Friday, July 30, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Record number of bids for Philippine North-South Commuter Railway
The bids cover the third phase of the line.
PHILIPPINE National Railways (PNR) has received a record 34 bids to undertake civil works for the 40.5km Calamba phase three section of the elevated 147km North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.
The bids were received from 23 companies, including 17 international bidders. The contracts include the construction of elevated stations and a 30-hectare train depot. Further bids are due to be opened later this year.
The NSCR will run from Calamba, Laguna, in Luzon’s CALABARZON, to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga, cutting end-to-end journey times from four hours to 1h 30min. The 38km Phase one will run from Tutuban Station in Manila to Malolos City, Bulacan. The 54km PNR Clark Phase two will run from Malolos to Clark, while Phase three will run from Manila to Calamba.
The international companies are:
China Construction First Group Corporation (China)
Chun Wo Construction (Hong Kong)
Leighton Contractors (Asia) (Hong Kong)
DL Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company (South Korea)
GS Engineering & Construction. (South Korea)
Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
Lotte Engineering and Construction (South Korea)
Posco Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
Samsung Construction & Trading Corporation (South Korea)
PT Adhi Karya (Persero) (Indonesia)
PT PP (Persero) (Indonesia)
PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) (Indonesia)
Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt (Turkey)
Acciona (Spain)
Italian-Thai Development Public Company (Thailand)
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction (Japan)
The local companies are:
D.M. Consunji
EEI Corporation
First Balfour
Megawide Construction Corporation
Prime Metro BMD Corporation
Santa Clara International Corporation
The Calamba section will have 19 stations, including five in Manila.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided advisory services on the bidding process under its Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility and is also preparing a proposal to provide funding support that will be considered by its board of directors in the fourth quarter of this year.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is also providing funding for the NSCR to procure rolling stock, a railway system and consulting services, while the ADB assistance will be utilised for civil works.
The NSCR Extension Project is scheduled to be completed in September 2025.
Monday, July 26, 2021
ADB $1.75-B loan for south rail project up for board approval
THE ASIAN Development Bank (ADB) said it is scheduled to approve a $1.75-billion loan for the South Commuter Railway project, which will connect Tondo, Manila and Calamba, Laguna, by the fourth quarter.
“The Philippine government held successful biddings for civil works contracts for a combined 40.5 kilometers (km) of viaduct structures for the South Commuter Railway Project, a major flagship project the ADB is preparing for funding support for consideration by its Board of Directors in the fourth quarter of this year,” the bank said in a statement Monday.
The loan is the biggest ADB financing package for the Philippines this year.
The P344.6-billion south railway system is part of the flagship 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway System project, which will link Pampanga, Manila and Laguna by 2025.
It was also poised to become the country’s first airport express system since it will be connected to Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
During the bidding last week, the South Commuter Railway project, also referred to as the Philippine National Railways (PNR) project, attracted 34 bids from 17 international and six local companies wanting to take part in the construction of the railway system.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the bidding attracted a “record-breaking turnout” from both Philippine and foreign companies. The government is planning to offer more contract packages for the project’s electromechanical systems and airport express train cars this quarter.
“We congratulate the Department of Transportation and PNR on the successful bidding turnout, which reflects robust local and global interest and confidence in the Philippines’ ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure development program and for a strong post-pandemic economic recovery,” ADB Philippine Country Director Kelly Bird said in the statement.
“We are pleased to partner with the Philippine government in this transformative project that will have substantial multiplier effects on the economy and regional development,” he added.
The bank is planning to lend the government $3.9 billion this year.
The south rail transport system is also linked to another ADB-funded project, the 53-km Malolos-Clark Railway Project, for which the bank extended $2.75 billion worth of financing in May 2019.
The North-South Commuter Railway line was co-financed by the ADB and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It will have 37 stations and 464 train cars or 58 trains sets, which includes airport express trains.
The system, with capacity of up to 1 million passengers daily, is expected to cut the travel time between Clark airport and Calamba, Laguna to 1.5 hours, from four hours currently.
In 2019, JICA also lent the government P80 billion for the first phase of the North-South Commuter Railway system. — Beatrice M. Laforga
https://www.bworldonline.com/adb-1-75-b-loan-for-south-rail-project-up-for-board-approval/
ADB to finance South commuter railway
The government held successful biddings for civil works contracts for a combined 40.5 kilometers of viaduct structures for the South Commuter Railway Project, a major flagship project the Asian Development Bank is preparing for funding support for consideration by its board of directors in the fourth quarter.
The submission and opening of bids on July 14 to 15, which included contracts for elevated stations and a 22-hectare train depot, attracted a record 34 bids from a total of 23 local and international engineering and construction firms. ADB provided advisory services on the bidding process under its Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility.
“We congratulate the Department of Transportation and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) on the successful bidding turnout, which reflects robust local and global interest and confidence in the Philippines’ ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure development program and for a strong post-pandemic economic recovery,” said ADB Philippines country director Kelly Bird.
The South Commuter Railway Project, also called PNR-Calamba, is a key component of the 147-km North–South Commuter Railway system that will reshape the country’s mass transportation network. It will cut travel time from the Clark International Airport in Pampanga province north of Metro Manila to Calamba City in the south from more than 4 hours to just 1.5 hours. The entire railway system is expected to carry up to 1 million passengers daily.
The project is included in ADB’s country operations business plan for the Philippines. It links to another ADB-funded railway, the Malolos–Clark Railway Project approved by ADB in May 2019, a modern, elevated railway line that will connect northern provinces to Metro Manila.
It will feature the country’s first airport express train, with the railway connecting to Clark International Airport. Five civil works contracts worth $2.5 billion under the project were awarded in 2020 and are now under implementation.
“We are pleased to partner with the Philippine government in this transformative project that will have substantial multiplier effects on the economy and regional development,” Bird said.
ADB said it is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
ADB prepares funding support for PNR Calamba
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is preparing its funding support for the P345-billion Philippine National Railways’ (PNR) Calamba project.
In a statement, the Manila-based multilateral financial institution said that funding for the 40.5 kilometer viaduct structures of PNR Calamba, also called South Commuter Railway Project, is up for “consideration” by the ADB Board in the fourth-quarter.
“We are pleased to partner with the Philippine government in this transformative project that will have substantial multiplier effects on the economy and regional development,” Kelly Bird, ADB Philippines country director said Monday, July 26.
