Saturday, January 30, 2021
Thursday, January 28, 2021
SMC says right-of-way issues delaying road linking Skyway 3 to NLEx
Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said a 1.2 kilometer road linking its Skyway Stage 3 project to the NLEx Connector project is facing delays because of right-of-way issues.
The NLEx Connector project is set to be finished in 2022. Being built by a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., the project is a second elevated tollroad after the Skyway Stage 3 that would link the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) in Metro Manila.
SMC said the 1.2-km road link is part of the detailed engineering design of the Skyway Stage 3, which was inaugurated by President Rodrigo Duterte last Jan. 14. It is also a vital project since it connects two major road infrastructure projects in Metro Manila.
SMC, however, said it is currently facing right-of-way problems at the Nagtahan to Sta. Mesa areas in Manila.
SMC president Ramon S. Ang said in a statement that the conglomerate planned to finish the road within 24 months after right-of-way issues are settled.
The acquisition of right-of-way for major infrastructure projects is typically handled by the government. But Ang said SMC was also allocating funds to hasten the buy out of land along the road’s alignment.
“We’re already mobilizing our contractors to start work in areas that are unobstructed, where we’re permitted to work,” Ang said. “We’re also already committing the funds needed to buy the ROW properties, so hopefully, these issues will be resolved the soonest,” he added.
Right-of-way acquisition is a perennial cause of delay for big-ticket infrastructure projects. Ang said it was also the “single biggest constraint” for the Skyway Stage 3, whose groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2014.
“The alignment for this connection to the NLEx connector project, which the Metro Pacific Tollways Group is building, was supposed to be built together with Section 2 of Skyway 3 in the Nagtahan to Sta. Mesa area,” Ang said.
“However, about two years since we first worked on workable areas for Skyway 3, the ROW issue in section 2 threatened to stall the project,” he added.
Ang said these issues also caused the company to revise the alignment of the Skyway Stage 3 “so that the project could be completed faster and provide a solution to traffic.”
Work on Skyway 3-NLEX connector project link begins
San Miguel Corporation has started work on a 1.2-kilometer road that will connect the 18-km Skyway Stage 3 to the ongoing 8-km. NLEX connector project, a second elevated expressway that will further link the northern and southern parts of Metro Manila.
The expressway project runs from C3 road all the way to Santa Mesa in Manila.
This, despite the pending right-of-way acquisition (ROW) negotiations that have delayed the construction of the vital link.
In a news release Thursday, SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang said the company is “working on what’s workable,” in order to mitigate delays in ROW acquisition for the connection, located at the Nagtahan to Sta. Mesa areas in Manila.
The connection, part of the detailed engineering design of the Skyway 3 project, can be completed within 24 months or less soon as the ROW issues with the landowners are resolved, Ang said.
“This connection is vital because it will link two major expressways, Skyway Stage 3 and the Metro Pacific Tollways’ connector road project -- making accessibility, interoperability, and ease of travel even better for the public,” Ang said.
"We’re already mobilizing our contractors to start work in areas that are unobstructed, where we’re permitted to work. We’re also already committing the funds needed to buy the ROW properties, so hopefully, these issues will be resolved the soonest," he added.
The ROW acquisition was the single biggest constraint to the Skyway Stage 3 project, Ang said. While advance work was started in 2014, actual work on the main sections 1-4 only started in 2015, because of ROW issues.
The company mitigated the delays by starting construction in “available” areas, to improve the chances of completing the project soonest and immediately address the worsening traffic in Metro Manila.
However, even then, a lot of ROW issues remained unsettled, prompting numerous realignments and redesigns. The SMC also paid for all the ROW properties and spent for the transfer of vital utilities as well as the reconstruction of three bridges, in order to complete Skyway 3.
“The alignment for this connection to the NLEX connector project, which the Metro Pacific Tollways Group is building, was supposed to be built together with Section 2 of Skyway 3 in the Nagtahan to Sta. Mesa area. However, about two years since we first worked on workable areas for Skyway 3, the ROW issue in section 2 threatened to stall the project. That is why we proposed to realign Skyway 3 along the San Juan River, so that the project could be completed faster and provide a solution to traffic—not cause more of it,” Ang said.
He added: “To show our commitment to complete the connection, even if the main alignment was already moved to San Juan River, we signed a memorandum of agreement with the Toll Regulatory Board and Department of Public Works and Highways. We basically already committed the budget for the ROW acquisition--we will pay for it--and we will complete this section within 24 months.”
Ideally, the connection would be complete before or by the time the NLEX connector road is completed.
Ang said even as the company negotiates for the settlement of ROW issues, it has already started work on available areas and has employed a "just-in-time" sequence, anticipating the timely delivery of the ROW.
“Originally, this was supposed to be delivered December 2020, but it’s now pushed back. But we want to assure the public and government that we will do everything to complete it in less than 24 months, once we get the ROW,” Ang said.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Families now dwell in streets after Parañaque demolition amid pandemic
Despite the memorandum circular released by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in April 2020 to postpone all administrative demolition and eviction activities, over 50 families in Parañaque City were rendered homeless after their houses near the coastal area of the city were demolished.
Urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) condemned the demolition on January 19 in a statement on Wednesday and called it a “heartless” and “illegal” incursion against the poor.
Kadamay said that the residents were initially housed in the local gymnasium temporarily, however, they were again evicted last Monday. Now they have set up encampments along roads as street dwellers.
The demolition was enacted to make way for the expansion of the LRT 1, according to Kadamay.
On Wednesday, the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino said the residents held a mobilization demanding accountability from the Local Government Unit of Parañaque. The group decried how the authorities have conspired to leave the families “homeless and without relocation.”
The groups cited DILG’s Memorandum Circular No. 2020-068 postponing any eviction related activities while the nation remains in a state of national emergency. President Duterte declared the nation to still be under state of calamity until September 2021 through Proclamation No. 1021.
The memorandum stated that “only the identified dwellings qualified under Section 28(b) of the Urban Development and Housing Act and related Section 4(s) of Republic Act 11469 otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act shall be allowed eviction or demolition.”
“Provided that the eviction or demolition of the identified dwellings are crucial in the general objectives stipulated in RA 11469,” it read.
“Provided further that prior to the conduct of eviction and demolition, LGUs shall provide interim shelter facilities for affected communities who will be demolished within the locality and finally provide financial assistance, relief, and other basic services,” it continued.
The memorandum also stated that “all local government units shall provide interim shelter facilities to all homeless families and/or individuals found in their respective jurisdiction, and appropriate financial assistance, relief, and other basic services.”
Manila Bulletin has reached out to Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez but he has not replied as of this writing.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/27/families-now-dwell-in-streets-after-paranaque-demolition-amid-pandemic/
Train cars for LRT-1 Cavite extension starting to arrive
THE Transportation department said Tuesday that it took delivery of the first batch of train cars from Spain and Mexico for use of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite extension.
“This means that after 19 long years of waiting, the LRT-1 Cavite extension is finally turning into reality,” the department said in a statement.
Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, funded the manufacture of the 120 fourth-generation light rail vehicles.
The train cars will be provided to the LRT-1, with Mitsubishi Corp. as the implementing contractor, the Embassy of Japan in Manila said in a separate statement.
Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the private operator of LRT-1, said Spanish rail equipment manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles started the production of the train cars in Spain and Mexico in 2019, after winning a tender conducted by the Transportation department.
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“The train sets will arrive in batches, with at least one train set arriving every month until May 2022,” the company noted.
The Transportation department said on Jan. 18 that the LRT-1 Cavite extension project was 51.61% complete as of Dec. 31.
It also said the Cavite extension is expected to start partial operations by the end of 2021.
The P64.9-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension project, a public-private partnership venture that the National Economic and Development Authority board approved in November 2013, aims to add an 11.7-kilometer Baclaran-Bacoor, Cavite segment to the current 18.1-kilometer train line. The new stretch will have eight stations.
The first phase of the extension consists of a seven-kilometer segment with five stations between the Redemptorist Church area in Baclaran and Dr. Santos Ave. in Parañaque.
The remaining three stations are scheduled for completion in 2022.
Once LRT-1’s Cavite extension opens to the public, the DoTr expects daily ridership along the entire line to increase to 800,000 passengers from 500,000, and Baclaran-Bacoor travel time to be cut to 25 minutes from up to two hours.
LRMC is the joint venture of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. It holds the P65 billion, 32-year PPP contract to operate LRT-1 and build its extension to Cavite.
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, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin
https://www.bworldonline.com/train-cars-for-lrt-1-cavite-extension-starting-to-arrive/
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
New trains for LRT1 Cavite Extension arrive | 24 Oras
First batch of new trains unveiled for LRT-1 extension
The Department of Transportation on Tuesday unveiled a new LRT-1 train, which will be used for the railway's extension to Cavite.
