process, there is no guarantee that end-user agencies get the best quality in the goods and services delivered by winning contractors and suppliers.”

‘Ubiquitous’

He said that fast-deteriorating infrastructure projects and substandard materials from government suppliers have become so “ubiquitous” that Filipinos were no longer enraged by such malpractice.

“Worse, we have yet to hear a contractor and supplier being jailed for substandard projects and supplies,” Lacson said.

Over the past two decades, several major infrastructure projects have been completed and others were undergoing construction following the Swiss challenge method.

These include Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co., Inc.; the NLEx-SLEx Connector road by Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC) and its subsidiary, Manila North Tollways Corp.; the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan power plant by the Argentinian company Impsa; the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 by San Miguel Corp. and the Cebu-Mactan toll bridge by MPTDC. —With reports from Leila B. Salaverria, Jocelyn R. Uy and Inquirer Research

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Gov’t OKs higher cost of metro subway project

The rollout of the country’s first underground railway system moved a step closer after economic managers approved on Friday the increase in the cost of the Metro Manila Subway project.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority chief Ernesto M. Pernia said the project cost of the first phase of the subway was raised by P1.38 billion to P356.96 billion from P355.59 billion previously.

The adjustment in project cost was approved during the Neda Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC CabCom) meeting.

In a text message, Neda Undersecretary Rolando G. Tungpalan said the 0.36-percent hike in project cost “included relocation of utilities not considered earlier.”

The increase, he said, reflected an appraisal by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Last week, Tungpalan said the Department of Transportation will start next year the implementation of the Metro Manila Subway Project (Phase 1), a 25.3-kilometer underground rail that would connect Quezon City and Taguig City and extend to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The subway, to be financed by the Japanese government, would be completed by 2027, he said.

The Department of Finance earlier said the Philippine government was set to sign this month with Japan the loan agreement covering the first tranche of financing for the subway project.



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DPWH resumes Mindanao Avenue extension project

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has resumed work on the Mindanao Avenue extension project that will connect North Caloocan to Quezon City and the North Luzon Expressway.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said the project started during the term of former president Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s, but it took decades because of road right-of-way problems.

Villar said the construction of the 1.7-kilometer road improvement is being fast-tracked to help ease traffic gridlocks in the metropolis.

Once operational, he said the eight-lane Mindanao Avenue extension would significantly reduce travel time from Caloocan to Quezon City.

The project is 30 percent completed, the DPWH said.

Villar said they target to finish the project by the end of the year.

The road Segment 2C of the project covers drainage, slope protection and street lighting components.

“The 1.7-kilometer road improvement is the missing gap of a 3.2-km road network. It’s about time we are able to maximize the entire alignment,” Villar said.

GOOD NEWS: The construction of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX) is now at 60% COMPLETION!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) instructed its concessionaire, Megawide-Waltermart (MWM), to mobilize more human and capital resources to meet its target completion date by APRIL 2018. The fast tracking of Parañaque ITX’s project implementation commenced upon the instruction of DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, immediately after the receipt of the ‘Notice to Proceed’ which happened during the CURRENT administration.

MRT-7 construction along North Avenue begins, heavy traffic expected

Construction of the 1st phase of MRT-7 along North Avenue began at 11 in the evening, Monday.

The contractor, EEI Corporation, will start the installation of barriers on one of the lanes of North Avenue in front of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC).

Authorities are now advising the public to expect heavier traffic flow on North Avenue and nearby areas in the following days.

To address this, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has designated alternate routes for motorists.

They may ply Mindanao Avenue, Visayas Avenue and Quezon Avenue to avoid the traffic congestion that may result during the construction of MRT-7 along North Avenue.

The project’s contractor said the completion of three segments of MRT-7 along North Avenue may take one year.

Alternative North Ave. route for the weekend out

By Anna Liza Villas-Alavaren

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said construction activities for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7 will reduce lanes along North Avenue in Quezon City starting this weekend, advising motorists to use listed alternative routes.

Jojo Garcia, MMDA assistant general manager for planning, said construction work will occupy one lane on each direction of the North Avenue, limiting to the lanes available for the motorists and public utility vehicles.

“He said construction work will be done in six phases. The Phase 1 will start on Saturday, 12 am along North Avenue from Veterans to Agham Road, said Garcia, in a press briefing in Makati City Friday.

To avoid being caught in traffic, Garcia advised motorists to leave an hour earlier than usual and use alternative routes instead:

Motorists traveling along North Avenue may turn left at Mindanao Avenue, right at Road 8, right at Visayas Avenue, right at QMC, then right at Commonwealth Avenue to destination and/or from Mindanao Ave right at Congressional Avenue, then right at Luzon Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue to destination. (vice versa).

Motorists traversing along Quezon Avenue may turn right at QMC right at Commonwealth Avenue to destination (vice versa).

Vehicles along East Avenue may take EDSA and/or V. Luna turn right at East Avenue to QMC, then right at Commonwealth Avenue to destination (vice versa).

Garcia said the MMDA have been conducting clearing operation to remove obstructions along alternative roads, calling on leaders in the Quezon local government to cooperate in their operation against illegal parking.

Garcia said the MMDA and contractors have agreed that movements that might affect traffic should be done during nighttime, from 11 pm to 5 am. A penalty will be imposed should the contractor violate the guidelines.

“Any movement should be coordinated with the agency and be confined to two lanes,” said Garcia.

He also appealed to bear with the expected traffic that the infrastructure project would cause.

The MMDA will deploy 20 traffic enforcers while contractor will position 16 flagmen to guide motorists passing by the area. Around 41,320 vehicles are traversing the North Avenue daily.

For her part, Evangeline Evangelista, public information office for MRT traffic management, said the construction of its first phase will begin in front of the Veterans’ Memorial Medical Center and on Agham Road.

The second phase will cover a part of Agham Road and Mindanao Avenue, while the third phase will start on EDSA and Mindanao Avenue.

The phase 1 will involve bored pile concrete pouring for the foundation for a station of the MRT 7, a 22-kilometer rail system that will begin on EDSA North Avenue and will end in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The government targets to complete the construction in the last quarter of 2019. It is expected to service over 400,000 passengers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces of Bulacan and Rizal.

MRT-7 construction on North Avenue to only occupy two lanes —MMDA

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said construction of the foundations for the Metro Rail Transit-7 beginning Saturday will only occupy the two innermost lanes of the North Avenue in Quezon City.

