Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Monday, June 28, 2021
NLEX to spend ₱2B for new Quezon City extension project
By Lisbet Esmael, CNN Philippines
NLEX Corporation is allotting ₱2 billion to build a new two-kilometer expressway section between Mindanao Avenue and Quirino Highway in Novaliches, an official said over the weekend.
"The construction of this new ₱2-billion expressway section will be welcome news for NLEX commuters who currently face daily traffic gridlock in the congested portions of Mindanao Avenue," NLEX Corp. president Luigi L. Bautista was quoted as saying in a statement.
Construction is eyed to begin within the second half of 2021, the firm noted.
"Eventually, this section will be integrated into the future NLEX expansion to C5/C.P. Garcia near Katipunan Avenue. We foresee an interconnected tollway network that will be accessible to the west, east, north, and south sides of Metro Manila," Bautista added.
The top executive also said the infrastructure project could create more jobs, propping up the pandemic-battered economy, especially since Metro Manila contributes 32 percent of the Philippine economy.
Once operational, the logistics sector could also benefit from the project as container cargo trucks, haulers and other commercial vehicles can ply this as an alternate route to the ports of Manila via NLEX Harbor Link all the way to the new Navotas Interchange along Mel Lopez Boulevard, R-10.
The new project is part of the 11.5-kilometer NLEX C5 Link between Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Highway, Regalado Avenue, Congressional Avenue, and C.P. Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.
Aside from NLEX, the firm also operates the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
NLEX Mindanao Avenue-Quirino Highway section construction to start in 2021
The P2-billion expressway section is part of the NLEX-C5 Link project
The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will be extended by two kilometers, from Mindanao Avenue to Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City.
NLEX Corporation plans to start construction of the P2-billion expressway section in the second half of 2021.
The section is part of the 11.5-kilometer NLEX-C5 Link project spanning Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Highway, Regalado Avenue, Congressional Avenue, and CP Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.
The target completion date has yet to be announced.
NLEX Corporation president J. Luigi Bautista said in a statement on Sunday, June 27, that the section would be "welcome news for NLEX commuters who currently face daily traffic gridlock in the congested portions of Mindanao Avenue."
"Eventually, this section will be integrated into the future NLEX expansion to C5/CP Garcia near Katipunan Avenue. We foresee an interconnected tollway network that will be accessible to the west, east, north, and south sides of Metro Manila," Bautista added.
NLEX Corporation also said the project would benefit cargo trucks and other commercial vehicles as it would provide "an alternate route to the ports of Manila via NLEX Harbor Link all the way to the new Navotas Interchange along Mel Lopez Boulevard."
The NLEX-C5 Link project as a whole is seen to cut travel time between Mindanao Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue from 45 minutes to 10 minutes.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, which in turn is a subsidiary of Manny Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corporation.
NLEX eyes construction of 2-km extension to Quezon City by second half of the year
THE North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation is set to jumpstart the construction of a new two-kilometer expressway section between the existing Mindanao Avenue toll plaza and Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City within the second half of the year.
“The construction of this new P2-billion expressway section will be welcome news for NLEX commuters who currently face daily traffic gridlock in the congested portions of Mindanao Avenue. Eventually, this section will be integrated into the future NLEX expansion to C5/CP Garcia near Katipunan Avenue. We foresee an interconnected tollway network that will be accessible to the west, east, north, and south sides of Metro Manila,” said NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista.
“The construction of the new section is part of the DPWH Build! Build! Build! Program and is expected to contribute to the government’s economic stimulus initiative aimed at generating more jobs and helping revive the economy amidst the pandemic,” he said.
The project will also be welcome news for the transport logistics sector comprised of container cargo trucks, haulers and other commercial vehicles as it provides an alternate route to the ports of Manila via NLEX Harbor Link to the new Navotas Interchange along Mel Lopez Blvd, R-10.
This new project is part of the 11.5-kilometer NLEX C5 Link between Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Highway, Regalado Avenue, Congressional Avenue and CP Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.
The entire NLEX C5 Link project is expected to benefit 45,000 motorists daily and cut travel time between Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue to 10 minutes instead of the usual 45 minutes.
Aside from this project, the tollway company is fast-tracking the completion of the first 5-km. section of the NLEX Connector to España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila along the PNR railroad tracks. The NLEX Connector is expected to reduce travel time from NLEX to South Luzon Expressway from two hours to just 20 minutes and is seen to support business activities in fast-growing regions such as Central Luzon and Calabarzon.
NLEX plans to start P2-B QC extension project this year
NLEX CORP. announced Sunday its plan to start the construction of a two-kilometer expressway connecting its Mindanao Avenue toll plaza to Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City by the second half of the year.
“The construction of this new P2-billion expressway section will be welcome news for NLEX commuters who currently face daily traffic gridlock in the congested portions of Mindanao Avenue,” NLEX Corp. President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said in a statement.
“Eventually, this section will be integrated into the future NLEX expansion to C5/C.P. Garcia near Katipunan Avenue. We foresee an interconnected tollway network that will be accessible to the west, east, north, and south sides of Metro Manila,” he added.
The new project is part of the government’s Build, Build, Build program. It is also part of the 11.5-kilometer NLEX C5 Link between Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Highway, Regalado Avenue, Congressional Avenue and C.P. Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.
“It is expected to contribute to the government’s economic stimulus initiative aimed at generating more jobs and helping revive the economy amidst the pandemic,” Mr. Bautista said.
The extension project will provide an alternate route to the ports of Manila via NLEX Harbor Link all the way to the new Navotas Interchange along Mel Lopez Boulevard, or R-10.