Four new trains arrived, which the operator of the LRT-1 said make up the first batch of the 120 new trains made in Spain and Mexico.
The 120 new trains will form 34 car train sets and can accommodate up to 750,000 passengers daily.
The Light Rail Manila Corp. said rights issues and the pandemic delayed the delivery of the trains from Spain.
More details to follow.
Report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/26/21/first-batch-of-new-trains-unveiled-for-lrt-1-extension
4th-gen trains for LRT-1 Cavite Extension arrive in PH
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz and Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
The first batch of fourth-generation train cars from Spain and Mexico to be used for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension Project arrived in the country on Tuesday, bringing the rail project closer to completion.
In a Facebook post, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the first batch, made up of eight train cars, was the first of a total of 120 train cars for the project.
During the arrival ceremony, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the project began 19 years ago but had “zero percent” of its right-of-way (ROW) certified as “free and clear” by an independent consultant in 2016 despite the ROW acquisition receiving its budget from Congress in 2007.
“Under the Duterte administration, we pushed and pushed hard. That is why today, we see the steps of the whole realization of this project – partial operability within this year, by accepting the trains and the cars,” Tugade said.
The project is a partnership among the DOTr, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Light Rail Transit Authority, the Light Rail Manila Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocariles (CAF), and CMX Consortium.
In the same event, Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa pledged to work closely with the Philippine government, citing the December 14 commitment made by Japanese Prime Minister Suga to support President Rodrigo Duterte's “Build, Build, Build” program.
"The strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines has proven that this pandemic is not a stumbling block that could stop us from reaching our destination. Japan is with the Philippines all the way and this unswerving support is very evident in the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program," Koshikawa said in a speech.
He said the fourth-generation train set manufactured by CAF is powered by select Japanese products and technology.
"(I) feel particularly upbeat about this Japan-Philippines-Spain trilateral cooperation. Our project contractor, Mitsubishi Corp., is working double time for the rehabilitation of LRT-1, and CAF’s rolling stock will surely be a vital component," Koshikawa said. "The arrival of the new light rail vehicles for Metro Manila’s LRT Line-1 signals a major uplift to its operations."
Once the project is completed, the LRT-1 will connect Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite, reducing travel time from one hour and 10 minutes to 25 minutes.
As of December 31, the project was 51.61-percent complete, with recent construction works, such as bored piling, pier/portal column works, and Manila International Airport station foundation works.
Maynilad reconfigures water pipelines
West Zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) has reconfigured some of its water pipelines, a move that will pave the way for several government infrastructure projects.
In a statement, the company said it has completed the realignment, replacement, and relocation of around 6.7 kilometers of water pipelines to help fast-track the implementation of several government infrastructure projects.
The reconfiguration of these primary and secondary pipelines was done in portions of Caloocan, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Parañaque, and Las Piñas to give way for ongoing construction works on new railways, drainage lines, and other vital installations.
These government projects include the construction of the Philippine National Railways North, MRT-7, and LRT-1 Extension.
“It is important to ensure that these vital government projects are not delayed. So we strive to support by accommodating requests to realign some of our existing pipelines, with due consideration to Maynilad customers whose water supply may be temporarily affected by such realignments, as well as to motorists who pass by our construction sites,” Maynilad Chief Operating Officer Randolph T. Estrellado said.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of the customer base.
It is the concessionaire of the MWSS for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (all but portions of San Andres & Sta. Ana), Quezon City (west of San Juan River, West Avenue, EDSA, Congressional, Mindanao Avenue, the northern part starting from the Districts of the Holy Spirit & Batasan Hills), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta, and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/26/maynilad-reconfigures-water-pipelines/
DOTr: PNR Clark rail phase 1 in full swing
CLARK FREEPORT -- The construction of the PNR Clark from Malolos in Bulacan to Tutuban in Metro Manila is now in full swing, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.
"With 24/7 work construction schedule, the much-awaited PNR Clark Phase 1 (Malolos to Tutuban) segment of the massive North South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project, is going full steam ahead, as we report an overall progress rate of 42.66 percent as of December 31, 2020," it said.
Amid the current pandemic, the construction works continue at an accelerated pace, under the strictest implementation of health protocols.
The DOTr cited the construction of temporary access roads, temporary bridges, temporary facilities, as well as the bored piling works, structural excavation works, and fabrication of precast segment.
This 38-kilometer PNR Clark Phase 1, is one of three segments of the NSCR Project, the centerpiece transport infrastructure of the "Build Build Build" program of the Duterte administration that will connect Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon under one railway network.
Upon completion, PNR Clark Phase 1 is projected to reduce the travel time from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan from one hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes.
It is expected to partially operate by the end of this year upon the arrival of its first set of trains.
The NSCR is seen to significantly improve the connectivity and mobility of our riding public across region propelling the country's mass transportation systems to modern standards.
Major rail projects to be undertaken this year
Major developments in the railway sector are set to take place this year as the government wants to forge ahead even with just more than a year left in the current administration.
Expanding and making the country’s rail network more efficient are one of the solutions seen to help ease road traffic congestion being experienced in the metropolis.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade over the weekend reported a slew of rail projects, which passengers would finally get the chance to experience within the year.
Tugade said the country’s first underground rail system would be partially operable by the end of the year with three initial stations.
Making this possible is the arrival in the country on Feb. 5 of the tunnel boring machines to be used for the P357-billion Metro Manila subway project.
A tunnel boring machine is a critical component in the development of the underground rail system as it will be used to dig underground and lay the tunnels.
The Metro Manila subway project will stretch across 36 kilometers and will have a total of 15 stations, crossing seven local governments, and passing three of Metro Manila’s business districts.
The project aims to reduce travel time from the Valenzuela depot to NAIA Terminal 3 to just 45 minutes from one hour and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Tugade said the first batch of the fourth generation trains to be used in the LRT-1 system is set to arrive tomorrow.
Partial operability of the project that will extend the LRT-1 to Cavite is also expected by the end of the year.
Light Rail Manila Corp., the private operator of LRT-1, is working with Bouygues Travaux Publics as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor, to speed up the completion of the project, which will cut travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from one hour and 10 minutes to just 25 minutes.
For the MRT-3, Tugade said full rehabilitation of the rail system would be completed by July. The completion is seen restoring the MRT-3 to its original high-grade design.
Two additional stations under the LRT-2 East Extension project, meanwhile, will be operational by April 26, according to the transport chief.
The MRT-7, a P63-billion project that will cut travel time from Manila to Bulacan to about 34 minutes once completed, is also scheduled for partial operations by December, and full operations by next year.
Tugade said Area A of the Unified Grand Central Station, also known as the Common Station, would have its partial operability by July and full operability by December.
Located at the north end of EDSA, the Common Station marks the intersection of four railway lines – LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway – which aims to provide a seamless transfer of passengers from one rail line to another.
Tugade said having an efficient rail system would help address traffic congestion in roads.
“It’s a mass transport. Once there is an efficient rail system, you will reduce the number of motor vehicles in the roads. Once the volume is reduced, won’t traffic improve?” he said.
Tugade, however, said the issue of traffic needs a holistic approach that could be addressed through a combination of infrastructure, facilities, process, ways of doing things, and discipline.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/01/25/2072722/major-rail-projects-be-undertaken-year
Monday, January 25, 2021
Most Metro Manila mayors oppose lowering quarantine age restriction
Most mayors in the capital region are against allowing individuals as young as 10 years old outside their homes, Metro Manila Council Chairman Edwin Olivarez said Monday.
The inter-agency task force leading the country’s pandemic response has allowed minors aged 10 to 14 to go out of their homes in areas under modified general community quarantine or MGCQ, the lowest quarantine classification.
Olivarez, mayor of Parañaque City, said the IATF allowed Metro Manila mayors to assess if they will allow the same. The capital region remains under general community quarantine, a level stricter than MGCQ.
"Dun po sa amin pong consensus sa isang meeting po namin, halos lahat po kami ay hindi po sumasang-ayon 'yung relaxing this age bracket," he told ANC's Headstart.
(In a consensus during one of our meetings, almost all of us disagreed with relaxing this age bracket.)
Pediatricians that the council consulted said it is not advisable to allow the lowering of the age bracket.
He added, he personally thinks children aged 10 should not be allowed in malls, especially with reports of the COVID-19 variant from United Kingdom, which is believed to be more contagious.
"Yung paglabas nang leisure sa mall, tingin ko po, itong meron tayong UK na variant, until now, wala pang vaccine, personally and through the recommendation of our local task force, hindi po dapat payagan 'yung 10 years old, 'yung pag-adjust ng ating age bracket," he said.
