Glitch-free MRT experienced a day after Holy Week

The Metro Rail Transit 3 system was glitch-free on Monday, following its five-day general maintenance work last Holy Week.

The DOTr-MRT3 Daily Operations Report showed there were no unloading incidents nor any skipping trains throughout its operation on Monday.

At one point a maximum of 15 trains with three cars each were servicing passengers. On the average 14 trains were made available. A total of 281,149 passengers were served.

However, commercial operations of the MRT3 began on Tuesday with only six operating trains with a headway of 13 to 14 minutes. It was reported that seven trains were being readied for insertion into the system.

Lines were again long at the North Avenue station for those taking the MRT.

Even the special permit bus had long queues with buses arriving at longer intervals.

Members of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic encouraged passengers to take the MRT as there was no certainty about how many buses were to be expected and at what time they will arrive.

Some passengers however preferred to take the special bus because of convenience. “Deretso 'yung biyahe niya e. Nakakaupo. Sa MRT siksikan,” Regan Sevilla said.

Passenger Judy Balladares on the other hand said she pays less by riding the bus.
“P20 sa MRT. Dito P15 lang kaya mas mura,” she said. —KG, GMA News

FIRST SINCE JAN. 5: MRT 3 running 15 trains again after repairs

After undertaking extensive maintenance work during a five-day Holy Week break, the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) deployed 15 trains on Monday, making good on a promise it made along with the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The last time that the country’s busiest train system had this many operational trains was on Jan. 5.

According to the MRT 3 management, this was made possible through the efforts of its officials, engineers, technicians and other personnel who worked tirelessly from Holy Wednesday to Easter Sunday “to ensure a safe and convenient ride for our commuters.”

Shorter waiting intervals

TJ Batan, the transportation undersecretary for railways, said that with more trains to serve passengers, the queuing time at the 13 MRT 3 stations would be reduced. When the train line was operating with just six trains in February, passengers waited for over 10 minutes. With 15 trains, the waiting time went down to just six minutes.

It also meant a decrease in demand for point-to-point (P2P) buses offered by the government to augment MRT 3 operations. Yesterday, only 26 trips were made by the 21 P2P buses that ferried more than 1,600 passengers to Ortigas and Ayala.

Batan said that the next target was to restore the number of available trains to 20 with the takeover of the train line’s rehabilitation and maintenance provider.

The DOTr earlier said that Japan International Cooperation Agency’s nominated maintenance provider was expected to start working in May, following the system audit conducted by more than 50 Japanese railway engineers and experts who arrived in the country in February.

Based on MRT 3’s data, the biggest number of passengers it recorded was in August 2012 with over 622,000 riders. At three coaches each, the 15 trains can carry as many as 405,000 passengers daily while 20 trains will be able to ferry 540,000 passenger.



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Original Alignment - Global Cities Mass Transit

Cavitex to extend road from Kawit to Rosario for P22.5-billion

Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., said it will submit a proposal to the Toll Regulatory Board to extend the Manila-Cavite Expressway from Kawit to Rosario in Cavite province at a cost of P22.5 billion.

“We completed the feasibility study, so it will take us another month to put together the business proposal to the TRB,” Cavitex Infrastructure president Luigi Bautista said.

Segment 5 of Cavitex is a 7.6-kilometer road that will link Kawit to Noveleta to Rosario in Cavite province.

The company earlier earmarked P1.7 billion to expand Cavitex.

Cavitex Infrastructure tapped FF Cruz Construction Inc. to build the first phase of the Cavitex C5 South Link, which will connect C5 and Merville, Parañaque by way of a flyover.

The second phase will link Merville and Cavite at a cost of P9.5 billion.

Cavitex C5 South Link will allow residents from Cavite, Las Piñas and parts of Parañaque to avoid Edsa and take a direct link to and from C5 to Cavitex.

Bautista said the new expressway, which was expected to be completed in 2019, would add 40,000 to 45,000 vehicle traffic per day, on top of the 130,000 vehicles currently using Cavitex.

C5 South Link will ultimately connect with R1 Expressway (Coastal Road) and provide fast, safe and convenient travel for motorists going to and from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite and for Paranaque residents in Multinational, Moonwalk and Merville villages.

The new expressway will not only decongest the Parañaque villages, but will also provide easier travel from Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City and other northern areas to Manila, Las Piñas and Cavite, the company said.

It will also provide relief for vehicles using the congested Edsa and C5 Road arteries of the metropolis.

When completed, the expressway will provide a seamless connection to Cavitex road network and to Cavite-Laguna Expressway which is slated for completion by 2020.

The new C5 Link is envisioned to spur economic development in Parañaque, Cavite and Laguna by providing a safe and convenient link from the central and northern parts of Metro Manila to the high-growth industrial and residential centers in Southern Luzon.

MRT now has 15 operational trains

As promised by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the troubled Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) had 15 trains up and running yesterday afternoon.

The rail line was closed from Wednesday to Sunday to allow for repairs. The DOTr said the target was to restore 47 train cars or 15 trains with two spare cars.

The last time that the MRT-3 had 15 trains running along its tracks was at around around 9 a.m. on Jan. 4.

The MRT-3 opened at around 5 a.m. yesterday with only eight trains operational and with six others “ready for insertion.”

As the day passed, up to 14 trains were driven along the tracks of the rail system.