NLEX Corp. said the entire NLEX C5 Link is expected to be used by 45,000 motorists daily and reduce travel time between Mindanao Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue to 10 minutes from the usual 45 minutes.
NLEX Corp. is a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., itself the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc.
https://www.bworldonline.com/nlex-plans-to-start-p2-b-qc-extension-project-this-year/
Sunday, June 27, 2021
PNR North-South Commuter Railway (PNR Clark)
Schedule for CP04 (N1 E&M) is not correct since it has not yet even entered procurement stage.
Malolos-CIA / Solis-Malolos projected operation - December 2024
Solis-Tutuban (November 2025?)
Solis-Blumentritt - August 2026
Blumentritt-Senate/DeptEd - January 2027
Alabang-Calamba - May 2027
Senate/DeptEd-Alabang - May 2028
Complete System - May 2028
Even though Solis-Blumentritt is just 1.1km, that section is still projected to take 4+ years probably due to project complexities (building over LRT station, relocation of Antipolo Street, etc.). Too bad since Blumentritt will be transfer station between NSCR and LRT-1.
The package with the MMSP interoperability is projected to take the longest to complete.
Of course all these dates are subject to change --- allow additional 1 to 2 years to each projected date to accommodate usual delays. Hopefully the entire system is completed by 2030.
Friday, June 25, 2021
DOTR set to auction operations of two railway projects
The Department of Transportation said Thursday it plans to launch a bidding for the operations and maintenance contracts of two major railway projects in the fourth quarter this year.
“We are currently developing two operations and maintenance concessions together with Asian Development Bank and Public Private Partnership— one with Metro Manila Subway Project and the second is for North South Commuter Railway System,” DOTR Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said in a virtual briefing sponsored by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines.
Batan the agency was expecting an approval from the National Economic and Development Authority to bid out the O&M for the two projects by the third quarter of 2021.
He said the launching of the O&M bidding for Metro Manila Subway and NSCR will be in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Batan said the East Valenzuela station, PRI Building and depot of the Metro Manila Subway were expected to be completed by 2022. “We are getting a private operator [for Metro Manila Subway],” he said.
Dubbed as the “Project of the Century,” the P355-billion underground rail line is expected to serve 370,000 passengers daily in its first year of full operations.
Once completed and fully operational, the Metro Manila Subway Project will have 15 stations, including a terminal station at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The whole Metro Manila Subway is seen to be completed by 2024 or 2025.
The 147-km North-South Commuter Railway System, which will run from Clark in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna, is expected to be completed by 2024.
The PNR Clark Phase 1 segment of NSCR, or the Tutuban-Malolos line, was scheduled to be partially operational by December 2021. It will be followed by the PNR Clark Phase 2 project, a 53-km northern segment.
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Next administration must keep up railway development
LAST week, Vivencio "Vince" Dizon, the presidential adviser on flagships projects and chief of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), provided a summary of the Duterte administration's accomplishments in infrastructure development. Among the 119 "flagship projects" under the administration's multiyear Build, Build, Build program are a number of rail transport developments.
Most of these have already been initiated, but a few will be left to the next administration to undertake. It has typically been the practice of new administrations to review and modify plans left behind by their predecessors, and while there is some continuity, there is never a guarantee that any of the priorities of an outgoing administration will be taken up by its replacement. While the next administration, regardless of whether it is supportive of or opposed to President Duterte's policies and outlook, will certainly want to pursue its own priorities and build its own legacy, we believe it should maintain and if possible, increase the momentum toward development of rail infrastructure.
Major rail projects currently under way include the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT 7) connecting North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) extension from Pasay to Bacoor, Cavite; the Metro Manila Subway project, which will eventually connect Valenzuela to Parañaque; the North-South Commuter Railway System, which will stretch from Clark in Pampanga to Calamba, Laguna; the Mindanao Railway Project, which will connect Tagum, Davao del Norte, Davao City and Digos, Davao del Sur; and the MRT-LRT Common Station at North Avenue, Quezon City, which will connect the LRT 1, MRT 3 and MRT 7 lines.
These projects are all in some stage of construction; some have only recently had preliminary work begun, while others are well advanced. In addition to these, the LRT 2 extension to Masinag, Antipolo has just been completed and the rehabilitation of the MRT 3 line, a job so big it should be counted as a major infrastructure project in its own right, is also nearing completion.
Completion of the work that has already begun on these is probably assured, but there are numerous other planned projects that may not be continued. These include additional phases of the Metro Manila Subway; connecting lines to the North-South Commuter Railway; additional phases of the Mindanao Railway to extend it beyond the Davao region; and the Philippine National Railway South Long Haul Project, which would connect Metro Manila to the Bicol Region.
Superior advantages
Even though railway development requires much higher development costs, they offer superior advantages to other forms of transport infrastructure that the Philippines cannot afford to overlook. They are the safest form of mass transportation and the most efficient in terms of passenger movement. They are also significantly more environmentally friendly than any other form of transportation. Fully electric trains have no direct emissions at all, and diesel-powered trains have emissions that are a fraction of those produced by road vehicles, ships or airplanes moving the same volume of passengers or goods.
There is also a historical context for rail infrastructure development. In virtually every country that has made the effort, expanding rail infrastructure, even in the modern era where it has competed with road and air transport, has positively correlated with economic growth. We can see this in examples such as Japan, Taiwan and South Korea in the post-World War 2 era, and most spectacularly in China since the 1990s.
Even if the next administration does not wish to give infrastructure so high a profile as the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build program, maintaining the momentum in railway development will create a responsible legacy of facilitating the country's progress far into the future. This should be a key campaign issue in the upcoming national election and of critical interest to Filipino voters, many of whom would directly benefit from it.