PNR-Calamba is a key component of the 147-kilometer North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) system that aims to cut travel time from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Calamba City from more than four hours to just 1.5 hours.
The NSCR system is expected to carry up to one million passengers daily.
Last July 14 to 15, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) held the submission and opening of bids for the civil work contracts that include elevated stations, viaduct structures, and a 22-hectare train depot for PNR Calamba.
A record 34 bids from 23 local and international engineering and construction companies vied for contract packages, DOTr said.
Six local players participated in the bidding that include D.M. Consunji Inc., EEI Corp., First Balfour Inc., Megawide Construction Corp., Prime Metro BMD Corp. and Santa Clara International Corp.
Seventeen foreign companies, meanwhile, submitted bids. These include Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering Construction Co., Spain’s Acciona S.A. and China Construction First Group Corp.
Moreover, Chun Wo Construction (Hongkong), Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd. (Hongkong), DL Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Dong-ah Geological Engineering Co. Ltd. (South Korea), and GS Engineering and Construction Corp. (South Korea) also participated.
In addition, Lotte Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (South Korea), POSCO Engineering and Construction (South Korea), and Samsung Construction and Trading Corp. (South Korea).
The remaining foreign bidders were PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia), PT PP (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia), PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia), Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt A.Ş. (Turkey) and Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd. (Thailand).
“We congratulate the DOTr and the PNR on the successful bidding turnout, which reflects robust local and global interest and confidence in the Philippines’ Build, Build, Build infrastructure development program and for a strong post-pandemic economic recovery,” Bird said.
PNR Calamba is included in ADB’s country operations business plan for the Philippines.
It is also linked to another ADB-funded railway, the Malolos-Clark Railway that features the country’s first airport express train, with the railway connecting to Clark International Airport.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/26/adb-prepares-funding-support-for-pnr-calamba/
‘Build, Build, Build:’ Hits vs hype
When President Rodrigo Duterte addressed the nation in 2017, he promised that the following years would be the “golden age of infrastructure” in the Philippines that would “enhance our mobility and connectivity.”
Filipinos were introduced to “Build, Build, Build” (BBB), the package of flagship infrastructure projects that the President vowed to deliver before leaving office. Pouring massive resources into the development of the archipelago’s network of highways, farm-to-market roads, bridges, railways, seaports and airports made sense as they would create jobs and enhance countryside development.
But how many of these projects had been “Built, Built, Built” with less than a year left before Duterte steps down from Malacañang?
MINDANAO
Still waiting for bidders
In the president’s home region, the promised Mindanao Railway that aims to link the main southern island’s major cities and urban centers, has yet to leave the station more than four years after its launch.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the government was still waiting for the shortlist of bidders for its design and construction from the Chinese government to start the first phase of the project that would connect Digos City to the cities of Davao and Panabo.
Tugade said his department was “quietly” working to make this dream a reality. “This will push through,” he recently told the Davao City Disaster Radio, referring to the P81.69-billion project funded by an official development assistance from China.
“Once we receive that shortlist, we will immediately start the procurement and construction, which we hope will be this year,” he said.
55-km bike lanes
One of the 11 “high-impact” projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Davao region caught everyone’s attention for its early completion—a 55-km network of bicycle lanes that connects Metro Davao’s residential areas to its main hubs. It was started on Feb. 21 this year and was finished in June.
Tugade said the P150-million project would help the public cope with the reduced passenger load of public transportation during the pandemic.
GenSan airport
Not too far from Davao, the P1.09-billion upgrade of the General Santos City airport is now 96-percent complete and will be finished this year, making it capable of servicing inbound night flights, according to Joel Gavina, city manager of Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
The upgrade includes a boarding bridge so that passengers and crew no longer have to walk under the sun or the rain, which they had to endure over the past 25 years, to get to and from their planes.
“You can be proud of the airport’s facelift,” Gavina told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
VISAYAS
1 done out of 15
The Bohol-Panglao International Airport is the only completed BBB project of the 15 in the Visayas listed on the website of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
The P7.8-billion project began in 2015 during the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III. It started operation on Nov. 27, 2018.
Three of six major infrastructures classified as “in the process of completion” were started by the previous administration: the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) in Calinog town in Iloilo, the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, and the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Economic Highway.
Work on the three others—the P1.94-billion Boracay Circumferential Road, the Samar Pacific Coastal Road, and the New Panglao-Tagbilaran Offshore Bridge Connector — began after Mr. Duterte took office.
Yet to start
The following projects have yet to start: the fourth Cebu-Mactan Bridge and Coastal Road Construction Project; Cebu Monorail System; the New Cebu International Container Port (NCICP); Bacolod-Silay International Airport expansion; Iloilo ports development; Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge; Kalibo International Airport development project; and Iloilo International Airport expansion.
The P11.2-billion JRMP Phase II in Iloilo’s Calinog town was 37.83 percent complete as of March 31.
Considered the biggest ongoing project in the region and the biggest dam outside Luzon, the JRMP is set to be completed in 2023, according to the National Irrigation Administration.
The Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge is back to the drawing board after its funding source, the Chinese government, backed out.
The International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Philippine Ports Authority to develop the Iloilo Commercial Port Complex and the Port of Dumangas in Iloilo. The ICTSI invested at least P8.7 billion for these projects.
The upgrade of the Kalibo International Airport and the expansion of the Iloilo International Airport are awaiting approval from several government agencies.
The NCICP in Consolacion town is expected to break ground on Aug. 16. The P9.96-billion project will be financed through a $172.64-million loan agreement between the Philippines and the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
The government will start partial operations of its first BRT system in Cebu by December. The P16.3-billion World Bank-funded project will be fully operational in 2023.
The Cebu-Cordova Bridge, known as the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, or third bridge, is 80 percent complete as of July. Once finished, the 8-km bridge, which connects Cebu with Mactan Island, will be the longest in the Philippines.
Finished by 2024
The Negros highway, which will pass by the Bacolod-Silay Airport, will provide an alternate route from southern to northern Negros Occidental.
The project involves the opening, concreting, and widening of 38.8 km of roads, construction of 10 new bridges, slope protection works, and improvement of an existing 11.15-km road and six bridges, said DPWH-Western Visayas director Lea Delfinado.
It is set to be completed in December 2024, eight years after construction started in March 2016.
The Samar coastal road is 52.260 percent complete as of June 2021, according to the Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (NSSDEO).
