Construction begins on PH's first subway line

Construction broke ground Wednesday on the Philippines' first ever subway line, the most ambitious among the Duterte administration's infrastructure projects.

The Metro Manila Subway Project is 36 kilometers long, covers seven cities, and has 15 stations - from Quirino Highway in Quezon City, all the way to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and is being built to the tune of over P357 billion.

Three stations are scheduled to be operational by 2022 but the entire system is expected to be completed in 2025.

TJ Batan, Undersecretary for Rails of the Department of Transportation (DOTr said at least 5,000 jobs are expected to be generated from the subway project during construction, and 2,000 jobs once it begins operations.

"That's just the direct employment that the project is expected to generate, because...there's a lot of secondary and support services that is going to create much more jobs," he said.

He also assured the public the construction of the subway system will have a minimal impact on traffic.

Speaking to CNN Philppines' New Day, Batan said, "It will create some necessary road diversions aboveground, but one of the good things about a subway compared to your more traditional elevated railway, is that the disruption is only going to happen where the stations are located."

DOTr: Metro Manila subway project to generate at least 5,000 jobs pic.twitter.com/dRjnKvyC0T

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) February 26, 2019

According to Batan, the subway system can withstand flooding during construction and once it becomes fully operational.

In a statement Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo said the subway system is a "a major transformational project in mass transport in the country."

He added, they are requesting the administrations to succeed Duterte's to keep the momentum until the system is fully completed.

"The Office of the President will be monitoring the progress of this project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved as they endeavor to deliver this facility to our countrymen," he said.

The Metro Manila Subway Project is the most expensive project of the government under the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

It is expected to cut travel time from the northmost station — Quirino Avenue — to NAIA from the usual two to three hours to a mere 30 minutes.

The subway system is also expected to serve more than 300,000 passengers daily.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/02/27/metro-manila-subway-project-construction-dotr.html

Palace asks next admins for continuity of Metro Manila subway construction

As the Department of Transportation (DOTr) breaks ground for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway system, Malacañang has called on the next administrations to exert all efforts until the multi-billion project is fully completed.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the appeal Wednesday, just hours after the ceremonial groundbreaking of the project in Valenzuela City.

The project is an expansive 36-kilometer railway system, which will have 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay and FTI in Taguig.

The DOTr is targeting partial operability by 2022, which marks the end of the Duterte administration.

“With this foundation, we request succeeding administrations to exert the same effort until the railway system is fully completed,” Panelo said in a statement.

The Palace official also hit back at the critics of what it called the “project of the century.”

“The critics say it can never be done. The cynics say it is just a dream. We are pleased to announce today’s groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway, which will be the first-ever underground railway system in the Philippines,” Panelo said.

“The Metro Manila Subway has been dubbed as the project of the century as it is considered a major transformational project in mass transport in the country,” he added.

Panelo further assured that Malacañang will be monitoring the progress of the project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved.

“We also ask the public to remain patient as it is us who will greatly benefit from gains of this major infrastructure project in the near future,” Panelo noted.

The multi-billion Metro Manila subway is among the flagship projects under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. /je

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1090332/palace-asks-next-admins-for-continuity-of-metro-manila-subway-construction

Palace to monitor subway project's progress, asks public to be patient

Malacañang vowed to monitor the progress of the Metro Manila Subway project, which broke ground in Valenzuela City on Wednesday.

Once it becomes serviceable, the riding public can travel from Quezon City to the NAIA Terminal 3 in just 30 minutes.

There will be 15 stations, and the first three stations will be operational in 2022, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The entire 30-kilometer railway system is targeted to be completed in 2025.

“Critics say it can never be done. The cynics say it is just a dream. We are pleased to announce today’s groundbreaking ceremony of the Metro Manila Subway, which will be the first-ever underground railway system in the Philippines,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“The Office of the President will be monitoring the progress of this project and commits its all-out support to the DOTr and all agencies involved as they endeavor to deliver this facility to our countrymen,” he added.

Panelo also asked the public to remain patient “as it is us who will greatly benefit from gains of this major infrastructure project in the near future.”

“With this foundation, we request succeeding administrations to exert the same effort until the railway system is fully completed,” he said.

The flagship project under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program will be built with the support of the Government of Japan through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan amounting to ¥104.530-billion or P51-billion loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). —LBG, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/686317/palace-to-monitor-subway-project-s-progress-asks-public-to-be-patient/story/

Metro Manila Subway breaks ground

Officials on Wednesday broke ground on the Metro Manila subway, the country's first underground rail system that is among the flagship projects under President Rodrigo Duterte's P8 trillion infrastructure program.

The 36-kilometer subway will stretch from Valenzuela on the capital's northern end to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, promising as fast as 30 minutes of travel time from end to end, the Department of Transportation said.

The government earlier said it hoped to open the first 3 stations in Valenzuela, Tandang Sora and North Avenue before Duterte's term ends in 2022.

"Inaugurating and groundbreaking is one thing, finishing it is another. We will finish this in 2022. Sabi nga sa Ingles, I will be watching you... This is what we want to achieve. Sa mga nagdududa, maniwala kayo," said Transportation Sec. Arthur Tugade.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the Duterte government would finish the subway project "as fast as we can, as well as we can and without any whiff of corruption."

The subway spans 7 cities and municipalities and 3 business districts. A joint venture including Shimizu Corp, Fujita Corp and Takenaka Civil Engineering Co of Japan and EEI Corp from the Philippines was tapped to design and build the first 3 stations, the DOTr said.

It will connect to the MRT-3, the LRT-2 and the Philippine National Railway lines, according to Transportation Usec for railways Timothy Batan.

The Metro Manila Subway will leverage on Japanese technology to make the structure flood and earthquake-proof, the DOTr said.

A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency estimated daily economic losses in Metro Manila due to traffic had risen to P3.5 billion.

Last November, the government opened the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, an airport-style structure that serves as a hub for buses and jeepney in the south of the capital.

@DOTrPH targets 2022 to operate 3 out of 15 Metro Manila Subway stations, while full operations in 2025. With speed of 80kph, travel time from Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 will go down to 30mins

— Jacque Manabat (@jacquemanabat) February 27, 2019

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/27/19/metro-manila-subway-breaks-ground

DOTr breaks ground for Metro Manila subway project

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday broke ground to start the construction of the first three stations of the Metro Manila Subway system.

Speaking at the groundbreaking rites in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade gave assurance that the government would keep an eye on the project, which is funded by a loan from Japan.

“Inaugurating and groundbreaking is one thing, finishing it is another. We will finish this in 2022. Sabi nga sa Ingles, I will be watching you. This is what we want to achieve. Sa mga nagdududa, maniwala kayo,” Tugade said.

The multi-billion Metro Manila subway is among the flagship projects under the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Last week, the DOTr signed the main contract of the subway’s depot and first three stations, or its partial operability section, along with the structures and facilities of the Philippine Railway Institute.

READ: DOTr inks deal for Metro Manila subway’s first 3 stations

The first three stations consist of the Quirino Highway-Mindanao Avenue Station, Tandang Sora Station, and North Avenue Station.

The project is an expansive 36-kilometer railway system, which will have 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay and FTI in Taguig.

With a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour, the DOTr said the subway would cut travel time from Quezon City to Naia Terminal 3 to just 30 minutes.

The DOTr is targeting partial operability by 2022, while full operations would be in 2025.

Around 370,000 passengers are expected to benefit from the subway daily in its first year of full operations.

The Metro Manila Subway will be built with the support of the Japanese government through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). /cbb

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1090250/dotr-breaks-ground-for-metro-manila-subway-project

Construction of Metro Manila Subway begins

Once fully operational in 2025, the Philippines' first intercity underground railway will connect Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City within 30 minutes

METRO MANILA SUBWAY. Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda (leftmost) and beside him, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the Metro Manila Subway on February 27, 2019. Screenshot from RTVM video

The construction of the Philippines' first intercity underground railway officially started Wednesday, February 27.

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, along with other government officials and Japanese partners, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the P356.96-billion Metro Manila Subway on Wednesday in Valenzuela City.

"When we announced that we are doing the subway, many sectors did not believe. Marami hong nagduda...pati na ho 'yung utter disbelief. Ang sabi ho nila, 'Subway station? Drawing lang 'yan....' Sir, ma'am, ang subway station ay totoo at totoo at totoo," Tugade said in a speech.