(Going leisurely to malls, I think with the UK variant and the absence of vaccine until now, personally and through the recommendation of our local task force, we should not allow 10-year-olds, the adjustment of our age bracket.)
Metro Manila mayors barred the entry of minors in malls during the holiday season, except when accessing essential services, such as medical appointments.
Olivarez said they will be meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the lowering of the age restrictions and if Metro Manila is ready to shift to MGCQ.
He said for that to happen, there must be a steady decline in active cases across the region. In Parañaque, he reported that there were only 131 active COVID-19 cases and they had not had to impose granular lockdowns for months.
Sunday, January 24, 2021
21 things you need to know about the EDSA decongestion program
A few years back while attending the Leaders in Development programme of Harvard Kennedy School, our professor asked us to write one thing which we aspired to achieve in the next ten years. We wrote it in a piece of paper and placed it beside our name card. I thought for a moment and scribbled — “Philippines achieving its full potential.”
In the 1960’s the Philippines had the second highest per capita income in Asia, behind only Japan. A decade later, South Korea had passed our country in per capita income terms largely due to the successful implementation of its Economic Development Plan — where the government and public enterprises accounted for close to 40% of the total domestic investment in the period between 1963 and 1979 for the construction of infrastructure projects like highways, port facilities, and bridges.
Prior to the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, average infrastructure spending for the past five decades was only at 2.5% of the country’s GDP. The 2015 IMF report found that Philippines had a lower public investment in comparison to other members of ASEAN.
We all knew that Build, Build, Build is a program that is not only necessary but is in fact long overdue.
If the Philippines is to achieve its full potential, then it must do something to cut losses due to traffic congestion in Metro Manila, which had gone up to P3.5 billion a day. It was at this point that Secretary Mark Villar presented the plan to decongest the 90-year-old EDSA, a 23.8-km circumferential highway which has long exceeded its maximum capacity of 288,000 vehicles a day.
The plan was not well received at the onset. Few believed it can be done. One critic at one point said, “Ambisiyosa. Nasobrahan ang tama sa utak.” My reply was brief. “Our leaders ought to be more ambitious to what it plans, commits, and do. Filipinos have long deserved this. If we fail, it is our heads on the line.”
Four years after — with the completion of several big-ticket projects in Metro Manila, including the Skyway Stage 3, the NLEX Harbor Link, the Radial Road 10 Spur Link, the Laguna Lake Highway, the promise of returning EDSA back to its 1930 form is within arm’s reach.
Metro Manila is one of the world’s most densely populated cities with over 42,000 inhabitants per square kilometer. EDSA has not been extended since the 1960s and has already exceeded its capacity by about 39%.
The EDSA Decongestion Program is composed of 25 projects, which include 14 expressways spanning 121 kilometers and 11 bridges spanning 9.3 km.
The mainline of the 18-km Skyway Stage 3 has already been opened to the public alongside 10 ramps – Buendia (Northbound On Ramp & Southbound Off Ramp), Osmena-Quirino (Northbound Off Ramp), Plaza Dilao (Southbound On-ramp), Quezon Avenue (Northbound Off ramp & Southbound Off-ramp), Talayan-Quezon Avenue (Northbound On-Ramp and Southbound Off-Ramp), and NLEX (Northbound Off-Ramp & Southbound On-Ramp).
The Skyway Stage 3 was not completed using its original alignment, which was approved in 2014. Due to right of way difficulties, it had to be realigned following the San Juan River alignment. This was approved via a Memorandum of Agreement, which was signed on October 25, 2018. Prior to this, site possession for the entire project was only at 8.64%.
The Memorandum of Agreement signed by San Miguel Corporation included an interconnection structure between Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and the NLEX SLEX Connector. This is the first time in Philippine history that expressways operated by different concessionaires — as in this case, San Miguel Corporation and Metro Pacific — will interconnect.
Ten ramps of Skyway Stage 3 are still being constructed – Quirino (northbound on-ramp), Plaza Dilao (southbound off ramp), United Nations (southbound off-ramp), Nagtahan (northbound off-ramp, northbound on-ramp), Araneta (northbound on-ramp, southbound off-ramp), and C3 (northbound off-ramp, southbound on-ramp and southbound off-ramp).
The NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, a 5.58-km expressway connecting MacArthur Highway and C3 road, will interconnect with the Skyway Stage 3 via the NLEX – SLEX Connector Road, an 8-km expressway connecting the end of Segment 10 in C3 Road in Caloocan to PUP Sta Mesa in Manila.
The NLEX – SLEX Connector is utilizing the Super T Technology which would reduce construction schedule by about one year. The first five – km segment from C3 road to Espana is expected to be completed within the year.
The 2.6-km NLEX Harbor Link C3-Radial Road 10 Spur Link spanning from C3 road in Caloocan to Radial Road 10 in Manila was the first project to be completed following the new COVID-19 protocol. It has effectively reduced travel time from Quezon City to Manila from 2 hours to only 20 minutes.
The extension of Harbor Link Segment 10 to R-10 in Manila was strategic following the completion of the 4.75-km Radial Road 10 expansion, a project which spanned seven presidents due to right of way issues.
The NLEX Harbor Link Segment 8.2 is an 8.35-km 4-lane divided expressway from Segment 8.1 at Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue.
The Alabang-Sucat Skyway Extension will build two additional lanes from Sucat Main Toll Plaza to Susana Heights. The project is now at 47% and will be delivered within the year.
The first segment of the 7.7-km C5-South Link Expressway Project from Merville to C5 or SLEX was completed last July 2019. This will eventually interconnect to Radial Road 1, Sucat Interchange and E. Rodriguez.
The Southeast Metro Manila Expressway is a 32.664-km toll road expressway from Taguig to Batasan Complex in Quezon City. It will reduce travel time from Bicutan to Batasan from 1 hour and 50 minutes to only 26 minutes.
The 6.94-km Laguna Lake Highway is the first toll-free expressway in Metro Manila with segregated bicycle lanes. It effectively reduced travel time from Taytay in Rizal to Bicutan from 1 hour to only 30 minutes.
The Fort Bonifacio-Nichols Field Road (Lawton Avenue) involves the widening of the 3.3-km Nichols Field Road. The project which is already at 60% is expected to be completed in 2021.
The Mindanao Avenue Extension is a 3.2-km highway which will reduce travel time from Quirino Highway to General Luis Avenue from 1 hour and 30 minutes to only 20 minutes.
The widening of the 1.086-km Samar Street was completed last December 2018.
The 680-meter Binondo Intramuros Bridge, which will connect Intramuros and Binondo via a viaduct, will be equipped with pedestrian infrastructure.
The BGC Ortigas Link Bridge which will connect Lawton Avenue in Taguig and Sta. Monica in Pasig will be completed within the year. Soon, travel time from Bonifacio Global City to Ortigas Central Business District will only be 12 minutes.
The 506-meter Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge will link Estrella Street in Makati and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong within 10 minutes.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
NTF spox: Paglipat ng Metro Manila sa MGCQ simula Pebrero hindi nararapat
"Hindi nararapat" na ilipat na ang Metro Manila sa mas maluwag na quarantine restrictions pagdating ng Pebrero, ayon sa tagapagsalita ng National Task Force against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Nabanggit ito ilang araw bago inaasahang magbaba ng bagong utos ang gobyerno patungkol sa quarantine restrictions. Ito'y sa gitna rin ng pagdami ng mga kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa matapos ang Kapaskuhan, kabilang ang mga kaso ng mas nakahahawang variant ng sakit.
Ayon kay NTF Spokesperson Restituto Padilla, tingin niya na dapat manatili pa ang kasalukuyang quarantine restrictions hanggang sa gumanda ang datos ng mga kaso sa Metro Manila, na episentro ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas.
"Personally nakikita natin at my end na ang mga datos ay hindi nararapat. So siguro mananatili pa rin ang ating quarantine procedures natin hanggang makita natin na ang datos na ito ay magi-improve," ani Padilla sa Teleradyo nitong Sabado.
Ang MGCQ ang pinakamaluwag sa apat na quarantine restrictions na inilatag ng gobyerno para mapigilan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19.
Sa pinakahuling tala ng Department of Health nitong Biyernes, aabot na sa 218,697 ang naitalang kaso ng COVID-19 sa Metro Manila.
Pinakamarami sa national caseload ang Quezon City, na may 41,054 kaso, at ang siyudad ng Maynila, na may 27,536 na kaso. Sumunod dito ang Cavite, Laguna, at Rizal.
Kamakailan ay niluwagan din ang age restrictions sa mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng modified GCQ para payagang lumabas ang mga batang may edad 10 pataas. Kasabay niyan, hinikayat ng gobyerno ang mga lugar na naka-GCQ na luwagan na rin ang kanilang age restrictions bilang tulong sa ekonomiya.
