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MRT-7 partially operational by Q4 of 2022: PRRD
By Azer Parrocha
The national government will ensure that the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) will be “partially operational” by the fourth quarter of 2022, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday.
Duterte made this remark during a ceremony to unveil the new MRT-7 train sets along Commonwealth Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City.
“We can proudly say that this new metric rail transit system which spans more than 24 km from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan is a world-class mode of transportation for the benefit of the people. The project is more than 60 percent complete and we are committed to making it partially operational by [the] 4th quarter of 2022,” he said in his speech.
He noted that the MRT project will provide the public with a “fast, efficient, convenient, safe, and reliable” transportation system that would result in the increased productivity of workers and businesses in Metro Manila and its nearby provinces.
Duterte said he is also pleased that the MRT-7 is expected to be a pollution-free mode of mass transit for commuters.
“It is also good to know that this new train system will help minimize air pollution as it is a greener and more energy-efficient means of transportation,” he added.
He said the MRT-7 project is proof of his administration’s commitment to delivering long-lasting infrastructure development in the country amid the prevailing health crisis.
"The arrival of the trains and the significant progress made on the MRT-7 project confirm this administration’s strong commitment to pursue critical infrastructure projects even amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Meanwhile, Duterte enjoined all government agencies to ensure the prompt implementation and completion of significant government projects while still upholding the transparency, integrity, and accountability in its operation.
“Let us fulfill our promise and commitment to the entire nation to accomplish sustainable projects that will continuously improve the lives of Filipinos even beyond the term of the president,” he said.
He also thanked workers of the officials and workers of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), San Miguel Corp. (SMC), and other partners for their role in making a new milestone possible.
The SMC is the concession-holder for the project and is fully-funding construction of the 24-kilometer mass transit system that links up with the existing MRT-3 and Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) via a common station in North Avenue.
The MRT 7 is a PHP77-billion project that started construction in April 2016. Currently, the project stands at a 62 percent overall progress rate.
A total number of 108 rail cars or 36 train sets were acquired from South Korea that will traverse 14 stations.
It is expected to serve around 300,000 passengers in its first year of operations and will reach up to 850,000 passengers daily on its 12th year.
The MRT-7 is a modern train system that also involves the construction of electric power systems, computer and communications systems, signaling systems, and automatic fare systems, among others.
Once completed, the MRT-7 will significantly cut travel time between North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan from two to three hours to just 35 minutes and will eventually contribute to the reduction of traffic in Metro Manila.
The project also aims to decongest Metro Manila and make the commuting experience of passengers coming in and out of the Metro more convenient and comfortable.
NLEX Corp. partners with Chinese firm for second section of connector project
By Arjay L. Balinbin, Senior Reporter
NLEX Corp. on Tuesday said it recently signed an agreement with China Road and Bridges Corp. for the civil works contract of the remaining three kilometers of its connector project in Manila.
The project is between the future EspaƱa and Sta. Mesa interchanges, the second section of the eight-kilometer North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Connector.
In an e-mailed statement, the company said construction of the remaining three kilometers of the NLEX Connector project is “now underway.”
The entire NLEX Connector “extends the expressway southward from the NLEX Harbor Link Caloocan Interchange, 5th Avenue/C3 Road passing through EspaƱa Blvd., R. Magsaysay Blvd., and eventually connecting to the Skyway Stage 3 within the vicinity of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila.”
The first section of the project, from Caloocan Interchange to EspaƱa Boulevard, is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2022. It is now nearly 60% done, the company said.
“We are committed to provide the necessary right-of-way for this project as we target to complete this segment by end of 2022,” Public Works Secretary Roger G. Mercado said.
The project, which is expected to accommodate around 35,000 motorists, is seen to decongest local roads, as it aims to divert cargo trucks to the elevated expressway. Without a truck ban, the route will be available 24/7, according to the company.
“Upon completion, the NLEX Connector will enable Manila Ports to have a seamless north-south connection and provide further convenience to motorists with the decongestion of major thoroughfares like EDSA and C5,” Mr. Mercado noted.
For his part, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) President and Chief Executive Officer Rodrigo E. Franco said: “The Metro Pacific Group actively contributes to accelerating infrastructure development in the Philippines.”
“This new elevated expressway hopes to support the country’s economic recovery by helping reduce traffic congestion in the metro and offering those with private cars and commercial vehicles ease of travel,” he added.
Mr. Franco also expects the project to enhance accessibility to international airports such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport.
“[This will] help generate jobs, and stimulate development between Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces in the north and south,” he noted.
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Nlex, CRBC ink deal for road project
NLEX Corp. said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement with China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC) for the civil works of the second section of the NLEX Connector, a segment that will run between Espana and Sta. Mesa in Manila.
The company broke ground for the three-kilometer elevated expressway segment on Tuesday.