By 2:10 p.m., the DOTr reported that 15 trains were running, with a six-minute waiting time between trains.

The MRT-3 encountered glitches, causing trains to be reduced to only six trains at one point and the waiting time lengthened to up to more than 10 minutes.   


Read more at https://www.philstar.com/nation/2018/04/03/1802173/mrt-now-has-15-operational-trains#5AwqI1bRM55utBIg.99

NLEx-SLEx connector set to start construction in June

NLEX Corp. said it will start the construction of the P23-billion expressway linking North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway by June.

“By June or July, we should be mobilizing by that date,” NLEX president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

NLEX secured the notice of award from the Public Works Department on Sept. 19, 2016, but the construction of the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road was affected by the delay in the delivery of right-of-way.

The project is an unsolicited proposal approved by the National Economic and Development Authority under the build-operate-transfer scheme for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of an 8-kilometer elevated toll expressway over the right-of-way of Philippine National Railways.

The project starts at the junction of NLEx Segment 10 at C-3 Road/5th Ave. in Caloocan City and will connect to South Luzon Expressway though Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project in Manila.

Upon its completion in 2021, the elevated expressway will provide motorists another alternative to the heavily congested Edsa.

The project is also expected to reduce travel time between NLEx and SLEx from two hours to only 20 minutes.

NLEX budgeted P19 billion this year for the construction of NLEx-SLEx Project and the Harbor Link Segment 10, including the R10 Section in Dagat-Dagatan, Navotas City.

Expected to be opened this year, Harbor Link Segment 10 is a 5.7-km elevated expressway traversing NLEx from Smart Connect Interchange and cross over Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela City with down ramps along C3/5th Ave. Interchange in Caloocan City.

Once Harbor Link is fully completed, travel between the Port of Manila and NLEx will take only 10 minutes and will provide direct expressway access to commercial vehicles, specially heavy trucks.

Around 40,000 vehicles traversing the Port of Manila and NLEx daily are expected to benefit from Harbor Link.

RJ Agustin, Michelle Vito co-star in music video

RJ Agustin

RJ Agustin’s music video for his new single under Star Music “Seryoso Na Pala” features a “no label” love story between two friends. RJ co-stars in the video with Star Magic teen star, Michelle Vito.

Most, if not all love stories today, revolve around an uncertain loop of romance. It’s confusing to be in a relationship where you are too intimate but not quite sure to call it an official relationship.

In the music video, RJ and Michelle played these young people who started out as friends and eventually became too close to each other. They are seen together most of the time despite their respective relationships.

After starring in films such as “Kabisera” with Nora Aunor, “1st Ko Si 3rd” with Nova Villa, “Talamak” with Lovi Poe and Jaclyn Jose, and the epic movie “Heneral Luna,” RJ now focuses on his singing career.

The video is a collaboration between Star Music and Firestarters Productions and directed by award-winning filmmaker, Real S. Florido.

Filipino music lovers and hopeless romantics should watch out for more kilig moments with RJ as he is about to spread love with more music through his upcoming radio tours, mall tours, TV appearances and live performances in the next months.

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Rotary Club of Manila presents ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’

For the first time in the Philippines and in Asia, the Rotary Club of Manila presents two shows of the Tony/Grammy/Drama Desk Award-winning “Monty Python’s Spamalot” play on April 21 from 3 to 8 p.m. at The Globe Auditorium at Maybank Performing Arts Theater, BGC Arts Center, Taguig.

CAST OF ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ including Rachel Alejandro, Carla Guevara-Laforteza and Lorenz Martinez

The hilarious Broadway musical import, which got local audiences and critics alike rolling in laughter, is an adaptation of the 1975 film “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” one of the funniest movies of all time according to Total Film, ABC, Channel 4 UK, and many other sources.

The encore run of the show will bring back last year’s talented cast, which includes multi-awarded actor/singers Rachel Alejandro, Carla Guevara-Laforteza, and Lorenz Martinez. The musical will once again be directed by the duo of Joel Trinidad and Nicky Triviño, both of whom were nominated by Broadway World for Best Direction for last year’s production.

For tickets and inquiries, email to rotaryclubofmanila@gmail.com.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, April 3, go to Patty Leung, Rina Go-Thorpe, Gerard Ramirez, Babie Malulu, Atty. Mirma Saruca, Dr. Meliza Galang, Edwin Sallan, Gloria Desiderio, Nina Sales, Ana Maria Abano, Noel Namuco, Rey Pumaloy, Nico Ibaviosa, Clara Ann Maniquis, Tessa Jazmines, Arnold Lebaquin, Teresa Ocampo and Amay Bisaya… April 4: Snooky Serna, Bearwin Meily, Nelly Marshall, Josefina Guizon, Dr. Carlex Lasaga, Vicente Jimenez, Rosalyn Go, Ma. Theresa dela Paz, Irene Martel Francisco, Jemuel Salterio, Vidal de Guzman, Dr. Adolfo Ferrer, Oliver Gonzalez, Katherine Ann Bailey, Wilfredo Relador, Hesus Villafuerte, Cleo Dongga-as and director Louie Ignacio…You asked for it! Due to public demand, we're extending our Tuesday deal until April 24! Get fresh hand-breaded KFC goodness and save ₱91! Thank God It’s Tuesday at KFC! Promo extended until April 24, 2018. Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 2250 Series of 2018.