"They promised us that if they're going to get one lane each sa innermost, 'yung three lanes and two lanes po each side, ipa-promise nila na hindi mababawasan," MMDA Assistant General Manager Jojo Garcia said at a press conference Friday.

Garcia said the North Avenue will not be totally closed off but if traffic builds up in the area, motorists bound for or coming from the Quezon City Memorial Circle can be rerouted.

"Yung sa Circle pwede pumunta Mindanao, punta sa Road 3 lalabas ng Visayas," Garcia said.

The MMDA assured there will be a coordination between the contractors and the agency to prevent causing a heavy traffic flow.

"So any movement diyan, nagkaroon kami ng pag-uusap, talagang kailangan ng close coordination with the MMDA... I think mas mapapaganda 'yung flow ng traffic diyan," Garcia added.

He also said the contractors will be penalized if they fail to inform the agency about changes in their operations.

"Hindi na sila puwede gumalaw ng walang pagpaalam sa MMDA. Any movement na hindi namin alam, may penalty," he said.

The MMDA said "major construction" will only take place in the area between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The contractor of the MRT-7 Hyundai Rotem-EEI consortium estimated that construction of the whole project, which has six phases, will finish in 2019.

"As with regards to the schedule, 'yung sisimulan kasi sa North Avenue tomorrow is 'yung foundation, that will take a month bago itayo 'yung poste. We can expect na 'yung construction along North Avenue tuloy tuloy na ito hanggang sa matapos sa 2019," an official said.

The consortium said the laying of the foundations will start from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center facing North Avenue to Agham Road, and will take about a month to finish.

"Du'n sa one month na 'yun, foundation lang siya, hindi pa siya 'yung buong structure. Wala pa 'yung column o poste, so that will be another schedule or timeline," the official further said. — MDM, GMA News

34 of 75 flagship infra projects to start in ’18

The government will break ground for 34 or almost half of the 75 “flagship” infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program, state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority said yesterday.

In a forum, Neda Undersecretary Rolando G. Tungpalan said one project already broke ground before 2017, while 15 were rolled out last year.

Next year, 10 flagship projects will be launched, on top of four planned for rollout in 2020.

The groundbreaking schedules for 11 projects were yet to be determined.

As of Jan. 15, 66 of the 75 flagship projects were estimated to cost a total of P2.289 trillion, Tungpalan said.

Among the big-ticket projects to be rolled out this year are 12 bridges that will cross the Pasig River, Marikina River and the Manggahan Floodway.

The bridges to be constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways this year until 2022 will “improve road transport network capacity and efficiency in Metro Manila” and alleviate traffic congestion, he said.

The DPWH will also roll out the P4.86-billion Panguil Bay Bridge project that will connect Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and Tubod, Lanao del Norte, for completion in 2021.

The Department of Transportation, meanwhile, will implement the P35.26-billion, 102-kilometer Mindanao Rail Project (Phase 1) that will connect Tagum City, Davao City and Digos City in Region 11. It is eyed for completion by 2022.

The DOTr will also start this year work on the P211.43-billion Philippine National Railway North 2 Project, the 69.5-kilometer extension of the PNR North 1 from Malolos to Clark International Airport and the sprawling Clark Green City, eyed for completion in 2024.

Also for roll-out in 2018 is the DOTr’s P175.3-billion PNR South Long-Haul Project, a 639-km rail consisting of these lines: 406-kilometer Los Baños to Legazpi; 117-km Legazpi to Matnog; 58-km Calamba to Batangas; and 68.5-kilometer Tutuban to Los Baños.

Tungpalan said the PNR South Long-Haul railway would be financed by China.

Next year, the DOTr will begin implementation of the P355.59-billion Metro Manila Subway Project (Phase 1), a 25.3-km underground rail that will connect Quezon City and Taguig City, and extend to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The subway, to be financed by Japan, would be completed by 2027, Tungpalan said.

Under “Build, Build, Build,” the government plans to roll out 75 flagship “game-changing” projects. The government intends to spend up to P9 trillion on hard and modern infrastructure until 2022 to usher in “the golden age of infrastructure” after years of neglect.

Ayala Land, Eton tie up to build P53-B mixed-use estate

Property developers Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and Eton Properties Philippines Inc. (EPPI) will jointly invest P53 billion to initially develop a 35-hectare mixed-use estate that spans portions of Pasig and Quezon City over the next 10 years.

Ma. Carmela Ignacio, assistant vice president of ALI’s Strategic Landbank Management Group, said in a press launch Thursday that bulk, or 75 percent of total spending, would be earmarked for the construction of 10 residential towers in the estate, Parklinks.

Ignacio said the residential developments would be introduced by its subsidiaries Ayala Land Premier and Avida Land Corp.

MMDA temporarily halts construction of MRT line 7 rail track in Quezon City

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has explained that the MRT-7 Project traffic management task force gave them a short notice about the construction, prompting the agency to postpone it.

“The MMDA is 100 percent in support of the governments Build, Build, Build program. The public needs it. We are just fixing what is being done,” MMDA assistant general manager, Jojo Garcia said.

The agency added that it will study first the possible impact on traffic flow of the construction of MRT-7 along North Avenue, Quezon City.

The agency noted North Avenue is too narrow unlike Commonwealth Avenue, where some parts of the MRT line seven is being constructed.

The construction will occupy one lane of the North Avenue, leaving motorists with only two lanes to use.

“This will help discuss what really the plans are, like rerouting schemes, and if they have additional inputs, and if they need enforcement, we will do it right away,” MRT-7 Traffic Management Task Force PIO, Evangeline Evangelista said.

Based on the plan of MRT-7, the construction of its first phase will begin in front of the Veterans’ Memorial Medical Center and on Agham Road. The second phase will begin on a part of Agham Road and Mindanao Avenue, while the third phase will start on EDSA and Mindanao Avenue.

The MRT Line 7 is a 22-kilometer rail system that will begin on EDSA North Avenue and will end in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The government targets to complete its construction in the first quarter of 2020.

Ayala waives fees from Taguig ITX

CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. has agreed for forgo the annual grantor payment that it previously sought for the construction, operation and maintenance of the Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX).

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said this would result in “P9 billion” savings on government funds, or about P277 million in grantor payments annually.