(When we announced that we are doing the subway, many sectors did not believe. Many were doubtful...and even expressed utter disbelief. They said, "Subway station? That's a far-fetched plan...." Sir, ma'am, the subway station is true, true, true.)

The DOTr aims to have the first 3 stations of the 36-kilometer Metro Manila Subway running by 2022.

A Filipino-Japanese joint venture will design and build these first 3 stations – Mindanao Avenue-Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue. The joint venture is composed of Shimizu Corporation, Fujita Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Company Ltd, and EEI Corporation.

By 2025, all 15 stations should be fully operational, connecting Quirino Highway to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City within 30 minutes. Subway trains will run at up to 80 kilometers per hour.

"Matagal nang deprived ang mga Pilipino ng ganitong uri ng mass transit (Filipinos have long been deprived of this kind of mass transit), and we will not take our sweet time. We will deliver this subway to the Filipino people as fast as we can, as well as we can, and without any whiff of corruption," said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in a speech.

The Shimizu joint venture will also construct the depot in Valenzuela City, electromechanical systems and rolling stock, and the facilities of the Philippine Railway Institute.

More than 180 families affected by the first phase of construction will be relocated to Barangay Bignay in Valenzuela City.

'World-class' subway

The Metro Manila Subway will be connected to the Light Rail Transit Line 1 and Metro Rail Transit Lines 3 and 7 via a common station along EDSA.

The DOTr gave assurances that the subway will use "proven Japanese technologies to make the system resilient against natural disasters," given that the capital region is prone to floods.

In a speech, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said "Japan vows nothing but a world-class mass transit system."

"Far beyond financing and cutting-edge technology, the Philippines can count on Japan to impart our extensive experience not only in subway construction, but also in railway operation and maintenance," added Haneda.

In March 2018, the Philippine government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a ¥104.53-billion (P49.08-billion) loan agreement for the subway, the first in a series of deals.

Of the total project cost, 73% (¥573.73 billion) will be funded by JICA through a loan arrangement comprising 3 to 4 tranches. The remaining 27% (¥215.16 billion) will be shouldered by the Philippine government.

The groundbreaking was originally targeted for December 2018, but was pushed back to February due to scheduling issues.

Other Cabinet members – Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar – also attended Wednesday's event.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim, Senate committee on public services vice chairman JV Ejercito, House committee on transportation chairman Cesar Sarmiento, and Valenzuela City, Malabon City, and Quezon City politicians were present as well.

https://www.rappler.com/business/224469-construction-metro-manila-subway-begins-february-2019

Ground broken for first Metro Manila subway

Construction on the first Metro Manila subway officially began Wednesday, February 27, with the big-ticket project seen to ease traffic gridlock in the capital when completed in 2025.

The Department of Transportation initially planned to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the project last December 19, but this was pushed back to January and again rescheduled to February due to conflicts in schedule of Philippine and Japanese officials.

In March 2018, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Japan International Cooperation Agency Chief Representative Yoshio Wada inked the first tranche of a loan deal for the initial phase of a 30-km underground railway, which is estimated to cost P356.96 billion.

The big-ticket project has a total loan financing requirement of P259.6 billion, the biggest amount committed by JICA to a single country. The Japanese funding for the project will be sliced in three to four tranches.

The subway project will have 14 to 16 stations and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Meanwhile, partial operation of the first three stations is set in 2022.

Line to connect Quezon City to Pasay

Once finished, the first underground railroad in the Philippines will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s premier gateway.

According to Dominguez, the plan for the subway line envisions a “north zone” that will extend to Bulacan and a “south zone” that will stretch to Cavite.

The flagship infrastructure project will have commercial spaces that will be leased to help pay the hefty Japanese loan and defray the cost of operating the facility.

As he charts an "independent foreign policy" while lessening his country's dependence on traditional treaty ally, the US, President Rodrigo Duterte has courted regional rivals China and Japan to help foot the bill for the country's P8-9 trillion infrastructure plan.

A recent study by JICA found that road congestion in Manila cost the economy P3.5 billion daily in 2017.

The Duterte administration is depending on a mix of foreign borrowings, budgetary allocations and private funding for its ambitious infrastructure push. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/02/27/1897181/ground-broken-first-metro-manila-subway

P355.6-B Metro subway launched today

By Emmie V. Abadilla

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is scheduled to break ground today (Feb. 27, 2019) at Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela the P355.6 -billion Metro Manila Subway Project, the country’s first underground railway system dubbed as the “project of the century.”

The railway system will stretch 36 kilometers, with 15 stations, crossing 7 local governments, passing 3 of Metro Manila’s business districts, connecting all to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, in almost 30 minutes or less.

Just a week ago, the DOTr signed the main contract, or the first part of the design and build contract, for the Metro Manila Subway’s first three stations, or its partially operable section.

The Shimizu Joint Venture of the Shimizu Corporation, Fujita Corporation, Takenaka Civil Engineering Co., Ltd. and EEI Corporation will do the design and build of this specific section of the subway.

The section consists of the first three underground stations – Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue, along with the tunnel structure, the Valenzuela Depot. The joint venture will likewise construct the building and facilities for the Philippine Railway Institute.

The Metro Manila Subway is among the flagship projects under the Duterte Administration’s infrastructure program and the first three stations are slated to be partially operable by 2022.

By 2025, the subway will be fully operational. In its first year of full operations alone, it will serve up to 370,000 passengers per day, with a capacity for up to 1.5 million passengers per day.

Its world-class design features water-stop panels, doors, a high-level entrance for flood prevention, earthquake detection, along with a train stop system, just like subways in Tokyo.

There’s no stopping the construction of the Metro Manila Subway, pledged DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding the project via a P45-billion loan.

https://business.mb.com.ph/2019/02/26/p355-6-b-metro-subway-launched-today/

NLEX Harbor Link opens Thursday night

By Betheena Unite and Pinky C. Colmenares

By Thursday night, an elevated expressway called NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 that connects Manila and Quezon City will finally be opened, an official from the Department of Public Works and Highways confirmed Tuesday.

The opening of the 5.65-km elevated expressway was initially scheduled Tuesday but it was moved to Thursday night, Build, Build, Build Committee Chair Anna Mae Lamentillo said.

“(It will open) evening of February 28, before midnight,” Lamentillo said, noting that the opening was moved to another date because they are still conducting safety checks and pre-opening construction.

NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is composed of the 5.65-km elevated expressway traversing the NLEX from MacArthur Highway Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, passing through Malabon City and C3 Road, Caloocan City, and the 2.6-km section between C3 Road, Caloocan City and R10, Navotas City.

Major cut in travel time

The opening of the elevated expressway presents a major cut in the travel time from Manila to Quezon City, or vice-versa, Romulo “Junjie” Quimbo Jr., senior vice president for communication and stakeholder management, told motoring journalists Monday.

Driving from Quezon City, motorists will enter the new Harbor Link through the Mindanao Avenue entry of NLEX to the 5th Avenue of the Caloocan Interchange. The new segment will offer a 5.6-kilometer stretch of elevated expressway that spans over Valenzuela, Malabon and Caloocan.

The toll fee for that convenience is P45, Quimbo said Monday during a tour of the new elevated expressway to members of the Society of Motoring Journalists (SPMJ).

By December, NLEX expects the next 2.6-km portion of the expressway to be completed, to bring the motorist from the C3 Road in Caloocan City to exit at the Road 10 section of the new Harbor Link, in Navotas City.

R-10 leads to an intersection where the motorist can either take the road to Roxas Blvd. or the left to Claro M. Recto Avenue.

The whole stretch of the NLEX Harbor Link, when finally completed in December, will make the motorist coming from Commonwealth in Quezon City avoid the dense traffic at the Elliptical Circle, Quezon Blvd., Mabuhay Rotunda, España Avenue, and Quiapo.

After the completion of the NLEX Harbor Link, the motoring public can look forward to another elevated expressway that will decongest traffic in the Manila area. That will be the opening in 2021 of the España Interchange that will be part of the 8-kilometer NLEX-SLEX Connector Road.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/02/26/nlex-harbor-link-opens-thursday-night/

The PH’s first subway is really pushing through

Stop pinching yourself, because you aren’t dreaming. Yes, a subway in the Philippines is happening, and it’s expected to be fully operational by the year 2025.

The Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr) already signed the first part of the project’s design and build contract with the Shimizu Corporation on February 20, 2019. The subway system will span 36km, and will consist of 15 stations over seven cities and three business districts. It is also expected to cut travel time from connected areas to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) to just 30 minutes or less.

A section of the project—composed of underground stations along Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue—is scheduled to be partially operational by 2022. Upon completion in 2025, the subway system is expected to service 370,000 passengers per day, with a capacity of serving up to 1.5 million passengers per day.

DOTr secretary Arthur Tugade, who was recently in Osaka for a committee meeting between the governments of the Philippines and Japan, expressed excitement over idea of the project’s completion, though he acknowledged that there will be some challenges moving forward: “Of course there will be some inconvenience along the way, but that is nothing compared to the long-lasting comfort this project will bring to the Filipino people,” he said in a statement.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines chief representative Yoshio Wada, who was also in Osaka, promised the JICA’s commitment to the project: “It is our honor to assist the Government of the Philippines to implement this historical flagship project in Metro Manila. We appreciate the fact that our Japanese technology will be utilized for this project and make Filipino people’s life better by mitigating congestion in the city with safe and punctual Japanese railway culture.”

Secretary Tugade has already inspected tunnel boring machines (TBM), subway flood control equipment, and other equipment for the subway system’s construction during his visit to Japan.

So, it looks like this is really pushing through. Anyone else excited to ride the country’s first subway system?

https://www.topgear.com.ph/news/motoring-news/ph-first-subway-a962-20190226

We just drove through the soon-to-open NLEX Segment 10, and yes it will make life better

A direct and quick access to Caloocan. A faster way to get to your US Embassy appointment. Plus, it’s going to bring us closer to the City of Manila. These are just three benefits of the NLEX Segment 10.

The opening of the latest section of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) called the Segment 10 is almost upon us.

Segment 10 is 5.65 kilometer, 6-lane (3 lanes either direction) divided and elevated toll expressway that will connect Caloocan (via C3) directly to the NLEX, with another 2.6 kilometers under construction to connect Manila (via R10).

The elevated expressway, built largely over the existing PNR railway tracks, is designed to have a capacity of 30,000 vehicles daily and is rated to sustain the weights of semi-trailer trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. Segment 10 is also built to the latest standards with solid reinforced concrete guard rails and earthquake safety.

While it may seem like a simple project that will benefit only residents and businesses within the two cities, the impact of NLEX Segment 10 can be far more beneficial the metropolis in general. Let's take a look at five reasons why.

1. Improve transit in and out of Caloocan

The most immediate benefit of the soon-to-be-opened NLEX Segment 10 is that it allows direct and quick access to and from Caloocan and the surrounding areas. So, if you live in Caloocan and have to get to Quezon City, you can do so via Segment 10, 9 and 8 to Mindanao Avenue.

The Department of Public Works and Highways actually says Segment 10 can cut down a trip that normally takes an hour in Caloocan traffic to about 5 minutes. That's 55 minutes in time and cost savings. If you have to drive both ways, that's almost two hours you can save in a day.

2. Will later connect to R10, linking to Roxas Boulevard

Do you have an appointment at the U.S. Embassy (or any of the other diplomatic addresses) on Roxas Boulevard? Travel time will be so much more convenient in the near future thanks to NLEX Segment 10, which will eventually have a terminus at R10 in the Port Area.

When the R10 interchange opens in the near future, it will connect directly to the Manila Bay area. R10, also known as Radial Road 10, is actually somewhat of an extension of Roxas Boulevard; if you're driving northbound on the latter, once you cross the Pasig River, that's R10.

One such benefit was relayed to us by the Chair for the Build Build Build Commitee, Ms. Anna Marie Yu Lamentillo, who holds office at the DPWH in the Port Area, but has to travel to U.P. Diliman in Quezon City to take evening classes for her law degree. A project such as this can drastically cut travel time between her office and the university, and vice versa.

3. Easier access for trucks to and from Manila ports

But beyond the benefits of being able to get to embassies, Intramuros, Luneta Park and many other important destinations in the City Of Manila, NLEX Segment 10 will be of great benefit to big trucks coming in and out of the Port Area.

The project will undoubtedly yield huge benefits for logistics as goods can more easily flow in and out of the country's largest shipping port by tonnage, providing a much-needed boost for imports and exports and, subsequently, the economy. More importantly, the NLEX is not covered by a truck ban—again enhancing the ability of companies to benefit as trucks can be sent out without having to wait out a truck ban.

4. Decongest surrounding areas of vehicles, especially trucks

By providing a faster alternate route for truckers in and out of the Port of Manila and the many industries in the cities of Caloocan, Valenzuela, Manila and more, the traffic in said areas is expected to improve dramatically.

Roads and locales that make up the Northern Truck Route for the Port Area will benefit the most such as Capulong,  Tayuman, Gov. Forbes, Aragon, Aurora, Maria Clara, Dimasalang, Blumentritt, and A.Bonifacio. Freeing up these tight and congested roads will undoubtedly be welcomed by residents, and is expected to have a spillover effect and decongest other major roads in the metropolis like EDSA and C-5.

5. Will eventually link up to Skyway Stage 3 via NLEX-SLEX Connector

The master plan for the government's Build Build Build program indicates another road will be constructed called the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road project. It will pick up from the NLEX Segment 10 exit at C3 Road in Caloocan, and link directly to the South Luzon Expressway via a new interchange being constructed near Quirino Avenue.

Once completed in a few years' time, Segment 10 and the NLEX-SLEX Connector will enable trucks to go onto the SLEX, opening up industries of the south to the Port Area and to the north as well. This project will decongest roads such as C-5 which has proved to be the vital link between the NLEX and the SLEX.

This project will also enable motorists to drive directly onto the Metro Manila Skyway to the Manila International Airport, cutting travel time to the metro's four primary air terminals.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/drive/cars-and-bikes/02/25/19/we-just-drove-through-the-soon-to-open-nlex-segment-10

Transport dep’t calls for groups to bid for Malolos-Clark railway

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation is inviting groups to bid for the construction of the Malolos-Clark segment of the P777.55-billion North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.

In a bulletin published in a newspaper on Saturday, the department said it has set the pre-bid conference on March 7 and the deadline for submission and opening of bids on May 10.

The contract consists of three packages: the first one for engineering works of the railway viaduct, four balanced cantilever bridges and two elevated stations; the second for railway viaduct, one extradosed bridge, two balanced cantilever bridges and one elevated station; and the third for railway viaduct, four balanced cantilever bridges and two elevated stations.

Interested parties may procure hard copies of bid documents per package for P50,000.

The train line from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga will be financed by a $2.75-billion loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The open competitive bidding will adhere to ADB’s Procurement Policy, which requires bidders to come from any of ADB’s 67 member countries.

Qualified bidders are likewise required to have an average annual construction turnover of more than $1 billion per package, minimum available financial resources of $60 million per package and submit a bid security of $12 million per package. It must also have completed a project worth more than $500 million in the past 10 years.

The Malolos-Clark railway forms part of the P777.55 billion NSCR project, which consists of the 56-kilometer line from Calamba, Laguna to Tutuban in Manila, the 38-kilometer segment from Tutuban to Malolos, Bulacan and the 53-kilometer portion from Malolos to Clark, Pampanga.

Last year, the DoTr auctioned off the contract for the Malolos-Tutuban line of the NSCR, where Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. won the contract. It broke ground on Feb. 15. — Denise A. Valdez

https://www.bworldonline.com/transport-dept-calls-for-groups-to-bid-for-malolos-clark-railway/

LRT-1 Cavite extension construction to start April

Construction of the project extending the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) to Cavite is finally pushing through after years of delay, despite the start of the construction officially being moved to the second quarter from the previous target of first quarter.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the project, which will stretch LRT-1 over 33 kilometers from Roosevelt in Quezon City to Niog in Bacoor City is set to start in April.

“Mock up LRV (light rail vehicle) has arrived in the Philippines and it will be unveiled in April, parallel to the start of construction of the LRT Cavite Extension,” the DOTr said.

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso earlier indicated plans to move the start of construction of the project to the second quarter.

“A lot of the right of way issues have been resolved, but for example, there are utilities that still need to be relocated, so once those are fairly complete then we can start construction. The right of way is already there, but sometimes it is not free and clear so there are still obstacles that are being fixed right now,” Alfonso said in an interview last December.