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Friday, June 18, 2021
Next leader to inherit legacy infra projects from Duterte admin
By Kris Crismundo
The present administration will be leaving legacy infrastructure projects to the next leadership when President Rodrigo Duterte ends his term in 2022, Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs Vivencio Dizon said.
In a press conference on Friday, Dizon said 119 projects amounting to over PHP4.7 trillion are currently on the revised list of infrastructure flagship projects of the government.
Eleven of these projects amounting to PHP127 billion are already completed, with 29 projects costing PHP238 billion set to be delivered next year, Dizon reported.
He added that there are 51 ongoing projects with a cost of PHP3.3 trillion to be completed in 2023 and beyond, while there are 28 big-ticket projects amounting to PHP1.1 trillion in the pipeline.
“Not only they will be giving a legacy of completed projects by the time President Duterte ends (his term) in 2022, but they will also be leaving behind a legacy of projects, big-ticket projects that are ready to go,” Dizon said.
The administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program has also completed 212 airport projects, 446 seaport projects, 10,376 flood mitigation structures, 26,494 kilometers of road, and 5,555 bridges throughout the country, he added.
He said ongoing projects consist of 102 airport projects, 117 seaport projects, 1,090 kilometers of railway, 2,587 flood mitigation structures, 2,515 kilometers of road, and 1,020 bridges.
“We are very happy to report that despite all the challenges, including this once in century pandemic that has wreaked havoc throughout the entire world including our own country, we have achieved so much and we will continue to achieve more in the future,” Dizon said.
In the coming weeks, the government will be inaugurating projects under “Build, Build, Build” such as the Light Rail Transit-2 (LRT-2) extension project by next week, China-funded Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge in the next two weeks, and the Clark International Airport new passenger terminal building next month.
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
Demolisyon dulot ng NLEX-SLEX project, pinuna ng opisyal ng Archdiocese of Manila
Aminado ang Commission on Social Services and Development ng Archdiocese of Manila na maraming isyu na lalong nagpapalubog sa mga mahihirap ang kailangan matagunan dahil sa malaking epekto ng pandemya.
Ayon kay Rev. Fr. Erik Adoviso, tagapamuno ng nasabing komisyon, iba’t-ibang pagsubok ang kinakaharap ngayon ng mga dukha hindi lamang ang suliranin sa kanilang pang araw-araw na pagkain.
Aniya, sa kabila ng kawalan ng maayos na hanapbuhay at epekto ng pandemya ay suliranin din ngayon ng ilan ang pagpapaalis sa kanilang mga tirahan dahil sa kabi-kabilang mga imprasktraktura kung saan hindi naisasaalang-alang ang karapatan ng mga apektadong residente.
“Kung dati ang pinag-uusapan job security manatili ang mga manggagawa sa kanilang trabaho ang nagiging problema naman ngayon yun manggagawa pinapaalis sa kanilang mga bahay, nag-iiba ang mga nagiging kaso ngayon sa halip na una job security pero ngayon dahil sa pandemic ang ibinibigay na kaso sa amin ay ano po ang aming gagawin kasi pinapaalis na kami sa aming tirahan, dine-demolish ang bahay namin lalo na sa mga informal settler.” Pahayag ni Fr. Adoviso sa panayam ng programang Caritas in Action.
Ganito din ang naging pahayag ni Bro. Ernesto Roberto ng Ministry of Public Affairs ng Archdiocese of Manila kaugnay sa suliranin ng mga mahihirap na apektado ng demolisyon dahil sa pinagagawang NLEX-SLEX connection sa lungsod ng Maynila.
Aminado si Roberto na hindi napigil ng pandemya ang mga demolisyon sa halip ay naging karagdagang pasanin pa ito ng mga apektadong residente.
“Akala ko ay gagaan ang trabaho namin kasi walang demolisyon pero nagkamali ako, tumigil lang siya saglit pero nung sabihin ng pamahalaan na ituloy ang proyekto ng gobyerno ay nagtuloy-tuloy na din ang mga demolisyon sa ating mga kapatid na maralita.”
“Ngayon hindi lang informal settler kundi pati private property owner na tatamaan ng ating mga national project tulad ng sa PNR saka yun SLEX-NLEX project yun ang mabigat tapos dahil sa pandemic hindi tayo makapaglunsad ng panayam sa mga kapatid nating apektado.” Giit ni Roberto ng Ministry on Public Affairs.
Tiniyak ni Fr. Adoviso na sa kabila ng mga kasalukuyang suliranin ng mga mahihirap ay hindi sila tatalikuran ng Simbahan upang ipagtanggol ang kanilang mga karapatan.
“Palagay ko nararamdaman kahit papapano ng mga tao na nandiyan ang Simbahan nakita natin paano kumilos ang ating mga layko ang mga Pari patuloy na kumikilos yan para pagsilbihan ang mga mahihirap,” giit ng Pari.
Sa datos na nakalap ng Veritas846, tinatayang nasa 180 libong pamilya ang maapektuhan ng demolisyon dahil sa NLEX-SLEX connector road project at North-South Commuter Railway Project.
Nilinaw ni Roberto na hindi tutol ang Simbahang Katolika sa mga proyekto na naglalayon ng pag-unlad ngunit dapat aniyang isaalang-alang ang kapakanan lalo na ng mga walang boses sa lipunan.
“Yun ang isang malaking problema yun ang isang gawain ng aming ministry na dapat matiyak naman yun karapatan sa paninirahan ng mga kapatid natin na maralita ay ginagalang.“
Tugade sets railway infra build-up goal until 2022
By the end of his term, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade hopes that at least 1,000 kilometers of railways in the Philippines should be in various stages of construction with 400 kilometers running commercially.