To recall, Ayala Land Inc. sought for P277 million in annual grantor payments for 35 years when it bid for the P4-billion Integrated Terminal System-South contract in 2015.

Tugade added he managed to have Ayala officials waive the said fee.

“Let’s find ways how we can stop the practice and paradigm of government paying the private sector royalty grounds as they operate terminals,” he said.

According to Tugade, discussions for the possible waiving of the fee started last year when he also convinced Ayala to share 2 percent of the facility’s income to the government.

“From the start of its commercial operation, until the end of the concession agreement, Ayala will share 2 percent of their income from the commercial spaces in favor of the government,” he said.

The said deal was part of the Aquino administration’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Program. It was then adopted by the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) program of the Duterte administration, and was rebranded as Taguig ITX.

The facility is envisioned to be a six-story building on a 5.57-hectare property inside the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) compound. It will house a passenger concourse, a centralized ticketing area and several business and retail establishments.

It will have a provision for 1,200 public utility buses and vehicles’ bays and parking.

Upon its completion, Taguig ITX is expected to house around 4,000 buses and accommodate up to 160,000 passengers daily.

The facility will also feature a pedestrian walkway connection to the Philippine National Railways FTI station and the proposed subway system.

Construction of the Taguig ITX is scheduled for the second half of 2018 and is expected to start operation by the first half of 2020. 

Gov’t, ALI break ground on P9-B transport terminal

 The government saved P9 billion in the construction of the Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX) project as the private partner, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI), agreed to waive royalties, or Annual Grantor Payment (AGP), of P277 million per annum for the next 35 years, according to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Arthur Tugade.

The DOTr yesterday led the groundbreaking of the over P5-billion ITX, a state partnership with Ayala Corp. meant to decongest traffic at EDSA and cater to all provincial buses plying the south of Luzon, Visayas and Mindandao destinations.

The Taguig ITX is a 6-storey building on a 5.57-hectare property inside the FTI compound which would house a passenger concourse, a centralized ticketing area plus business and retail establishments. Construction starts by the 2nd half of 2018 and the terminal is scheduled to start operation by 1st half of 2020.

It can accommodate 1,200 public utility buses and vehicles’ bays and parking.  Once completed, it will house around 4,000 buses, with a capacity for 160,000 passengers daily. It will also feature a pedestrian walkway connection to the PNR FTI station and the proposed subway system.

DOTr Secretary Tugade said he asked ALI to forgo the P9-billion AGP. ALI also agreed to share 2% of their income from the commercial spaces to the government, “a win-win solution that will ultimately benefit the Filipino people.”

Taguig ITX transport hub make traveling more convenient by 2020

Earlier today, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) held the ground breaking ceremony of the soon-to-rise Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX) together with private partner, Ayala Land Inc. (ALI).

The Taguig ITX project is a 6-storey building designed to consolidate several current and proposed modes of transportation in the future. The ITX will house passenger concourse, a centralized ticketing area, and several retail establishments. It will also feature a pedestrian walkway connection to the PNR FTI station and the proposed subway system.

Construction of the Taguig ITX will begin in the second half of 2018 with operations expected to start by the first half of 2020. Upon completion, Taguig ITX is expected to house around 4,000 buses and accommodate 160,000 passengers daily plying the south of Luzon, including Visayas and Mindanao.

During the ground breaking ceremony, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade announced that the two have agreed to waive the annual grantor payment, which would cost the government a total of Php 9 billion for the construction of ITX, paid to Ayala throughout the span of 35 years.

"Two things will be done -- the P277 million per year for the next 35 years will no longer be paid, saving the government, this country, no less than PhP 9 billion cashout annually... And two, from the start of its commercial operation, until the end of the concession agreement, Ayala Land will share 2% of their income from the commercial spaces in favor of the government," Secretary Tugade said during the groundbreaking of the Taguig ITX, one of the big-ticket infrastructure projects of the Duterte Administration aimed at further decongesting vehicular traffic on EDSA.

Tugade said that the DOTr has managed to come up with the deal after they engaged in discussions with ALI since last year that both parties have agreed to. No specifics however were detailed, but only that it was a win-win for both and even for the Filipino people.

During the ceremony, the Tugade was joined by other members of the BUILD, BUILD, BUILD Team including DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon. Other high level government officials who attended this morning’s ITX groundbreaking rites at the former NFA warehouse, FTI, Taguig City, include Taguig City Mayor Lani. Cayetano, Cong. Federico Sandoval II (Malabon), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III, PNR Chairman Roberto Lastimoso and General Manager Junn Magno, NFA administrator Jason Aquino, and PPP Center Executive Director Boyet Pecson.

ALI chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala , ALI vice chairman and director Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala also graced the ceremony.

Department of Transportation starts Taguig transport terminal project

Going to other parts of the country via bus is going to get a whole lot easier.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) held the groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX) this morning. This means that buses going to various provinces will be moved away from Cubao to this new terminal in the south.

The ITX is a public-private partnership between the government and real estate developer Ayala Land Incorporated. It is part of the administration’s “Build Build Build” initiative which seeks to finish several infrastructure projects by 2022, the year Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends.

Transportation is a big problem in Manila. Although the city has a train system, it only goes to certain areas and routinely breaks down. Major roads are also almost always congested.

If everything goes according to plan, the ITX will be able to take on about 4,000 provincial buses that currently pass EDSA and other major roads by 2020, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

The ITX will be built inside the 5.6-hectare FTI compound in Taguig and will be dedicated to buses going to and coming from South Luzon, the Bicol region, and the islands of Visayas and Mindanao. Once the ITX is built, buses from those areas will no longer enter EDSA ave and will park in the terminal instead.

The terminal will also be connected to a railway station in the same area.

According to DoTr, the terminal will consist of six floors and will have a passenger terminal, a centralized ticketing area, business establishments, and a parking area for public utility vehicles.

Now, who’s excited to go on a road trip?

Taguig transport terminal breaks ground

An graphic image shows how the Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange would look like when completed in 2020. INQUIRER / JOVIC YEE

Close to 4,000 provincial buses are expected to be taken off of Edsa and other major roads once the Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX) becomes operational by the first half of 2020.

On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade led officials in the groundbreaking ceremony of the second integrated transport terminal meant to not only improve the public’s commuting experience but also decongest Edsa.