Dati na ring napansin ng OCTA Research Group na may pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 sa Metro Manila - bagay na itinuturo sa nagdaang holiday season.
"May mga lugar po kasi na medyo naghihigpit pa. Medyo gumaganda na po kondisyon at gusto nilang payagan dahil hindi naman ganoon kalakihan ang pagkalat ng virus. Nasa kanila pong poder kung papayagan ito," ani Padilla.
Friday, January 22, 2021
NLEX Connector
For Right-of-Way (ROW) acquisition:
Representatives from DPWH, DOTr and NLEX Corporation conducted a virtual meeting last December 1 and 2 regarding the configuration of alignment for both government project. It was agreed in the meeting to conduct a joint site demarcation validation of both alignment in the possible area of overlapping on December 10 and 11.
After MECQ was lifted and GCQ is being implemented in Manila, the whole team is still trying to meet the scheduled target dates for ROW acquisition. Hence, the following are the latest accomplishment for the right-of-way activities:
- 365 of out 445 validated Informal Settler Families (ISFs) were already relocated and 75 ISFs were given a housing financial assistance for Caloocan Area.
- 253 out of 285 (88.77%) affected private structures were already demolished at Caloocan Area including Marulas Elementary School, Brgy. Hall, Health Center and all structures under EO 48.
- 59 out of 822 affected private structures were already demolished at Manila Area including the MLQHS Gym, New Antipolo Public Market, two (2) Barangay Halls and Market office.
- 100% completed tree cutting and earth balling activities for affected trees at Caloocan Area. Terminal report from the contractor already submitted to DENR. Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) issued tree cutting permit for the affected coconut trees at Section 2. FHG team, the tree cutting contractor started the tree cutting last December 11, 2020.
- LIAC Manila target schedule and process of relocation for the affected ISFs on January 2021 for the 112 ISFs. LIAC Manila started the swab testing of the ISFs as requirement prior to relocation.
- 259 out 282 (91.85%) of the Replacement Cost Estimates of affected structures already completed for Section 2 Manila Area.
- 38 out of 55 Expropriation cases at Regional Trial Court (RTC) Caloocan had issued Writ of Possession (***).
- 81.21% available Right-of-Way for the whole alignment composed of 96.51% for Section 1-Caloocan, 75.65% for Section 1-Manila and 81.65% for Section 2-Manila.
For Construction Activities
- DMCI conducted Pile Driving Analysis (PDA) at Pier 8 and 11 last November 23 and December 8, 2020 witnessed by the representatives from DPWH, NLEX Corporation, and Independent Consultant.
- For the advance works, Leighton Contractors already completed all coping beam construction and steel box girder installation. Deck slab construction already commenced between Pier 1 to Pier 3 and CR4-10 to CR4-15.
- Completed bored piles at Caloocan are 65 out of 96 composing of 42 piles at main line and 23 from on and off-ramps.
- 47 out of 96 columns at Caloocan area already completed, 5 of which also completed coping beam /pier head concreting.
- Ongoing false works installation, rebar and formworks installation for coping beam/ pier head for other columns.
- After the demolition the demolition of the New Antipolo Public Market, bored piling works for 10 piers location already commenced. 5 bored piles were already concreted for P-102 and P-106.
- Test Pit was conducted to available pile locations between Pier 82 to Pier 95 (Abad Santos to Blumentritt) and Pier 108 to Pier 116 (Leonor Rivera to Dimasalang Bridge)
- Ongoing construction of reaction beam, steel forms and framing installation for fabrication of Super T Girders. Eight (8) Super T Girders were already concreted for Span 17 (Pier 17 to 18), Girders 2-9 with length of 30m.
- The project has a cumulative accomplishment of 15.58% (Section 1).
Clark airport’s new passenger terminal turned over to DOTr, BCDA
By Marna Dagumboy Del Rosario
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga – The new passenger terminal building of the Clark International Airport has been officially turned over to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) by Megawide GMR Construction Joint Venture.
In ceremonies held on Friday at the airport site here, Megawide handed over the certificate for the completion of the Clark International Airport new passenger terminal building’s engineering procurement and construction (EPC) works to the DOTr and the BCDA, marking the official handover of the facility to the Philippine government.
After the symbolic rites, the DOTr and BCDA officially turned over the operations and maintenance to the Luzon International Premier Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation, the operator of Clark International Airport, for final fit-out prior to opening and full operations within the year.
The new passenger terminal building can accommodate 8 million passengers on its opening year, almost tripling the airport's capacity from the current 4.2 million to 12.2 million annually.
"When we envisioned this project, nobody believed that we can make it happen. There were doubts and skepticism which may have defeated us along the way and hindered the completion of our goal. However, our determination and resolve were much stronger than any disbelief. Now, they will finally believe," said DOTr Secretary Tugade in his speech delivered by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Jim Sydiongco, who represented the Secretary during the ceremony.
“This important milestone will be forever etched in our history as a lasting legacy of the Duterte administration. Our gathering today marks another fulfillment of the promise of improved life for all,” he added.
Newly elected chair of the House Special Committee on Bases Conversion, Congressman Aurelio Gonzales Jr., likewise underscored the Clark International Airport’s role as a catalyst of progress.
"We envisioned this to be Asia's next premiere gateway which will help foster economic growth. This is indeed a testament of the government's goal in making Clark the next premiere metropolis of Asia and putting our country one step closer to progress and prosperity," Gonzales said.
Former President and current Presidential Adviser on Clark Flagship Programs and Projects Gloria M. Macapagal-Arroyo cited the significance of the project and its contribution to the country’s economic growth.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) vice chairman of the Board of Directors Retired Lt. Gen. Benjamin Defensor read the remarks of former President Arroyo, saying that “This airport is the flagship of how I envisioned Subic-Clark when I was a President: a competitive logistics and service center in the southeast Asian region."
The 110,000 square-meter Clark International Airport new passenger terminal building is a joint project of DOTr and BCDA and is the first hybrid public-private partnership (PPP) project under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration.
It is located within the Civil Aviation Complex of the Clark Freeport Zone where its construction is the first phase of the airport's expansion.
The Megawide GMR Construction Joint Venture, which won the contract for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the terminal, started construction on the facility in 2018, and completed the project in October 2020.
Megawide Construction Corporation chairman and CEO Edgar Saavedra, through assistant vice president and head of Group Corporate Affairs Jason Torres, said in his message, "We are very proud to once again be involved in one of the most vital airport projects of this administration, and its undertaking to create an effective multi-airport strategy in Luzon."
BCDA senior vice president for conversion and development Joshua Bingcang, for his part, said that the completion of the airport terminal reiterates BCDA’s commitment in making Clark the next premier economic hub in Asia.
"The construction of the Clark International Airport New Terminal Building was done in record time. We are very excited for the facility to finally operate this year, as it will not only decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila and enhance the passenger experience for the Filipino people but will also boost economic growth here in Clark and of the whole region,” Bingcang said.
The world-class airport serves as a major gateway for Luzon, one of the solutions to the congestion of NAIA. It will be connected with the PNR North-South Commuter Railway and the Subic-Clark Railway. Its architecture is inspired by the Sierra Madre mountain range, and is designed to be disaster-resilient as well.
LIPAD Corporation, which was awarded the 25-year concession agreement for the operations and maintenance of the Clark International Airport, expects to complete its fit-out works and interior finishes and start operations by July 2021.
LIPAD CEO Bi Yong Chungunco, in her speech, said that it is high-time for the airport to have a new passenger terminal building.
"We hit four million passengers. And that's why, it is time for us to move into this new terminal, with a capacity of 8.2 million passengers," she said.
She expressed excitement over the operationalization of the new terminal saying, "we believe Clark International Airport is a major growth driver for the Central and North Luzon. Thus, getting the new terminal ready will contribute to our country's economic recovery".
LIPAD Corporation is the consortium of Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc., and Changi Airports Philippines (I) Pte. Ltd.
Anomalous P170-M LRT 2 deals bared
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) has found inconsistencies in the procurement of P170.3 million worth of equipment for the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT 2) to warrant the filing of charges.
Documents from the PACC obtained by The Manila Times on Thursday showed that re-railing and rolling stock diagnostic equipment delivered for LRT 2 were different from the brand specified in the bidding conducted by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
The crate containing the equipment had a sticker printout identifying it as shipped by the Chinese firm CRRC Corp., as ordered by Kempal Construction and Supply Corp., the winning bidder.
The documents showed that the crate contained instead equipment from an Indian company, Bemco.
The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), the operator of LRT 2, had asked Kempal Construction, Maan Construction Inc. and IFE Elevators Inc. to submit bids to supply the re-railing equipment.
