Friday, October 30, 2020
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Construction of 16-km section of Malolos-Clark Railway to start in Dec.
A Korean construction company and its joint venture partner are set to start constructing its section of the Malolos-Clark Railway project in December, after bagging the P33.7-billion contract from the Duterte administration earlier this month.
Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd., one of the largest builders in South Korea, and Acciona Construction Philippines will construct a section of the railway, covering 16 kilometers in the towns of Minalin, Sto. Tomas and the City of San Fernando in Pampanga. Construction will take four years.
This marks the first infrastructure project that the Korean group won in a competitive bidding here in the Philippines, a top official of its local unit said, although the company had already done several energy projects since it first set shop in the country in 1995.
“Daelim is [a] well-known construction company in Korea,” said Sangsik Shim, general manager of Daelim Philippines Inc., in an e-mail to the Inquirer this week. “Unfortunately, we did not have more chances [other] than [in the] oil, gas and power plant sector.”
The contract was one of the three signed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) under the same railway project last Oct. 8, as the Duterte administration continued to pursue its infrastructure ambitions despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. All three contracts were worth P85 billion.
Their section forms a stretch of the Malolos-Clark Railway project, which in total covers 54 km and will feature a so-called airport express service since it will create a railway link between Metro Manila and Clark International Airport in Pampanga by 2025.
The DOTr has targeted to start partial operations of the project by 2023 and its completion in five years.
The Malolos-Clark Railway project is a key phase of the 148-km North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System in Luzon.
The NSCR, which is being financed with loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, will eventually have 37 stations cross 26 cities and municipalities in Luzon.
Thursday, October 22, 2020
China-funded Estrella-Pantaleon bridge completion seen in 2021
By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday said the construction of the China-funded Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge is expected to be completed in the "early half of 2021".
"The Covid-19 pandemic will not push back the completion dates of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge projects. The contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) overcomes tremendous difficulties to ensure completion on schedule," it said in a statement sent to reporters.
Once completed, the 506-meter bridge would have four lanes connecting Estrella, Makati City to Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City and is seen to accommodate an average of 50,000 vehicles daily.
The Embassy emphasized that the construction of the bridge is financed by a grant from the government of China.
Citing Public Works and Highways chief Mark Villar, it added that only 25 percent of the project's workers are Chinese nationals, while 75 percent are Filipinos.
"The contractor, China Road and Bridge is still hiring more local workers for the project, though it is a bit difficult to recruit enough and qualified local employees amid under GCQ," it said.
The clarification comes after some lawmakers questioned the number of Chinese nationals employed for the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge and Binondo-Intramuros Bridge construction projects, appealing to prioritize Filipino nationals when hiring.
"The Chinese employees are mostly program managers, engineers, and technicians, whose job could not be done by Filipino workers given the technical requirements. All the Chinese employees have obtained work permits from the Department of Labor and Employment," the Embassy said.
The Embassy underscored that China stands ready to "further synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Build, Build, Build program" as well as to accelerate the implementation of cooperation projects between the two nations.
"The Philippines is a friendly close neighbor to China. Both China and the Philippines have been striving for economic development and social progress. China stands ready to further synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and Build, Build, Build program and accelerate the implementation of cooperation projects to stimulate economic recovery and growth of the Philippines," it said.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
No contract awarded yet on NAIA expansion project: DOTr official
An official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday clarified that no contract or agreement has yet been reached on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) expansion project.
In a statement, DOTr Undersecretary for Planning Ruben Reinoso Jr. said Megawide Construction Corporation’s (Megawide) unsolicited proposal to be the sole developer of the project is still to be evaluated and approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) and the NEDA Board.
“Allow us to set the record straight, once and for all, that there is no contract awarded yet, or any agreement decided upon, on the NAIA Expansion project,” Reinoso said.
It said that the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), as the “primary grantor” of the PHP107-billion rehabilitation project, will be the contractor if approved by the NEDA-ICC and the NEDA Board.
“The DOTr, as mother agency of the MIAA, only endorsed the proposal to the NEDA-ICC, as required under-NEDA ICC protocols,” Reinoso said.
It noted that the MIAA will only start negotiating with the winning proponent once the project terms have been defined and approved by the NEDA Board.
PLDT to roll out more fiber lines nationwide
More households in different parts of the country will soon be able to avail of faster internet services through fiber-optic cables after telecommunications giant PLDT on Wednesday announced its plans to roll out more fiber lines and ports nationwide.
In a statement, Alfredo Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer, said the company will install more fiber lines and provide around 500,000 more ports in the next three to six months to meet the country’s rising demand for high-speed internet connectivity.
“Broadband connectivity is more important than ever, particularly in these pandemic times when more people are directed to work and study from home. That’s why PLDT is ramping up its capabilities to be able to serve more Filipinos nationwide,” Panlilio said.
He said the company has deployed more installation and repair teams in different parts of the country to implement the rollout.
“PLDT is rolling out more fiber, more ports in more parts of the Philippines than it has ever done before because we want to connect as many Filipino families as we possibly can to our fiber network,” Panlilio said.
Menardo Jimenez Jr., PLDT senior vice president for PLDT Home, said the company’s network service teams are now more capable of adapting to the challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic-related restrictions.
“PLDT’s network service teams have worked out how to operate under pandemic conditions and have been able to steadily ramp up their installation capacity,” Jimenez said.
He noted that the pandemic has resulted in a “notable” spike of service upgrade and new installation requests.
“The pandemic has compelled people to redesign life at home. Many of these changes involve greater use of the internet and digital solutions to make work, study, and leisure at home more efficient and enjoyable,” Jimenez said.
To date, the company has also invested in the modernization of its overseas cable systems and domestic fiber transport network which includes the company’s data centers.
Its fiber-optic network grew 19 percent for the last 10 months and stretches to about 382,500 kilometers.
PNP to skip Christmas parties this year
The Philippine National Police (PNP) would not be holding Christmas parties this year as funds for the celebration would be given out to help coronavirus patients, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan said on Wednesday.