To be built in partnership with Ayala Corp., the Taguig ITX will rise inside the 5.6-hectare FTI compound. It will host the provincial buses going to and coming from South Luzon, Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao.

A scale model of the Taguig ITX is displayed at the groundbreaking of the terminal at the FTI compound. INQUIRER / JOVIC YEE

The six-story building will have a centralized ticketing area, a number of business and retail establishments, and can accommodate an estimated 160,000 passengers daily.

Construction of the terminal is set to start by the second half of this year. To ensure better connectivity, the terminal will be linked to the Philippine National Railways’ FTI station and the proposed subway system. /cbb

More drinking fountains for LRT 1 passengers

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has partnered with Maynilad Water Services Inc. in providing its riders with potable water as part of the company’s P500-million thrust to improve the services of the decades-old Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1.

Tuesday saw the inauguration of five additional drinking fountains in the railway line, bringing the total number of water stations to 10.

Now, more passengers have access to potable water at the Doroteo Jose, Tayuman, R. Papa, United Nations, 5th Avenue, Baclaran, Monumento, Roosevelt, Carriedo and Balintawak stations.

“We are very excited to partner with Maynilad for the GinhaWash program and hopeful to explore more locations for more drinking fountains for our passengers,” LRMC President Juan F. Alfonso said on Tuesday.

LRMC and Maynilad both aim to increase access to water, sanitation and hygiene as part of the improvements being made by LRMC for LRT 1.

“We look forward to more partnerships with Maynilad in the future, for a ‘biyaheng better every day’ experience for our riding public.” Alfonso added.

The private operator started implementing its P500-million station-improvement program in 2015. It is expected to be completed by end-2018.

Meanwhile, the DOTR, LRTA, LRMC and JICA on "The Detailed Design Study of the LRT LINE 1 CAVITE EXTENSION PROJECT Baclaran-Niog"

The existing LRT-1 stations from Baclaran to Monumento, while the North Extension stations Malvar, Balintawak, Roosevelt and Trinoma Common Station using the  "Architectural - Site Development Plan", as well the "Vicinity Map and Location Plan" and "Perspective" in their documents.

LRMC holds the concession for the operations, maintenance and extension of the LRT 1. It signed the agreement with the government on October 2, 2014.

The company will operate and maintain the oldest overhead train system in the Philippines for 32 years.

It is a company led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp.

TANAUAN | Tanauan City Sports Complex

TANAUAN CITY SPORTS COMPLEX

Components:

1. 5,500 seater INDOOR SPORTS ARENA
2. Oval Track & Field with 4,000 seater GRANDSTAND
3. 3-4 storey building for TANAUAN CITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
4. 4 storey SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DORMITORY BUILDING
5. 3 storey DEPED TANAUAN CITY DIVISION ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
6. 50-meter OLYMPIC SIZE SWIMMING POOL

SM developing more malls in provinces

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. is on track to achieve its five-year road map that targets to double revenues and profits by 2018, supported by its aggressive mall and residential expansion.

The holding firm for country’s richest man Henry Sy, Sr.’s property investments is currently on the last year of this five-year vision, which should see SM Prime book double the P16.3-billion net income and P59.8-billion revenue it had in 2013.

“We are on schedule to meet the five-year program unveiled in 2013. The growth will be driven by malls and residential operation complemented by offices and hotels and convention centers,” SM Prime said in a presentation to investors for the month of January.

For its mall expansion, SM Prime ended 2017 with a total of 9.3 million square meters (sq.m.) in gross floor area (GFA). Of this, 86% are covered by the 67 malls in the Philippines, while 14% come from seven malls in China.

This brings the company closer to its target of 10.5 million sq.m by end-2018.

SM Prime disclosed it has eight malls lined up in the following years, primarily located outside of Metro Manila. The company will be opening in the following locations: SM Center Imus in Cavite, SM City Legazpi in Albay, SM City Urdaneta in Pangasinan, SM City Telabastagan in San Fernando, Pampanga, SM City Ormoc in Leyte, SM City Dagupan, SM Moonwalk Parañaque, and SM Center Cabuyao in Laguna.

“New malls are geared towards provincial cities,” the company said.

SM Development Corp. (SMDC), which manages the company’s residential business, launched a total of 117,424 units across 54 projects under the primary home component in 2017. This marks a 15% increase in number of units year on year.

SMDC would have to launch 11 more projects in 2018 to hit its target of 65 projects by the end of 2018, for a total of 132,424 units.

For the leisure component, SMDC had a total of 16 projects by the end of last year with 2,363 units. The company looks to end 2018 with three more launches for a total of 19, composed of 2,600 units.

SM Prime’s commercial business had a total of six towers in 2017 covering 0.38 million sq.m., the same figure as in 2016. The company is currently constructing ThreeE-Com Center within the Mall of Asia complex, which will be completed in 2018. The tower will add a GFA of 130,000 sq.m., up to SM Prime’s target of 0.51 million sq.m. and seven towers by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the company has already reached its target of 1,510 rooms and six project for hotels and convention centers. These include six hotels, four SMX Convention Centers, three Megatrade Halls with over 37,000 sq.m. of leasable space.

SM Prime’s earnings grew by 14.9% in the first nine months of 2017 to P20 billion, against the P17.5 billion in the first three quarters of 2016. The company’s revenues climbed by 12% to P64.7 billion in the same period. — Arra B. Francia

Brace for heavier traffic in Quezon City

Work on MRT 7 shifts to North Avenue, Commonwealth area

Traffic flow in Quezon City will go from bad to worse before it gets better. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

The Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT 7) Project Traffic Management Task Force has advised motorists and commuters to brace for heavier traffic in areas near the rail system’s different construction sites starting today.

Motorists should avoid North Avenue in particular and take alternate routes as workers start installing the rail track toward Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) station.

The working area will occupy two lanes on the center of North Avenue with three lanes going to QMC and two lanes going to Edsa remaining open to motorists, according to the task force’s advisory.

Work starts on 2 more stations

Motorists should also brace for heavier traffic on both the westbound and eastbound lanes of Commonwealth Avenue as construction of Don Antonio and Batasan stations begin.

On the other hand, work on University Avenue, Manggahan, Doña Carmen and Regalado stations are expected to start in the first quarter of the year.

The 22.8-kilometer-long, 14-station MRT 7 will start in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan province, and end at Unified Grand Central station on North Avenue, Quezon City.

