Monday, March 4, 2019

Cavite extension of LRT-1 to begin construction next month

THE construction of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) extension to Cavite is scheduled to begin next month, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said.

“We are starting in April the actual construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension connecting Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite,” the DoTr said in a statement on Monday.

It said the target is to complete the project by the fourth quarter of 2021. Once the extension is up and running, passenger traffic on LRT-1 is expected to increase to 800,000 from the current 300,000.

The construction of the 11.7-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite extension is part of the government’s concession agreement with Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), which has been operating the train line since September 2015.

LRMC is a joint venture of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. Aside from the Cavite extension, its P65-billion, 32-year agreement with the government also involves the rehabilitation of the 21-kilometer LRT-1 line from Roosevelt, Quezon City to Baclaran, Parañaque City.

The Cavite extension will cover eight new stations from Baclaran: Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog.

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

https://www.bworldonline.com/cavite-extension-of-lrt-1-to-begin-construction-next-month/

LRT1 Cavite extension construction to begin April 2019

After years of delay, work on the Light Rail Transit Line 1 extension to Cavite will finally start

Three years behind schedule, the construction of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite extension will finally start in April, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Monday, March 4.

The DOTr said the 11.7-kilometer railway extension project is expected to be completed by the 4th quarter of 2021.

Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) took over the operations, maintenance, and extension of the LRT1 in September 2015, after bagging the P64.9-billion ($1.36-billion) LRT1 Cavite extension deal. (READ & WATCH: Engineers racing to fix LRT1)

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Cavite extension was held in May 2017. But the project faced right-of-way issues, delaying construction several times.

The Cavite extension will link with the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran Station, and run all the way to Niog, Cavite.

It is expected to cut travel time from Manila to Cavite to 25 minutes from over an hour, and would expand the current LRT1 capacity from 300,000 to 800,000 by the time it's completed.

LRMC is a consortium of Ayala Corporation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, and the Macquarie Group.

https://www.rappler.com/business/224932-lrt1-cavite-extension-construction-begin-april-2019

LRT-1 Cavite Extension Construction Set In April

The construction of the extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) is set in April, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced.

“The actual construction of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite will start in April,” the DOTr said in a statement on Monday.

The 11.7-kilometer railway extension project will have eight stations from Baclaran in Paranaque City to Bacoor in the province of Cavite.

The project will connect to the existing Baclaran station and will have eight new stations: Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog.

It is expected that travel from Baclaran to Bacoor would be reduced to 30 minutes from the current one and a half hours during rush hours.

The DOTr and the railway system’s private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation are eyeing to finish the project by fourth quarter of 2021.

The department estimates the daily passenger volume of the LRT-1 to increase from 300,000 to 800,000 once the extension is completed. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063580

Construction of LRT1 Cavite extension to start in April

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday disclosed that the construction for the Light Rail Transit Line (LRT1) extension project to Bacoor, Cavite, would begin in April.

"Ito pong Abril na ito ay sa wakas mauumpisahan na po natin 'yung tinatawag nating actual works doon po sa extension ng LRT 1 patungong Cavite," said Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Matagal na po ito, madami na po tayong kababayan lalo 'yung galing Cavite, galing sa area na 'yun, na nagtatanong kung nasaan na ba 'yung extension ng LRT1," he added.

According to the DOTr, the LRT 1 Cavite extension project, which will connect to the existing Baclaran Station, is targeted to be completed in 2021.

The previous target of construction of the LRT1 Cavite extension was in mid-2018, but it was postponed to October of last year due to right-of-way issues.

The 11.7-kilometer extension project is expected to accommodate 410,000 passengers daily in its opening year and cut travel time from Parañaque to Bacoor from 90 minutes to 30 minutes on average. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/686790/construction-of-lrt1-cavite-extension-to-start-in-april/story/

Konstruksyon ng LRT-1 Cavite extension, sisimulan na sa Abril

“The long wait is finally over”

Uumpisahan na sa Abril ang konstruksyon ng Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1 extension patungong Bacoor, Cavite.

Ayon kay Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan – masisimulan na sa susunod na buwan ang actual works ng LRT extension.

Ang LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project, ay kokonektahin ang kasalukuyang Baclaran station hanggang sa Niog sa Bacoor, Cavite.

Ito ay isang 11.7 rail extension project na inaasahang makakapagserbisyo ng 410,000 na pasahero bawat araw.

Mapapabilis din ang biyahe mula Parañaque hanggang Bacoor mula 90 minutes ay magiging 30 minuto na lamang.

Inaasahang matatapos ang proyekto sa fourth quarter ng 2021.

https://rmn.ph/konstruksyon-ng-lrt-1-cavite-extension-sisimulan-na-sa-abril/

Govt told to use Metro Manila lands for socialized housing

The chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development said there are more than 3,000 hectares of land that could be used by the new Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) for socialized housing and urban development.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfedo Benitez said these lands are located in Metro Manila.

“Three thousand plus hectares of land are all located in Metro Manila, and half of these are idle. The majority of these lands are owned by government centers in Quezon City,” Benitez told reporters.

Benitez said 1,234.85-hectare land is government-owned and currently being occupied by informal settler families (ISFs), while the 2,185-hectare public land is idle and ready for housing programs.

“[Under the law creating the DHSUD] the new housing department can now acquire all those government lands and facilitate the disposition of unused properties that are owned by the government for socialized housing. We need areas as the prime ingredient for successful housing program is land,” he said.

According to Benitez, housing needs of Filipinos could balloon to 6.8 million before President Duterte’s term ends in 2022. He said at least 1 million units should be constructed every year to address the country’s backlogs.

Joint effort

Benitez said the government can tap the help of private sector in addressing the country’s housing problems.

He said these lands or properties are “perfect sites” for government and private-sector socialized housing programs.

“The private sector can now participate through a joint venture and as co developer of certain properties,” he added.

Also, Benitez said the government should push through with its plan of transferring government offices to the provinces to spur development while addressing the country’s housing backlogs.

“Overpopulation, traffic congestion and high vulnerability to natural disasters have made Metro Manila or the National Capital Region a pariah among world cities,” he said.

“The Department of Transportation is already in Clark, all other departments’ administrative offices should also be relocated to decongest Metro Manila. That’s also the only way to develop the  countryside if we bring government outside the capital,” he added.

According to Benitez, it is only the government that can afford to go in an area that is not developed. He said medium-rise buildings could be constructed in the areas that will be vacated by these government agencies.

The lawmaker also stressed the need to rethink and develop a master plan that will decongest Metro Manila.

Benitez noted that several countries that relocated government agencies have flourished. These include South Korea, Malaysia and Brazil.

“Relocation of capitals has already been done by several countries. Malaysia, for instance, built a new administrative capital to ease decongestion in Kuala Lumpur. Putrajaya is envisioned to be ‘green’ and ‘intelligent’ city, with wide parks and open spaces, and strong ICT infrastructure. Its aesthetic design also shows distinct Islamic character to reflect Malaysian identity and heritage as predominantly Muslim country,” he said.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/03/04/govt-told-to-use-metro-manila-lands-for-socialized-housing/