The LRT-1 currently has 20 stations spanning from Roosevelt Station in Quezon City to Baclaran Station in Parañaque City.

The LRMC consortium, composed of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd., also won the contract for the LRT-Cavite extension project which will give rise to eight new stations – Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos stations in Parañaque, Las Piñas and Zapote stations in Las Piñas City and Niog station in Bacoor.

Right of way issues have hounded the project in the past, as it was supposed to have been completed by this time based on the original concession agreement in 2014.

The extension project is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2021 or early 2022.

Once built, travel time from Bacoor to Central Station in Manila will be down to 45 minutes, and to Roosevelt Station in one hour and 10 minutes, even during rush hours.

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/02/25/1896418/lrt-1-cavite-extension-construction-start-april

A month of heart: Four major DOTr railway projects for the Filipino

FEATURE

True love is not the monopoly of couples, families, or friends. Another kind of true love resides in the commitment to faithfully deliver public service, a kind of love that also braves seemingly insurmountable challenges and endures the test of time.

To show its love for Filipinos, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), under the leadership of Secretary Arthur P. Tugade, fetes four major railway projects this February to build the foundation of a safe, efficient, and convenient mass transit system for Filipinos.

The DOTr, and its attached agencies and private partners, is going “fast and sure” with the MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project, the construction of the Common Station, PNR Clark Phase 1, and the Metro Manila Subway.

MRT-3 rehabilitation project

Scarred from years of short-term maintenance, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has been wallowing in an abjectly degraded state, causing stress and inconvenience to the riding public.

But the broken shall be made whole again.

Following the signing of an P18-billion loan agreement with Japan and the return of Sumitomo Corporation and its technical partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as the Rehabilitation and Maintenance Service Provider, MRT-3 is set to undergo rehabilitation and maintenance of its electromechanical components, power supply, rail tracks, depot equipment, and overhaul of its 72 light rail vehicles.

Once rehabilitated, the MRT-3 will return to its high-grade infrastructure condition. It will increase the number of its operating train sets from the current 15 to 20 at peak hours, double the train operating speed to 60 kilometers per hour, and slash by half the time between trains from the current 7-10 minutes to 3.5 minutes.

Transition works are now ongoing.

Common Station: Building a long-lasting connection

Unless there’s a genuine and solid connection, a relationship can easily drift apart.

To provide the Filipinos unprecedented connection in public transport, the construction of the Unified Grand Central Station (UGCS) in Quezon City, also known as the Common Station, is well on its way.

The Common Station is a 13,700-square meter concourse at the north end of EDSA that aims to provide seamless transfer of passengers of four railway lines, namely, the LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway. It will be built through the collaborative efforts of the government and private sector partners.

The concourse is comprised of three areas: Area A under the DOTr, the contract for the design and build of which was signed on 13 February 2019; Area B under Ayala Land Inc. which has already started construction; and Area C under the MRT-7 Project facilitated by San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

The Common Station will feature a transit area for the riding public, operated by an automated fare collection system that will give commuters enhanced point-to-point mobility and comfort once operational by 2022.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade summed up the value of the Common Station in three words: interoperability, intermodality, and interconnectivity. These, according to the transportation chief, are key elements in making the Filpino life comfortable.

PNR Clark Phase 1: On the way to your hearts

Sometimes, the long wait is rewarded with THE one.

In a seminal initiative to connect North and South Luzon through a mass transit system, the North-South Commuter Railway Project is finally on its way to the hearts of Filipinos, following the start of full-blast construction of the Tutuban to Malolos leg, known as PNR Clark Phase 1, on 15 February 2019.

Soon, a train from Clark, Pampanga, to Los Banos, Laguna, will be a familiar scene in our daily lives.

PNR Clark Phase 1 is a 38-kilometer mass railway project implemented by the DOTr and the Philippine National Railways (PNR). This leg will have 10 stations from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan. Once fully operational, it will cut the commute of over 300,000 passengers between Manila, and Bulacan from one hour and 45 minutes to just 35 minutes.

PNR Clark Phase 1 will be seamlessly connected with the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters traveling to, from, within the National Capital Region, Central Luzon to Calabarzon.

As trailblazing projects go, the North-South Commuter Railway Project is poised to transform not only the commuting experience of Filipinos, but on a grander scale, the economic and social landscape of Luzon through a firm linkage of Mega Manila.

Metro Manila Subway: How Deep is Your Love?

For love of country, the DOTr will bore through the depths of the concrete jungle that is Metro Manila to deliver “the project of the century” – the Metro Manila Subway.

A major transformational project in mass transport, the Metro Manila Subway is set to break ground this February.

The Philippines’ first-ever subway stretches 30 kilometers, with 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to NAIA Terminal 3 and FTI, and provisions for a 5-kilometer extension and two additional stations to connect with LRT-1.

The Metro Manila Subway will feature an automatic train control system and platform screen doors, earthquake sensors, and flood control system for passenger safety and disaster resilience.

At an incredible speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the subway will be the country’s fastest public transport, dramatically reducing travel time from North Avenue in Quezon City to the airport to just 31 minutes.

The Metro Manila Subway aims to serve an estimated 370,000 commuters daily when partial operations of the first three stations commence in 2022. The entire system will be fully operational by 2025.

Love for the Filipino people

Perhaps, no love is grander than love of country when it goes beyond the realm of the personal to embrace the spectrum of possibilities for others.

The DOTr and its attached agencies are determined, through transformational initiatives and flagship projects, to transport the Filipinos to the ‘golden age of infrastructure,’ where public transport becomes an equalizer in Philippine society.

It truly has been a month of heart.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/02/21/a-month-of-heart-four-major-dotr-railway-projects-for-the-filipino/

NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 to open Feb. 26

The 5.65-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link Segment 10 is set to open on February 26, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced on Wednesday.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said once the elevated expressway is opened, the travel time from Circumferential Road 3 (C3) to NLEX will only be 10 minutes.

“We are glad that this much-awaited traffic decongestion project will soon be open to our motorists. With this new road, travel time between C3 and NLEX will only take 10 minutes,” he said in a statement.

“Aligned with the vision of the Duterte administration’s massive infrastructure plan --- the “Build Build Build” program --- the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is being anticipated to improve accessibility and connectivity between key areas of Metro Manila and the northern provinces of Luzon via the NLEX,” said Villar, who led the final inspection of the project.

Traversing the cities of Valenzuela, Malabon, and Caloocan, the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is seen to ease traffic bottlenecks as it diverts 30,000 vehicles daily away from the busy streets of Metro Manila.

It will also facilitate the efficient delivery of goods as cargo trucks will have 24/7 direct access from the port area to the provinces in northern Luzon and vice versa.

This alternative route will enable travelers from Manila to Central and North Luzon to have shorter travel time, as they can head straight to the NLEX bypassing Edsa and the Balintawak Toll Plaza. The next phase of this project is the 2.6-km section from C3 Road, Caloocan City to R10, Navotas City.

Along with the full opening of the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is the partial opening of the new Caloocan Interchange --- the fourth gateway of NLEX to Metro Manila, after Balintawak, Mindanao Avenue, and Karuhatan.

The new Caloocan Interchange serves as the point, where the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the C3-R-10 section, and the NLEX Connector will converge. This junction is located along the PNR tracks in 5th Avenue/C3 Road in Caloocan City.

Meanwhile, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) chairman Manuel Pangilinan said they are very pleased with the government’s help in speeding up important infrastructure projects.

“Apart from our team’s commitment to support the administration’s ‘Build Build Build’ program, the government’s help in ramping up the acquisition of right-of-way made us deliver this vital infrastructure which aims to bolster development and ease traffic congestion in the country,” he added.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president Rodrigo Franco noted that “NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is just one of Metro Pacific’s expansion projects geared towards providing further convenience to motorists and bringing more opportunities in nearby cities and provinces.”

The undertaking will also pave the way for the NLEX Connector, which is expected to decongest major thoroughfares and improve linkages between the north and south.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062496

Sec. Villar inspects soon-to-open NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar (center) leads the inspection of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Harbor Link Segment 10. He was joined by (from left) NLEx Corporation Chief Operating Officer Raul Ignacio, DPWH Undersecretary for planning and public-private partnership Maria Catalina Cabral, DPWH National Capital Region Dir. Ador Canlas, and NLEx Corporation Senior Vice President for Communication and Stakeholder Management Romulo Quimbo Jr. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar on Wednesday made an early morning inspection of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Harbor Link Segment 10 that is expected to officially open next week.