The P997.5-million project is funded through a loan from South Korea’s Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund.
Engineer Raul Nuqui of the Unified Project Management Cluster of NSSDEO said bad weather, shortage of construction materials, lack of manpower, and COVID-19 restrictions had hampered construction work.
LUZON
Bicol International Airport
In Luzon, the Bicol International Airport (BIA) in Albay, which three presidents had listed as a flagship project, is set to be opened initially for domestic flights in December.
The BIA in Daraga town is envisioned as an international air hub that is projected to spur economic growth and boost tourism in the region.
Neda Bicol director Agnes Espinas Tolentino said 83 percent of civil works and 87 percent of overall physical work at the airport had been completed as of June.
The government has spent P3.9 billion on the BIA since 2009.
SLEX extension
The extension of the South Luzon Expressway from Santo Tomas, Batangas, to Lucena City in Quezon province is ongoing.
In Central Luzon and the Ilocos regions, the Duterte administration’s big-ticket infrastructure projects involve railways and the expansion of expressways.
A P50-billion 71-km Subic-Clark railway will be funded by Chinese companies. It is a component of the PNR Luzon System Development Framework that will provide freight service between Subic Bay Freeport and Clark Freeport, and link Subic Port to Clark International Airport and other major economic hubs in Central Luzon, especially New Clark City.
In January this year, the Philippines and China signed the project’s commercial contract, making it the “highest funded government-to-government project between the two countries.”
Clark-Bulacan-Manila link
Aside from the Subic-Clark Railway, a rail system will connect Clark to the City of Malolos in Bulacan and Manila.
The PNR Clark Phase 1 from Tutuban in Manila to Malolos was 46.68 percent complete as of June, according to Tugade.
This 39-km segment, to be finished in 2024, is part of the North-South Commuter Railway project conceptualized during the Ramos administration.
The proposed P175.7 billion Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge is expected to spur development in Bataan province and other parts of Central Luzon as well as neighboring cities in Metro Manila.
Bataan Gov. Albert Garcia told the Inquirer that the more than 32-km bridge would shorten the travel time between the two provinces from three hours to 30 minutes.
“This is a significant project that will benefit Bataan and Central Luzon because this will pave the way for more businesses to flourish,” said Garcia.
The DPWH opened this month portions of the 30-km Central Luzon Link Expressway between Tarlac City and Nueva Ecija.
In Northern Luzon, the last segment of the 88-km Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) was opened to motorists in July last year.
The expansion of TPLEx, a toll road operated by San Miguel Corp., was aimed at cutting an hour off the four-hour trip from Manila to Baguio City and other northern destinations.
—REPORTS FROM GERMELINA LACORTE, BONG SARMIENTO, NESTOR BURGOS JR., JOEY GABIETA, LEO UDTOHAN, CARLA GOMEZ, ADOR VINCENT MAYOL, MAR ARGUELLES, JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT, TONETTE OREJAS, GREG REFRACCION AND YOLANDA SOTELO
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1463866/build-build-build-hits-vs-hype
Friday, July 23, 2021
Metro Manila, 4 provinces under 'GCQ with heightened restrictions' to curb COVID-19 Delta's spread
Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News
The National Capital Region and 4 other areas will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) "with heightened restrictions," Malacañang said on Friday, after the Philippines confirmed local transmission of the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant.
The following areas will be under GCQ with heightened restrictions from July 23 until 31, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.
NCR
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
Davao De Oro
Davao Del Norte
Under GCQ with heightened restrictions, indoor dine-in services are limited to 20 percent of venue or seating capacity, while al fresco or outdoor dine-in services are capped at 50 percent of capacity, the inter-agency task force on COVID-19 earlier said.
Personal care services, such as beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops, and nail spas, may operate up to 30 percent of capacity under this quarantine level.
The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 earlier placed Iloilo province, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental under the strictest lockdown level, enhanced community quarantine, at least until the end of the month.
Davao Del Sur will be downgraded to GCQ from its previous modified ECQ classification, starting July 23 until 31, Roque said.
DELTA THREAT
The Department of Health on Thursday reported 12 new local cases of the Delta variant, first emerged in India, bringing the Philippines' total cases of the strain to 47.
"Clusters of Delta variant cases were seen to be linked to other local cases, therefore, exhibiting local transmission," the DOH said in a statement.
For context, the term "local transmission" is used if there is evidence that a local case has already transmitted the virus to another local case, Health Epidemiology Bureau Dir. Alethea De Guzman earlier said.
Independent research unit OCTA also early Thursday said the spike of new infections in the capital region is likely driven by the Delta variant, which could signal the onset of a fresh surge.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Wednesday the Alpha and Beta variants, which first emerged in the United Kingdom and South Africa, respectively, were behind the relatively high cases in Metro Manila.
PROTOCOLS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
To curb the spread of COVID-19 variants among inbound international travelers, the Bureau of Quarantine must identify the close contacts in the airplane or vessel of the confirmed patients, and closely monitor them, Roque said.
"Infection prevention and control protocols must likewise be strictly followed in all quarantine and isolation facilities," said Roque, who is also spokesman for the IATF.
Local governments, he said, "must closely monitor for the appearance of any sign or symptom while arrivals are completing their quarantine and immediately conduct RT-PCR testing after detection of symptoms."
"In addition, health assessment must be done for all arrivals at the end of isolation or quarantine period."
To enable the safe continuity of economic activities, the IATF asked establishments to "consider developing and converting more outdoor spaces into temporary outdoor weekend markets and dining spaces and permanently accessible urban green spaces, outdoor recreational spaces and public sanitation facilities," said the Palace official.
Lastly, the IATF allowed foreign spouses, parents, and children of Filipino citizens with valid 9(a) visas to enter the Philippines, "without the need of an entry exemption document" from Aug. 1, Roque said.
Philippine authorities have been scrambling to try and stop the Delta COVID-19 variant from spreading after this triggered a surge in infections across Southeast Asia.
The Philippines has banned travelers from 10 countries until the end of July.
P68.2-B MRT7 now 61% complete
The P68.2-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) is 60.93 percent complete and will partially operate in April 2022, over two decades after the project’s unsolicited proposal was submitted.
The 22-kilometer railway running from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan will be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) yesterday (July 22) announced.
Earlier, the DOTr projected MRT-7 will be partially operational by December 2021 and fully operational in December 2022 but has now set back the partial operations date by four months.