During a virtual presser, he said the agency targets to “achieve 1,200 kilometers of rails” before the term of President Duterte ends, but “realistically” it might be able to achieve a little lower than that figure.
“Speaking of realities, I want to jump-start up to 1,200 kilometers of rails, but realistically, 900 kilometers to 1,000 kilometers is still a win for us,” Tugade said.
He noted, however, that 400 kilometers should be operational by the end of his term as transport secretary.
According to the railway plan for the Philippines, by 2022, there should be 1,209 kilometers of route length, comprising of 168 stations, 1,381 trains under 34 contracts. All in all, the rail program for the Philippines costs P1.67 trillion.
Tugade noted that this plan is a huge leap from the state of the railway sector in 2016, when only 77 kilometers of railways were operational with 61 stations, 234 trains, and only nine contracts awarded.
“In terms of actual operations, 400 kilometers will be there,” he said.
According to Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Timothy John R. Batan, the 400 kilometers will comprise of the following: Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension, LRT Line 2 East Extension, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7, Metro Manila Subway, and the North-South Commuter Railways.
During the briefing, Tugade also bannered his agency’s achievements in other transport sectors, including the maritime industry, aviation industry, and road sector.
Tugade is still unsure whether or not to run for public office after his term ends, noting that the decision will be based on President Duterte’s call.
“The President will decide. I am a good soldier—what the President says, so it will go,” he said.
For now, Tugade said he will “concentrate on finishing the projects” and not mind the upcoming elections.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/06/16/tugade-sets-railway-infra-build-up-goal-until-2022/
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
DOTr upbeat on railways as PNR Clark Phase 1 moves on
THE current structures being erected and built for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 are a manifestation that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is concretizing the plans that were made years ago, its chief said on Monday.
At a program after the inspection of the construction of the PNR Clark Phase 1, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said his agency is serious in “making the hopes and dreams” for the railway “possible.”
“We might be nearing the end of our terms, but you will see that we continue to work towards building what was previously just a feasibility study for the previous administration,” he said.
He noted that for PNR Clark Phase 1, the government is building a train simulator and training center to ensure that the management and operations of the railway system are on a par with standards.
Trains for the PNR Clark Phase 1 will also arrive in December.
“The simulator and training center that we are building for this project will be delivered before the fourth quarter of the year. If you sum it all up, this will be a testament that the dream is now turning into reality,” Tugade said.
Currently, the PNR Phase 1 is at 45.82-percent completion rate with girder piles set to be deployed over the next two weeks.
PNR Clark Phase 1 is envisioned as a 38-kilometer railway that runs between Tutuban Station in Manila all the way to Malolos, Bulacan, passing through cities such as Caloocan and Valenzuela, as well as municipalities such as Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, and Guiguinto.
Its second phase, also known as the Malolos-Clark Line, will be a 54-kilometer railway line that will also feature an airport express service, cutting time from Clark International Airport to Makati City to about one hour.
PNR Clark Phase 2 is being built concurrent with the construction of the first phase. The third phase, meanwhile, will connect Manila to Calamba, Laguna.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/06/15/dotr-upbeat-on-railways-as-pnr-clark-phase-1-moves-on/
Tugade: DOTr committed to realize railway sector's dreams
THE Department of Transportation (DOTR) is committed to make the dreams of the railway sector possible.
Thus remarked DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, who said the current structures being built for the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos) are a manifestation of the department’s commitment to concretize the plans that were made years ago.
During a recent inspection of the construction of the PNR Clark Phase 1, Tugade said the department is determined in “making the hopes and dreams” for the country’s railway sector possible.”
“We might be nearing the end of our term, but you will see that we continue to work towards building what was previously just a feasibility study for the previous administration,” he said.
Tugade added that the government is building a train simulator and training center to ensure that the management and operations of the railway system are on a par with standards.
Tugade earlier disclosed that trains for the PNR Clark Phase 1 are set to arrive in December.
The overall progress rate of the PNR Clark Phase 1 is 46.68 percent, with girder piles set to be deployed over the next two weeks.
Part of the massive North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project, this is a 38-kilometer railway that cuts through the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and the municipalities of Meycuayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos City in Bulacan.
The railway is expected to serve 300,000 passengers daily and cut travel time from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan from one hour and 30 minutes, to just 35 minutes.
The second leg of the NSCR, which is the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark), is a 53-kilometer railway line that will also feature an airport express service.
The rail segment will slash travel time from Clark International Airport to Makati City from 1.5 hours to 30 to 35 minutes.
PNR Clark Phase 2 is being built concurrent with the construction of the first phase. The third phase, meanwhile, will connect Manila to Calamba, Laguna.
Monday, June 14, 2021
Monday, June 7, 2021
Sunday, June 6, 2021
Konstruksiyon ng PNR Clark Phase 2 project sa Pampanga ipinasilip
Tuloy-tuloy na nga ang kontruksyon ng North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project o mas kilala bilang PNR Clark Phase 2 Project sa Pampanga.
Sa kasalukuyan, tinatayang 30% na ang overall progress rate nito pagkatapos makumpleto ang logging test sa bahagi ng Apalit Station at ang unang bored pile cast nito sa Sitio Sampaga sa Barangay San Vicente para masiguro ang malalim na pundasyon ng railway.
“On-going na po ang konstruksyon ng staging area ng Apalit. Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang clearing. Ang mga istayon po tuloy-tuloy lang rin po ang mga test files nila,” pahayag ni Apalit Mayor Jun Tetangco.
Saklaw ng 54-kilometer rail line ang kahabaan ng Malolos, Bulacan hanggang Clark, Pampanga.