Police offices and units are also not allowed to hold Christmas parties.
"I am actually contemplating for no Christmas party in the Philippine National Police. They will understand that, instead of using the funds for our Christmas party, we will be giving it out for Covid patients or the Covid fund," Cascolan told reporters at the sidelines of the opening of Civil Security Group’s satellite office in Manila Police District.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said holding of Christmas parties in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), like Metro Manila, will not be allowed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"Under GCQ, bawal pa ang mga parties so ang ating NCR nagkasundo 'yung ating mga mayors na hanggang GCQ muna tayo at magluluwag lang para makatulong sa ekonomiya pero hindi muna mag-modified GCQ kasi ang MGCQ kasi complete package 'yan. Kapag bigla ka nag shift diyan automatic lahat ng activities 50 percent capacity pati 'yung mga get together diyan sigurado gagawin nila diyan (Under GCQ, parties are not allowed. NCR mayors have agreed that the region would remain under GCQ. If we shift to MGCQ, all activities would be at 50-percent capacity, even get-togethers would surely be done under that status),” he said in a radio interview.
"Sayang 'yung gains natin for the past 7 months kung magkaroon tayo ng surge ulit (Our gains for the past 7 months would be put to waste if [the number of cases] would surge again,” he added.
Año also clarified that individuals aged 15 to 65 years old will be allowed outside their residence in areas under the MGCQ.
He pointed this out to avoid confusion as the Metro Manila mayors decided to impose the restrictions outside their homes for those within the 18 to 65 years old range.
He added that what was approved by the President is the “gradual expansion from 15 to 65 years old to be allowed to go out.’’
“So meaning to say gradual siya. Sa mga lugar ng MGCQ sa malalayong lugar na wala na masyado Covid cases puwede na ipatupad 'yung 15 to 65 (It means that it is gradual. In places under MGCQ, in areas with less Covid-19 cases, persons 15 to 65 years old will be allowed [to go out]),’’ Año said.
If the situation improves, Año said it is up to the local government units to decide whether to allow individuals in that age range to go out.
During the holiday season, Cascolan said the deployment of police personnel on the ground would be augmented, especially on places of convergence for the strict implementation of quarantine guidelines, particularly the ban on Christmas parties.
He said this is to prevent any kind of mass gatherings, especially in areas under GCQ, as well as crime incidents and terrorism.
“We have to rationalize the deployment of our forces. When we say proper deployment of our forces and resources, kailangan natin 'yung mga lugar talaga na kailangan ang pulis hindi lang 'yung basta basta mo nilagay ang pulis diyan (those in places that police are needed, and not just deploying them haphazardly)," Cascolan said.
Monday, October 19, 2020
ATN to supply crushed rocks to railway project
Holding company ATN Holdings Inc. has bagged a new deal to supply rock aggregates for the first phase of North-South Commuter Railway project, in line with its projected transition into an infrastructure play.
ATN has been transforming itself into a construction supply-driven enterprise that will produce the rock aggregates and precast concrete required by big-ticket infrastructure builders.
Last September 2020, ATN started the delivery of rock aggregates to be used as construction materials for the North-South Commuter Railway project, a 148-kilometer railway flagship project that will connect New Clark City to Calamba, Laguna and is envisioned to carry 350,000 passengers daily.
In 2019, the first phase of the project was awarded to the joint venture of D.M. Consunji (DMCI) and Japan’s Taisei Corp.. Known as the Tutuban-Malolos segment, this portion will span 38 kilometers including six stations and a depot to be located in Valenzuela City.
“ATN is fully committed to the government’s build-build-build program and shares in its vision to prioritize infrastructure as the centerpiece of our economic recovery and massive job creation stimulus amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” Arsenio Ng, chair and chief executive officer of ATN Holdings, said in a press statement.
ATN’s rock-extraction facilities are built on a 254-hectare privately-owned property in Rodriguez, Rizal featuring a state-of-the art rock crushing plant with a capacity of 500 tons per hour.
Previously, ATN disclosed rock reserves of around 65 million tons, equivalent to an estimated accreted value of P65 billion. To date, it has an existing inventory of at least one million tons of high-grade rock aggregates for future deployment.
“We are thrilled to be in a unique position to seize multiyear continuing opportunities in the bullish infrastructure sector given the massive size of our strategic stockpile and high-quality rock deposits,” added Ng.
ATN is in discussions for more rock supply arrangements with various public and private proponents embarking on large-scale infrastructure development.
ATN’s chair Ng earlier estimated that the company’s budding construction supply business could eventually account for 80 percent of the company’s total business.