“We are committed to providing the necessary right-of-way for this project as we target to complete this segment by end of 2022. Upon completion, the NLEX Connector will enable Manila Ports to have a seamless north-south connection and provide further convenience to motorists with the decongestion of major thoroughfares like Edsa and C5,” Public Works Secretary Roger Mercado said.
The entire NLEX Connector, spanning eight kilometers, uses portions of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) right-of-way. It extends the expressway southward from the NLEX Harbor Link Caloocan Interchange, 5th Avenue/C3 Road passing through EspaƱa Blvd., R. Magsaysay Blvd., and eventually connecting to the Skyway Stage 3 within the vicinity of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
“The Metro Pacific Group actively contributes to accelerating infrastructure development in the Philippines. This new elevated expressway hopes to support the country’s economic recovery by helping reduce traffic congestion in the metro and offering those with private cars and commercial vehicles ease of travel,” Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. President Rodrigo Franco said.
The project will enhance accessibility to international airports such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport, help generate jobs, and stimulate development between Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces in the north and south.
Once opened, around 35,000 motorists are expected to traverse this new expressway which runs mostly above the PNR alignment.
“Together with our government partners, we remain steadfast in ramping up this high impact elevated expressway that will benefit the motoring public and nearby communities,” Nlex Corp. President Luigi Bautista said.
He added that the construction of the first five-kilometer section of the project between Caloocan and EspaƱa interchanges continues to progress “with close to 60 percent completion.”
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/12/14/nlex-crbc-ink-deal-for-road-project/
Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Monday, December 13, 2021
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Friday, December 10, 2021
Thursday, December 9, 2021
MRT-LRT Common Station contractor suggests closure of portion of Edsa
The contractor of the Common Station for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) has suggested the temporary closure of a portion of Edsa and the MRT-3 North Avenue Station for the completion of the project.
“As mentioned by [Transportation] Sec. [Arthur] Tugade during an inspection earlier, the request to close a portion of EDSA and the North Avenue Station was communicated to us by the Common Station Contractor, BF Corporation,” Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran told INQUIRER.net in a text message on Wednesday.
“This suggestion shall be consulted with stakeholders, such as the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) and concerned LGUs (local government units) for proper planning, timing, communication and enforcement, and consideration, if deemed necessary,” Libiran said.
She said the contractor would still have to make a formal request.
“That will be a subject for discussion so [there is no] definite scope of closure,” she said.
The Common Station, located between SM North Edsa and Trinoma in Quezon City, will interconnect four rail lines: the Light Rail Transit-1, Metro Rail Transit-3, MRT-7, and Metro Manila Subway.
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
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Thursday, December 2, 2021
Construction of PNR Calamba stations to begin 2022
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
Construction of the 19 stations of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba is set to begin in 2022.
During a site visit at the PNR Balagtas Station, Department of Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John "TJ" Batan said construction works are set to begin as bidding for all nine contracts of the project is "almost complete."
"The first six contracts are already undergoing Asian Development Bank's (ADB) review for concurrence, following which the contracts will be awarded and signed, and construction will very soon be mobilized," Batan said.
The PNR Calamba is a 57-kilometer railway project and is the third and southernmost leg of the North South Commuter Railway (NSCR)--a big-ticket project under the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build program.
In total, he said the NSCR would be composed of 35 stations from Clark, Pampanga passing through the province of Bulacan and the National Capital Region (NCR) to Calamba, Laguna.
By June 2022, he said the number of operational train stations in the country will increase from 61 to 87, while 92 stations will be under construction or have signed contracts.
"The 179 railway stations operational, contracted, and ongoing construction by 2022 is a critical component of the DOTr's railway network expansion program because it is at stations that a railway becomes more accessible to the people," Batan said.
In July, the DOTr said it received a "record-breaking" number of bids for the PNR Calamba both from local and international contractors.
Once underway, the project is expected to provide around 10,000 direct jobs.
DOTr: Bidding for PNR Calamba line contracts ongoing
Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said bidding was ongoing for all construction contracts of the 56-kilometer Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba train line, which would allow new stations to be built as early as 2022.
Batan, who heads the Department of Transportation’s (DOTR) railway division, said all nine contracts for the PNR Calamba, which will link Metro Manila to Laguna, were “almost complete.”
He said the first six contracts of the project were already being reviewed by the Asian Development Bank, which is supporting the project alongside the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“With the first six contracts already ongoing ADB’s review for concurrence, following which the contracts will be awarded and signed and construction will very soon be mobilized,” Batan said on Wednesday (Dec. 1).
“By next year, we will see 19 more stations start construction within the 56 kilometers of PNR Calamba,” he added.
PNR Calamba’s 19 stations will be located across five cities in Metro Manila and six cities in Laguna, the department previously announced.
It will run from Metro Manila starting in Solis Street, Tondo to Calamba, Laguna, cutting the current travel period of four hours to one hour. The DOTr said the project will be fully completed in 2028 and partially operational in 2025.
It is part of the government’s massive North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 148-km network of train lines running from Laguna to Clark in Pampanga province.