Inaasahan na sa oras na matapos ito, ang biyahe mula Maynila papuntang Pampanga na dati ay mahigit dalawang oras ay mahahati na lang sa isang oras.
Ang naturang proyekto ay hindi lang makapagbibigay ng mabilis at maginhawang biyahe, magbibigay rin ito ng iba’t ibang job opportunities lalo na sa mga nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa pandemya.
“Sa staging area pa lang po ng Apalit, ito ay from Malolos to Minalin, mahigit 2,500 workers po ang maitutulong po natin sa Apalit, malaking bagay po iyon dahil ngayon pong pandemya marami po ang nawalan ng trabaho,” sabi ng alkalde.
Ang MCRP PNR CLARK Phase 2 ay bahagi ng Build, Build, Build program ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at magsisilbing pinakaunang airport express service sa bansa. - Ulat ni Gracie Rutao
Friday, June 4, 2021
Wednesday, June 2, 2021
Red, yellow alerts in Luzon lifted as power demand recedes - NGCP
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines on Wednesday afternoon lifted the alert level warnings in parts of Luzon, citing receding demand for power.
Both the red and yellow alerts, supposed to be in place until nighttime, were lifted by 3:21 p.m. due to improving supply conditions, the NGCP said in an advisory.
"As of 3:21 p.m., red and yellow alerts have been lifted by NGCP for the Luzon grid due to receding system demand," it said.
Parts of Luzon are experiencing rains due to Tropical Storm Dante.
The power operator earlier said the high heat index contributed to the supply issue that was seen to affect the Luzon grid for the next few days.
Energy officials earlier said they would have to impose rotational power outages to balance supply.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/02/21/red-yellow-alert-lifted-luzon-ngcp
Luzon grid under red alert for 13 hours on Wednesday — NGCP
The Luzon Grid, including Metro Manila, will be under red alert for 13 hours this Wednesday, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said, putting the region on even more chances of having power interruption.
In an advisory, the NGCP said that the red alert was set to start at 9:00 a.m. until 5 p.m., after which it will continue at 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, a yellow alert has also been placed which started at 8:00 a.m. and lasted until 9:00 a.m. This will resume at 5:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m., and then at 11:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight.
Being under yellow alert means that there is low electricity supply, red alert means there are zero ancillary services or insufficient power supply in the grid.
Meralco also warned the public regarding the rotational brownouts.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1440307/luzon-grid-under-red-alert-for-13-hours-on-wednesday-ngcp
Luzon may be on red alert until June 8
The Luzon grid is expected to experience power outages until next week after another power plant bogged down yesterday, causing rotational blackouts over prolonged hours.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised the red alert warning on the Luzon power grid from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. yesterday. The yellow alert notice was from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 11 p.m. to midnight.
A yellow alert means there were not enough reserves to cover the largest running generating unit at the time but does not necessarily lead to power outages. A red alert means there is severe power deficiency, which could lead to rotational power interruptions.
The NGCP said available capacity was at 11,408 megawatts (MW) while peak demand was projected to reach 11,593 MW.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said another power plant, the 316-MW GMEC Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 2, shut down yesterday due to suspected boiler tube leak, which reduced electricity supply and led to insufficient power reserves in the power grid.
This increased the unavailable capacity on the power grid to 4,064 MW from 3,771 MW on Monday.
The DOE said it convened with representatives of the NGCP and GNPower Mariveles Energy Center (GMEC) to discuss the unplanned outage of GMEC Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 2 since it is expected to be back online by June 8.
Because of this, the red alert status may be raised on the Luzon grid until next week or until the plants on forced outage restore operations.
“We foresee grid alert status until June 7,” NGCP head of Luzon System Operations Reynaldo Abadilla said at a press briefing.
The NGCP implemented manual load dropping (MLD) or rotational blackouts in parts of Luzon to maintain the integrity of the power system.
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) also implemented rotational power interruptions within its franchise area starting at 1:05 p.m, with outage lasting up to two hours.
For the COVID vaccination centers and storage facilities, the NGCP said it is left with the distribution utilities (DUs) to come up with contingency measures, spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said.
Meralco said locations of vaccination sites and storage facilities are spared from rotational power outages but are encouraged to maintain generators to provide backup supply.
The DOE called on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to look into these power outages and exercise its regulatory functions to ensure the continuity of power services during the pandemic.
“We are monitoring the situation. We are definitely looking into these outages and will take the necessary actions in accordance with existing laws,” ERC commissioner Floresinda Digal said.
Vaccine storage
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) assured the public yesterday that preparations have been made to protect COVID-19 vaccines amid the rotational brownouts in some parts of Luzon.
The DOH said contingency measures are in place to ensure the proper storage of COVID-19 vaccines.
The National Vaccination Operations Center ordered personnel of inoculation sites to ensure that the vaccines are kept in storage facilities, the DOH said.
With the measures in place, the DOH said the vaccines would remain in good condition.
The DOH noted that simulation activities have been conducted and that a backup power system is a requirement for local governments with cold storage facilities.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered
local government units (LGUs) to secure COVID-19 vaccines in their possession.
DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the vaccines should be kept in cold storage facilities with uninterrupted power supply so that the jabs would not go to waste.
“At this time of pandemic, vaccines are more valuable than gold and
therefore contingency plans should be in place to mitigate the rotational power outages,” Malaya said.
He said LGUs should heed the red alert notice issued by the NGCP in parts of Luzon where blackouts will be implemented due to the increase in power demand caused by the humid weather.
Subsidized power rate
Meanwhile, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco commended President Duterte for signing into law a bill extending the “lifeline rate” or subsidized electricity rate for low-income households by 30 years.