https://business.inquirer.net/309939/atn-to-supply-crushed-rocks-to-railway-project
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Metro Channel Sked (October 19-25, 2020)
Weekdays
- 6 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
- 9 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 9:30 am - SHHK Connect
- 9:45 am - JSG Song Video Corner
- 9:50 am - Happy Old Buddies
- 10 am - A Kindred Spirit
- 10:30 am - The King's Woman
- 11:30 am - TV Easy and News Headlines
- 11:35 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 11:45 am - Threesome
- 12:40 pm - TV Easy
- 12:45 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 1:00 pm - Saksi
- 1:20 pm - Big City Shop
- 2:10 pm - All Things Girl
- 2:35 pm - TV Easy
- 2:40 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange and SHHK Connect
- 2:45 pm - Married but Available
- 3:45 pm - Sgt. Frog and Inside the Stock Exchange
- 4:15 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: Gaspard and Lisa (up to 4:50 pm)
- Wednesday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Meralco Bolts vs. Alaska Aces (up to 6:30 pm)
- Friday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Terrafirma Dyip vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (up to 6:30 pm)
- 4:50 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: Kids, Think Big
- 5:20 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: Doraemon
- 5:50 pm -
- Monday: Tuesday and Thursday: Financial News
- 6 pm -
- Monday and Tuesday: Seasons of China
- Thursday: China High-Speed Railway
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7:30 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm -
- Monday: Money Matters
- Tuesday: Straight Talk
- Wednesday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Magnolia Hotshots vs. NLEX Road Warriors (up to 10 pm)
- Thursday: Little Big Shots
- Friday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: San Miguel Beermen vs. TNT Tropang Giga (up to 10 pm)
- 8:30 pm -
- Monday: The Good Doctor
- Tuesday: Instinct
- 9 pm -
- Thursday: Dolce Vita
- 9:30 pm -
- Monday: Closer Look at Property
- Tuesday: A Dream Home Planning
- Thursday: Investment Tips
- 10 pm - Finance at 10
- 10:55 pm - Global Stock Indexes
- 11 pm - The World Tonight
- 11:30 pm -
- Monday: The Good Doctor
- Tuesday: Weird, True & Freaky
- Wednesday: Prodigal Son
- Thursday: FBI
- Friday: US Presidential Debate
- 12:20 am - 101 Easy Japanese
- 12:30 am - News Roundup (Pearl) (1:30 am on Friday)
- 12:45 am - Financial Bulletin (1:45 am on Friday)
- 12:50 am - Weather Report and Earth Live and Today in History (1:50 am on Friday)
- 12:55 am -
- Monday: Entertainment This Week
- Tuesday-Friday: Entertainment Tonight (1:55 am on Friday)
- 1:25 am -
- Tuesday: Harrow
- Wednesday: 9-1-1
- Thursday: Code Black
- Friday: Paranormal Caught on Camera (2:25 am on Friday)
- 1:55 am -
- Monday: Genius: Picasso
- 2:25 am -
- Monday: Money Matters
- Tuesday: Racing To Win
- Wednesday: From Russia to Iran Crossing the Wild Frontier
- Thursday: Ancient Top 10
- 2:55 am -
- Monday: Dolce Vita
- 3:25 am - CHINA 24
- 4:15 am - Market Overview
- 4:25 to 6 am - Fireplace
Saturday
- 6 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
- 9 am - Happy Old Buddies
- 9:10 am - Revel in Retirement
- 9:40 am - Touched by Comics
- 10:15 am - Animal Babies: Mini Album
- 10:35 am - If I were an animal…
- 10:45 am - Zoids Wild
- 11:15 am - Chibi Maruko-chan
- 11:50 am - TV Easy
- 12 nn - Taiwan Built in a Day
- 12:30 pm - Young And Restless
- 1 pm - Saksi
- 1:15 pm - Foodie 2 Shoes
- 2:20 pm - Sidewalk Scientist
- 3:20 pm - Nano Abode
- 3:55 pm - JSG Song Video Corner
- 4 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Terrafirma Dyip vs. Northport Batang Pier
- 6 pm - Aerial China
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7 pm - News Magazine
- 7:30 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: San Miguel Beermen vs. Alaska Aces
- 10 pm - The World Tonight
- 10:30 pm - Weekend Blockbuster: Godzilla
- 12:35 am - News Roundup (Pearl)
- 12:50 am - Weather Report and Today in History and Earth Live
- 12:55 am - Entertainment Tonight
- 1:25 am - Racing To Win
- 2:55 am - CHINA 24
- 3:45 to 6 am - Fireplace
- 6 am - Hong Kong Enigmata
- 7 am - Stars on the Menu
- 8 am - Last Paradise Series
- 9 am - Art And Culture Magazine
- 9:30 am - Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger
- 10 am - Bobby and Bill
- 10:30 am - Ask Master Joe
- 11 am - On the Record
- 11:30 am - Baby Matters
- 11:55 am - TV Easy
- 12 nn - Three Hungry Sisters
- 1 pm - Saksi
- 1:15 pm - Royal Tramp II
- 2:55 pm - Sports Like No Other
- 3:25 pm - Showers of Blessing
- 4 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
- 6 pm - Aerial China
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7 pm - Sunday Report
- 7:30 pm - China Album
- 7:35 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Meralco Bolts
- 10 pm - The World Tonight
- 10:30 pm - Sunday Nightscares:Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
- 12:05 am - News Roundup (Pearl)
- 12:25 am - Weather Report and Today in History and Earth Live
- 12:30 am - Dolce Vita
- 1 am - Mysteries of the Mekong
- 1:55 am - CHINA 24
- 2:45 to 6 am - Fireplace
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
San Miguel completes Skyway Stage 3 project
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Tuesday announced that the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 has been completed.
In a statement, SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said the entire 17.93-kilometer stretch of the project, linking Southern and Northern Luzon, has been finished over the weekend.
The completion was done ahead of the original October 31 schedule the company earlier announced, following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m happy to announce that the whole structure of Skyway 3 is now complete. With this, Skyway 2 in Buendia is now officially extended all the way to the North Luzon Expressway,” Ang said.
“After many challenges this project faced in previous years, the dream of connecting north and south and providing an alternative to EDSA is now a reality,” he said.
With Skyway Stage 3, travel from SLEx to NLEx will now only take 20 minutes, from around three hours previously.
Magallanes to Balintawak will only take about 15 minutes, Balintawak to Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be only 15 minutes, and Valenzuela to Makati in just 10 minutes.
Ang, however, said that the expressway cannot be opened to the public just yet, as finishing works, such as the proper curing of asphalt, have been delayed by continuous and heavy rains.
“We’re very excited to open Skyway 3 to the public. We just have to wait for the weather to improve so we can make sure that the asphalt will cure properly. That and a few more finishing touches are all that’s needed, and then we can open, soon,” he said.
Since COVID-19 restrictions were eased starting mid-May to June earlier this year, Ang said the company had been doubling its efforts to deliver its major infrastructure projects with the least delays possible.
In mid-July, SMC delivered the last section of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) to Rosario, La Union, officially opening the entire stretch of the TPLEX to motorists.
Apart from the Skyway Stage 3, the company is also looking to deliver the northbound section of the Skyway Extension, which provides additional lanes and connects the SLEx to Skyway near Susanna Heights and the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway—by December this year.
