LRMC: No political ads at LRT-1 stations

The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) on Wednesday assured that all stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) will have no tarps or posters of 2019 election candidates.

The LRMC issued the statement after Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon ordered the management of LRT-1 and LRT-2 to take down all political ads posted at train stations, particularly the Malasakit center posters.

LRMC Head of Corporate Communications Rochelle Gamboa explained that the LRT-1 has banned tarpaulins and single use plastics in all 20 stations since January 23, 2019.

Gamboa also clarified that LRT-1 has not allowed political ads since the LRMC took over the management of LRT-1 in 2015.

“LRMC has adopted the “No to Single Use Plastic Policy” last January 23,” Gamboa told INQUIRER.net in a text message. “Even before the Comelec’s directive, we have already banned tarps on LRT-1 stations. No political ads allowed ever.”

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Guanzon tagged the official accounts of LRT lines 1 and 2, saying that their stations have Malasakit Center streamers.

The Malasakit Center is a program of the Duterte administration to establish one-stop shops in hospitals to hasten the delivery of free medical services to the poor.

Guanzon also earlier called out the Department of Health (DOH) for allowing Malasakit center posters bearing the name and picture of administration-backed senatorial bet Bong Go displayed in state-run hospitals.

INQUIRER.net has also sought the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), which manages the LRT-2, for comment but we have yet to receive a response. /ee

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1100509/lmrc-no-political-ads-at-lrt-1-stations

27-km Cavite segment of CALAX starts construction

By Betheena Kae Unite

Construction of the Cavite segment of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) has begun Wednesday.

It is a four-lane toll road project that starts from CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite and ends at the SLEX-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna. It has eight interchanges and one main toll barrier.

The construction of the Cavite Segment, which is nine kilometers longer than the Laguna segment, will include three subsections, according to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.

Cavite Segment starts in CAVITEX Connection in Kawit, Cavite to Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange.

It includes the 8.58-kilometer CAVITEX Connection to Open Canal Interchange, the 10.8-kilometer Open Canal Interchange to Governor’s Drive Interchange and the 7.80-kilometer Governor’s Drive Interchange to Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange, making the segment 27.18-kilometer long.

Its Laguna Segment, on the other hand, commenced in June 2017. It involves the construction of an 18-kilometer new road from Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange to the existing Mamplasan Interchange of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) in Biñan, Laguna.

CALAX is a P35.425-billion project that is being implemented by the private concessionaire MPCALA Holdings, Inc. of the Metro Pacific Group under Public-Private Partnership Program of the government.

It also has a bridge component of 12,207 meters inclusive of 4,618 meters of viaduct.

“One of the goals of this project is to support the national development policy and provide efficient transport facilities for the Eco-zones located in Laguna and Cavite,” Villar said during the inauguration of the project.

The project is also expected to decongest roads leading to the south, citing that “there is occurring traffic congestion in Governor’s Drive, Aguinaldo Highway, and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road.”

“And speaking of traffic congestion, this project will also help reduce the travel time from CAVITEX to SLEX by about 45 minutes,” the secretary added.

The infrastructure project, he noted, is under the Luzon Spine Network Program which aims to double expressways to help alleviate traffic in congested cities and provinces.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/03/27/27-km-cavite-segment-of-calax-starts-construction/

Cavite governor wants PITX suspended

The governor of Cavite wants the operations of the controversial Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) suspended due to the inconvenience it supposedly causes passengers traveling from the province to Metro Manila.

"I think should be suspended for the mean time until the LRT is there," Remulla said at sidelines of the groundbreaking for the Cavite segment of Cavite-Laguna Expressway in Imus on Wednesday.

In May 2017, private operator Light Rail Manila Corp. and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) broke ground for the LRT1 Cavite extension project. Full-blown construction, however, has not started yet due to issues of right of way.

LRMC said it is finally pushing through with the LRT-1's Cavite extension in April. The project shall connect to the existing Baclaran Station to eight new stations namely Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog.

With the absence of a new mode of transport for Cavite commuters, Remulla said the existence of PITX has only worsened the situation for passengers.

"The LRT extension should be there because it's supposed to be intermodal," he said.

The PITX terminal building includes three levels consisting of departure bays for buses, jeepneys, and taxis, arrival bays for buses, private vehicle facilities (parking spaces, AUV bays) and connection to the proposed LRT-1 extension project.

"It does not serve the general public right now. It is not for public convenience, rather a public inconvenience," he added.

The P2.5-billion PITX was opened in November 2018.

Commuters going to Metro Manila from Cavite and vice versa complained of inconvenience, saying that the PITX only complicated their daily commute and increased the cost of fares. Users also complained of long queues as only few buses served the terminal.

"Since the beginning, we listen to recommendations of the public, and that is why we have come up with solutions to certain concerns such as stricter enforcement, provision of free shuttle services, and the addition of franchises to serve PITX, especially those that commute to and from Cavite," Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddess Hope Libiran said in a separate text message to reporters.

"If you will notice, more and more people are appreciating the existence of PITX now. DOTr has been receiving positive comments about the facility now," Libiran said.