Once completed, the 14-station MRT-7 will reduce travel time between Quezon City and Bulacan from 2-3 hours to 35 minutes.
The mass transport system will accommodate 300,000 to 850,000 passengers daily.
Its Unsolicited Proposal was first submitted to the government in 2001 and the MRT-7 Concession Agreement was signed in 2008.
However, “not a single post has been built and not a single train has been delivered until mid-2016, under the Duterte Administration, according to the DOTr.
The DOTr is tripling its capital expenditure for 11 big-ticket railway infrastructure from P90.756 Billion this year to P278.3 Billion in 2022, at the end of the Duterte administration, with 8 projects either completed or partially operational.
Government receives 34 bids for PNR-Calamba project
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said a total of 34 bids from six local companies and 17 international firms have been received for contract packages of the PNR-Calamba project which is targeted to start construction next year.
The bids received are for the construction of a combined 40.5 kilometers of viaduct structures, including 13 elevated stations and a 22-hectare train depot for the project.
The local companies that submitted their bids were D.M. Consunji Inc., EEI Corp., First Balfour Inc., Megawide Construction Corp., Prime Metro BMD Corp., and Santa Clara International Corp.
Meanwhile, companies from China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, Spain, and Japan also submitted their bids.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the impressive turnout of bidders for the PNR-Calamba project’s contract packages is proof of the infrastructure sector’s trust in the government’s Build Build Build infrastructure program.
“This record-breaking turnout of bidders is yet again an indication of the trust and confidence of both the local and international infrastructure sectors on the Duterte administration’s Build Build Build program, which champions a transparent, fair, and efficient bidding process through a joint implementation by the DOTr, PNR, and the procurement service of the DBM,” Tugade said.
The opening of bids for more contract packages for the PNR-Calamba project is set later this year.
The agency expects over 10,000 direct jobs to be generated with the construction of the PNR-Calamba project which will commence next year.
PNR-Calamba will have 19 stations located across five cities in Metro Manila and six cities in Laguna.
The 56-kilometer railway project is expected to serve at least 340,000 passengers daily during its partial operations, while ridership is seen to increase up to 550,000 passengers once the railway is on full operation in 2028.
The project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and with the official development assistance from the Asian Development Bank.
The PNR-Calamba project is part of the longer 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway System which has 35 stations stretching from Calamba in Laguna to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/07/23/2114382/government-receives-34-bids-pnr-calamba-project
PNR Calamba receives 34 bids for railway project
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Thursday a total of 34 bids were submitted for the contract packages of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba Project.
The 34 were from six Filipino companies and 17 foreign firms. They were bidding for six packages of the railway project.
Local groups that submitted bids are: D.M. Consunji Inc.; EEI Corporation; First Balfour Inc.; Megawide Construction Corporation; Prime Metro BMD Corporation; and Santa Clara International Corporation.
The foreign groups that participated in the auction are: China Construction First Group Corporation Ltd. (China); Chun Wo Construction (Hongkong); Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited (Hongkong); DL Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. (South Korea); Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd. (South Korea); GS Engineering & Construction Corp. (South Korea); Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. (South Korea); Lotte Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (South Korea); POSCO Engineering & Construction (South Korea); and Samsung Construction & Trading Corporation (South Korea).
These foreign groups also joined the bidding: PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia); PT PP (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia); PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk (Indonesia); Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt A.Ş. (Turkey); Acciona, S.A. (Spain); Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd. (Thailand); and Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd. (Japan).
“This record-breaking turnout of bidders is yet again an indication of the trust and confidence of both the local and international infrastructure sectors on the Duterte Administration’s Build Build Build Program, which champions a transparent, fair, and efficient bidding process through a joint implementation by the DOTr, PNR, and the Procurement Service of the DBM,” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said.
Together, all six contract packages will see the development of 40.5 kilometers of viaduct structures, including thirteen elevated stations and a 22-hectare train depot.
Tugade said five more contract packages for the PNR Calamba Project are set for the opening of bids later this year. These include civil works packages for five stations, underground tunnel works, electromechanical systems and airport express train cars.
PNR Calamba is part of the larger 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project, which will stretch from Calamba, Laguna to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga. When completed, it will be equipped with 464 train cars, and will cut travel time between Calamba and Clark to 1.5 hours from 4 hours.
The railway program is funded by an official development assistance package from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
Currently, construction is “at full swing” for the northern segment, which involves 90 kilometers of rail and 16 stations.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/22/pnr-calamba-receives-34-bids-for-railway-project/
Thursday, July 22, 2021
57% progress rate cited for LRT-1 Cavite Extension
The ₱64.9-billion Light Rail Transit (LRT)-1 Cavite Extension, which was delayed for two decades, has registered a 57 percent overall progress rate as of last month, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) today (July 20) reported.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension was first approved by the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee approved the project on August 25, 2000 and the NEDA Board gave it the green light on January 22, 2002.
The Right of Way (ROW) acquisition started in 2007, with Congress giving budget for the project.
Based on the 4th attempt to implement the project and its 3rd NEDA Board approval in 2013, ROW acquisition for Phase 1 should have been completed in April 2015, Phase 2 in August 2015, and Phase 3 in March 2016.
However, when the Duterte Administration came in July 2016, none of the ROW was certified as “free and clear” by the project’s independent consultant.
After expediting the acquisition of ROW for Phase 1 in 2019, the DOTr, together with the Light Rail Transit Authority and the Light Rail Manila Corporation, started building the railway.
Now, it is almost 60 percent complete.
Once it operates, the rail line will reduce travel time between Baclaran and Niog, Bacoor, Cavite from one hour and 10 minutes down to 25 minutes and is projected to increase passenger capacity from 500,000 to 800,000 daily.
In addition, the project generated more than 1,600 jobs during its construction phase, with more to be created once it becomes operational.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/20/57-progress-rate-cited-for-lrt-1-cavite-extension/
PNR Calamba project draws 34 bidders
The ₱344.6 billion Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba Project, drew 34 bids from six Philippine companies and seventeen international firms, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) today (July 22) announced.
The bidders are vying for contract packages to build 40.5 kilometers of viaduct structure, including thirteen elevated stations and a 22-hectare train depot.
The government held the Bid Submission and Opening for Contract Packages S-01 and S-02, and Contract Packages S-04, S-05, S-06, and S-07 last week.