“We thank President Duterte for ensuring that poor families will continue to enjoy the much-needed power subsidy for the next three decades,” Velasco, who previously chaired the House committee on energy, said.
The President signed Republic Act 11552 that amends the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2011, under which the lifeline rate provision would expire on June 26.
The law extends for the second time the socialized pricing system for marginalized households under Section 73 of the original EPIRA law or RA 9136.
“This important legislation would assure Filipinos access to continuous and affordable electricity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where many people are struggling to make ends meet,” Velasco said.
He said around 5.5 million consumers, representing about 31 percent of the entire connections in the country, would benefit from the law. – Emmanuel Tupas, Mayen Jaymalin, Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/06/02/2102485/luzon-may-be-red-alert-until-june-8
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
How Do I Get To Know Jesus?
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” John 12:21
Author Philip Yancey grew up in church. But he experienced a lot of confusion over what he learned about God and what he experienced in life. He wrote a book that shatters a lot of our cherished ideals and the images we have grown up with. He called the book, The Jesus I Never Knew.
Of his book, Yancey said, “The Jesus I got to know in writing this book is very different from the Jesus I learned about in Sunday school. In some ways, He is more comforting; in some ways, more terrifying.” Of one thing Yancey is certain. The individual who really meets Jesus Christ will never be the same.
In the event that the name Philip Yancey is new to you, let me say that reading what he writes is like a breath of fresh air which comes to you in a polluted environment. Reading Yancey is like sitting down in an overstuffed chair with a friend in front of a fireplace, and listening to someone who trusts you so much that he can be completely vulnerable with you.
Yancey doesn’t come up with pre-programmed answers or quick-fix solutions. He has an openness, a candor, and an honesty which prompts you to look within your own heart and soul. How did Yancey rediscover Jesus?
His book was a partial outgrowth of a study he did with a small group focusing on the life of Jesus Christ. The group also used video clips of almost every film on the life of Christ which has ever been produced, but the Jesus we never knew, according to Yancey, is the one which Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote about, and by saturating himself in what they said, he was able to strip away the old varnish of images that many of us have grown up with.
Phil Yancey is a gifted individual who has given us something of great importance, yet the Jesus that he never knew is the same one whom believers have worshiped for centuries. I do know one thing: no matter what your relationship with Jesus Christ, or how well you know Him, after carefully reading what Yancey says, you will know Him better and love Him more dearly.
Knowing Jesus as He really is, becomes complex and difficult because of the lives we live—not just the misconceptions and the wrong images we have grown up with. We get so busy that we have little time to take the four Gospels and to digest them. We “sample” portions of Scripture, usually in short sound bites which are easy to digest and tell us what we want—that He loves us, forgives us, and helps us to succeed.
Some years ago, I discovered an old hymn by Ian MacPherson which says it so well. The words go, “If I but knew Thee as Thou art/ O Loveliness unknown/ With what desire, O Lord, my heart would claim Thee for its own.” Another stanza goes, “With faith’s warm finger, through the veil/ I seek to touch Thy hand/ I feel the imprint of the nail/ And partly understand.” Then MacPherson voices the frustration which we sometimes feel as he said, “But, ah, my lonely spirit tires/ Of knowing Thee in part / O Jesus, how my soul desires/ To see Thee as Thou art!”
Does your restless heart want to break through the spiritual gloom and the pain of living in a broken world to see Jesus as He really is? Yes, I recommend Yancey’s book. It will help you. But do what Phil Yancey has done. Saturate yourself in the Gospels. Read them in different versions. Ask the Lord to lift the blindness of prejudice and business and help you to see Him as He really is. When you meet Him, you will never be the same.
Resource reading: Matthew 8:1-16.
https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/how-do-i-get-to-know-jesus/
Rotating brownouts hit parts of Luzon as red alert extended
By Kris Crismundo
The Department of Energy (DOE) said the longer period for raising the red alert status over the Luzon grid is due to additional power plant outages.
The Luzon grid on Tuesday is under red alert from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and yellow alert status from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. to midnight, DOE said.
The agency said the 316-megawatt GMEC Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 2 went offline at 3:56 a.m. Tuesday due to a suspected boiler tube leak.
“The plant is expected to be back online by 8 June 2021,” it said.
This is on top of the reported power plants that were on outage Monday including the GNPower Dinginin Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 1, San Roque Hydroelectric Power Plant, and Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 2.
From 1,285 MW forced outages on Monday, this has increased to 1,579 MW Tuesday.
The available power capacity on Tuesday also declined to 11,408 MW from the previous day’s reserve of 11,729 MW, while peak demand is slightly higher from Monday’s 11,514 MW to this day’s 11,593 MW power requirement.
“In order to maintain a balanced system, NGCP (National Grid Corporation of the Philippines) may implement manual load dropping (MLD) in parts of Luzon today to maintain the integrity of the power system,” DOE added.
In a separate advisory, NGCP listed scheduled MLD or rotating brownouts in parts of Isabela, parts of Nueva Ecija, parts of Pangasinan, parts of Bataan, parts of Batangas, parts of Camarines Sur, parts of Metro Manila, and the province of Ifugao.
Red alert is raised if the power reserves breached the maintaining level of 4 percent of the peak demand, thus rotational brownouts are experienced.
The DOE earlier forecasted that the peak demand for this year would reach 11,841 MW.
On the other hand, a yellow alert is raised when there is a thinning of power reserve in the system with demand approaching critical levels. There is still sufficient supply of power and would not cause any power interruption.
Power supply for vax storage
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told reporters that the agency has reminded local government units (LGUs) to secure an uninterruptible power supply in cold storage facilities of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines.