The rapid transit line, a project of the Aquino administration which began in April 2016, is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2019.

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/960212/brace-for-heavier-traffic-in-quezon-city#ixzz54EbXqnNd 

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Motorists advised to expect heavy traffic on North Ave. as MRT7 construction begins

The Metro Rail Transit-7 Project Traffic Management Task Force advised the public to expect heavy traffic on roads where construction of the MRT7 is ongoing, according to a report on Unang Balita on Monday by Bernadette Reyes.

Motorists were advised to avoid North Avenue in Quezon City since the installation of the rail tracks going toward the Quezon Memorial Circle will commence on Monday.

The task force said motorists may seek alternate routes.

Construction for the MRT7 is also ongoing on Commonwealth Avenue.

The MRT7 is a 22-kilometer rail transit system with 14 stations connecting North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

Its stations will include North Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, University Avenue, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Doña Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala, and San Jose Del Monte.

‘Build’ goes in full swing

The government’s Build, Build, Build program is expected to go on full gear this year, with around 60 projects already under the construction and in the pre-construction phases, said Gil Beltran,  undersecretary of the Department of Finance (DOF).

This developed as DOF  is eyeing to submit to Congress the second package of the comprehensive tax reform program (CTRP) as session resumes today.

According to data provided by Beltran, 44 major infrastructure projects are under construction as of January 10, while 15 are in the pre-construction phase.

“The BBB policy will go on a high gear. There are already 60 projects, big ones, the project cost of those is P1.8 trillion mostly funded by (Official Development Assistance). The projects are already under construction or under pre-construction, they are putting the finer details,” Beltran said.

Carlos Dominguez III, finance secretary, said the  roll-out of big-ticket infrastructure projects are proceeding as planned following the signing into law by President Duterte and the subsequent  implementation of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN), which slashes personal income tax rates while raising additional revenues for infrastructure and social services.

About 70 percent of the incremental revenues from the TRAIN have been earmarked for infrastructure, and up to 30 percent for social services.

“It’s coming together. Believe it or not, even I am surprised. The money is coming in from our tax, the loans are coming in, the implementing agencies are getting their act together, its coming together,”Dominguez said.

Included in the projects listed under construction are, among others, the Metro Manila Skyway 3, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Project, CALAX Expressway, MRT7, and the PNR South Long Haul.

Meanwhile, those under the pre-construction phase include the Mega Manila Subway, Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit, Malolos-Clark Rail, Metro Manila Flood Control, and the North-South Commuter Rail, among others.

The government earlier said that it is planning to spend some P8.4 trillion on its infrastructure program, dubbed as the Build, Build, Build agenda, over the medium term, or about $168billion in the next five years.

Based on earlier estimates done by the National Economic and Development Authority, the Build, Build, Build program is expected to generate 823,696 jobs this year; 1,115,999 jobs in 2019; 1,228,964 jobs in 2020; 1,399,463 jobs in 2021; and 1,705,021 jobs in 2022.

Following the enactment of the TRAIN, which slashes personal income tax rates while raising additional revenues for infrastructure and social services, the DOF is preparing to introduce to Congress the second package of the CTRP, which focuses on reducing corporate income tax (CIT) rates while rationalizing fiscal incentives.

“We should be ready by the 15th, because that’s when they (Congress) will open. We are just putting the final touches on it,” Carlos Dominguez III, finance secretary, said.

“We write to the speaker, we officially transmit to the speaker of the house. Usually, the committee will review it first and then endorse it to the chair. The chair will file it, (it will have a) house number, and then it will be read again in the plenary and referred to the committee. There’s a process,” said Karl Kendrick Chua, finance undersecretary.

Under package two, the DOF aims to lower the CIT rate to 25 percent, while rationalizing incentives for companies to make these “performance-based, targeted, time-bound, and transparent,” Chua said.

Through this proposal, the DOF said the government would be able to ensure that incentives granted to businesses generate jobs, stimulate the economy in the countryside and promote research and development; contain sunset provisions so that tax perks do not last forever; and are reported so the government can determine the magnitude of their costs and benefits to the economy.  

Expect heavier traffic along roads near MRT-7 construction sites

Motorists have been warned of a heavier traffic flow along roads near the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7 construction sites following the installations of rail tracks and construction of stations that would start in the first quarter of 2018.

In an advisory on Friday, the MRT-7 Traffic Management Task Force announced its traffic management plan concerning the affected areas of the transit line’s construction.

North Avenue

The task force advised motorists to avoid North Avenue and take alternative routes when the installation of the rail track toward Quezon Memorial Circle Station starts on January 15.

The construction would occupy two lanes at the center of North Avenue. The three lanes going toward Quezon Memorial Circle Station and two lanes going to EDSA would remain passable.

Commonwealth Avenue

Motorists were also warned of heavier traffic on both westbound and eastbound sides of Commonwealth Avenue due to the construction of Don Antonio and Batasan Stations.

Construction of University Avenue, Manggahan, Doña Carmen and Regalado Stations were also expected to commence by the first quarter of the year, the task force said.

Quirino Highway

In addition, the MRT-7 traffic task force said installation of rail tracks along Quirino Highway in Caloocan City was scheduled to start this January.

Motorists were advised to continue to take alternate routes to avoid the expected traffic in the area.

“The Task Force appeals to the riding public and to both the private and public motorists for their full cooperation by observing traffic rules and regulations while the said construction activities are ongoing,” the task force said in a statement on Friday.

The MRT-7, once finished, would have an elevated transit line spanning 22.8 kilometers from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to North Avenue, Quezon City. /jpv



Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/959740/expect-heavier-traffic-along-roads-near-mrt-7-construction-sites-mrt-7-traffic-construction-advisory-traffic-management#ixzz54A9gY38D
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Fire hits Brother Mike’s commercial property

Firefighters battle the flames at the Velarde property in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City, on Saturday.—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A fire damaged a commercial building owned by televangelist Bro. Mike Z. Velarde in Parañaque City early Saturday morning.

A report reaching Supt. Robert Pasis, head of the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) office, said the fire started around 1 a.m. at a grocery store inside Amvel City Compound in Barangay San Dionisio.

It reached the fifth alarm and was declared out at 8:23 a.m.

There were no reported injuries in the fire that, based on BFP estimates, caused damage to property worth P2 million.