Foreign bidders included the China Construction First Group Corporation Ltd. From China) as well as Chun Wo Construction and Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited, both from Hong Kong.
A total of seven bidders came from South Korea: DL Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. • Dong-ah Geological Engineering Company Ltd.; GS Engineering & Construction Corp.; Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd.; Lotte Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd.; POSCO Engineering & Construction as well as Samsung Construction & Trading Corporation.
In addition, there were three bidders from Indonesia – PT Adhi Karya (Persero) Tbk; PT PP (Persero) Tbk and PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk.
Another bidder was from Turkey, Gülermak Ağır Sanayi İnşaat ve Taahhüt A.S.; one from Spain, Acciona, S.A.; one from Thailand, Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd. and one from Japan, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd.
Furthermore, six local construction companies joined the fray: D.M. Consunji Inc., EEI Corporation, First Balfour, Inc., Megawide Construction Corporation,Prime Metro BMD Corporation and Santa Clara International Corporation.
The “impressive turnout of bidders” for the PNR Calamba Project’s contract packages is proof of the infrastructure sector’s trust in the government’s infrastructure program, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade pointed out.
“This record-breaking turnout of bidders is yet again an indication of the trust and confidence of both the local and international infrastructure sector,” he reiterated.
Another handful of contract packages for the PNR Calamba Project are set for bidding later this year.
The opening of bids for the project’s civil works packages S-03A, S-03B, and S-03C (construction of at-grade and viaduct structures with five stations, underground tunnel works and the construction of a station to be integrated with the Metro Manila Subway Project) are expected by third quarter, 2021.
Meanwhile, the opening of bids for contract packages involving the project’s electromechanical systems and airport express train cars are also expected in 3Q 2021.
The PNR Calamba Project is part of the 147-kilometer over P600Billion North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which has 35 stations stretching from Calamba in Laguna to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
The NSCR will cut travel time from the Clark International Airport to Calamba from more than 4 hours down to just 1.5 hours.
Travelers from Makati will also be able to reach the Clark International Airport in less than one hour aboard the Airport Express train service.
The NSCR System can initially accommodate up to 1 million daily passengers.
Construction of the NSCR is supported by the Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
It is the single largest project being financed by the ADB in its history, and is the longest commuter railway being financed by JICA.
At present, construction is at full-swing for the northern segment of the NSCR System, which involves 90 kilometers of rail line and 16 stations.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/22/pnr-calamba-project-draws-34-bidders/
DOTR: LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project hit 57% construction progress as of June 30
The Department of Transportation said Wednesday the P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is more than halfway to completion.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the project already had a 57-percent overall progress rate as of June 30. Upon completion, the project will reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite from one hour and 10 minutes to 25 minutes and increase passenger capacity of the LRT Line 1 from 500,000 to 800,000 daily.
“In addition, we were able to generate more than 1,600 jobs during its construction phase, and we expect more job opportunities for the Filipino people once it becomes operational,” he said.
The DOTR and Light Rail Manila Corp., the private concessionaire of LRT Line 1, were originally expecting the partial operations of the project to start before the end of 2021.
Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers 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. LRT Line 1 runs from Baclaran in Pasay City to Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City.
The DOTR earlier said the government would spend more than P700 billion this year until 2025 to build more mass railway projects in Luzon and Mindanao.
The programmed capital expenditure for 11 railways projects would amount to P90.75 billion this year, P278.27 billion in 2022, P222.74 billion in 2023, P104.10 billion in 2024, and P45.47 billion in 2025.
Besides LRT Line 1, the other railway projects of the government are LRT2 East Extension, LRT2 West Extension, MRT 3 Rehabilitation, MRT 4 Project, Metro Manila Subway, Common Station, North-South Commuter Railway, Subic-Clark Railway, PNR South Long Haul Project and the Mindanao Railway Project.
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
North-South rail, subway trains to start arriving in December
THE TRAIN sets for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), which will also be used for the section of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) that will be initially operational, will start arriving in the Philippines in December.
“NSCR trains will start arriving in December 2021, and it will be the NSCR trains that are intended to be initially used in MMSP’s partial operability section,” Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John R. Batan said in a statement to BusinessWorld on July 19.
He said the Metro Manila Subway and the North-South Commuter Railway are designed to be “physically interoperable.”
The Transportation department started seeking bidders for the tunneling works contract connecting the North-South Commuter Railway Project to the Metro Manila Subway Project via a station in Taguig City in April. The deadline for submission of bids was set for July 8.
The package covers the construction of the commuter railway’s FTI Station in Taguig and tunneling works to connect the project to the Senate Station, which is also in Taguig, of the Metro Manila Subway Project.
The 148-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Project is financed by the Asian Development Bank. It will run from Clark in Central Luzon to Calamba, Laguna.
The NSCR will have 37 stations and 464 train cars. It is expected to accommodate about 830,000 passengers per day once fully operational.
The Transportation department said the NSCR “encompasses three railway projects, including the PNR (Philippine National Railways) Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban – Malolos), which is a 38-kilometer rail line that will connect Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan, and is projected to reduce travel time from approximately one hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes.”
As for the subway project, Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade has said he will continue to press the government’s private partners to finish the portion of the subway due to open for partial operations by December.
The Metro Manila Subway will have 17 stations: East Valenzuela, Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, East Avenue, Anonas, Katipunan, Ortigas, Shaw, Kalayaan Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Lawton, Senate, FTI, NAIA Terminal 3, and Bicutan.
The government broke ground on the first three stations in February 2019 after the Transportation department signed a P51-billion deal with the Shimizu joint venture, which consists of Shimizu Corp., Fujita Corp., Takenaka Civil Engineering Co. Ltd., and EEI Corp.
The Philippines and Japan signed in March 2018 the first tranche of the P355.6-billion loan for the subway project.
https://www.bworldonline.com/north-south-rail-subway-trains-to-start-arriving-in-december/
What has ‘Build, Build, Build’ achieved so far?
29,264 kilometers of roads, 5,950 bridges, 214 airport and 451 seaport projects
NIGHT OWL
Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo
I began writing this piece on “Build, Build, Build” while on my way back to Manila from Tarlac after inaugurating the first 18-kilometer segment of Central Luzon Link Freeway with President Rodrigo Duterte, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Senator Bong Go and Tarlac Governor Susan Yap.