The 5.65-kilometer elevated expressway, which will connect C3 in Caloocan City to NLEX Valenzuela City, will cut the travel time from one hour to 10 minutes.

“The NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 will be a traffic game changer since this will reduce travel time from C3 to NLEX to just 10 minutes,” said Villar.

He said some 30,000 vehicles would benefit from the new expressway.

Villar was joined by NLEx and other DPWH officials in the inspection.

Shipment of goods from Northern and Central Luzon to the Port Area in Manila and vice versa would become faster and easier when the road link finally opens on Feb. 26, Villar said.

He said its completion is envisioned to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila as it will serve as an alternate corridor for motorists traveling from Central and North Luzon provinces, Valenzuela City, and Quezon City to Manila.

“The next phase of this project is the 2.6-km section from C3 Road, Caloocan City to R10, Navotas City which we hope to finish by the end of this year,” Villar said./lzb

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1088099/sec-villar-inspects-soon-to-open-nlex-harbor-link-segment-10

There seems to be a direction / plan in opening / prioritizing the road projects

With NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 open this serve as alternate route to NLEX along with Segment 8.1 and 9 now that NLEX Balintawak is partially close for Skyway Segment 5.

Then according to DPWH Sec Villar Guadalupe bridge will be closed by the end of the year, when Skyway mainline is open.

Could the NAIA Expressway extension start once the flyover from C-5 over SLEX is done, as this will be again an alternate route from BGC to airport should they start extending NAIA Expressway to Lawton Ave.

Comelec asked to exclude priority infra projects from ban

Economic managers of the administration have formally asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exclude at least 145 priority infrastructure projects nationwide from the ban imposed on such projects during election season.

In a letter dated February 18, 2019, obtained by journalists Wednesday, and said to be submitted to Comelec Chairman Sheriff M. Abas, economic managers said allowing these projects to continue even during the election period will enable the Duterte administration to increase public infrastructure investments' share on domestic output to 6.9 percent by 2022, from only 4.4 percent in 2017.

“In order to ensure timely implementation of the priority infrastructure projects, the Economic Team of the Administration is respectfully requesting the Commission for an exemption of the priority infrastructure projects from the election ban,” the letter said.

It also pointed out that “the exemption will facilitate implementation and ensure that there are no delays and disruption of these national priority projects.”

The letter was signed by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Earlier, economic managers said that their request for exemptions were brought about by the delayed approval of the 2019 national budget, which held back the implementation of numerous projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program, among others.

Citing Comelec Resolution No. 10429, which in turn, referred to Omnibus Election Code (OEC), the letter stated that “release, disbursement or expenditures of public funds” and the “construction of public works, delivery of materials for public works and issuance of treasury warrant or similar devises for a future undertaking chargeable against public funds” are prohibited from March 29 to May 12, 2019.

The letter, however, noted that Section 261 (v) of the OEC states that the ban “shall not apply to ongoing public works projects commenced before the campaign period or similar projects under foreign agreements” and that “it shall be the duty of the government officials or agencies concerned to report to the Commission the list of all such projects being undertaken by them.”

Included in the projects that are requested to be exempted from the election ban are the Mindanao Rail Project, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 rehabilitation project, Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1, Philippine National Railway (PNR) North 1 (Tutuban-Malolos), PNR South Commuter (Solis-Los Banos), all of which are to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highway’s (DPWH).

Other DPWH projects that are included in the list are the Tacloban Airport, Davao International Airport, Catbalogan Airport, and Central Mindanao (M’lang) Airport.

Diokno, in his weekly “Breakfast with Ben” briefing Wednesday, said school building projects of the Department of Education (DepEd) as well as projects of the Department of Agriculture (DA) are also included in the request.

Cost of these projects are “substantial”, he said.

He added that DPWH Secretary Mark Villar has submitted a separate request to the Comelec.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062467

Philippines starts North-South Commuter Railway Project works

The Government of Philippines has started construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Project in Manila.

Construction works started with the ground-breaking ceremony the Tutuban to Malolos section of the project called the PNR Clark Phase I.

A 37.6 km.-long section, PNR Clark Phase I will be implemented by the government’s Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

It will feature ten stations and a depot in Valenzuela City.

Once completed, the section will be served by 13 eight-car train sets and will reduce travel time between Manila and Malolos from one hour and 45 minutes to just 35 minutes.

"The section will reduce travel time between Manila and Malolos from one hour and 45 minutes to just 35 minutes."

PNR Clark Phase I is expected to serve more than 300,000 passengers daily.

Additionally, the section will be connected with the PNR Clark Phase II (Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba to form an integrated commuter railway system.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said: “This is the President’s gift not only to the people of Bulacan and Pampanga, but more importantly, to the people of this country, in high hopes of providing them with an efficient and comfortable mode of transport.”

The construction works for the PNR Clark Phase I begin within one month of signing of the loan agreement between the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Last month, JICA agreed to provide a $1.53bn loan towards the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project.

The ground breaking for the Metro Manila Subway, also funded through a JICA loan, is scheduled on 26 February.

https://www.railway-technology.com/news/philippines-starts-north-south-commuter-railway-project-works/

P600-million Naia 2 makeover completed in Q1 of 2020

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to complete the P600-million makeover of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 2 by the first quarter of 2020, a government official said on Monday.

Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) General Manager Ed V. Monreal said with the renovation of Naia 2 now in “full swing,” the government expects project contractor A.G. Araja Construction and Development Corp. to complete the facelift initiative by March next year.

“We started last September 2018 and despite the challenges, we shall proceed as planned. I say challenge because we are business as usual despite ongoing works. We hope to deliver on our promise to finish everything by March next year,” he said.

The project involves the replacement of damaged floor finishes, and the restoration and chemical cleaning of stained floor finishes in the arrival and departure passenger movement areas.

Aside from these, the contract also calls for the replacement of damaged ceilings, baggage claim area and elevated roadway; and the repair of 32 skylight roofing materials.

The contractor will also upgrade the walls, columns, beams and soffit finishes at the arrival and departure passenger movement areas, as well as the aerobridge areas and elevated roadways.

Replacement of glass doors at the predeparture gates and fixed bridge gates, and cleaning and polishing of metal frames, metal louvers and claddings will also be undertaken.

Monreal said a marked improvement will soon greet passengers with the expansion of the departure check-in hall and the arrival baggage area.

The work includes the construction of a drop wall, installation of structural framing, installation of new glass wall panels and partitions, glass doors and metal ceiling panels.

To complement the expansion of these two areas, additional air-conditioning system, power, lightings, fire protection, electronics and communications systems will also be installed. The contractor will also build a power room to host additional power supply requirements.

Likewise, it will fix and waterproof exterior ledges, walls, beams, soffit, pathways and pocket gardens, and add tubular bars at the bottom of existing railings at the well-wishers area.

Display systems and public address system will also be improved.

“Given the spatial constraints that we have in Terminal 2 vis-à-vis the growing passenger traffic, we assure air travelers that we are doing all we can to be of better service to them. We appeal to all airport users to bear with us at this time,” Monreal said.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/02/19/p600-million-naia-2-makeover-completed-in-q1-of-2020/

MIAA starts renovating Terminal 2 at NAIA

The Manila International Airport Authority has started renovating Terminal 2 of the country’s main gateway, airport general manager Eddie Monreal announced on Monday.

“It is now in full swing despite the challenges, we shall proceed as planned. I say challenge because we are business as usual despite ongoing works. We hope to deliver on our promise to finish everything by March next year,” the MIAA chief said.

The project involves the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal’s architectural face lifting with the replacement of damaged floor finishes, restoration and chemical cleaning of stained floor finishes in the arrival and departure passenger movement areas.

Monreal said damaged ceilings of NAIA Terminal 2 will be replaced while 32 sets of skylight roofing will be repaired.

He added seismic and expansion joints at general areas, baggage claim area, and elevated roadway are to be replaced as well.

“Walls, columns, beams and soffit finishes at the arrival and departure passenger movement areas, aerobridge areas and elevated roadway will be upgraded,” he said.

Replacement of glass doors at the pre-departure gates and fixed bridge gates, cleaning and polishing of metal frames, metal louvers and claddings will be undertaken.

Monreal said marked improvement will soon greet passengers with the expansion of the departure check-in hall and the arrival baggage area.