Ang has vowed to push through with all its major infrastructure projects despite the economic slowdown due to the pandemic, in order to generate jobs and help the economy recover.
Its P740-billion Manila International Airport project in Bulacan, said to be the largest single-item investment in Philippine history, is also set to break ground by the end of the year.
Seen as a game-changer for the Philippine economy, it will generate over a million direct and indirect jobs and, once complete, create up to as much as 30 million tourism jobs nationwide, according to SMC.—AOL, GMA News
POE: BULACAN AIRPORT PROJECT TO SPUR THOUSANDS OF JOBS, OPPORTUNITIES
Government will not be giving San Miguel's airport project guarantees on profits nor will it subsidize its operations.
Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said San Miguel will be pouring in as much as P1.5 trillion into the Bulacan airport project, P734 billion of which will go into the airport alone.
"There are no government guarantees here. What they are promising is, any amount in excess of the 12-percent rate of return will go to the government. If they do not make the 12 percent, they will still be responsible for the airport even if they have to operate at a loss," Poe said.
If San Miguel loses money from the Bulacan airport project, government is not obliged to give it funding.
"There is no provision here whatsoever that says the government will step in to bail them out," Poe said.
The Senate has unanimously approved on third and final reading the franchise for San Miguel Aerocity Inc. for a 50-year period, including a 10-year period for its design, planning and construction.
"The project will provide 450,000 jobs during the construction phase alone. And then after that, upwards of a million people will be able to benefit from the undertaking; not to mention the hundreds of thousands of passengers who will fly in and out of the country everyday," Poe said.
The senator cited that San Miguel has spent P98 million to 364 residents that includes P100,000 each for them to build concrete houses and P250,000 in cash plus additional aid of P3,000 to P20,000.
The proposed franchise grants San Miguel Aerocity exemption from all direct and indirect taxes and fees for the 10 years that it is under construction, including exemption from permit fees collected by local and national government entities but it is required to submit its annual report to Congress which will be a prerequisite for any of its applications for permits and certificates from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. Failure to submit the annual report on or before April 30 will be penalized with a fine of P1 million for every working day that it is not submitted.
Under the franchise proposal, the tax exemptions for the Bulacan airport will be in effect until such time that the Bureau of Internal Revenue determines that San Miguel has recovered its investment in the project.
Once the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) determines that San Miguel has recovered its investment on the airport and on the airport city, San Miguel Aerocity will then be subjected to all taxes under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 and the amended Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
And once the BIR determines that the investments have been recovered, San Miguel will be allowed to earn an internal rate of return of 12 percent per annum, with anything in excess to be remitted to the national government. The internal rate of return shall be computed within three months after the BIR's determination that the investments have been recouped.
San Miguel will also be required to sell at least 20 percent of San Miguel Aerocity in the stock market within five years after the BIR's determination.
Monday, October 12, 2020
Metro Channel Sked (October 12-18, 2020)
Weekdays
- 6 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
- 9 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 9:30 am - SHHK Connect
- 9:45 am - JSG Song Video Corner
- 9:50 am - Happy Old Buddies
- 10 am - A Kindred Spirit
- 10:30 am - The King's Woman
- 11:30 am - TV Easy and News Headlines
- 11:35 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 11:45 am - Threesome
- 12:40 pm - TV Easy
- 12:45 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange
- 1:00 pm - Saksi
- 1:20 pm - Big City Shop
- 2:10 pm - All Things Girl
- 2:35 pm - TV Easy
- 2:40 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange and SHHK Connect
- 2:45 pm - Married but Available
- 3:45 pm - Sgt. Frog and Inside the Stock Exchange
- 4:15 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: Gaspard and Lisa (up to 4:50 pm)
- Wednesday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Northport Batang Pier vs. NLEX Road Warriors (up to 6:30 pm)
- Friday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: NLEX Road Warriors vs. Meralco Bolts (up to 6:30 pm)
- 4:50 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: Kids, Think Big
- 5:20 pm -
- Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: Doraemon
- 5:50 pm -
- Monday: Tuesday and Thursday: Financial News
- 6 pm -
- Monday and Tuesday: Seasons of China
- Thursday: China High Speed Railway
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7:30 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm -
- Monday: Money Matters
- Tuesday: Straight Talk
- Wednesday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Phoenix Super LPG vs Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (up to 10 pm)
- Thursday: Little Big Shots
- Friday: 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Magnolia Hotshtos vs. Phoenix Super LPG Fuelmasters (up to 10 pm)
- 8:30 pm -
- Monday: The Good Doctor
- Tuesday: Instinct
- 9 pm -
- Thursday: Dolce Vita
- 9:30 pm -
- Monday: Closer Look at Property
- Tuesday: A Dream Home Planning
- Thursday: Investment Tips
- 10 pm - Finance at 10
- 10:55 pm - Global Stock Indexes
- 11 pm - The World Tonight
- 11:30 pm -
- Monday: The Good Doctor
- Tuesday: Weird, True & Freaky
- Wednesday: Prodigal Son
- Thursday: FBI
- Friday: US Presidential Debate
- 12:20 am - 101 Easy Japanese
- 12:30 am - News Roundup (Pearl) (1:30 am on Friday)
- 12:45 am - Financial Bulletin (1:45 am on Friday)
- 12:50 am - Weather Report and Earth Live and Today in History (1:50 am on Friday)
- 12:55 am -
- Monday: Entertainment This Week
- Tuesday-Friday: Entertainment Tonight (1:55 am on Friday)
- 1:25 am -
- Tuesday: Harrow
- Wednesday: 9-1-1
- Thursday: Code Black
- Friday: Racing To Win (up to 3:55 am)
- 1:55 am -
- Monday: Genius: Picasso
- 2:25 am -
- Monday: Money Matters
- Tuesday: Racing To Win
- Wednesday: From Russia to Iran Crossing the Wild Frontier