Evidence “indicates that the re-railing equipment did not come from CRRC but from Bemco,” the corruption watchdog said.
It said it appears the signature in the LRTA Inspection and Acceptance Report was forged, facilitating the switch of equipment.
The commission also cited irregularities in the procurement of escalators for the LRT 2 stations.
It said the actual capacity of the escalators delivered by JV Maan-IFE was 6,000 persons per hour, short of the required capacity of 9,000 persons per hour.
“Worse, the as-built blueprints of the subject escalators show that those in the custody of LRTA were tampered, which are also different from the blueprints submitted by the Office of the Building Official of the City of Manila,” the commission said.
The escalators also broke down long before the expiration of the two-year warranty period.
“[This shows] that these escalators were really substandard and do not fit the requirements of the outdoor, heavy duty escalators that LRTA needed,” it said.
The PACC said it was considering suing seven individuals in connection with the procurement of the equipment. They were engineer Julito Bernales, Rodger Ravelo and Jorge Mendoza of the PS-DBM, a certain Noralyn Salvador who signed a report that states Kempal delivered brand new CRRC re-railing equipment.
Three LRTA staff, Romel Correa, Cesar Legaspi and Robert Ruiz, could also face charges, the commission said.
“Documents have shown that the flaws in these equipment were blatant, apparent, clear and easily ascertainable through ordinary ocular inspection of the documents and observation of the items. Specifically, in the case of the re-railing and the rolling stock diagnostic tools, these items were never used, and some LRTA employees said that they were never properly tested in order to ensure that they can carry the load for which they were bought,” the PACC said.
It said it endorsed before the Ombudsman charges against the individuals it named for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3109, also known as the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”
The LRTA management has not replied to The Manila Times’ request for comment as of Thursday afternoon.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/01/22/news/headlines/anomalous-p170-m-lrt-2-deals-bared/830610/
Thursday, January 21, 2021
DPWH rushing completion of NLEX Connector project
The North Luzon Expressway Corp. and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are fast-tracking the construction of the first five-kilometer section of the NLEX Connector from Caloocan Interchange to España, Manila to complete the segment by yearend.
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said right-of-way delivery for the whole alignment stands at 81 percent while construction progress is at 16 percent.
“With the commitment of both the public and private sectors, we are optimistic that we can finish the project as scheduled,” Villar said yesterday.
NLEX said it would be utilizing Super T girders, which are used for bridges in Australia and New Zealand but relatively new in the domestic construction industry.
Compared to other types of girders, Super T beams are more flexible, structurally efficient and aesthetically appealing, according to the tollway firm.
NLEX said the structural format of a Super T provides an optimal solution to challenges posed by the project, which passes through urbanized areas where the roads are congested and the right-of-way is constrained laterally.
Over 1,400 girders will be used for the entire connector project.
“Innovation is one of the core values of the company. We are using Super T beams to advance the construction progress so we can soon complete this crucial infrastructure that would help decongest Metro Manila and solve truck ban woes,” NLEX president and general manager Luigi Bautista said.
Spanning a total of eight kilometers, the P23-billion NLEX Connector will be an all-vehicle-class elevated expressway that will traverse C-3 Road in Caloocan City, passing through Abad Santos, Blumentritt, Dimasalang, España, Magsaysay Boulevard and eventually connect to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 in Sta. Mesa.
The remaining three-kilometer segment to complete the entire project will be finished by next year.
The NLEX Connector will feature four toll plazas and interchanges along C-3 Road and España.
It is seen to reduce travel time between NLEX and South Luzon Expressway from two hours to 20 minutes only.
The project will also provide trucks with an alternative route around the clock, enabling unhampered delivery of goods and stimulating economic development in Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and surrounding areas.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/01/21/2071859/dpwh-rushing-completion-nlex-connector-project
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Metro Channel schedule (January 20, 2021)
6 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
7:35 am - Traffic News
7:40 am - International News File
7:45 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
8:05 am - Traffic News
8:10 am - Good Morning Hong Kong
8:55 am - Earth Live
9 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
9:30 am - SHHK Connect
9:45 am - JSG Song Corner
9:50 am - Happy Old Buddies
10 am - News
10:10 am - A Kindred Spirit
10:30 am - Midnight Diner
11:30 am - TV Easy and News Headlines
11:35 am - Inside the Stock Exchange
11:45 am - 7 Days in Life
12:30 pm - TV Easy
12:35 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange
1 pm - Noon News
1:15 pm - Weather Report and Earth Live
1:20 pm - Big City Shop
2 pm - News
2:10 pm - All Things Girl
2:35 pm - TV Easy
2:40 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange and SHHK Connect
2:45 pm - Stealing Seconds
3:45 pm - Daily Mum
4 pm - News
4:10 pm - Inside the Stock Exchange
4:15 pm - Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion
4:50 pm - Kids, Think Big
5:20 pm - Uchitama?! 〜Uchinotama Shirimasenka?〜
5:50 pm - Financial News
6 pm - News
6:10 pm - Our animal neighbor and News Files
6:30 pm - TV Patrol
7:30 pm - Scoop
8 pm - Blue World
8:30 pm - MasterChef Junior
9:20 pm - Peanuts
9:30 pm - Innovation: GPS
10 pm - Finance at 10
10:55 pm - Global Stock Indexes
11 pm to 5 am - NBC News Special: The Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
NLEX-SLEX Connector project now underway
The public works and highways department of the government is now focusing on the solution to the truck ban through the eight-kilometer NLEX-SLEX Connector.
An estimate of 30,000 vehicles which mainly include trucks are expected to benefit from the project which will have a full 24-hour operation.
“‘Pag natapos po itong connector, lalong luluwag ang EDSA kasi lahat ng trucks na galing sa Port magkakaroon ng option na mag-NLEX or mag-SLEX. At the same time, magkakaroon din ng exit sa Espaῆa (EDSA will be less congested because all trucks from the Port will have the option to use NLEX or SLEX once the connector is completed. At the same time, there will be an exit in Espaῆa),” DPWH Sec. Mark Villar explained.
Villar conducted an inspection on Wednesday on the construction site of the project in Caloocan City. From NLEX Harbor Link in C-3 in Caloocan, a connector will be built going to Skyway Stage 3, passing through Abad Santos, Blumentritt, Dimasalang, Espaῆa, and Magsaysay Blvd.
The NLEX-SLEX Connector will have three exits in Sta. Mesa, Espaῆa, and C-3. The first phase of the project from C-3 to Espaῆa is expected to be completed by December 2021. However, some stations of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) will be affected.
“Ang gagawin namin doon, bumili na kami with DPWH steel temporary stations. So gigibain mga concrete stations namin, papalitan ng steel stations (What we did was to buy with DPWH some steel temporary stations. We will demolish concrete stations which will be replaced with steel stations),” PNR GM Junn Magno said. – Report from Karen Villanda
https://ptvnews.ph/nlex-slex-connector-project-now-underway/
NLEx Connector Road to SLEx on track for 2022 completion
Toll road operator NLEx Corp. and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are accelerating the construction of the NLEx Connector project, a second elevated expressway linking the northern and southern parts of Metro Manila.
NLEx Corp., which operates the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway, said in a statement that the first 5-kilometer section of the NLEx Connector from the Caloocan Interchange, C3 to España, Manila will be finished by the end of 2021.
The entire 8-km expressway, running from C3 up to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa in Manila, will be finished by 2022.
“Right-of-way delivery for the whole alignment stands at 81 percent, while construction progress is at 16 percent,” said Public Works Secretary Mark Villar in a statement on Wednesday (Jan. 20).
“With the commitment of both the public and private sectors, we are optimistic that we can finish the project as scheduled,” Villar said.
Once finished, the P23 billion project will have four toll plazas and interchanges in C3 and España. Similar to the Skway Stage 3, it will cut travel time between NLEx and the South Luzon Expressway to just 20 minutes from almost two hours.
In 2020, DPWH, NLEx Corp. and Manila Electric Co. facilitated the clearing of electric facilities in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
More than 300 Meralco linemen simultaneously worked to clear a portion of the right-of-way. The activity involved the installation and retirement of around 160 electric poles, NLex Corp. said.
The NLex Connector will pass through Abad Santos, Blumentritt, Dimasalang, España, and Magsaysay Boulevard.
On Wednesday, the company said the project will use Super T girders. These are pre-stressed box girders that are widely used for bridges in Australia and New Zealand.
The newly installed Super T beams span 30 meters and weigh 53 tons.
“Compared to other types of girders, Super T beams are more flexible, structurally efficient, and aesthetically appealing,” the company said.
“Innovation is one of the core values of our company,” said NLEx Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista.