The Central Luzon Link Freeway, which connects Tarlac and Nueva Ecija within 20 minutes, is part of the Luzon Spine Expressway Network, a masterplan aimed at reducing travel time from the northernmost part of Luzon, Ilocos, to the southern most part, Bicol, by over 50 percent via the construction of a 101-kilometer high standard highway network.
The event ended at about 8 o clock in the evening and we reached home a little before midnight. The following day, the call time was 5 a.m. Secretary Mark and I were going to Cebu to attend the inauguration of the 129-kilometer Metro Cebu bike lane network and inspect the Philippines’ longest bridgeway — the 8.5-kilometer Cebu-Cordova Link Bridge.
This was our normal routine for the past five years. While it was not easy to sustain — we wanted to leave office knowing we gave it everything that we got. To us, “Build, Build, Build” is an opportunity to leave the Philippines at a much better state than before. It was a chance to catapult our tiger cub economy to a trillion dollar club. Fate allowed us to venture on a gigantic task of making the lives of Filipino people in 81 provinces more comfortable.
The President’s instructions were clear from the onset: Finish as many “Build, Build, Build” projects as possible in the soonest possible time. Whoever gets the credit is none of our business.
Five years after since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed position, DPWH, under Secretary Villar, has completed a total of 29,264 kilometers of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 flood control projects, 222 evacuation centers, 89 Tatag ng Imprastraktura Para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) projects and 150,149 classrooms, and 653 COVID-19 facilities has also been built under the “Build, Build, Build” program.
Moreover, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), under Secretary Art Tugade, have completed 214 airport projects, 451 commercial and social/tourism seaport projects and the country’s first land port — the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
29,264 kilometers of roads completed
Of the 29,264 kilometers of roads completed, 2,025 kilometers are farm-to-market roads, 94.99 kilometers are farm-to-mill roads, 1376.26 kilometers are missing links, 1,470.51 kilometers are bypasses or diversion roads, 149.65 kilometers lead to airports, 293.19 kilometers lead to seaports, 703.54 kilometers lead to economic zones and 2,436.40 kilometers lead to declared tourism destinations. A total of 3,122.73 kilometers were maintained, 4,686 kilometers widened and 3,591.96 kilometers rehabilitated and upgraded.
These includes the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the Laguna Lake Highway, the Candon City Bypass Road in Ilocos Sur, the Slaughter House Road in Davao City, the Pulilan-Baliuag Diversion Road in Bulacan, the Calapan-Roxas Road in Oriental Mindoro, the Mandaue Causeway Road in Cebu, the Dipolog-Oroquieta Road in Misamis Occidental, the Dumaguete North Road in Negros Oriental, and the Taytay-El Nido Road in Palawan.
Of the 5,950 bridges, 1,366 were widened, 355 constructed, 1,805 bridges retrofitted, 1,389 rehabilitated and 297 replaced. About 738 local bridges were also built.
These include the Lucban Bridge in Cagayan, the Marcos Bridge in Marikina, the Sicapo Bridge in Ilocos Norte, the Pigalo Bridge in Isabela, the Anduyan Bridge in La Union, the Tallang Bridge along Cagayan, the Bolo-Bolo Bridge in Misamis Oriental, the Caguray Bridge in Occidental Mindoro, the Tinongdan Bridge, the Pasac-Culcul in Pampanga, the Aganan Bridge in Iloilo, the Maddiangat Bridge in Nueva Viscaya and the Pigalo Bridge in Isabela.
11,340 flood control projects
A total of 11,340 flood mitigation structures were completed since June 2016 to expand protected flood-prone areas across the country.
These include the Mandaluyong Main Drainage Project, the pumping stations at Barangays Wawang Polo and Coloong, the Flood Risk Management Project for Cagayan River, the Flood Risk Management Project for Tagoloan River, the Leyte Tide Embankment Project and the Pasig Marikina River Flood Control Project.
150,149 classrooms
To address the gap in physical facilities required for elementary and secondary schools nationwide, Villar noted that a total of 150,149 classrooms were constructed. Another 17,647 classrooms are in various stages of implementation.
These include the National High School in Alaminos, Pangasinan, the Alejandra Navarro National High School in Davao City and the Bagong Pag-Asa Elementary School.
214 airports completed
In the aviation and airports sector, the DOTr and its attached agencies have completed 214 airport projects under the Duterte administration, with 100 more ongoing.
Completed projects include the Bohol-Panglao International Airport, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the Sangley Airport in Cavite, the Lal-Lo International Airport, the Tacloban Airport, the Puerto Princesa International Airport and the Ormoc Airport.
Domestic airports also underwent improvements. These include the gateways in Camiguin, Virac, and Tuguegarao.
Meanwhile, ongoing airport projects include the Bicol International Airport which was delayed for 11 years and is now more than halfway complete; the second passenger terminal building of the Clark International Airport; the Davao International Airport; Bukidnon Airport; Surigao Airport; and Kalibo Airport.
451 commercial and social seaports
Across the archipelago, seaports are being upgraded and rehabilitated to better serve the public. Currently, the DOTr has completed 451 commercial and social/tourism seaport projects, while 101 are ongoing.
Notable port projects include the construction of the country’s biggest Passenger Terminal Building at the Port of Cagayan de Oro, and the rehabilitation of Opol Port in Misamis Oriental, Sasa Port in Davao, Butuan Port in Agusan Del Norte, Tubigon Port in Bohol, Limasawa Port in Southern Leyte, and General Santos (Makar Wharf).
The country’s first barge terminal, the Cavite Gateway Terminal, which aims to reduce truck traffic on major roads and offer a cost-effective access to goods between Manila and Cavite through the waterways, had been built.
On maritime safety, as of June 2021, we now have 564 out of 600 lighthouses operational nationwide.
Railways
For railways, DOTR has six projects with ongoing construction and one undergoing rehabilitation.
In 2019, after 40 years and six administrations, the Metro Manila Subway, our country’s first underground railway system, finally started with site-clearing works at the Valenzuela Depot. Two out of the 25 massive tunnel boring machines are already in the Philippines for the start of the underground works within 2021. This will reduce travel time between Quezon City and NAIA from one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes.
The much-delayed MRT-7, whose Concession Agreement was signed in 2008 but had nearly zero movement until 2016, is now 60.93 percent complete. This will reduce travel time between Quezon City and Bulacan from 2-3 hours to just 35 minutes.