- Thursday: Ancient Top 10
- 2:55 am -
- Monday: Dolce Vita
- 3:25 am - CHINA 24 (3:55 am on Friday)
- 4:15 am - Market Overview (4:45 am on Friday)
- 4:30 to 6 am - Fireplace (4:55 am on Friday)
Saturday
- 6 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
- 9 am - Happy Old Buddies
- 9:10 am - Revel in Retirement
- 9:40 am - Touched by Comics
- 10:15 am - Animal Babies: Mini Album
- 10:35 am - If I were an animal…
- 10:45 am - Zoids Wild
- 11:15 am - Chibi Maruko-chan
- 11:50 am - TV Easy
- 12 nn - Taiwan Built in a Day
- 12:30 pm - Young And Restless
- 1 pm - Saksi
- 1:15 pm - Foodie 2 Shoes
- 2:20 pm - Sidewalk Scientist
- 3:20 pm - Nano Abode
- 3:55 pm - JSG Song Video Corner
- 4 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Blackwater Elite vs. NLEX Road Warriors
- 6 pm - Aerial China
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7 pm - News Magazine
- 7:30 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Alaska Aces vs. Magnolia Hotshots
- 10 pm - The World Tonight
- 10:30 pm - Weekend Blockbuster:Weekend Blockbuster:Furious 7
- 12:20 am - News Roundup (Pearl)
- 12:40 am - Weather Report and Today in History and Earth Live
- 12:45 am - Entertainment Tonight
- 1:15 am - America's Funniest Home Videos
- 1:45 am - CHINA 24
- 2:35 to 6 am - Fireplace
- 6 am - Hong Kong Enigmata
- 7 am - Stars on the Menu
- 8 am - Last Paradise Series
- 9 am - Art And Culture Magazine
- 9:30 am - Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger
- 10 am - Bobby and Bill
- 10:30 am - Ask Master Joe
- 11 am - On the Record
- 11:30 am - Baby Matters
- 11:55 am - TV Easy
- 12 nn - Three Hungry Sisters
- 1 pm - Saksi
- 1:15 pm - Royal Tramp II
- 2:55 pm - Sports Like No Other
- 3:25 pm - Showers of Blessing
- 4 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Rain or Shine Elastopainters vs. Blackwater Elite
- 6 pm - Aerial China
- 6:30 pm - TV Patrol
- 7 pm - Sunday Report
- 7:30 pm - China Album
- 7:35 pm - Scoop
- 8 pm - 2020 PBA Philippine Cup: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Magnolia Hotshots
- 10 pm - The World Tonight
- 10:30 pm - Sunday Nightscares:Ghostbusters II
- 12:30 am - News Roundup (Pearl)
- 12:50 am - Weather Report and Today in History and Earth Live
- 12:55 am - Dolce Vita
- 1:25 am - CHINA 24
- 2:15 am - Market Overview
- 2:25 to 6 am - Fireplace
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Guangzhou Metro officially released the construction progress of 12 (section) new rail transit lines in September of 2020
1. North Extension of Line 8: 93%
The total length of the line is 16.1 kilometers, all of which are underground lines, with a total of 13 stations
The entire line of vehicles adopts 6-carriage A-type vehicles with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
2. West Extension of Line 7: 77%
The length of the line is 13.45 kilometers (of which the Shunde section is about 11.8 kilometers long and the Guangzhou section is about 1.65 kilometers long).
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage B-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
3. Line 11: 39%
The total length of the line is about 44.2 kilometers, all of which are laid underground. There are 32 stations on the whole line. In addition, one station (Urban Rail Pazhou Station) will be built on behalf of it, including 20 transfer stations and 1 Chisha depot.
The vehicles are composed of 8-carriage A-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
4. Line 18: 80%
The line has a total length of 61.3 kilometers, all of which are underground lines, with 9 stations, including 8 transfer stations.
The design speed of the vehicle is 160 km/h.
5. Line 22: 52%
The line has a total length of 30.8 kilometers, all of which are underground lines, with a total of 8 stations, including 4 transfer stations.
The design speed of the vehicle is 160 km/h.
6. Line 13 Phase II: 18%
The line has a total length of 33.5 kilometers, all of which are underground lines. There are 23 stations (all underground stations), one of which is constructed by Line 11, including 9 transfer stations.
The vehicle adopts an 8-carriage A-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 100 km/h.
7. East Extension of Line 3: 11%
The total length of the line is about 9.55 kilometers, with 4 stations, including 1 transfer station and 1 Guangzhou Xincheng parking lot.
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage B-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 120 km/h.
8. East Extension of Line 5: 7%
The line has a total length of 9.8 kilometers and has 6 stations (excluding Wenchong Station), including 2 transfer stations and 1 Shuanggang parking lot.
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage L-type car with a maximum operating speed of 90 km/h.
9. Line 7 Phase II: 21%
The total length of the line is 21.9 kilometers, all of which are laid underground. There are 11 stations in total, including 8 transfer stations and 1 Shangtang parking lot.
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage B-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
10. Line 10: 8%
The total length of the line is about 19.15 kilometers, with 14 stations, all of which are underground stations, including 10 transfer stations
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage B-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
11. Line 12: 11%
The No. 12 line is 37.6 kilometers long and is all underground. There are 25 stations, 6 of which are constructed by other lines, of which 17 are transfer stations.
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage type A vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 80 km/h.
12. Line 14 Phase II: 9%
The length of the line is 11.9 kilometers, all of which are underground lines, with a total of 8 stations, including 3 transfer stations.
The vehicle adopts a 6-carriage B-type vehicle with a maximum operating speed of 120 km/h.
Tugade: Admin's goal is to make Filipino life comfortable
TRANSPORTATION Secretary Arthur Tugade has underscored the Duterte administration's goal to make the lives of every Filipino comfortable and convenient.
The Department of Transportation chief stressed this during the recent signing of three construction packages for the PNR Clark Phase 2 railway project from Malolos to Clark Freeport.
"Be assured that we are focused on our goal to make the Filipino life comfortable, the Filipino life convenient. This administration shall remain firm and steadfast in turning this railway project into a living reality," Tugade said.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 is a 54-kilometer north segment of the North South Commuter Railway that will feature the country's first Airport Express Service.