"Of course, the system is not yet perfect, but DOTr and Megawide, in coordination with all concerned agencies are working hand in hand to make its operations smooth and efficient," she said.

Previously called the Southwest Integrated Transport System (ITS) during the Aquino administration, PITX was bid out as a PPP project in 2014.

Under the concession agreement, winning bidder MWM Terminals—a consortium of Megawide Construction Corporation and WM Property Management, Inc.—will build and operate PITX for 35 years before transferring it back to the government.

Located along Coastal Road, the PITX will provide inter-connectivity between different transport services and is expected to help reduce the number of provincial buses plying along EDSA and Taft Avenue in Pasay City. — BM, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/689408/cavite-governor-wants-pitx-suspended/story/

Metro Pacific’s MPCALA breaks ground for CALAEx Cavite segment

IMUS, Cavite — Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation's  (MPTC) unit MPCALA Holdings Inc. on Wednesday broke ground for the Cavite segment of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEx).

CALAEx's Cavite segment comprises 27 kilometers of the 45-kilometer tollroad.

The projects begins from Kawit and will traverse Imus Open Canal, Governor's Drive, Damarinas, Aguinaldo Highway, and Silay, which will connect to the Laguna segment.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led by MPCALA officials and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

"The DPWH team and the 'Build, Build, Build' team are truly making the Public Private Partnership work with ease as we witness another milestone for CALAEx," Villar said.

The Cavite segment has an estimated cost of P12 billion. The tollroad will feature automatic license plate recognition system, which will provide additional vehicle identification to enable barrier-less entry.

It will also have an radio frequency identification for efficient lane throughput, weigh in motion sensors to detect overloaded vehicles, IP-based speed detection cameras, and HD CCTVs covering the entire expressway for traffic monitoring and incident detection.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Laguna segment is ongoing. The Laguna segment is comprised of Sta. Rosa exiting to Mamplasan, Binan towards the South Luzon Expressway.

The CALAEx is expected to be completed in 2020. Upon completion, the expressway is seen to reduce travel time from 2.5 hours to under 45 minutes and will help decongest approximately 50,000 cars.

"With the Laguna segment well underway and substantially completed by July this year, we will simultaneously, push for the Cavite segment to meet Laguna in a timely manner," Villar said.

"The Laguna segment now in full swing will employ up to 12,000 personnel, and we expect to additionally employ close to 1,300 site and office personnel as construction progresses for the Cavite segment," MPCALA president and general manager Roberto Bonita said.

The public-private partnership CALAEx was awarded to MPCALA in 2015. It has concession period of 35 years, including five years for design and construction. — BM, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/689399/metro-pacific-rsquo-s-mpcala-breaks-ground-for-calaex-cavite-segment/story/

Construction of CALAEX Cavite segment starts

The Cavite-Laguna Expressway is expected to reduce travel time from the Cavitex to the SLEX by 45 minutes

The Cavite portion of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEX), which the government dubbed the "most modern" toll road, began construction on Wednesday, March 27.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) subsidiary MPCALA Holdings, along with Cavite provincial government officials, broke ground for the 27-kilometer, 4-lane segment in Imus City.

The P12-billion project is targeted to be completed in 36 months, or by 2022.

Once done, the segment will be connected to the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) from the Kawit toll road to the Imus Open Canal, Governor's Drive in Dasmariñas City, and Aguinaldo Highway in Silang.

It will be linked to the Laguna segment in Sta Rosa, Laguna, all the way to Mamplasan in Biñan City toward the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). The construction of the Laguna portion is still ongoing.

The 44.6-kilometer CALAEX will connect nearby industrial zones to the capital of one of Asia's fastest-growing economies.

"Our objective is to provide seamless connection from [the] east to west sides of Southern Luzon," Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

DPWH, Metro Pacific group broke ground the Cavite segment of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/Uzetn6WQJt

— Aika Rey (@reyaika) March 27, 2019

The CALAEX is expected to reduce travel time from the Cavitex to the SLEX, from the current 90 minutes to only 45. The DPWH expects around 50,000 vehicles to pass through the expressway.

The "most modern" toll road in the Philippines would have an improved radio-frequency identification system, automatic license plate recognition system, and weigh-in motion sensors to check overloaded vehicles.

MPCALA will also dot the toll road with high-definition CCTV cameras and internet protocol speed detection cameras for traffic monitoring and incident detection.

The CALAEX is part of the network of toll roads MPTC is building. MPTC is the tollways unit of the Manuel Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.

It will also be connected to the C5 South Link through the Cavitex, which MPTC expects to partially open in May.

Last December, MPCALA secured a P24.2-billion loan from the country's top banks for the CALAEX.

https://www.rappler.com/business/226760-calaex-cavite-segment-construction-starts-march-2019

Consortium for NAIA rehab gets end-April ultimatum

By Denise A. Valdez
Reporter

THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) may drop the proposal of a consortium made up of some of the country’s major conglomerates to take over Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) rehabilitation if it is unable to finalize its contract terms for the project by next month.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said in a media briefing on Tuesday that he wants a definite decision on the group’s proposal by end-April, as discussions on its concession terms have been under way since September last year.