“The work would include construction of a drop wall, installation of structural framing, installation of new glass wall panels and partitions, glass doors and metal ceiling panels,” he said.

To complement the expansion of these two areas, there will be an installation of an additional air-conditioning system, power, lightings, fire protection, electronics, and communications systems. The construction of a power room is necessary to host additional power supply requirements for these additional installations.

“The exterior of the building will have its share of fixing as exterior ledges, walls, beams, soffit, pathways, and pocket gardens undergo waterproofing works,” added Monreal.

Additional tubular bars at the bottom of existing railings will be put in place for the safety of well-wishers.

“Passengers will be happy to see a much-improved flight information display system and take delight listening to a new public address system after completion of the project,” said Monreal.

Prior to the rehabilitation project, MIAA has added a total of nine comfort rooms at the passenger movement areas in the year 2018.

“Given the spatial constraints that we have in Terminal 2 vis-a-vis the growing passenger traffic, we assure air travelers that we are doing all we can to be of better service to them,” the MIAA chief said. “We appeal to all airport users to bear with us at this time.”

http://www.manilastandard.net/news/national/288137/miaa-starts-renovating-terminal-2-at-naia.html

Miaa eyes completion of Naia Terminal 2 rehab by March 2020

The rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 2 may be completed by March 2020, the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) said Monday.

Miaa General Manager Ed Monreal said the rehabilitation, which started last December, is currently in full swing.

“We started last September 2018, and despite the challenges, we shall proceed as planned,” Monreal said.

“I say challenge because we are business as usual despite ongoing works. We hope to deliver on our promise to finish everything by March next year,” he added.

The rehabilitation includes “architectural face lifting,” which include the replacement of damaged floor finishes, restoration and chemical cleaning of stained floor finishes in the arrival and departure passenger areas.

Damaged ceilings, as well as seismic or expansion joints in general areas, baggage claim areas and elevated roadway, will also be replaced while 32 sets of skylight roofing will be repaired.

The airport chief said glass doors at the pre-departure gates and fixed bridge gates would be replaced while metal frames, metal louvers, and claddings will be cleaned and polished.

Meanwhile, walls, columns, beams, and soffit finishes at the arrival and departure passenger movement areas, aerobridge areas and elevated roadway will be upgraded.

The departure check-in hall and the arrival baggage area would be expanded, which would include the construction of a drop wall, the installation of structural framing and new glass wall panels and partitions, glass doors and metal ceiling panels.

Additional air-conditioning system, power, lightings, fire protection, electronics, and communications systems will be installed while a power room will be constructed.

The building’s exterior will have exterior ledges while wall, beams, soffit, pathways and pocket gardens undergo waterproofing works, Monreal said. Additional tubular bars at the bottom of existing railings will also be put in place.

A much-improved flight information display system and a new public address system would be installed after the rehabilitation is completed, Monreal said.

“Given the spatial constraints that we have in Terminal 2 vis-a-vis the growing passenger traffic, we assure air travelers that we are doing all we can to be of better service to them,” the Miaa chief said.

In the meantime, however, Monreal appealed to airport passengers to bear with the rehabilitation efforts. /ee

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1087234/miaa-eyes-completion-of-naia-terminal-2-rehab-by-march-2020

MIAA sees NAIA Terminal 2 full rehab by 2020

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Monday said completion of the rehabilitation of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 will be by the first quarter of 2020.

"(Rehabilitation) will be completed by March 2020. We're announcing this so the public can look forward to the changes," MIAA Public Affairs officer-in-charge Consuelo Bungag told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Earlier, MIAA general manager for Engineering, Ric Medalla, told PNA that the winning bid amount for this rehabilitation project was PHP601 million.

Rehabilitation of NAIA Terminal 2 started in late October 2018, and MIAA was expecting the project to take about one-and-a-half years to finish.

The move aims to improve the whole terminal, and also to prepare for the airline terminal realignment plan.

The terminal realignment plan, on the other hand, aims to address the problem of passenger congestion at the NAIA and to rationalize flights.

According to MIAA, the project involves architectural face lifting, replacement of damaged floors, and restoration and chemical cleaning of stained floor finishes in the arrival and departure areas.

Damaged ceilings will also be replaced including the repair of 32 sets of skylight roofing.

Also, seismic or expansion joints at general areas, baggage claim area and elevated roadway will be replaced.

The aerobridge areas and elevated roadway will also be upgraded, MIAA added.

Expansion of the departure check-in hall and the arrival baggage area are also underway.

Meanwhile, MIAA general manager Ed Monreal, in a statement, appealed to passengers to bear with the management while the NAIA Terminal 2 is undergoing rehabilitation.

He said MIAA is doing everything it can to finish the project on time.

Currently, NAIA Terminal 2 is being used by Philippine Airlines (PAL) for its international and domestic flights.

The terminal, however, was originally designed as a domestic airport.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062245

DOTr plans to integrate new railway lines

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is working to integrate its new railway lines as it revealed a connection between its massive Metro Manila subway and the so-called North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.

Timothy John Batan, Transportation undersecretary for railways, said they were studying a possible connection between the subway project and the NSCR in Bicutan.

The subway will span more than 30 kilometers and will run from Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Southern Metro Manila. The NSCR will run 191.4 km and will link the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga to Los Banos, Laguna, via Bulacan and Manila.

The subway project, which has yet to begin, will also be connected to the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, MRT 7 to Bulacan and the Light Rail Transit Line 7 via the government’s common station project in Quezon City.

The DOTr is expecting to finish the subway project by 2025, however, it committed to open the first three stations in Quezon City by 2022, or when President Duterte’s term ends. The NSCR will also be opened in phases through 2022.

Both the subway and the NSCR will be mainly funded by the Japanese government.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said he would be flying to Japan this week to inspect the boring equipment that would be used to drill tunnels in the ground for the subway project.

The subway’s groundbreaking date has been a moving target, however, Tugade said they were eyeing the ceremonial event on Feb. 26 this year.

On Friday, the DOTr also started “full blown construction works” for the Philippine National Railways’ Clark 1, part of the NSCR.

This phase will span 38 km and will run from Tutuban, Manila and Malolos, Bulacan— cutting travel time to just over 30 minutes. The project is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily during its first year, eventually going up to one million passengers a day.

On Jan. 23, Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Construction was tapped to build the project.

https://business.inquirer.net/265137

North-South commuter train project kicks off with Phase 1 works

THE North-South Commuter Railway Project is going full steam ahead, as its Tutuban to Malolos leg, known as PNR Clark Phase 1, commenced full-blast construction Friday.

PNR Clark Phase 1, a 37.6-kilometer mass railway transportation, is one of the flagship projects of the Duterte administration implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

It will have 13 train sets, composed of 8 cars each, which will be running at a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour.

PNR Clark Phase 1 will have a total of ten (10) stations, namely, Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos station. It will house a depot on a 14-hectare lot in Valenzuela City.

Once completed, this project will reduce travel time between Manila and Bulacan from one hour and 45 minutes to just 35 minutes, serving approximately over 300,000 passengers daily.

PNR Clark Phase 1 will be seamlessly connected with the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters traveling to, from, and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A.

https://journal.com.ph/news/nation/north-south-commuter-train-project-kicks-phase-1-works

DOTr breaks ground for PNR Clark Phase 1 rail line

By Emmie V. Abadilla

After more than 14 years of waiting, the government yesterday (Feb. 15, 2019) broke ground for the construction of the over P2-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 linking Tutuban, Manila with Malolos, Bulacan.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the PNR Clark Phase 1 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension Project marks the start of its actual construction yesterday. DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade (center) led the ceremony with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. President and CEO Hideo Arai, Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, PNR General Manager Jun Magno, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, and other government officials and stakeholders.

It is part of the P777.5-billion North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension Project, spanning 191.4-kilometers, with a total of 36 stations from Clark International Airport to Los Banos, Laguna.

Phase 1 of the railway will cut travel time to Bulacan from the current one and a half hours to 35 minutes and will serve more than 340,000 passengers per day when it becomes operational by 2021.

This initial phase of the PNR Clark Railway Project will eventually extend all the way to Clark, Pampanga.

It will have 10 stations: Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Malolos, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto, with a depot in Valenzuela city.

Furthermore, Phase 1 will be seamlessly integrated with PNR Clark Phase 2 going to Clark, Pampanga and PNR South Commuter going to Los Banos, Laguna, forming one integrated commuter railway system serving commuters travelling to, from, and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A.