Tugade cited the partnership of the private sector and the government to build big ticket infrastructure projects.
He thanked the entities that supported the projects implemented under the Build Build Build program of the National Government.
"Today, more than signing the agreements for the NSCR project, this event is a celebration of trust. It is a celebration of trust and confidence that you have given and is giving to the Duterte Administration," Tugade said.
"Without the trust in this administration, I am sure that partnering and investing with us in building transport infrastructure for the comfort and convenience of the Filipino people will be utterly difficult," he added.
He mentioned in particular the Asian Development Bank ADB and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for supporting the project.
"I would like to thank the Jica and the ADB for partnering with us in this momentous project. This project, by par, is the ADB's largest ever financing package for a single project and indeed this project is the single largest BBB project to date in the history of the Duterte Administration," Tugade said.
Malolos Clark Railway to reduce travel time
THE three-hour passenger travel time by bus from Metro Manila to the regional growth centers in Central Luzon including Clark Freeport will be reduced to one hour by railway once the Malolos-Clark Railway is completed.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has stated this on its official Facebook page on Friday, October 9, 2020.
"Manila to Clark in one hour. The Malolos Clark Railway will cut travel time from Metro Manila to regional growth centers in Central Luzon from 2 to 3 hours to one hour," the agency said.
Once operational, the railway system is expected to accommodate 350,000 passengers daily and employ 1,400 people.
The railway project is the largest financing package implemented by the Asian Development Bank. It is co-financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, according to the BCDA.
Department of Transportation DoTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade earlier announced the signing of three construction packages for the PNR Clark Phase 2 railway project from Malolos to this freeport.
"Be assured that we are focused on our goal to make the Filipino life comfortable, the Filipino life convenient. This administration shall remain firm and steadfast in turning this railway project into a living reality," Tugade said.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 or the Malolos Clark Railway is a 54-kilometer north segment of the North South Commuter Railway that will feature the country's first Airport Express Service.
Tugade cited the partnership of the private sector and the government to build big-ticket infrastructure projects.
He thanked the entities that supported the projects implemented under the Build Build Build (BBB) program of the national government.
"Today, more than signing the agreements for the NSCR project, this event is a celebration of trust. It is a celebration of trust and confidence that you have given and is giving to the Duterte Administration," Tugade said.
"Without the trust in this administration, I am sure that partnering and investing with us in building transport infrastructure for the comfort and convenience of the Filipino people will be utterly difficult," he added.
He mentioned in particular the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) for supporting the project.
"I would like to thank the Jica and the ADB for partnering with us in this momentous project. This project, by par, is the ADB's largest ever financing package for a single project and indeed this project is the single largest BBB project to date in the history of the Duterte Administration," Tugade said.
Friday, October 9, 2020
It’s all systems go for Malolos-Clark railway plan
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday signed P85 billion in construction contracts for a key phase of the 148-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System in Luzon, a major infrastructure project that is moving forward under the Duterte administration.
The department led the virtual signing ceremonies with Filipino and international contractors for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2—also known as the Malolos-Clark Railway Project, which formed part of the NSCR.
This phase stretches 54 km and will feature a so-called airport express service since it will create a railway link between Metro Manila and Clark International Airport in Pampanga by 2025.
In his remarks on Thursday, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade called the NSCR the singe largest project under the government’s Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.
“This administration shall remain firm and steadfast in turning this railway project into a living reality,” Tugade said.
Three contract packages were signed during the event.
The first is with the venture between Megawide Construction Corp., Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. and Dong-Ah Geological Engineering Co. Ltd.
Worth P28.4 billion, this package covers 17 km in the towns of Malolos and Calumpit in Bulacan and in the towns of Apalit and Minalin in Pampanga.
“We have strong and extremely competent partners in Hyundai and Dong-ah, from whom we will be able to learn and leverage our learnings on as we pursue more projects in this space,” Edgar Saavedra, Megawide chair and CEO, said in a statement.
Package No. 2 was signed with the venture between Acciona Construction Philippines and Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd.
Worth P33.7 billion, this will cover 16 km in the towns of Minalin, Sto. Tomas and San Fernando in Pampanga.
The final package was signed with Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd. It is worth P22.78 billion and covers 12 km in the towns of San Fernando, Angeles and Mabalacat in Pampanga.
Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said construction for these segments were set to begin before the end of 2020 and the department was targeting partial operations by 2023 before its full completion in five years.
The NSCR is being financed with loans provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
ADB director general for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam said during the signing ceremonies that the three packages alone would create over 25,000 jobs in the next three years.
He said the project was also timely in creating employment in the midst of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These civil works contracts will help accelerate the Philippines’ economic revival over the next 12-24 months,” Subramaniam said.
The NSCR will eventually encompass 37 stations, 464 train cars across 26 cities and municipalities across in Luzon. It can serve about 830,000 passengers daily once operational and has provisions for future expansion.
It includes the PNR Clark Phase 1, a 38-km line from Tutuban in Manila to Malolos Bulacan. The segment, which now stands at 40.48 percent completion rate, is targeted to be partially operable by December 2021.
The final segment is the 72-km PNR Calamba from Solis, Manila to Los Banos, Laguna. The segment now stands at 20.42-percent progress rate.
https://business.inquirer.net/309115/its-all-systems-go-for-malolos-clark-railway-plan
Malolos-Clark railway project gets underway
Construction of the PNR Clark phase 2 project, or the Malolos-Clark portion of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) system is set to begin before the year ends after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) completed the award of civil works contracts worth $2.5 billion.
The project’s three remaining civil works packages worth more than $1.7 billion were signed yesterday, completing the five civil works packages needed to start the project’s construction.
“We are starting construction by November or December of this year with the mobilization of our three contractors, with partial operability scheduled in 2023, and our full completion schedule in 2025,” Transportation Undersecretary for railways Timothy John Batan said.
The PNR Clark phase 2 project is the 53-kilometer northern segment of the mega railway network known as the NSCR system which will have a 148-kilometer route length, 37 stations and 464 train cars.