Insp. Wilson Tana, arson investigation chief, said about 70 percent of the building was destroyed.

Aside from the grocery, the structure is rented by tenants running private offices and a canteen, Velarde said in a radio interview.

It also houses a food court, a water refilling station, and electronics and accessories stores.

Velarde, founder of the religious group El Shaddai and owner of real estate development and broadcasting companies, said he had earlier plans to demolish and replace the 10-year-old structure to maximize the use of the lot where it now stands and use it for a call center company.

“(Buildings of) up to five stories are allowed here,” he said.

Adjacent to the building is an open area where El Shaddai followers hold their worship services.

Velarde said the fire would not affect their activities.

“That will not be the case because they are really separate areas. Before, there were vendors entering the worship area. So I constructed a building for them since they were interrupting the fellowship activities. So now the vendors can temporarily (set up stalls) outside,” he said.

Shop owners renting space in the building are members of a cooperative, according to a report by Radyo Inquirer.

Quoting Velarde, the report said the damaged goods alone could already be worth  P10 million while the cost of the structural damage could go up to P40 million.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation at press time.

Pasis noted the absence of a water sprinkler system in the building, for which the owner could be held liable.

Velarde has yet to comment on such findings by the BFP.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/960025/fire-hits-brother-mikes-commercial-property#ixzz54FrAKZ1K
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Tinutupad na ni Digong ang pangako sa taumbayan

'Uncovered'

KABI-KABILANG mahahalagang proyekto ang naramdaman natin sa unang dalawang linggo pa lamang ng Enero 2018.

Una ang groundbreaking ng Department of Transportation (DoTr) at iba pang local government officials ng Bulacan province bilang hudyat sa konstruksiyon ng  Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark project.

Ang unang bahagi ng konstruksiyong ito ay ang bagong riles at bagong train stations mula sa Tutuban, Manila hanggang Malolos, Bulacan.

Tiniyak ni DoTr Sec. Arthur Tugade na matatapos ang Manila to Clark Railway sa taong 2022 o bago matapos ang termino ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Ang dating dalawang oras na biyahe mula Tutuban hanggang Malolos, Bulacan (o vice versa) ay magiging 35 minuto na lamang sakaling matapos ang nasabing proyekto.

Bukod sa Manila to Clark Railway, asahan ding matatapos ang Clark City na proyekto naman ni Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President Vince Dizon na higit na magpapasigla sa ekonomiya sa bansa.

Ayon kay Senador JV Ejercito na pangunahing nagsusulong ng ‘railway system’ sa bansa bilang sagot sa malalang problema sa trapiko, mahigit sa 300,000 pasahero araw-araw ang mabebenepisyuhan sa proyektong ito.

“In the Build, Build, Build, what follows are more jobs. There will be a huge demand for carpenters, construction workers. It will create more jobs for our citizens,” sabi naman ni Senador Joel Villanueva.
   
Samantala, pinangunahan din ng DoTr, BCDA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Toll Regulatory Board at ni Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano ang ‘groundbreaking’ sa South East Metro Manila Expressway Project (SEMME).
   
Ang unang bahagi ng SEMME ay ang 35 kilometro na Metro Manila C-6 Expressway na may anim na lane ang kalsada. Karugtong ito ng itinatayo ngayong Skyway Stage 1 sa FTI, Taguig City na maguugnay sa kalsada sa Batasan Complex sa Quezon City patungo naman sa North Luzon Expressway via Balagtas, Bulacan.
   
Giginhawa sa kalsadang ito ang mga pasahero mula Southern Metro Manila, Rizal province, Quezon City hanggang Bulacan province.
   
Inumpisahan naman ng DoTr, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), katuwang ang Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) at  local governments ang Tanggal Usok, Tanggal Bulok project laban sa mga pampublikong sasakyan.
   
Ayon kay DoTr Undersecretary Tim Orbos, hindi lamang mga bulok na sasakyan ang target ng nasabing proyekto dahil higit na pinagtutuunan nila ng pansin ngayon ang kaligtasan ng mga pasahero tulad ng pagsita sa  PUVs na kalbo ang gulong, dispalinghadong break light, mausok na sasakyan at marami pang iba.
   
Kamakalawa ay inilunsad naman ni Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Sec. Alan Peter Cayetano ang 10-year validity ng ating mga pasaporte.
   
Kasabay nito ay dinagdagan na rin ni Cayetano ang 28 consular offices na nagpuproseso sa ating passports na malaking tulong lalo sa mga kababayang Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
   
Ayon kay Sec. Alan, matutuldukan na ang 600,000 ‘backlog’ sa passport applications noong nagdaang taon dahil ngayong 10 taon na ang validity ng pasaporte, mababawasan tiyak ang aplikante taun-taon na dating may limang taong validity sa pasaporte.
   
Malaking tulong din ang karagdagang consular offices na kayang mag-proseso ng 4,500 passport araw-araw. At ang mga ito ay nasa iba’t ibang probinsiya at lalawigan tulad ng San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte; Santiago City, Isabela; Malolos o Meycauayan cities sa Bulacan; Calamba o San Pablo cities sa Laguna; Dasmariñas City, Cavite; Antipolo City, Rizal;  Oroquieta o Ozamis cities sa Misamis Occidental at Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
   
Bukod pa rito ang pagbubukas ng apat na “passport-on-wheels” na ipakakalat sa Metro Manila at kayang mag-proseso ng 2,500 pasaporte kada araw.
   
Tulad ng pagpapaigting sa mass transport system sa bansa, ang 10-year validity passport ay ilan lamang sa mga pangako noon nina Duterte at Cayetano sa nakalipas na kampanya.
   
Isang taon pa lang sa Malakanyang si Digong pero kahit papaano, unti-unti ay natutupad na ang kanilang pangako sa taumbayan.
   
Magiging tatlo na rin ang telco provider sa Pilipinas na sagot sa problema sa wifi ngayong taong 2018 at ang inaantay na lang nating pagbabago ay ang solusyon sa problema ng MRT at LRT, habang nagpapatuloy din ang giyera kontra droga at korapsiyon sa pamahalaan.

Independent audit on MRT-3 finished by April, says DOTr Read more at http://beta.philstar.com/business/2018/01/14/1777508/independent-audit-mrt-3-finished-april-says-dotr#fCzq0Q1sl5fTyF6v.99

The independent audit and assessment (IAA) being conducted for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and the 48 light rail vehicles (LRVs) from CRRC Dalian Co. Ltd. is expected to be completed by April.