“We are using Super T beams to advance our construction progress so we can soon complete this crucial infrastructure that would help decongest Metro Manila and solve truck ban woes,” he said.
https://business.inquirer.net/316118/nlex-connector-road-to-slex-on-track-for-2022-completion
Finally! LRT-2 to reopen 3 stations after more than a year of closure
Who thought this wasn’t going to happen?
Finally, after more than a year of closure, the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT-2) will be reopening its Santolan, Katipunan, and Anonas stations sometime this week.
It was in October 2019 when a power source in the Katipunan station burst in flames, crippling the train’s operations. Back then, the management said that it won’t take more than nine months to repair the train line and reopen the three stations, but well, here we are now.
But here’s the catch: the trains will be using a temporary source of power, which means the movement of the line will be slower than normal. Oof.
Hernando Cabrera, the spokesperson of the LRT-2, said in an interview with Unang Hirit's Unang Balita segment that they are conducting tests to make sure that the trains are working properly.
“We have finished our temporary power facilities which were made by the contractor and engineering department so we can restart the operations of these three stations,” he said in Filipino.
“We have prepared the staff, our ticketing personnel, security, maintenance so that once we get the safety clearance, we can operate,” he added.
“Our target is sometime within the week, safety clearance. Within the week we can resume operations with the passengers.”
LRT-2 has 11 stations all over Metro Manila, including in Marikina, Quezon City, and Manila.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Monday, January 18, 2021
LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is 50.61% complete, says DOTR
The Department of Transportation said Monday the construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is now more than halfway to completion.
The agency said the overall progress rate of the P64.9-billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension Project, funded by Light Rail Manila Corp., was 50.61 percent as of December 2020.
“The recent construction activities of this highly anticipated project features the bored piling, pier/portal column works, and the MIA station foundation works, altogether with the launching of PI girder which is the chief horizontal support in the structure made for turn back slots,” the DOTr said.
It said the accelerated pace of construction also included the expansion of the depot in Baclaran and the building of a new satellite depot at Zapote.
The 11.7-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, which will extend LRT line 1 from Baclaran to Niog, Bacoor in Cavite, is expected to reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 25 minutes.
It is also projected to increase the line’s capacity to serve 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily.
The agency said that with a mandate to fast track the construction of said project, the partial operation is expected by the end of 2021.
Phase 1 covers 7 km. of the 11-km. LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station.
The remaining stations between Las Piñas and Niog are scheduled to become fully-operational by 2022.
LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-km. Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.
Neda Board extends validity of Japanese funds for LRT projects
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board has allowed a longer period for agencies to avail of Japanese financing for Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension projects.
In a text message last week, Acting Neda Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua confirmed it was among the items recently approved through ad referendum by the members of the Neda Board chaired by President Duterte.
Earlier Neda documents showed the Department of Transportation had sought to extend until November 2023 the validity of the P20.91 billion in official development assistance (ODA) provided by Japan for two LRT projects after lapsing in November last year.
The Japanese-funded Capacity Enhancement of Mass Transit Systems in Metro Manila Project covered some contracts in the construction of the P61.53-billion LRT Line 1 South Extension as well as the P9.76-billion LRT Line 2 East Extension.
In particular, the loan proceeds financed rolling stock procurement and installation of facilities for the LRT lines being extended to the provinces of Cavite down south and Rizal east of Metro Manila.
Both projects are part of the 104 projects in the pipeline of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program, which also underwent a review in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chua did not disclose the other projects that the Neda Board recently granted its go-ahead, only saying that these would be announced soon.
As of November last year, eight projects funded by the national budget and ODA were pending approval by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee cochaired by Chua and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.The Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022—the Duterte administration’s medium-term socioeconomic blueprint to ultimately reduce poverty and recover from the socioeconomic ills inflicted by COVID-19—is also awaiting Neda Board approval. INQ
https://business.inquirer.net/315924/neda-board-extends-validity-of-japanese-funds-for-lrt-projects
Bids sought for Manila stations of Malolos-Clark, South Commuter railways
THE Transportation department has started seeking bids for the contract to build the Manila stations of the Malolos-Clark Railway and the South Commuter Railway.
The department said in a posting on its website that it is inviting bidders for the building and civil engineering works for the 1.2-kilometer railway viaduct structure, including an elevated station at Blumentritt Road in the city of Manila, which is part of the Malolos-Clark Railway.
Another contract package on offer is the building and civil engineering works for an approximately 7.9-kilometer railway viaduct structure, including elevated stations at España, Santa Mesa and Paco. This contract package is part of the South Commuter Railway Project.
The department said a pre-bid meeting was held on Jan. 8.
Bids should be delivered to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management on or before 10 a.m., March 4.
Bidders for the Blumentritt contract must have an average annual construction turnover of $100 million and available financial resources amounting to $20 million.
They should also be able to provide a bank security of $4 million.
Bidders for the España, Santa Mesa and Paco contract must have annual construction turnover of $200 million and working capital of $35 million, as well as provide a bank security of $9 million.
The projects are funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and form part of the163-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Project, “which aims to reduce road congestion in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces,” the ADB said on its website. — Arjay L. Balinbin
MRT-7 advances, expected to be completed by end-2021
San Miguel Corp.’s P69.3-billion mass rail transit linking North Ave. in Quezon City and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan province is 59.72-percent complete as of December last year, the Department of Transportation said over the weekend.
The department said Metro Rail Transit Line 7, a 22-kilometer rail line which stretches from North Ave. to San Jose Del Monte with 14 stations, would trim down travel time to only 35 minutes from about two to three hours.
“Once operational, the rail line is expected to serve 300,000 to 850,000 passengers daily, with sufficient room for capacity augmentation to accommodate the potential increase of the rail transit’s ridership in the future,” the agency said.
It said the project was expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
MRT-7 is being built by SMC Mass Rail Transit 7 Inc. under SMC’s infrastructure subsidiary San Miguel Holdings Inc.
San Miguel tapped Hyundai Rotem and EEI consortium to build the line with stations at North Ave., Quezon Memorial Circle, University Ave., Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Doña Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Ave., Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala and San Jose del Monte.
San Miguel will also build a depot in San Jose del Monte that will house a control center, administrative offices, warehouse and facilities for train cars.
The company earlier completed Skyway Stage 3 project―a 14.82-km, six-lane elevated expressway that extends the elevated toll road from Buendia to Balintawak and links the South Luzon Expressway to North Luzon Expressway.
San Miguel is also proceeding with the construction of Skyway Stage 4―a 58.09-km road from south of Metro Manila Skyway to Batasan Complex, Quezon City.
Skyway Stage 1is a 9.3-km elevated road from Bicutan to the Makati central business district while Skyway Stage 2 is a 6.86-km expressway that consists of six lanes in the Bicutan-to-Sucat section and four lanes in the Sucat-to-Alabang section, with ramps leading to the South Luzon Expressway.
The conglomerate is also developing the P734-billion Bulacan International Airport project which is targeted to be completed by 2025.
The company operates the South Luzon Expressway, a 36-km toll road from Alabang to Sto. Tomas, Batangas. It also operates the NAIA Expressway Project, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway and the STAR Tollway―a 22.16-km toll road from Sto. Tomas to Lipa City, Batangas.
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Skyways to free Pinoys from ‘horrendous’ traffic jams: PRRD
By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday believed that the construction of more skyways would free Filipinos from the “horrendous” traffic situations in the country, particularly in Metro Manila.
Duterte, in a speech delivered during the inauguration of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (MMSS-3) Project in Quezon City, said travel would be easier for Filipinos, as his government continues to pursue more infrastructure projects.
“Today, the life of many may not really be very, very comfortable. But ang hiningi ko lang naman komportable lang na buhay (I want a comfortable life for all). And if this will continue, the planned skyways and more, then we will be freed of the horrendous traffic congestion that is prevailing in all cities, crowded cities in the world,” he said.
The MMSS-3 Project, which is divided into five sections during its construction, is an elevated 18.83-kilometer expressway from Buendia, Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balintawak, Quezon City.
The expressway project connects the NLEX and the South Luzon Expressway.
It is also expected to decongest traffic in Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares by as much as 55,000 vehicles daily and reduce travel time from Buendia to Balintawak from two hours to approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Through the MMSS-3 Project, Duterte said Filipino travelers no longer have to bear the brunt of traffic mess in the country’s metropolis.
“For many years, our people have greatly suffered from the perennial problem of road congestion in the National Capital Region. Come to think of it actually when all of the skyways will be completed, I think ‘yung pagtitiis ng mga tao (people’s suffering) will be cut by about one-third, not really lahat (all) but it will cut the inconvenience and it will make you comfortable,” Duterte said.