Approved by the NEDA Board in 2007 and stalled since 2009, the Common Station is now undergoing 24/7 construction, and is now 50.95 percent complete. The Common station, which will connect MRT-3, MRT-7, LRT-1, and the Metro Manila Subway, will have the capacity to accommodate 500,000 passengers per day.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension, delayed for 19 years, finally started full-blast construction this year. This will reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from one hour 10 minutes down to 25 minutes.
The LRT-2 East Extension project is now completed and open to the public. The LRT-2 East Extension reduces travel time between Manila and Antipolo from two to three hours to just 40 minutes.
The MRT-3, battered from years of poor and erratic maintenance, is now undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation with Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan.
The Manila to Clark Railway, planned way back in 1993, is now undergoing full-blast construction with PNR Clark Phase 1’s first train set scheduled for delivery within the fourth quarter of 2021. This will reduce travel time between Tutuban and Malolos from one hour and 30 minutes to just 35 minutes.
PNR Clark Phase 2, PNR Calamba, PNR Bicol, Subic-Clark Railway, and the Mindanao Railway are all in the pipeline, and are now undergoing various stages of procurement and pre-construction work.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/21/what-has-build-build-build-achieved-so-far/
Tuesday, July 20, 2021
MPTC sees completion of P155-B Urban Ring Road network in 3-5 years
In three to five years, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) will complete its P155-billion ‘Urban Ring Road,’ a network linking expressways in all four directions of Metro Manila to make travel seamless for motorists.
So far, some parts of the road’s three expressway sections “have been completed, a few are under construction, while the rest are in the planning stage,” according to MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco.
On the east of the ring are the C5 Expressway and C5 Southlink, and on the west is the NLEX-CAVITEX Port Expressway Link.
After MPTC acquired CAVITEX in 2010, “We realized we could build a ring road by linking our expressways in the northern and southern parts of Metro Manila, providing express access to and from all directions within the metropolis,” he explained.
Already, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) reported that the country “is losing P3.5 billion per day due to urban traffic congestion.”
This loss should be drastically reduced. “We know we are on the right track,” Franco stressed.
Based on traffic project studies, the ring road could reduce vehicle operating costs (VOCs), generate more jobs for workers during and after construction, lessen pollution, boost land values in areas around the expressways and enhance the quality of urban life.
“The tollway projects are interconnected, and their favorable socio-economic impact is cumulative,” Franco added.
The three interlinked expressway projects comprise the NLEX Urban Ring Road.
The two eastside urban expressway projects at Metro Manila are the C5 Expressway, for 2026 completion, and the C5 South Link to be completed in 2023.
The C-5 Expressway connects the segment extensions of NLEX main – Segments 8.1 and 8.2, which ends at C. P. Garcia Avenue.
The C5 Expressway (Section 1) begins where C. P. Garcia Avenue leaves off, proceeding to the Marcos Ave. Interchange, to Libis and Caruncho ramps, advancing to Ortigas and Lanuza Avenues, ending up in Pasig Boulevard.
Section 2 of C5 Expressway moves toward Bonifacio Global City through the Levi Mariano and Bayani Road interchanges – finally linking with C5 Southlink all the way to CAVITEX main toll plaza.
At the westside of Metro Manila, is the NLEX-CAVITEX Port Expressway Link, a six-lane 15.1 km. expressway.
The Link has three sections: Section 1, from the end of Radial Road 10 (R-10) Spur Road Ramp of NLEX, to Anda Circle in Manila. Section 2 starts at Buendia Avenue, traversing Roxas Boulevard and Diosdado Macapagal Avene – toward CAVITEX. Section 3 connects Anda Circle to Buendia.
Thousands of vehicles which traverse existing local roads will be redirectred to the expressways, reducing overuse and creating savings for the government,” according to Franco.
The savings could finance other priority projects.
Furthermore, the tollway expansion will finally match the capacity expansions of the Manila North and South Harbors — even the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI).
With this link, north-bound trucks would steer clear of the congested roads of Manila.
Faster travel time reduces gas consumption, minimizes vehicle wear and tear and translates to higher margins for truck operators.
As easier travel boosts business activity, malls, commercial establishments, and offices will need more people to run their businesses.
“This means more jobs during construction and after construction when these tollways are fully operational,” says Franco.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/20/mptc-sees-completion-of-p155-b-urban-ring-road-network-in-3-5-years/
Sunday, July 18, 2021
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Friday, July 16, 2021
Naga itinutulak na ideklara nang Highly Urbanized City
NAGA CITY- Itinutulak sa konseho na ideklara sa pamamagitan ng isang Presidential Proclamation bilang isa sa mga Highly Urbanized Cities ang Naga.
Sa Local Government Code nakasaad na highly urbanized ang isang lungsod kung umaabot na sa 200-libo ang populasyon. Sa tala ng Philippine Statistics Authority lumalabas na umabot na sa 209,170 noong 2020 ang populasyon mula sa 196,003 noong 2015.
6.3% ang itinaas ito. Sa 27 Barangays ang Concepcion Pequeña pa rin ang maraming nananahanan kung saan umabot na ito sa 25,139 at Dinaga ang may pinaka kaunti sa 344.
Ayon kay City Councilor Badong Del Castillo , malaking bagay ito sa iba pang benipisyo, mga programang ipatutupad ng Local at National Government
https://brigadanews.ph/naga-itinutulak-na-ideklara-nang-highly-urbanized-city/
Thursday, July 15, 2021
DOTr plans new Calamba train station
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will convert 22 hectares of land in Calamba City, Laguna province, into a depot for a new station of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
The land will be used in building the Banlic Depot Site and Calamba Central Station, which is part of the DOTr’s bigger North-South Commuter Railway project.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on Tuesday said the rail line is expected to partially operate in the fourth quarter of 2025, while full operations are expected to commence by 2028.
With the new railway link, commuters can travel from Alabang in Muntinlupa to Calamba in half an hour, Clark in Pampanga in one hour and 30 minutes, and Makati to Calamba in one hour. —MARIEJO S. RAMOS
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1459811/dotr-plans-new-calamba-train-station
PNR Calamba construction to employ 10,000 next year
The Department of Transportation expects to start the construction of the 56-kilometer, P344.6-billion PNR Calamba line next year that will generate more than 10,000 direct jobs.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the project would provide employment opportunities not only for residents of Calamba but also from nearby municipalities.