“We requested them to prioritize the Dalian trains. They said they would try but we don’t want to rush it. We want them to do a thorough industry standard assessment,” said Timothy Bataan, officer-in-charge undersecretary for railways at the DOTr.

The DOTr tapped TUV Rheinland as IAA consultant for the entire MRT-3 system.

Batan said the 48 LRVs remain unused unless their safety and compatibility with the MRT-3 system have been certified.

“We will not in any way try to influence their independent assessment of the 48 cars from Dalian, and we will come up with a decision based on their recommendation. If they say we can use the LRVs immediately, we will consider. And if they say we have to return them, we will return the LRVs,” he said.

Concerns were earlier raised with the 48 LRVs procured by the previous administration for P3.8 billion after they exceeded the weight prescribed in the terms of reference (49,700 kilograms vs. 46,300 kilograms).

With the current fleet of Czech-made trains, Batan said MRT-3 can operate up to 20 three-car trains.

If the 48 LRVs are cleared to run, the number could be increased to 20 four-car trains, Batan said.

“The original design capacity of MRT-3 at peak hours is 20 three-car trains, running at 60-kilometers per hour (kph), with a three-minute headway,” he added.

DOTr earlier awarded the contract for the spare parts needed for the maintenance of the MRT-3. The spare parts will start arriving in tranches from February to June.

Batan said general maintenance works on the MRT-3 would be conducted during the Holy Week break.

He also gave an assurance that there would be no fare  hike while there is no substantial improvement of MRT-3 operations.

The MRT-3, which covers North Ave. station in Quezon City until Taft station in Pasay City, serves 500,000 passengers daily.

At present, the government is handling the maintenance of the MRT-3 after it terminated the contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI) in November last year for failure to fulfill maintenance obligations and to procure spare parts.

Since the government took over, data from the DOTr showed the average number of passengers unloading incidents declined to 24 per month.

Under BURI’s watch, the MRT-3 had an average of 39 unloading incidents per month.


Read more at http://beta.philstar.com/business/2018/01/14/1777508/independent-audit-mrt-3-finished-april-says-dotr#fCzq0Q1sl5fTyF6v.99

DOTr breaks ground for South East MM Expressway Project

MANILA — Travel time from Taguig to Batasan Complex in Quezon City will reduce to at least half an hour once the South East Metro Manila Expressway Project (SEMME) project is completed.

This, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), led the groundbreaking Monday of the expressway project at the C-5 Service Road in Taguig.

SEMME is a 34-kilometer expressway linking the existing Skyway Stage 1 in FTI, Taguig City to Batasan Complex in Quezon City. It will eventually connect to the North Luzon Expressway via Balagtas, Bulacan.

“When completed, travel time of motorists from Bicutan, Taguig to Batasan, Quezon City will be reduced to only 35 minutes,” the DOTr said in a statement Monday.

SEMME, which is part of the Metro Manila C-6 Expressway Project, will have six lanes for combined elevated and at-grade expressway with two directional traffic flow.

“Aside from decongesting roads in Manila and Quezon City, particularly major road networks such as EDSA, C-5, Ortigas Avenue and its extension, SEMME shall likewise provide commuters and motorists fast and direct access by South and Southeast as well as Metro Manila inter-city travelers to major international and domestic airports,” the DOTr said.

SEMME which is the first phase of the Metro Manila C-6 Expressway Project will cost around PHP45 billion and will start its construction this year. It is expected to be completed by 2020.

The project is being operated by Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. (CITI) of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) as concessionaire with its concession period lasting for 30 years from issuance of the toll operation certificate.

The C-6 expressway project will have its second phase involving a 24.28-kilometer expressway from San Mateo to City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and third phase which entails a 22-kilometer tollway from San Jose del Monte to Meycauyan and Marilao, Bulacan. (PNA)

Japan to provide aid for MRT-3 rehab and maintenance

Japan has committed to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

This follows the exchange of note verbales between the Philippines and Japan which involves obtaining Official Development Assistance (ODA) financing under Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Special Terms for Economic Partnership.

“These developments show that we are wasting no time and effort in rehabilitating and restoring the reliability and capacity of MRT-3. This year, we will make significant improvements to MRT-3 and that is our commitment to the Filipino commuters,” Department of Transportation (DOTr) OIC Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said in a statement Tuesday.

JICA will conduct its feasibility study in January to February to assess what needs to be fixed in the MRT system.

Once this is completed, the signing of the loan agreement and procurement of the rehabilitation and maintenance provider will follow in March to April with the mobilization of the Japanese provider expected within the second quarter of this year.

Japan assured that it will nominate a provider that is highly qualified and has a strong and reliable track record.

The DOTr terminated last November its contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI) as the MRT-3’s maintenance provider citing its failure to perform its maintenance obligations and procure spare parts.

The Japan ODA for the MRT-3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project is part of the DOTr’s strategies to improve the operations of the railway system which involves promoting accountability with the termination of BURI; ensuring continued service delivery by establishing the Maintenance Transition Team (MTT) and purchasing needed spare parts; contracting a rehabilitation and maintenance service provider together with an ODA partner and putting in place a long term maintenance and operator provider for MRT 3. (PNA)

History may repeat itself

Call it fanaticism or any other name. But the devotion of some 17-million Filipinos to the Black Nazarene shows the piety of Roman Catholics.

The traslacion is more than enough proof that Catholicism remains deeply rooted in us.

My gulay, even foreigners come to Manila to witness this spectacle. It is just unparalleled!

Many believe that touching the image of the Black Nazarene could bring miracles.

This is why I am glad I am a Catholic.

* * *

I am confused with the statement of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque that he was given permission by President Duterte to give personal comments on the Court of Appeals’ decision on the Gerry Ortega case. The appellate court cleared former Palawan governor Joel Reyes for the murder of Ortega, a journalist and activist.

I cannot by any language separate the position of Roque as a presidential spokesman and his personal belief as a former lawyer of the Ortega family.

Roque went on to say that the release of Reyes was a sad development for freedom of the press and that the murder of Ortega was a classic case of extra-legal killing.

But how can you separate Roque’s words from his position as presidential spokesman?