“The signing of these contracts means the Malolos–Clark Railway project construction will now go on full speed, helping the country’s economic revival over the next 12 to 24 months,” Asian Development Bank (ADB) director-general for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam said.
“When completed by 2025 based on current plans, we expect the project to benefit nearly 350,000 commuters daily. We are proud to work with the Philippine government, development partners, and the private sector to deliver this important flagship infrastructure project using modern technology for the country,” he said.
The project is co-financed by the ADB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
JICA will provide up to $2 billion in additional funding for the rolling stock and railway systems.
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The NSCR encompasses three railway projects, including the PNR Clark phase 1, or the Tutuban-Malolos portion, which is a 38-km rail line that will connect Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan.
The segment, which will reduce travel time from approximately one hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes, is now 41 percent complete and is targeted to be partially operable by December 2021.
The PNR Clark Phase 2, or the Malolos-Clark segment, will cut travel time from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark International Airport to just 30 minutes from the original one hour and 30 minutes.
The first contract package of the Malolos–Clark railway line was awarded to the joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd., Dong-ah Geological Engineering Co. Ltd., and Megawide Construction Corp.
Spain’s Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd. won the second contract package, while the third contract package was awarded to Italian–Thai Development Public Co. Ltd.
Contract package four was awarded in August to a joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines Inc. and EEI Corp., while contract package five was given to Korea’s POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd.
The last NSCR segment is the PNR Calamba, which is a 56-km line that will run from Solis, Manila to Calamba, cutting travel time to one hour from three hours.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/10/09/2048147/malolos-clark-railway-project-gets-underway
DoTr: PNR Clark Phase 2 construction to start before yearend
Construction works for the $2.5-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2 project will begin before 2020 ends, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr).
In a briefing on Thursday, Timothy John Batan, Transportation secretary for railways, said “we are starting construction by November [or] December this year with the mobilization of our three contractors, with partial operability scheduled in 2023 and out full completion scheduled [in] 2025.”
The project “will go full speed to aid [the country’s] economic recovery,” he added.
Batan’s remarks come after his department signed three civil works contracts for the project worth $1.7 billion.
Megawide Construction Corp. and its South Korean partners Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. and Dong-ah Geological Engineering Co. Ltd. secured the P28-billion N-01 contract to build a 17-kilometer viaduct that includes elevated station buildings in Calumpit town in Bulacan province and Apalit municipality in Pampanga province.
Acciona Construction Philippines and Daelim Industrial Co. Ltd. bagged the P33.7-billion N-02 contract package for a 16-kilometer viaduct and one station building in the towns of Minalin and Sto. Tomas and San Fernando city in Pampanga.
Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd. won the contract to build a 12-kilometer viaduct and one station building in Pampanga as part of the Malolos-Clark extension of the North-South Commuter Railway System.
The 53-kilometer PNR Clark Phase 2, which would run from Malolos in Bulacan to Clark in Pampanga, is part of the government’s P777.5-billion North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project.
The DoTr has said the project would be operational by 2022, but the Asian Development Bank said in a statement on Thursday the railway might start accommodating passengers beginning in 2025.
It is expected to serve 340,000 passengers daily.
Once finished, travel time from Gil Puyat Ave. in Makati City to Clark International Airport would be cut to 55 minutes versus the current two hours by private vehicle via expressway.
Thursday, October 8, 2020
DOTr inks last 3 deals for Malolos-Clark Railway
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan says construction is expected to start within 2020
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed on Thursday, October 8, the last 3 of 5 contracts for the 54-kilometer Malolos-Clark Railway, the northern segment of the ambitious North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
The 3 deals, which amounted to a total of P84.9 billion, would cover Malolos, Bulacan, to Mabalacat, Pampanga. The Malolos-Clark Railway was previously known as the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark 2 project.
Last September 18, the DOTr awarded the contract to the following concessionaires:
- Package N-01 (P28.4 billion): Joint venture of Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Megawide Construction Corporation, Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd
- Package N-02 (P33.7 billion): Joint venture of Acciona Construction Philippines and Daelim Industrial Company Ltd
- Package N-03 (P22.8 billion): Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd
The ceremonial virtual signing was done on Thursday.
The Hyundai-Megawide-Dong-ah partnership will construct 17 kilometers of elevated rail viaduct from Malolos to Calumpit in Bulacan and Apalit and Minalin in Pampanga. There will be two elevated steel stations between tracks and 7 bridges for Package N-01.
The Acciona-Daelim joint venture, meanwhile, will build 16 kilometers of rail tracks spanning Minalin, Sto Tomas, and San Fernando in Pampanga. The joint venture will build one elevated train station.
Lastly, the Italian-Thai Development Public Company will construct a 12-kilometer railway track from San Fernando to Mabalacat in Pampanga. The Italian-Thai firm will also build an elevated station.
The other two contracts were signed in August, for the construction of the main line from Mabalacat to the Clark International Airport as well as the railway depot on the Pampanga end.
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said the government saved P34 billion, as the 5 contracts only amounted P123 billion from the original cost estimate of P157 billion.
Batan said construction is expected to start before 2020 ends. Partial operation is targeted in 2022, while full completion is eyed for 2025.
The ambitious railways would feature the country's first airport express service, once the Tutuban-Malolos – formerly the PNR Clark 1 project – and Malolos-Clark railways are completed.
The airport express service would cut down travel time from Makati City to Clark International Airport to one hour, from the over two-hour trip by car.
The construction of the Tutuban-Malolos Railway started in February 2019. The DOTr said the segment now stands at a 40.48% completion rate, with partial operations eyed by December 2021.
The two northern segments will be linked to the PNR Calamba service from Solis Station in Tondo, Manila. The south segment of the NSCR is eyed for partial operations by 2024.
The entire NSCR is cofinanced by the Asian Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
https://www.rappler.com/business/dotr-signs-last-deals-malolos-clark-railway
P51B PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) contracts signed
by Emmie V. Abadilla
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) today witnessed the virtual signing of the three contract packages which complete the P51-billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 2, from Malolos to Clark.