Also, the NSCR System will link with existing railway lines LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3, LRT-4, LRT-6, MRT-7 and the Metro Manila Subway. It is expected to serve some 500,000 passengers per day once it is fully operational.

The PNR Clark project took the place of the defunct Northrail project, which the government abandoned after reaching an out-of-court settlement with its Chinese contractor after many years of arbitration proceedings.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) selected Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. to build the PNR Clark rail line.

“This is, again, one project that has been long delayed,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade acknowledged.

Construction of North-South Commuter Railway kicks off

The government and its Japanese contractor commenced yesterday with the construction of a railway system that will cut travel time to and from Manila and Bulacan to only 35 minutes upon its completion in two years’ time.

The PNR Clark Phase 1 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension Project, a 38-kilometer line spanning from Tutuban to Malolos, will include 10 stations and a depot in Valenzuela City.

The project is expected to be operational by 2021 and will have a capacity of over 340,000 passengers daily.

“Today we start realizing what has only been a dream for decades, and that is to provide Filipinos with a new way of life that would free millions from the oppression of traffic congestion and four-hour commutes, and that would regain for millions the freedom to spend more quality time with family, friends, and one’s self, and that would expand opportunities for livelihood, businesses, and personal development,” Transportation Undersecretary for railways Timothy John Batan said.

“But that’s not all because today also marks the beginning of the ambitious goal of connecting all 26 local governments from Clark International Airport in Region 3 or Central Luzon, all the way to Calamba in Region 4 or CALABARZON, with a 191.4-km., fully-elevated, dual-track, electrified, and high capacity commuter railway system with 37 stations and a fleet of 58 eight-car train sets, or a total of 464 train cars or bagons, all of which will start construction within 2019,” said Batan, referring to the entire P777.55 billion NSCR extension project.

PNR Clark Phase 1 will be seamlessly integrated with PNR Clark Phase 2 going to Clark, Pampanga and the PNR South Commuter going to Los Banos, Laguna to form one integrated commuter railway system serving commuters travelling to, from, and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A.

Japan’s Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction Corp. has been selected as the contractor of the PNR Clark Phase 1, while bidding for the Malolos to Clark portion is still ongoing.

“After signing the contract with our partner, Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction Corp. last Jan. 23, we are proud to say that as of today, 91 percent of the 38-km alignment from Tutuban to Malolos is already free and clear,” Batan said.

“This is a testament that when change comes to the way that government does things, no problems of the past cannot be solved, not even the much talked-about problem of right-of-way,” he said.

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/02/16/1893982/construction-north-south-commuter-railway-kicks-off

DOTr breaks ground for PNR Tutuban-Malolos project

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday broke ground for the Phase 1 of the Duterte administration’s Philippine National Railways (PNR) system, which will link Metro Manila to Clark Field, Pampanga.

The first phase will run from Tutuban station in Manila to Malolos City, Bulacan.

The ground breaking ceremony was graced by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Undersecretary Timothy John Batan, PNR General Manager Junn Magno, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) country representative Yoshio Wada.

On the sidelines of the event, Batan told reporters that the 37.6-kilometer elevated mass railway transportation system costs a total of P149 billion, P93 billion of which was funded by JICA.

The project will have a total of 10 stations, namely Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos station.

For his part, Tugade said the project is expected to reduce travel time between Manila and Bulacan from over one hour and 30 minutes to efficiently 35 minutes only once the railway is fully operational.

The railway project is expected to serve an approximately over 300,000 passengers daily.

The PNR Tutuban-Malolos line is targeted to be completed in 2021 and be fully operational by 2022.

The DOTr said in a project briefer that it has been implementing the proper resettlement program for approximately over 300 informal settler families along the project alignment.

The DOTr has entered into and approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Caloocan and Manila, Valenzuela and Guiguinto for Bulacan areas with the PNR, National Housing Authority (NHA), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Local Government Units (LGU’s) for the relocation and resettlement of informal settler families which will be affected by the project.

The PNR Tutuban-Malolos line will also be seamlessly integrated with the PNR Malolos-Clark project and the PNR South Commuter, Manila to Los Banos, Laguna Project, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters travelling to, from, and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV. —KBK, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/685014/dotr-breaks-ground-for-pnr-tutuban-malolos-project/story/

Construction of Tutuban-Malolos railway begins

By Freddie Velez

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan—Finally, the construction of the Tutuban-Malolos phase of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) North-South Railway started Friday in this city and is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2021.

Present during the groundbreaking ceremony along the PNR railway were Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, PNR general manager Junn Magno, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy Alvarado, Bulacan (2nd district) Rep. Apol Pancho, Bulacan (4th district) Rep. Linabelle Villarica and representatives from Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd.

Tugade said the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (Malolos-Tutuban) project is one of the flagship projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) together with the PNR under the Build, Build, Build program of the government.

Governor Alvarado said the 37.6-kilometer mass railway transportation will reduce travel time between Manila and Bulacan to 35 minutes from the current one-hour-and-30 minutes. Once the railway will be fully operational it is expected to serve about 300,000 commuters daily.

There will be 10 stations along the alignment project: Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos.

It will also be seamlessly integrated with the PNR North 2, Malolos- Clark Project and the PNR South Commuter, Manila to Calamba, Laguna Project, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters travelling to, from, and within NCR, Region III, and Region IV-A.

The project is made possible through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) following a Loan Agreement signed on 27 November 2015. Its Detailed Engineering Design (DED) was approved on August 2017 parallel to the procurement of the General Consultant (GC) which has commenced on January 2018.

Due to the project’s massive and complex nature, the Works has been divided into four packages — the Contract Package 02 that includes the Construction of Civil works for Elevated structures and three (3) stations (Balagtas, Guiguinto and Malolos).

With the help and expertise of the Procurement Services of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) as the project’s procurement agency in accordance with the governing implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) and JICA Guidelines, the contract package has gone through in-depth technical and financial evaluation and negotiation. The contract was finally awarded to the contractor last month.

Over 300 informal settler families along the railway project will be resettled properly as part of the social responsibility of the DOTr.

In line with this, the DOTr has entered into and approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Caloocan and Manila, Valenzuela and Guiguinto for Bulacan areas, PNR, National Housing Authority (NHA), Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and Local Government Units (LGU’s) for the relocation and resettlement of Informal Settler Families (ISFs) who will be affected by the project. This is to ensure that no family will be left behind, but will improve their economic and social life by providing them financing for socialized housing and livelihood programs under the monitoring and supervision of DOTr.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/02/16/construction-of-tutuban-malolos-railway-begins/

Tutuban-Malolos railway construction starts in Bulacan

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — The construction of the Tutuban-Malolos phase of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) North-South Railway began in this city on Friday.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, PNR General Manager Jun Magno, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy Alvarado, Bulacan 2nd District Representative Apol Pancho, Bulacan 4th District Rep. Linabelle Villarrica, and representatives from Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction work along the old PNR railway in Barangay Mabolo here.

Tugade said the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (Malolos- Tutuban) is one of the flagship projects of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) together with the PNR, in line with the “Build, Build, Build” program of the government.

Tugade said the project is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2021.

“This is the President’s (Rodrigo Duterte) gift not only to the people of Bulacan and Pampanga, but more importantly, to the people of this country, in high hopes of providing them with an efficient and comfortable mode of transport. The President would like to reiterate his commitment, that we are committed to give a comfortable life without any temptation or badge of corruption,” Tugade said.

It is a 37.6-kilometer mass railway transportation expected to reduce travel time between Manila and Bulacan from over one hour and 30 minutes to only 35 minutes only. Once the railway is fully operational, it is expected to serve approximately 300,000 commuters daily.

There will be a total of 10 stations along the alignment project that will rise in Tutuban, Solis, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos.

It will also be seamlessly integrated with the PNR North 2, Malolos- Clark Project and the PNR South Commuter, Manila to Calamba, Laguna Project, forming one integrated commuter railway system that will serve commuters travelling to, from, and within NCR, Central Luzon (Region 3), and Calabarzon (Region IV-A).

The project is made possible through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with its loan agreement signed on November 27, 2015 while the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) was approved in August 2017 parallel to the procurement of the General Consultant (GC) which has started in January 2018.