‘Build, Build, Build’ continues
Duterte also lauded the Department of Public Works and Highways for its “hard work and cooperation” to ensure the successful launching of MMSS-3 Project.
He said the completion of the skyway project is a “testament to the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability” of his administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
“As we marvel at this great feat, I hope that we in government will be reminded of our responsibility to not only ensure the timely completion of all public infrastructure projects, but also to shield the public from all forms of inconvenience during the construction,” Duterte said.
Duterte also vowed that his administration would continue implementing infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program in an effort to make the Philippines an “inclusive, robust and prosperous nation that we can proudly leave behind to our children.”
“To the Filipino people, let me assure you that this administration will continue to pursue our ‘Build, Build, Build’ program guided by the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability,” he said.
After Skyway 3, San Miguel aims to start work on Pasig River Expressway in Feb
After completing the Skyway Stage 3, San Miguel Corp. announced that it will begin building the Pasig River Expressway (PAREX) in February.
During the opening ceremonies of Skyway 3 on Thursday which was attended by President Rodrigo Duterte, San Miguel president and COO Ramon Ang said the company was ready to work on the new toll road which aims to reduce travel time between the Eastern and Western part of Metro Manila.
"Following your approval Mr. President, we will begin work next month [in] February on the East-West Highway, which is called the PAREX," Ang said.
PAREX will traverse the length of the Pasig River, starting at Radial Road 10 in Manila, and ends at Circumferential Road 6 in Taguig.
It is expected to cut travel time between the two areas to about 10 to 15 minutes from 2 hours at present.
Ang said the project will include a flood control component, as San Miguel will restore the depth of the river, which has become as shallow as 1 meter in some sections.
"[The PAREX] will be completed by 2023, and we will realize our vision of seamless linking of North-South, East-West of Metro Manila through multiple access points," Ang said.
2 lalaking bagong laya, pinagbabaril sa loob ng jeep sa Quiapo
Patay ang dalawang lalaking kalalaya lamang sa kulungan matapos pagbabarilin sa loob ng isang pampasaherong jeepney sa southbound lane ng Quezon Boulevard sa Quiapo, Maynila, Huwebes ng umaga.
Ayon sa chairman ng Barangay 310, parehong may kasong robbery holdup ang dalawang biktima at kalalaya lamang sa city jail nang maganap ang pamamaril.
Kasasakay lamang sa jeep ng dalawang biktima at hindi pa nga nakakaalis ang sasakyan nang dumating ang riding-in-tandem na suspek at pinagbabaril sila.
Wala naman umanong ibang nasugatan sa pamamaril.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/14/21/2-lalaking-bagong-laya-pinagbabaril-sa-loob-ng-jeep-sa-quaipo
Truck nahulog sa bangin sa Davao Oriental; drayber patay
Patay ang isang lalaki matapos mahulog sa bangin ang kaniyang minamanehong 10-wheeler truck sa Lupon, Davao Oriental Martes ng umaga.
Binawian ng buhay ang drayber matapos maipit sa truck.
Inararo ng truck ang mga tanim at puno sa pagkahulog nito sa tinatayang 70 metro na lalim na bangin sa Brgy. Mariano Marcos.
Rumesponde ang mga bumbero sa Davao Oriental, rescuers ng KABALIKAT Mati City, at mga kawani ng Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office ng lalawigan para makuha ang bangkay sa truck.
Iniimbestigahan pa ng mga awtoridad ang sanhi ng disgrasya.--Ulat ni Hernel Tocmo
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/14/21/truck-nahulog-sa-bangin-sa-davao-oriental-drayber-patay
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
EDSA traffic inaasahang maiibsan sa opisyal na pagbubukas ng Skyway Stage 3
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| Umaasa umano ang pamahalaan na maiibsan ang matinding trapiko sa EDSA sa opisyal na pagbubukas ng Skyway Stage 3. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News |
Araw-araw bumibiyahe pa-Alabang sa Muntinlupa mula Quezon City si David Mallari.
Kung dati raw ay inaabot siya ng isa't kalahating oras sa biyahe, ngayo'y 30 minuto na lang dahil sa Skyway Stage 3.
"Very convenient, especially kung manggagaling ka ng Araneta going to south sa Alabang. Wala kang mararamdaman na traffic... na-less talaga ang travel time mo," ani Mallari.
Isa si Mallari sa nasa 6,000 motoristang dumadaan sa Skyway Stage 3 kada araw mula nang mag-partial opening ito noong isang buwan.
Pero ayon sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), mas dadami pa ito kapag nabuksan na ang lahat ng 7 lane ng expressway sa Huwebes, Enero 14.
Umaasa naman umano ang pamahalaan na maiibsan ng Skyway ang matinding trapiko sa ibang kalsada sa Kamaynilaan, lalo na sa EDSA.
"Malaking effect din sa ibang roads kasi nabawasan na ang congestion sa [Metro Manila]," ani DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.
"Ito naman ang gusto, na bawasan ang EDSA ng 100,000 cars para bumalik sa original capacity," aniya.
Ayon kay Villar, naglalaro sa 60,000 hanggang 70,000 motorista ang dumadaan sa Skyway mula nang mag-partial opening ito.
Sa abiso ng pamunuan ng Skyway, isasara muna ang expressway simula gabi ng Miyerkoles hanggang madaling araw ng Biyernes.
Ito ay para bigyang daan ang full inspection at official opening ng Skyway sa Huwebes.
Sa Biyernes na magagamit ng publiko ang kabuuan ng 18 kilometrong Skyway, na nagdudugtong sa North Luzon Expressway at South Luzon Expressway.
Pitong ramps ang magagamit ng mga motorista: Buendia northbound on ramp at southbound off ramp, Plaza Dilao southbound on ramp, Quezon Avenue northbound at southbound on at off ramps at Balintawak northbound off ramp at southbound on ramp
Mananatili namang libre ang toll sa Skyway ngayong Enero.
"Wala pang set date kasi kailangan pang i-finalize ang toll operating permit... kapag wala pa 'yan sa [Toll Regulatory Board], 'di puwedeng maningil so libre pa rin for the near future," ani Villar. -- Ulat ni Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News
LRT-2 to reopen Santolan to Anonas run by first quarter of 2021
The Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) is set to resume its Santolan to Anonas run by the first quarter of 2021, more than a year since a fire shut down the operation of the three stations.
“The resumption of operations of Santolan, Katipunan, and Anonas stations, which were closed after a fire damaged power rectifiers and some railway tracks, is slated this first quarter of 2021,” the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said in a statement.
Operations from Santolan to Anonas stations have been suspended since October 2019 after a fire damaged two rectifier substations in Katipunan and Anonas.
The resumption of the railway’s full operations was initially set in June 2020 but was delayed as community lockdowns slowed down repairs.
Apart from the expected reopening of the three existing stations, the DOTr mentioned that the two new stations under the LRT-2 East Extension Project – Emerald in Marikina City and Masinag at the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City – would also be operational by April 26.
“It’s a beautiful station, let us finish it right away so the Filipino people can enjoy this station,” Tugade told Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa during his visit to the rail line last week.
The East Extension Project intends to add four kilometers to the 13.8-kilometer LRT-2 train line which currently runs from Recto Ave. in Manila to Santolan Station in Marikina, connecting to Antipolo City.
Upon completion of this extension project, the Department said that travel time from Recto to Masinag is expected to significantly drop to about 40 minutes from the usual three hours travel through bus or jeepney.
It can also accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily once operational, boosting the LRT-2’s current daily ridership of 240,000 passengers., the DOTr added.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/13/lrt-2-to-reopen-santolan-to-anonas-run-by-first-quarter-of-2021/
Thursday, January 7, 2021
NLEX to complete 3 major projects this year
Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. unit NLEX Corp. is poised to complete three major road projects this year which will improve traffic flow and enhance safety of motorists.
These projects are the Subic Freeport Expressway (SFEX) capacity expansion, Candaba Viaduct upgrade and NLEX Connector.
“These infrastructure works are intended to further improve traffic flow and connectivity, as well as promote road safety for hundreds of thousands of motorists using these critical arteries in Central and Northern Luzon,” NLEX president and general manager Luigi Bautista said.
The P1.6 billion SFEX capacity expansion project, which is 92 percent done, is slated for completion withn the first quarter.
NLEX said the new and expanded SFEX would complement Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s infrastructure program once finished.
It will accommodate the growing number of traffic while promoting road safety and facilitate passage for truckers and merchants, delivering essential goods in and out of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
The project includes the addition of two expressway lanes and construction of two bridges and a new tunnel that will increase road capacity from one lane in each direction to two lanes in each direction.
It also involves the installation of expressway-standard LED lighting for safer night driving and the raising of elevation of the Maritan Highway-Rizal Highway-Tipo Road junction for better flood management.