He said employees and students would benefit from the operation of the PNR Calamba project which would significantly cut travel time between Metro Manila and Laguna, enabling them to spend more time with their families.
Tugade said the completion of the project would also boost local and regional economic development.
“If we are going to complete this, this would lift the economy of Calamba. Remember, this is a historical site. Imagine the benefits it would generate for tourism,” Tugade said.
One of the flagship projects of the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration, PNR Calamba is the third leg of the massive North-South Commuter Railway project. It will connect Metro Manila (Solis St., Tondo) and Calamba, Laguna and reduce travel time from four hours to just one hour.
The 56-kilometer railway project is expected to serve at least 340,000 passengers a day during its partial operations. Ridership is expected to increase up to 550,000 passengers once the railway is on full operation by 2028.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Asian Development Bank, PNR Calamba’s 19 stations are located across five cities in Metro Manila and six cities in Laguna.
It will connect to the first two sections of the North-South Commuter Railway. Phase 1 of the NSCR Project is the construction of the P149.13-billion Malolos to Tutuban commuter railway that will be seamlessly integrated to the P283-8 billion PNR Clark Phase 2.
PNR Clark Phase 2 is a 54-kilometer rail line, which will connect Malolos, Bulacan and Clark, Pampanga.
The project will also feature the country’s first-ever Airport Express, which is expected to reduce travel time from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Makati City to about an hour.
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.
The DOTR earlier announced plans to launch bidding for the operations and maintenance contracts for the Metro Manila Subway Project and North South Commuter Railway System.
DOTR Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said 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.
Dubbed as the “Project of the Century,” the P355-billion Metro Manila Subway is expected to serve 370,000 passengers daily in its first year of full operations.
‘PNR Calamba project to create 10K jobs’
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba project will generate 10,000 direct jobs once its construction starts next year.
“It is important to note that the project will provide more than 10,000 jobs during its construction phase. It is also important to note that this is just direct jobs,” he said, noting that it will also generate indirect jobs related to construction.
He added that the project will provide significant benefits to employees and students.
“The benefit of this project is that we will have faster mobility. Those who will benefit from these are mainly students going to their schools and workers going to their place of work,” Tugade said.
Aside from this, Tugade also expects the train system to “boost local and regional economic development.”
“Once we complete this, we are sure that the economy of Calamba, Laguna will expand. Remember, this is a historical site. Imagine the benefits it would generate for tourism.”
The PNR Calamba is the third phase of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project. The 56-kilometer railway aims to connect Metro Manila via Solis St., Tondo and Calamba, Laguna and cut travel time from current four hours to just one hour.
It is expected to serve at least 340,000 passengers a day during its partial operations, while ridership is expected to increase up to 550,000 passengers once the railway is on full operation in 2028. It will have 19 stations.
The project is funded by an official development assistance package from the Asian Development Bank and the the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
In May, Tugade said the train cars for the NSCR are set to arrive in the fourth quarter. He said the actual train cars will arrive in December, while a training simulator for the first phase of the PNR Clark Phase 1 will arrive between September and October. The DOTr chief has ordered the immediate completion of the first two segments of the NSCR project. So far, he said, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phases 1 and 2 are “on track.”
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/14/pnr-calamba-project-to-create-10k-jobs/
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
PNR Calamba to employ over 10,000 during construction
The Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba Project, the ₱344.6 billion South Commuter train line, will generate over 10,000 direct jobs once its construction starts next year, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade last night (July 13) announced.
The project will employ residents of Calamba and nearby areas, he added during his inspection of the PNR Banlic Depot in Calamba, Laguna yesterday.
Furthermore, the PNR Calamba project will benefit employees and students as the rail line will cut travel time going to and from workplaces and schools.
Needless to say, the railway will boost local and regional economic development. “Imagine the benefits it would generate for tourism,” he remarked.
It’s “game-changer”, Calamba City Mayor Justin Chipeco acknowledged.
PNR Calamba, the third leg of the massive North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Project, will connect Metro Manila (Solis St., Tondo) and Calamba, Laguna from the current four hours to just one hour.
The 56-kilometer railway project is expected to serve at least 340,000 passengers a day during its partial operations, while ridership is expected to increase up to 550,000 passengers once the railway is on full operation in 2028.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and with the Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), PNR Calamba’s 19 stations are located across five cities in Metro Manila and six cities in Laguna.
Opening of bids for the civil works of the depot begins today, July 14.
DOTr expects the awarding within three to four months before proceeding with the mobilization works.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/14/pnr-calamba-to-employ-over-10000-during-construction/
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Duterte hails LRT-2 East Extension Project
By Azer Parrocha
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday hailed the construction of the PHP4.5 billion LRT-2 East Extension Project, assuring Filipinos that they would continue to reap the benefits of other projects under his administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
In his speech during the inauguration of the extended line, Duterte said the opening of two more LRT 2 stations— Marikina-Pasig and Antipolo – will increase the line’s daily capacity by 80,000 passengers.
“The usual three-hour travel from Recto, Manila to Masinag in Antipolo will now be just 40 minutes,” he said.
He noted that the project will also improve mobility and ensure transportation connectivity, especially in the eastern part of Metro Manila.
“Now, our commuters can travel faster, be more productive at work, and enjoy quality time with their loved ones, especially in the middle of this health crisis,” he added.
He thanked the workers and engineers behind the project’s planning and construction.
“Allow me to thank the hardworking and visionary workers and engineers who took part in the planning and construction of this railway extension and the two new stations that we open today,” he said.
He commended the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and all its private sector partners for the completion of the project despite the difficulties posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Your efforts and determination show that our government stops at nothing to carry on with its mandate to serve the people’s interests no matter the circumstances,” he said.
Duterte guaranteed that the extended line and other developments would be “responsive” to the challenges of the 21st century.
“Let me assure you that we will fully reap the benefits of our ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program as we continue to overcome the pandemic and gradually reopen our economy,” he said.
He also encouraged the public to help the government in creating an environment that will allow the safe reopening of economic activities.
“We can do this by getting vaccinated against Covid-19 and continuing to follow minimum health standards at work and in public places, especially in public transportation facilities like the LRT. To my kababayans, I invite you to remain steadfast in this journey as we reach for our final destination of achieving a more comfortable and dignified life for every Filipino,” he added.
The LRT-2 East Extension Project is expected to help reduce traffic congestion along Marcos Highway, especially in Marikina, Pasig and Antipolo.