To date, the ongoing development and implementation of the project, include the proper resettlement program of the government as part of the social responsibility of the department for approximately over 300 informal settler families (ISFs) along the project alignment.

With this, the DOTr has entered into an approved a memorandum of agreement for Caloocan and Manila, Valenzuela and Guiguinto for Bulacan areas with the PNR, National Housing Authority, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and Local Government Units for the relocation and resettlement of ISFs, affected by the project.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/02/15/tutuban-malolos-railway-construction-starts-in-bulacan/

Tugade leads groundbreaking for PNR Clark Phase 1 in Bulacan

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Friday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the phase 1 (Malolos-Tutuban) of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project here.

The railway project is expected to ease traffic congestion and cut travel time from here to Manila.

Phase 1, which is called Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark, is expected to be completed by 2021.

This segment will connect Tutuban in Divisoria, Manila to this city.

The PNR Clark Phase 1 will have 10 stations spanning 38 kilometers and is expected to serve around 340,000 passengers daily.

The construction will be funded through Japan International Cooperation Agency Official Development Assistance’s soft loan package worth P149 billion.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda and Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, together with other Japanese and transportation officials, also joined the groundbreaking./lzb

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1086269/tugade-leads-groundbreaking-for-pnr-clark-phase-1-in-bulacan

United Grand Central Station to Cater to 1 Million Passengers Daily Upon Completion

The United Grand Central Station (UGCS) is set to cater to more than 1 million passengers every single day once it becomes operational.

During the contract signing for the design and build of ‘Area A,’ Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade claimed that the 13,700-sqm Common Station would be able to serve approximately 500,000 passengers daily upon completion.

The target completion of the Area A is by 2020 and for the entire Common Station by 2022.

Located at the north end of EDSA, the Common Station will connect the four railway lines–the LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway–for the easy transfer of passengers from one rail line to another.

Based on the DOTr’s statement, the Common Station will feature a transit area for the riding public and is operated by an automated fare collection system, which will give commuters better point-to-point mobility and comfort.

The signing ceremonies at the site was led by Tugade, alongside Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Reinier Paul Yebra. Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan signed the contract on behalf of the DOTr while Lucila Gomez signed as the authorized representative of the BF Corporation and Foresight Development and Surveying Company Consortium.

Tugade said that the target to build the Common Station started during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2009) but it was only in the first 100 days of President Rodrigo Duterte that all parties got involved and got to agree on a location.

While Area A is under the DOTr, the remaining areas such as B will be under Ayala Land Inc., and Area C under the MRT-7 Project facilitated by San Miguel Corporation (SMC). Since the groundbreaking in 2017, Ayala Land Inc. has started the construction of Area B.

Relatedly, the Tugade also announced the other projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program of the Duterte administration, such as the groundbreaking ceremony for the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) slated this Friday, February 15, and the groundbreaking of the Metro Manila Subway on February 26th .

“Groundbreaking is one thing. Completion of a project is another thing. If you do not complete the project with the quality expected and within the timeline formulated, I will hold you accountable in the books,” Tugade warned.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/united-grand-central-station-cater-010005609.html

Gov't to launch PNR Clark Phase 1 project on Feb. 15

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced on Wednesday that they are set to launch the Tutuban to Malolos portion of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project on Friday.

“This is again one project that has been long delayed. We will have a groundbreaking on Friday,” Tugade said during the contract signing for the design and build of a part of the Unified Grand Central Station or the common station which will connect the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) and the Metro Manila Subway.

The segment, known as the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1, will connect Tutuban in Divisoria, Manila to the city of Malolos in Bulacan.

The PNR Clark Phase 1 will have 10 stations spanning 38 kilometers and is expected to serve around 340,000 passengers daily once it starts operations in 2021.

“Travel to and from Bulacan is expected to reduce by 35 minutes from its current travel time of one and a half hours once PNR Clark Phase 1 is operational,” the DOTr said in a statement.

The department has selected Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction Co. Ltd. to build the rail line.

The 147-kilometer NSCR Project estimated to cost around PHP777.55 billion will have 36 stations from Clark International Airport to Los Baños, Laguna.

The railway project will connect PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) and the PNR Los Baños Project which will run from Manila to Los Baños.

The NSCR System will also link with existing railway lines LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3 and the Metro Manila Subway.

The DOTr estimates the railway system to serve around 340,000 daily passengers once it starts partial operations in 2022 and daily ridership of 500,000 passengers once it becomes fully operational by 2023. (PNA)

www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1061908

Sumitomo tapped to build commuter-train segment

THE government has tapped Japanese corporation Sumitomo Mitsui to build the northern segment of the North-South Commuter Railway, a P150-billion deal that will connect Tutuban, Manila, to Malolos, Bulacan.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the official development assistance (ODA)-funded project is scheduled for groundbreaking for Friday.

“This is one project that has long been pending. We will put it to life this Friday,” he said.

Envisioned to be a railway facility that will connect Tutuban and Malolos in roughly 35 minutes, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) North is a 38-kilometer mass transport system that will serve over 300,000 passenger per day.

It is expected to be completed in 2021.

“We have solved the problem with North Rail, who said they will not move forward with their case,” Tugade said, referring to the company that built segments of the botched railway project during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The PNR North will be integrated to PNR South, which will be a 72-kilometer mass transportation railway from Manila to Los Baños, Laguna. It will also be extended all the way to Clark to connect Manila to the Clark International Airport.

In a related development, Tugade said his group will be breaking ground for the Metro Manila Subway System within the month.

“I will be flying to Tokyo to inspect the boring machine on Tuesday, then fly out to Osaka for a high-level meeting. Once done, I will do that by February 26,” Tugade said.

The subway system involves the construction of 25 kilometers of rail that will connect Quezon City in the northern part of Metro Manila to Parañaque in the southern part. The underground mass transportation system will connect major business districts and government centers.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/02/14/sumitomo-tapped-to-build-commuter-train-segment/

Luzon railway projects make significant progress

Major railway projects in Luzon are poised to make significant progress this month, according to top officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

The DOTr signed yesterday the P2.8 billion design and build contract of the Unified Grand Central Station (UGCS) Area A with at consortium led by Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando.

The UGCS, also known as the common station, is designed to inter-link the four-railway lines namely, LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway.

It has three components, including Area A which covers the platform and concourse for LRT-1 and MRT-3, which will be financed and built by the DOTr.

Areas B and C will be developed and funded by Ayala and San Miguel Corp., respectively.

BF Corp.-Foresight Development and Surveying Co. consortium was awarded as the contractor for Area A through a negotiated bidding, following two failed biddings.

The consortium is targeting to complete the project in 20 months.

Transportation Secretary Tugade said the UGCS is expected to be finished and operational by the fourth quarter of next year.

Tugade said the project is still within schedule, but it could have been completed at an earlier time if not for the previous bidding failures for Area A.

Meanwhile, Tugade announced yesterday that construction of the PNR Clark Phase I, which will connect Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan would commence on Friday.

The Tutuban to Malolos portion is part of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project which will connect Central Luzon, Metro Manila and the Calabarzon region.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said Japans’ Sumitomo-Mitsui Construction Corp. has been tapped as contractor for the 38-km Tutuban-Malolos portion which will cover 10 stations.

PNR Clark Phase 2 of the NSCR will run from Malolos to Clark, Pampanga, while the PNR Los Baños Project will run from Manila to Los Baños, Laguna.

The DOTr said the project is expected to bring more jobs and business opportunities in Clark, Los Banos, and destinations in between.

The agency said around 350,000 passengers per day will benefit once partial operations begin in 2022, and 550,000 passengers once fully operational by 2023.

Aside from the two railway projects, Tugade said the long-awaited grounbreaking of the Metro Manila subway, a project which is expected to address traffic congestion in the metro, is also happening this month.

The project’s groundbreaking was earlier eyed last December and was later on moved to January.

Tugade said the delays were mostly due to scheduling issues of the parties involved.

“Next Tuesday I will be going to Tokyo to inspect the boring machine and then I’ll fly to Osaka for a high level meeting between the Philippines and the Japanese government,” he said.

The Metro Manila subway is a 35-kilometer line that will run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to NAIA in Pasay City.

Partial operations is eyed by 2022, which entails the opening of a training center, the depot, and three stations namely, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue.

With a total project cost of P356.96 billion, the subway is the biggest single project under the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration.

https://www.philstar.com/business/2019/02/14/1893418/luzon-railway-projects-make-significant-progress