“At this time of pandemic, vaccines are more valuable than gold and therefore contingency plans should be implanted soonest to mitigate the rotational brownouts being implemented by the NGCP,” Malaya said. (With reports from Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)
Luzon grid on red alert starting 10 a.m. June 1 due to low power supply: NGCP
The Luzon grid is placed under red alert on Tuesday with potential power outages due to low power supply, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said.
The red alert status is in place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the NGCP said in an advisory.
The grid will remain on red alert from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, it added.
Yellow alert was earlier raised from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. It will also be in place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 12 a.m., it said.
The available capacity on June 1 is at 11,480 MW while the peak demand could reach 11,593 MW.
Manual load dropping could be implemented to balance out supply, the NGCP said. Rotational power outages have also been implemented on Monday.
Manual load dropping may be implemented in the following areas:
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- BENECO (parts of Baguio City and Benguet)
- NEECO II-Area 1 (parts of Nueva Ecija)
- SAJELCO (San Jose City, Nueva Ecija)
- PAMES (Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija)
- QUEZELCO I (parts of Quezon)
- SORECO I (parts of Sorsogon)
- MERALCO (parts of Metro Manila)
"Schedule may be cancelled if system condition improves, such as if actual demand falls below projections," the NGCP said.
"NGCP encourages everyone to exercise prudence in using electricity," it added.
The high heat index, unscheduled maintenance works, and low-yield in supply were among the factors that contributed to the supply issues, the Department of Energy earlier said.
The DOE on Tuesday said "enforcement issues" on power players also contributed to the lack of power supply in Luzon.
The NGCP was unable to comply with its ancillary services, which is included in its obligations under its franchise, an Energy official said Tuesday.
Authorities have earlier warned of persistent power interruptions in the next few days due to low power supply.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/01/21/luzon-grid-red-alert-june-1
NGCP: Expect more power interruptions due to lack of supply
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines on Tuesday warned of more power interruptions in Luzon due to a lack of supply amid persistent hot weather.
The NGCP will raise grid status alerts from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., said its head for external affairs Cynthia Alabanza.
"Ang problema ngayon ay wala hong sapat na kuryente na nakakabit sa national grid para ho ito ihatid. Kaya wala ho tayong choice kundi magpatupad ng red alert at magkakaroon ng posibilidad ng power interruption sa kalat kalat na bahagi ng Luzon," she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(The problem right now is there's not enough power in the national grid so we have no choice but to raise a red alert, which in turn leads to the possibility of power interruption in various parts of Luzon.)
"Ang mga puwedeng ipagpalibang activities, ipagpaliban natin."
(We urged consumers to as much as they can put off their activities.)
The NGCP is coordinating with power distributors and cooperatives so they can make adjustments, Alabanza said.
"Para makapagdiskarte sila sa kanilang prangkisa at kung mayroon lugar na kailangan panatilihing may kuryente katulad ng city centers kung nasaan ang mga ospital yan ay magagawan nila ng paraan," she added.
(So they can make adjustments and keep power on at city centers where hospitals are located.)
The Department of Energy on Monday said that besides the high heat index that pushed demand for power, maintenance work and unscheduled outages at key power plants in Luzon and low gas pressure from the Malampaya also contributed to power supply problems.
Metro Manila subway, North-South railway set to be linked physically
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) plans to physically link two of its largest railway projects, the Metro Manila subway and the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), allowing seamless travel for commuters.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said both lines, to be fully completed past the term of President Duterte, would be “interoperable” once operations begin.
“That means when you ride the subway train at North Avenue station, you can remain in the same train and get of at Calamba, [Laguna],” Batan said during a forum organized by the Management Association of the Philippines.
The P357-billion Metro Manila subway, mainly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), is a 36-kilometer project from Valenzuela City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The 148-km NSCR, on the other hand, is backed by loans also from Jica as well as the Asian Development Bank. It is comprised of three major railway projects in Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila and Calamba.
During the forum, Batan said the NSCR would be progressively completed from 2023 and with the final Calamba segment to be finished by 2025.
He said the subway would be fully completed by 2027. However, Transpo Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran later clarified the 2025 target remained.She said the 2027 deadline referred to a two-year defects liability period—or “when the contract of our contractors will, technically speaking, end.”
Railway investments account for a major slice of the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
Counting sources such as official development assistance loans, private sector and government spending, the entire railway budget stood at P1.7 trillion of the total P7.74-trillion infrastructure budget.
By 2022, the DOTr is targeting to increase the country’s railway footprint to 1,209 km from 77 km in 2016.
Despite the increase, Batan said this was just the initial pipeline of projects because Manila was still trailing cities such as Jakarta, Seoul and Tokyo in terms of railway density.
“Given the catch up that we need to do, we actually need four to five more similarly-sized pipelines,” he said without elaborating on future projects. INQ
DOTr to award more rail contracts
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to award until 2022 a number of contracts for major railway projects in the country.
In the virtual forum on transportation hosted by the Management Association of the Philippines, Timothy John Batan, DOTr undersecretary for railways, said as of end- 2020, DOTr has awarded 35 contracts on rail projects with an average contract cost of P16.8 billion per project.
DOTr is set to award 34 more contracts until 2022.
“We have a long way to go. We have 34 more contracts to award up to 2022 which will increase our average contract size to P22 billion. All of this is part of the P1.7 trillion budget for the rail sector,” Batan said.
Of the total projects under procurement, 17 are ongoing and 17 are set to be procured.
Projects that are currently in the procurement stage are for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1 extension to Cavite, LRT-2 West Extension, Mindanao Railway, three contracts for the Metro Manila Subway project and 12 contracts for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark phase 2 project.