“Doon sa NAIA, merong consortium of seven dyan kung saan tumatagal na ’yung usapan. Kaya sinabi ko, gusto ko na lagyan ng cap. Sabi ko by April 30, pag hindi pa tayo nagkasundo-sundo, gagawin na namin ’yung mga proyekto on the DoTr side. Kasi gusto ko mapabilis ’yung desisyon sa unsolicited proposal ng consortium (On the NAIA rehabilitation, there is a consortium of seven that has been taking long to firm up its proposal. So I wanted to put a cap to this. I told them that if we have not agreed on anything by April 30, the DoTr will do what it can on its own, because I want a quick decision on the consortium’s unsolicited proposal),” he said.

Asked to clarify what the DoTr will do with the proposal past Apr. 30, Mr. Tugade said, “Ang sasabihin ko, ayaw ko nang makipag-usap sa consortium of seven (I will say I don’t want to talk to the consortium anymore).”

The consortium formed by seven of the country’s top conglomerates bagged original proponent status (OPS) from the DoTr in September for its P102-billion proposal to rehabilitate and expand the country’s main air gateway. It is expected to increase the airport’s capacity from the current 30.5 million annual passengers to 47 million in two years and to 65 million in four years.

The seven companies are Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.; Alliance Global Group, Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp.; Filinvest Development Corp.; JG Summit Holdings, Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

After gaining headway through the OPS, the group proceeded to discuss with the DoTr the concession terms of the project, before it is submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for evaluation.

The DoTr planned to do this by end-2018, but the two parties have yet to arrive at an agreement to date.

Sought for comment, NAIA consortium Spokesperson Jose Emmanuel “Jimbo” P. Reverente said in a mobile phone message on Tuesday only that the group will “comply with the stated deadline of Secretary Tugade.”

Asked for the specific points of contention between the private proponent and the DoTr, Mr. Tugade replied: “Kung ano ’yung mga improvements na ilalagay. Remember, meron silang tinatawag na (people mover) — ’yung mga ganyan. Eh bilisan na nila ’yun, isumite na nila sa amin ’yun. (Details of improvements that will be undertaken. Remember, they talked about a people mover — things like that. They should act faster because we want to submit this proposal to NEDA already).”

Mr. Tugade also aired the possibility of reviewing alternatives should the consortium’s proposal fall through. “May proseso ’yan eh, diba, na unsolicited. Pag pinagawa, pag hindi na-ano yung isa, i-entertain mo ‘yung pangalawa, kung gusto namin ‘yun (There’s a process for unsolicited proposals. If we ask for something, and the other one cannot do it, you entertain the second to see if we will like it),” he said.

Aside from the consortium, the tandem of Megawide Construction Corp. and Indian company GMR Infrastructure Ltd. — which is behind the Mactan-Cebu International Airport — also submitted last year a $3-billion proposal to rehabilitate NAIA. This was set aside to prioritize the consortium’s proposal, which was submitted earlier.

Meanwhile, the P735-billion Bulacan airport proposal of San Miguel Corp. unit San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC) is expected to undergo Swiss challenge next month.

“Inaayos namin ’yung (We’re preparing the) terms of reference for the Swiss challenge. Pagka naayos na natin ito (Once we will have finalized it), hopefully within the next two weeks matatapos na itong negotiation na ito, ipa-publish na natin ito (we will finish negotiations and we will publish a call for other proposals),” Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo said in the same briefing.

Under the Swiss challenge, the government will invite third parties to match the original proposal within a 60-day period.

https://www.bworldonline.com/consortium-for-naia-rehab-gets-end-april-ultimatum/

Passenger information system to be installed in LRT, MRT

PHAR Philippines, Inc. and Trackmate Business Solutions, Inc. have teamed up to install a passenger information system called Tube in Metro Manila’s trains.

In a statement, PHAR and Trackmate said over 1,000 screens will be installed across the train system in Metro Manila.

The Tube system has already been installed in the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2). For Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and LRT Line 1, it will be installed by early April and July, respectively.

“With the system from Tube, an easier and more comfortable commute awaits LRT and MRT passengers as this new technology will keep them abreast with real-time information and other vital train service information apart from keeping them entertained. This improved technology works parallel with the mission of LRTA to give Filipino commuters an enhanced mobility and world class transport system,” LRTA Administrator Reynaldo I. Berroya said in a statement.

Patented in the Philippines, Tube will provide commuters real time information on the next station, as well as when there is an emergency or disruption in operations. It also has a built-in closed-circuit television (CCTV) which will inform operators of the current situation inside the train.

Commuters will also be provided with news, weather reminders, traffic situation, and short videos from local creators.

PHAR is an international media and marketing firm that mainly caters to airlines, airports, transit systems, smart cities, and retail destinations. Trackmate Business Solutions is a global positioning system (GPS) provider and fleet management system developer in the Philippines. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

https://www.bworldonline.com/passenger-information-system-to-be-installed-in-lrt-mrt/