PNR Clark Phase 2 forms part of North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System Project, one of the flagship infrastructure projects of DOTr.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade virtually signed Contract Package N-01 with the Joint Venture of Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd., Megawide Construction Corporation and Dong-Ah Geological Engineering Co., Ltd.
The DOTr also virtually signed Contract Package N-02 with the Joint Venture of Acciona Construction Philippines and Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd.
Finally, the agency signed Contract Package N-03 with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd.
DOTr issued the Notice of Awards for the three civil works contract packages to the winning bidders last month.
Contract Package N-01 covers 17 kilometers of elevated rail viaduct, seven balanced cantilever bridges, and two station buildings in the towns of Malolos and Calumpit in Bulacan and in the towns of Apalit and Minalin in Pampanga.
Contract Package N-02, on the other hand, covers 16 kilometers of elevated viaduct and one station building in the towns of Minalin, Sto. Tomas, and San Fernando in Pampanga.
Contract Package N-03 encompasses the 12 kilometers of elevated viaduct and two station buildings in the towns of San Fernando, Angeles, and Mabalacat in Pampanga.
This 54-km northern segment of the NSCR System will stretch from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga.
The project will feature the country’s first Airport Express Service, which will reduce travel time between Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga and Makati City from more than two hours by car, to just one hour via the Airport Express.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/08/p51b-pnr-clark-phase-2-malolos-clark-contracts-signed/
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
São Paulo Metro Line 6 concession reallocated
BRAZIL: The state of São Paulo has signed a formal agreement transferring the concession to build, operate and maintain São Paulo metro Line 6 from the Move São Paulo consortium to the Acciona-led Concessionária Linha Universidade, with the aim of restarting the project which has been at a standstill since 2016.
The PPP contract for construction of the 15·3 km north-south Line 6, also known as the Orange Line, was awarded to the Move São Paulo consortium in mid-2013.
Construction began in January 2015, but was suspended in September 2016 when the concessionaire ran into financial difficulties.
In December 2018 the state government decided to formally end the contract, but the parties agreed that the consortium would continue to work on site, initially until August 2019 and then until May 2020.
This provided time for the state to begin negotiations in November for Acciona to acquire a majority stake in Move São Paulo.
Line 6 will run from São Joaquim station on metro Line 1 in the city centre to Brasilândia in the northwest, with 15 stations serving destinations including several universities.
Around 15% of the construction has so far been completed, and work is expected to take a further five years. This will be followed by 19 years of operation and maintenance of the infrastructure.
Announcing the transfer of the concession on October 5, Acciona said the R$15bn Orange Line was the largest public-private infrastructure project under development in Latin America, and the largest infrastructure project the company has taken on in its history.
It said it had the technical expertise and experience of urban transport projects needed for Line 6, having undertaken 44 projects in seven countries, built more than 3 000 km of railway and metro track and completed 600 km of tunnels.
Friday, October 2, 2020
Lapid pushes to restore Diosdado Macapagal International Airport as name of Clark air hub
Sen. Lito Lapid has filed a bill seeking to revert the name of the Clark International Airport to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, a title stripped from the transportation hub in 2012.
Under Lapid's Senate Bill No. 1861, the airport in Angeles City in Pampanga should be named after former President Diosdado Macapagal "to honor the achievements and legacy" of the first Kapampangan president.
"Among the highlights of his presidency are the suppression of graft and corruption, land-reform legislation, abolition of land tenancy, labor law reforms such as the minimum wage law, campaign against Income tax evasion, and the strengthening of free enterprise," Lapid, who also hails from Pampanga, said in the explanatory note of his 1-page bill.
The Clark Airport was first named after Macapagal in 2003 during the presidency of his daughter, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
But Macapagal's name was stripped from the airport during the administration of his daughter's successor - President Benigno Aquino III - whose father's name is used to mark the country's primary gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Talk of restoring Diosdado Macapagal's name in the Clark Airport surfaced again in 2018, after Macapagal-Arroyo was named as House Speaker.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said renaming the Clark International Airport is not a priority.
"Sa akin ho wala pa naman sa agenda ko 'yan. Mas marami pong dapat asikasuhin kaysa sa pangalan," Tugade told Lapid during the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) budget hearing in the Senate.
(To me, that is not yet on the agenda. There are a lot of other things that have to be prioritized over a name.)
"Kung pipilitin niyo po ako ngayon, baka ilagay ko pa pangalan ko diyan. Biro lang po," he said in jest.
(If you will force me to change it now, I might just put my name on it. Just kidding.)
The Clark International Airport - which was temporarily shut last year after sustaining damage from an earthquake - is nearly "96 percent" complete, Tugade said.
The airport's operator may begin operations either later this year or in the first quarter of 2021, he said.
Thursday, October 1, 2020
MRT-3 eyes faster speed by end of year, complete rehab by end-2022
Commuters taking the MRT-3 now travel faster because of improvements in the train system, an official said Thursday.
Speaking to CNN Philippines, MRT-3 Director Michael Capati said they are on track to restore the top speed of 60 kilometers per hour by December this year.
"We're working on 40 kilometers per hour (kph) right now and we're running smoothly and averaging 6.5 to 7 minutes headway...no problem so far," he told CNN Philippines' Traffic Center. The previous speed was down to 30 kph.
Capati said the speed will be increasded to 50 kph by November and 60 kph by the end of the year.
He said an average of 20 to 22 trains are running at a given time, which means faster servicing of passengers.
"We have a contract with Sumitomo to rehabilitate no only the rolling stocks but also the other systems of MRT-3," he says. Sumitomo Corporation is the train maintenance provider.
Capati said all systems will be rehabilitated by the end of 2022.
As far as COVID-19 infections among employees is concerned, Capati said they were only monitoring two and these were infections outside MRT premises.
https://www.cnn.ph/news/2020/10/1/mrt3-speeds-rehabilitation.html