Batan said nine more contracts will be awarded for the PNR Clark phase 2 within the year.
The DOTr also intends to award the civil works for the PNR Bicol segment within the year, said Batan.
In a related development, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade wants drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles (PUV) as well as the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the pandemic to be hired and work in DOTr projects such as the PNR Clark phase 1 project.
Tugade said some 200 former OFWs are now working in the project as he encouraged more displaced OFWs to join.
He also called on other displaced workers in the transport sector, including PUV drivers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, to work in DOTr projects.
At least 7,500 workers are employed during the construction of the project, while 2,000 additional jobs will be made available once the project becomes operational, Tugade said.
The PNR Clark Phase 1, the railway system that will connect Tutuban in Manila and Malolos in Bulacan, is now at 45.82 percent overall progress rate.
Upon completion, the 38-kilometer rail line can carry 300,000 passengers daily and shorten travel time from Malolos to Tutuban to just 35 minutes, as compared to the previous 1 hour and 30 minutes.
PNR Clark Phase 1 forms part of the big-ticket 148-km. North-South Commuter Railway project under the massive “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration.
https://malaya.com.ph/index.php/news_business/dotr-to-award-more-rail-contracts/
Luzon grid on red alert; rotational blackouts loom
Rotational blackouts may persist in the Luzon grid this week as large power plants have extended their unplanned outage and warmer temperature cripples supply in the power grid.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) raised the red alert warning on the Luzon power grid from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. yesterday. Yellow alert notice, on the other hand, was up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
In another advisory later in the day, the NGCP said the red alert was bumped up from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
A yellow alert means there were not enough reserves to cover the largest running generating unit at the time but does not necessarily lead to power outages. A red alert means there is severe power deficiency which could lead to rotational power interruptions.
NGCP said available capacity was at 11,729 megawatts while peak demand was projected to reach 11,514 MW.
In a text message yesterday, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said supply was severely affected by several power plants on outage.
“The DOE is verifying the causes of today’s issuance of yellow and red alerts by NGCP. Although the demand is well within the forecasted levels, there is an observed sudden drop in the available generation capacity. If the red alert is not lifted, there is a possibility of rotational outages,” he said.
Based on data from the DOE, the forecast peak demand for this year is 11,840 MW.
“We haven’t really hit our demand forecast yet. The highest for the year, which was achieved last Friday, was at 11,640 MW,” Energy Assistant Secretary Redentor Delola said in a briefing.
However, developments over the weekend triggered the yellow and red alerts in the power grid, DOE officials said.
“Over the weekend, we registered higher index. For every degree index increase in temperature, there is an equivalent 100 MW increase in demand,” DOE-Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB) director Mario Marasigan said.
Over the weekend, several areas in the Philippines registered heat indices of 41 degrees Celsius and higher, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
The heat index is the apparent temperature or what people feel as the temperature affecting their body, according to the weather bureau.
“We’re recording the heat index. That’s what drives our consumers to use cooling equipment,” Delola said.
Aside from the intensifying heat, several power plants proceeded with their scheduled maintenance, some remained on extend forced outage while other plants are running on derated capacity, with the Luzon grid losing 3,771 MW Monday.
Data from the DOE showed 435 MW were from hydropower plants which went on planned outage on May 30.
Marasigan said the 647-MW Sual unit 2, the 345-MW GNPower Mariveles and the 300-MW Sem Calaca unit 2 are on extended, unplanned outage while the Ilijan gas-fired power plant is generating only 716 MW from its total nameplate capacity of 1,200 MW due to limited gas supply from the Malampaya project, which is experiencing output restriction.
The DOE was banking on the first unit of GNPower Dinginin (GNPD) coal plant to bump up reserves, but the generating company cancelled its commissioning activities due to suspected boiler tube leak that needs to be addressed, Delola said.
“GNPD is still under testing and commissioning. It’s not yet stable but we are really banking on this,” he said. “There’s a possibility this yellow and red alert will last for a couple of days.”
With severely low reserves, NGCP implemented manual load dropping (MLD) to maintain a balanced system in parts of Isabela, the entire province of Quirino, Olongapo City, parts of Quezon province, parts of Camarines Sur, parts of Ilocos Norte, parts of La Union, Zambales, Albay and Metro Manila between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Supply deficiency
Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. experienced supply deficiency of 163 MW and 95 MW from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., respectively, leading to MLD within its franchise area, Meralco vice president for corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said in a text message.
To address the high system demand in the Luzon grid and the increased ambient temperature because of the summer season, Meralco called out its interruptible load program (ILP) participants to voluntarily deload from the grid during the red alert.
It said 86 participating establishments have confirmed willingness to deload under ILP, equivalent to a capacity of 168 MW.
In case of supply deficiency, corporations and commercial establishments participating under the ILP are ready to use their generator sets to help prevent/minimize incidents of power outage, Meralco said.
As the country undertakes vaccination programs, the DOE reminded vaccine facilities and distribution utilities (DUs) to ensure triple backup to protect COVID vaccines.
“They should have their gensets all ready. We also call on our partner facilities to have that triple backup system. As of now, we have red alerts, DUs and those facilities should have backup gensets and should inform DOE... so that we can accordingly respond,” DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said.
The DOE said it continues to monitor the power situation and will submit additional information for consumers and enforcement agencies, including the Energy Regulatory Commission, Philippine Competition Commission and Department of Justice, considering its long-term strategy of addressing the power supply and demand situation during the summer.
It also reminded distribution utilities and system operators of contracting obligations to address the needed capacity increases for a reliable power system for consumers.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/06/01/2102192/luzon-grid-red-alert-rotational-blackouts-loom