This is something for Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

* * *

Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan found, in mid-December 2017, that eight out of 10 Filipinos have given President Duterte high trust and approval ratings.

I can believe that.

President Duterte has been doing many things that the people have been clamoring for. He has been firing executive officials for traveling too much at the people’s expense. No other president has done this before.

Even in his war on drugs, the President continues to have the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority run the show. The Philippine National Police can just come to help the PDEA when needed. The result—there are fewer summary killings.

As far as the people are concerned, President Duterte is the change they never experienced under the Aquino administration. PNoy just had his hypocritical Daang Matuwid and selective justice.

With eight in 10 Filipinos believing in him, the President can do so much more.

He can, for instance, stop both the House of Representatives and the Senate from ramming down Constituent Assembly down our throats. This could lead to the extension of terms of all duly-elected incumbent officials, from the President all the way down to barangay officials.

The President himself has said repeatedly that he is against extending his term. He would rather step down after the federal system of government is put in motion.

So Mr. Duterte must now put on the brakes on his allies who are tinkering with the fundamental law of the land.

To my mind, this is what the high approval ratings mean. He continues to enjoy support so he could do what is good for the greatest number.

The President should stop both Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez from pushing the country over the edge.

Santa Banana, history may just repeat itself. In the past, people had enough of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos so they ousted him during the 1986 People Power Revolution.

* * *

The Duterte administration is trying to push for the swift passage of the second phase of the law on tax reform. This is to ensure the government’s fiscal position remains stable and its deficit target attainable.

I see the need for government to conduct a massive information and education campaign so the people would know what the law is for.

According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, the projected P89.9 billion corresponds to only about two thirds of the P134 billion original revenue target under the 2018 budget.

Dominguez explained that the lower-than-expected revenue gain from the tax reform law could widen the country’s fiscal deficit this year to 3.3 percent of the gross domestic product—unless Congress approves an additional revenue-generating measure.

According to DoF estimates, Dominguez said, Package 1B is seen to increase government revenue by P38.9 billion, resulting in incremental revenues of P128.8 billion when combined with Package 1A.

Package 1A, signed into law, involved the reduction of personal income taxes, adjustments in the excise tax on fuel, automobiles and imported coal and expansion of the value-added tax base, among others.

Package B will comprise an estate tax amnesty program, adjustments in the Motor Vehicle Users charge and amendments to bank secrecy laws, which are expected to be tackled by Congress when it resumes its sessions.

That’s clear enough if government must achieve its ambitious Build Build Build infrastructure program and attract foreign investments.

But, as I said, in the wake of consumers still trying to meet the increase of prices, government must reach out to the people and enlighten them.

* * *

I see a light at the end of the tunnel for the MRT—even as the tunnel has been long.

The required investments of Metro Pacific could reach P20 billion, including the equity component. MPIC has already secured an original proponent status from the Department of Transportation for the expansion and rehabilitation of MRT 3. MPIC will buy out the government’s stake and also those of the private sector.

Santa Banana, given how desperate people are about the daily glitches of the MRT, they would be willing to pay higher fares just to get to their destination in one piece!

DOTr sees ‘significant improvement’ in MRT 3 commuter service this year

GOVERNMENT officials of Japan and the Philippines have exchanged an unsigned diplomatic correspondence for the provision of a loan under Tokyo’s official development assistance (ODA) for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3.


Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Timothy John R. Batan called the exchange of the “note verbales” as a “major milestone for the much-needed rehabilitation and maintenance of the MRT 3.”


The arrangement with Japan, he added, involves obtaining ODA financing under Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (Jica) Special Terms for Economic Partnership.


Typically, Japanese ODA packages in the Philippines involve the following terms: 0.1 percent interest per annum, 40 years payment period and 12 years grace period for the principal.


“These developments show that we are wasting no time and effort in rehabilitating and restoring the reliability and capacity of the MRT 3,” Batan said late Tuesday.


The next step, he added, is for Jica to conduct a feasibility study, which will refine the project’s scope of works.


This will be done in January to February, after which government approvals will be obtained.


Signing of the loan agreement and procurement of the rehabilitation and maintenance provider will then follow in March to April, and mobilization of the Japanese provider is expected within the second quarter.


The procurement of a Japan-nominated rehabilitation and maintenance provider will be done pursuant to Jica’s procurement guidelines.


Batan said that, given the urgent need to restore the MRT 3’s reliability and capacity, Japan has given assurances that it will nominate a provider that is highly qualified, and has a robust and reliable track record.


This early, Sumitomo Corp., the builder and previous maintenance provider of the MRT 3, has signified its interest in the said deal.


“This year we will make significant improvements to the MRT 3, and that is our commitment to the Filipino commuters,” Batan said.


The MRT 3 serves almost half-a- million passengers daily. It has been considered a perennial problem for the government due to the numerous daily breakdowns, unloading incidents, and stoppages.

San Miguel, DOTr break ground for expressway linking Taguig to Batasan

SEMME will connect Skyway, Ortigas Extension, and Commonwealth

There will be a new expressway serving Metro Manila in the future and will be particularly interesting for those living east of the metropolis. And the work starts today.

Earlier this morning the Department of Transportation (DOTr) led by Secretary Arthur Tugade, together with executives from the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), held a groundbreaking ceremony for the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME, the Circumferential Road 6 Expressway), a new toll road that will link Taguig, Rizal, Marikina, and Quezon City.

The project, spearheaded by SMC and its subsidiaries, will be comprised of elevated and at-grade carriageways with up to three lanes in each direction. The southern terminus of the project will link up directly with the Skyway Stage 1 to FTI in Taguig and follow a path that passes through Taytay, Cainta, Marikina City, and eventually at a main toll plaza near the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

The DOTr say that this long term infrastructure project will be accomplished in two segments split up into 6 sections. Segment 1 - Section 1 (both 1A and 1B, 4.049 kilometers total) will be completed by 2020 and cost PhP 45 billion. The succeeding two sections of Segment 1, Section 2 and 3, will build a direct link from Skyway to Ortigas Avenue Extension.

Segment 2 (comprised of Sections 4 to 6) will span from Ortigas Avenue Extension to Batasan. When fully completed, the DOTr says travel time between Taguig and Quezon City using the 34.024 kilometer SEMME/C-6 Expressway will be reduced to just over 30 minutes.

Eventually the new expressway will be connected directly to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as well.