Batan provided updates on Wednesday as DOTr officials, led by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, inspected the northern section of the NSCR, the PNR Clark Phase 1 from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan.
The inspection was held in the railway line’s Bocaue and Balagtas stations in Bulacan.
According to the DOTr, the Balagtas station had an overall progress rate of 23.97 percent while the completion rate at the Bocaue station stood at 23.18 percent.
PNR Clark 1 will have 10 stations and serve the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and the municipalities of Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos City.
The train system was designed to serve 300,000 passengers per day and will reduce travel time between Tutuban and Malolos from one and a half hours to 35 minutes.
https://business.inquirer.net/335308/dotr-bidding-for-pnr-calamba-line-contracts-ongoing
PNR phase 1 on track for 2022 completion
TRANSPORTATION Secretary Arthur Tugade on Wednesday said construction of the Bocaue to Balagtas terminals for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 project is on track to be completed next year.
Tugade, who inspected the progress of the construction of Balagtas and Bocaue stations on Wednesday, said overall project progress rate for the PNR Clark 1 was at 51.30 percent.
"What has been a dream and a promise for more than two decades and four administrations, is finally, definitely happening, only in the time of President Rodrigo Duterte," he said.
"This [progress rate] includes not just the 10 stations but also the viaducts and the girders, and other components of the project," Assistant Secretary Goddess Hope Libiran said.
The two stations are targeted to partially operate by October next year.
Tugade said all 10 stations in the PNR Clark Phase 1 can be completed in less than two years, including the next six stations for the 53-kilometer PNR Clark Phase 2 from Malolos to Clark International Airport.
The PNR Clark Phase 1 and 2 are part of the three segments of the massive, game-changing mass transport initiative, the PNR North-South Commuter Railway project.
"Once it becomes operational, it will connect the Malolos and Tutuban, resulting in faster, seamless, and comfortable travel for our commuters," Tugade said.
The 38-kilometer phase 1 segment is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It will have 10 stations traversing the cities of Manila, Caloocan and Valenzuela in Metro Manila, and the municipalities of Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto and Malolos City in Bulacan.
It is expected to serve 300,000 passengers every day and reduce vehicular travel time between Malolos and Tutuban in Manila from one hour and 30 minutes to only 35 minutes.
An estimated 7,500 jobs were created when the PNR Clark 1 construction rolled out and is expected to open more job opportunities when the mass railway project gets operational, the Transportation department said.
Last week, the first trainset to be used for the 38-km long commuter railway line arrived in the country. A train set with eight cars can carry 2,238 passengers.
The agency is expecting the delivery of 13 total train sets to be used for the Phase 1 segment. The second batch of train sets is scheduled to arrive in the second quarter of 2022.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/12/02/news/regions/pnr-phase-1-on-track-for-2022-completion/1824370
Construction progress for PNR Clark Phase 1 Balagtas, Bocaue stations exceeds 23%
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
DOTr: Bidding for PNR Calamba line contracts ongoing
Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said bidding was ongoing for all construction contracts of the 56-kilometer Philippine National Railways (PNR) Calamba train line, which would allow new stations to be built as early as 2022.
Batan, who heads the Department of Transportation’s (DOTR) railway division, said all nine contracts for the PNR Calamba, which will link Metro Manila to Laguna, were “almost complete.”
He said the first six contracts of the project were already being reviewed by the Asian Development Bank, which is supporting the project alongside the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“With the first six contracts already ongoing ADB’s review for concurrence, following which the contracts will be awarded and signed and construction will very soon be mobilized,” Batan said on Wednesday (Dec. 1).
“By next year, we will see 19 more stations start construction within the 56 kilometers of PNR Calamba,” he added.
PNR Calamba’s 19 stations will be located across six cities in Metro Manila and six cities in Laguna, the department previously announced.
It will run from Metro Manila starting in Solis Street, Tondo to Calamba, Laguna, cutting the current travel period of four hours to one hour. The DOTr said the project will be fully completed in 2028 and partially operational in 2025.
It is part of the government’s massive North South Commuter Railway (NSCR), a 148-km network of train lines running from Laguna to Clark in Pampanga province.
Batan provided updates on Wednesday as DOTr officials, led by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, inspected the northern section of the NSCR, the PNR Clark Phase 1 from Tutuban, Manila to Malolos, Bulacan.
The inspection was held in the railway line’s Bocaue and Balagtas stations in Bulacan.
According to the DOTr, the Balagtas station had an overall progress rate of 23.97 percent while the completion rate at the Bocaue station stood at 23.18 percent.
PNR Clark 1 will have 10 stations and serve the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and the municipalities of Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto, and Malolos City.
The train system was designed to serve 300,000 passengers per day and will reduce travel time between Tutuban and Malolos from one and a half hours to 35 minutes.
https://business.inquirer.net/335308/dotr-bidding-for-pnr-calamba-line-contracts-ongoing