NLEX is also undertaking a series of upgrades on the five-kilometer Candaba Viaduct to maintain its long-term serviceability and ensure the safety and comfort of motorists.
Built in the 1970s, the Candaba Viaduct has served as a vital link between Metro Manila, and Central and North Luzon road corridor.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/01/07/2068633/nlex-complete-3-major-projects-year
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Skyway Stage 3 pansamantalang isasara simula gabi ng Enero 6
Pansamantalang isasara ang Skyway Stage 3 mula Buendia, Makati City hanggang Balintawak, Quezon City simula gabi ng Miyerkoles hanggang madaling araw ng Huwebes.
Sa isang Twitter post, sinabi ng Skyway O&M Corp. na sarado ang Skyway mula alas-10 ng gabi hanggang alas-4 ng madaling araw para bigyang daan ang ilang construction-related activities.
Motorist Advisory #SkywayStage3 #Skyway pic.twitter.com/wnXhon91gS
— SKYWAY SOMCO (@SkywaySOMCO) January 6, 2021
Sarado rin umano ang naturang daan mula alas-10 ng gabi ng Huwebes hanggang alas-4 ng madaling araw ng Biyernes.
Binuksan noong Disyembre 29 sa mga motorista ang 4 na lane ng Skyway Stage 3 project.
Nauna nang sinabi ng San Miguel Corp. na magagamit simula Enero 14 ang lahat ng 7 lane ng daan.
Wala rin munang toll fee sa unang buwan ng Skyway Stage 3 operations.
Dinurugtong ng proyekto ang North Luzon Expressway at South Luzon Expressway, at binabawasan ang travel time sa pagitan ng Buendia at Balintawak.
Nagsisilbi ring alternatibo ang Skyway Stage 3 sa EDSA para makabiyahe ang mga motorista sa iba't ibang lungsod sa Metro Manila.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/06/21/skyway-stage-3-pansamantalang-isasara-simula-gabi-ng-enero-6
ABS-CBN shares claw back losses on Sotto's fresh franchise bill
Shares in media giant ABS-CBN Corp. soared on Tuesday as investors cheered the filing of a franchise bill at the Senate, boosting early hopes of a return to free TV and radio for the Kapamilya network.
Price of ABS-CBN stocks gained 17.5% from previous day to close at P13.70 each, the highest level since July 10 last year when the Lopez-led network was denied a fresh franchise by Congress.
At the time, House legislators denied the network a franchise after trading hours put the stock price at P14.78 apiece.
The company bucked a bearish sentiment at the main index, which shed 0.88% after investors booked profits after the local bourse ended 2020 and started 2021 on a high note.
“The sudden rally is a knee-jerk reaction from the news about the bill filed to renew ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise,” Anna Corenne Agravio, equity analyst at Regina Capital, said in a text message when sought for comment.
Citing the network’s wide audience reach, Sotto on Monday filed Senate Bill 1967 seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s broadcast license that expired last May 4 for another 25 years.
While the upper chamber cannot tackle or pass the measure without the Lower House doing it first, Sotto’s move prompted Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto to pledge on filing a counterpart bill at the House of Representatives.
It was at the lower chamber where allies of President Rodrigo Duterte delayed and then ultimately denied ABS-CBN’s pleading for a fresh license to air, triggering the network’s first shutdown since the Marcos dictatorship. Prior to that, Duterte had repeatedly attacked ABS-CBN for its coverage of his administration.
Since then, over 5,000 ABS-CBN employees were laid off in a cost-cutting program targeted at ensuring the network stay financially afloat. The network had since shifted mostly to digital platform before striking a block-time deal with Zoe TV last October that allowed it to air some programs in select areas in the archipelago.
That news of a partnership, at the time, also triggered a massive stock rally of 50% in October 7 to P13.50. Since then, ABS-CBN’s shares had been trading smoothly until Tuesday’s spike.
From these latest stock gains however, Regina Capital’s Agravio said it would take sustained legislative support for a franchise could keep the momentum for ABS-CBN.
“At this point, it looks like any fundamental development regarding the bill and/or further support from Senate could sustain the stock’s rally, although any significant breakout is hinged on whether or not the bill gets approved,” she said.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
SC junks petition to stop SMC’s new airport project in Bulacan
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, January 5, dismissed a Writ of Kalikasan petition which pleaded to stop San Miguel Corp. (SMC) from constructing the New Manila International Airport, known as the Aerocity Airport Project, on a 2,500-hectare foreshore area in Bulakan town, Bulacan province.
The denial of the petition filed by fisherfolk and several multi-sector groups was confirmed by Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta in a text message. No details were disclosed, except that the petition was “not sufficient in form and substance.”
A Writ of Kalikasan is a legal remedy for the protection of one’s right to “a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature,” under Section 16, Article II of the Constitution.
In their petition, the groups told the SC that site of the new airport has been classified by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) as forestland and permanent forestland.
They claimed the project would violate many environmental laws, adversely affect the migratory bird population, and increase risks to climate change impacts that would devastate the marine habitat.
They also claimed that the Airport Project Area and the Airport City Area cover forest and permanent forest land that are not alienable and disposable, thus, there is a violation of Republic Act 4701 or An Act Declaring a Portion of the Foreshore Fronting Manila Bay Along the Province of Bulacan as Bulacan Fishing Reservation.
At the same time, they alleged that portions of the areas covering the project are classified as public forest and fishery reserves and, thus, inalienable.
The airport project, they said, violates RA 7160 or the Local Government Code which mandates public consultation and local government ordinance on projects that impact on the environment and aggravate climate change.
The petitioners were represented by Teodoro Bacon and Rodel Alvarez, together with Oceana through its Vice President, Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos, and Archbishop Roger Martinez of the Archdiocese of San Jose del Monte. They were joined by the Aniban ng mga Mangagawa sa Agrikultura led by its chairperson Renato de la Cruz.
Oceana is an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans.
Named respondents were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu, Environmental Management Bureau Region III Regional Director Wilson Trajeco, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, San Miguel Aerocity President/CEO Ramon S. Ang, and Silvertides President/CEO Hercules V. Galicia.
SMC’s Aerocity, with its subsidiary-contractor Silvertides Holdings, also envisioned the construction and development of a 12,000-hectare township that features a residential zone, government center, seaport, and an industrial zone.
The petitioners claimed that the projects also violate the provisions of RA 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998; RA 9275 or the Clean Water Act; RA 9729 or the Climate Change Act; RA 10654 or An Act to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, Amending RA No. 8550 or The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998; Presidential Decree 705, also known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines; Presidential Decree 1586 or the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement Law; and several other administrative issuances, memoranda and circular pertaining to environmental protection.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/05/sc-junks-petition-to-stop-smcs-new-airport-project-in-bulacan/
Back to work
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A construction worker performs an on-site task at an MRT-7 post. The construction of the 22-kilometer MRT-7 from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan with 14 stations is expected to be finished by 2022. |
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Friday, January 1, 2021
More Edsa decongestion projects to be completed soon: DPWH
By Ferdinand Patinio
More big-ticket projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) particularly the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) decongestion program are expected to be finished in the first month of the year.
According to Secretary Mark Villar, several undertakings that will help lessen or end traffic woes along the said major thoroughfare will soon be inaugurated.
“We can expect the bridges across Pasig river to follow, these are the big-ticket projects of EDSA decongestion,” he said in a video posted recently on his Facebook account.
Among the projects under the program was the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 project which was partially opened on Dec. 29. It will be fully operational on Jan. 14.
Villar and San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president Ramon Ang led the event on Tuesday, where motorists were able to access the elevated expressway for free for a month.
The DPWH chief said the project, linking the northern and southern portion of Metro Manila will reduce the usual two-hour travel from the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)s to only 30 minutes. Makati to Quezon City will only be 20 minutes away.
The Skyway Stage 3 is an 18-km. elevated expressway spanning from Buendia in Makati to Balintawak in Quezon City.
Early this year, two-big ticket projects under the Edsa decongestion masterplan was also completed: the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, a 5.58 km, 6-lane divided elevated expressway utilizing the existing PNR railroad tracks connecting McArthur Highway, C-3 road in Caloocan and Malabon, and the NLEX Harbor Link R-10 Exit Ramp — a 2.6km, 4-lane elevated ramp which connects Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela to Manila.
Villar added that the other projects that are expected to be finished soon are the BGC-Ortigas Link Bridge, the Pantaleon Estrella Bridge, the Binondo Intramuros Bridge, among others.
“The BGC bridge, Estrella-Pantaleon bridge will soon be finished. So in 2021, we assured that these big-ticket projects of President Duterte will be inaugurated,” he said.