Monday, October 31, 2022
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Saturday, October 29, 2022
LIVE: Mass in Honor of Our Lady of Antipolo - 12NN MASS
Friday, October 28, 2022
Thursday, October 27, 2022
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Monday, October 24, 2022
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Saturday, October 22, 2022
LIVE: Mass in Honor of Our Lady of Antipolo - 12NN MASS
Friday, October 21, 2022
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
NLEX Corp. redeveloping Magsaysay Blvd, Manila
NLEX Corporation is redeveloping Magsaysay Boulevard, Manila, starting this October 2022, as part of the construction of the NLEX Connector Sta. Mesa Section, the tollway operator announced in a statement Wednesday, October 19.
“The redevelopment project and the NLEX Connector both aim to ease traffic in the metro and improve the flow of vehicles in its surrounding areas,” says NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista.
Being an alternative and truck-ban-free route, the elevated expressway will also reduce traffic on roads where trucks traverse before, he pointed out.
The redevelopment of Magsaysay Boulevard includes the rehabilitation of the existing eastbound and westbound service roads, improvement of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) railroad crossing, relocation of electric posts, and decommissioning of the Magsaysay Flyover.
This project will be implemented until the first quarter of 2023 with the decommissioning of the Magsaysay Flyover completed by December 2022, before the Christmas holidays.
Work will be done in phases, with temporary lane closures commencing at the road going to Legarda, Manila then at the road going to Cubao, Quezon City.
A minimum of three lanes per direction will remain open during the daytime, while two lanes per direction will be available during nighttime.
Once completed, the traffic flow at Magsaysay Boulevard is expected to greatly improve as it will have the new configuration of five lanes per direction and will be wider with 3.5 meters per lane, at par with the standards of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Currently, Magsaysay Boulevard has six lanes per direction with narrow lanes measuring 2.5 meters.
With the decommissioning of the Magsaysay Flyover, the Connector mainline will be at the second level rather than at the fourth level thus ensuring safer and faster travel of all classes of vehicles particularly, Class 3 vehicles coming to and from the port areas.
The tollway company and its contractor will undertake necessary measures to minimize slowdowns and ensure safety of motorists and pedestrians while the redevelopment works are ongoing.
These include the deployment of traffic marshals and installation of directional signs and safety devices at strategic locations, among others.
“With a traffic management scheme in place, we seek to provide safe and efficient passage to the public while we are undertaking this redevelopment of Magsaysay Boulevard,” Bautista added.
The eight-kilometer NLEX Connector is divided into two sections: the España and Sta Mesa sections.
The five-kilometer España section runs from Caloocan Interchange on C3 Road, España Blvd.
The three-kilometer Sta Mesa section, on the other hand, runs from España Blvd. to R. Magsaysay Blvd., all the way to Sta. Mesa, Manila.
Designed to cater to all vehicle classes including trucks, NLEX Connector intends to spur economic progress by significantly improving the travel of motorists especially those in the logistics sector as the new road will shorten the travel time of cargoes.
It is estimated to benefit at least 35,000 vehicles per day and is projected to improve the connectivity between airports and seaports.
This will also reduce travel time from NLEX to South Luzon Expressway to 20 minutes from the usual two hours, while Clark to Calamba will just be approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes instead of three hours.
NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
https://mb.com.ph/2022/10/19/nlex-corp-redeveloping-magsaysay-blvd-manila/
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Monday, October 17, 2022
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Friday, October 14, 2022
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
NSCR’s ‘full-scale’ construction to begin February 2023
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
Full-scale construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project is set to begin by February next year, an official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Monday.
In a Laging Handa briefing, DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the NSCR is the country’s largest railway project to date and the largest project funded by the Asian Development Bank, with the NSCR’s four recently signed contract packages worth a total of PHP91 billion.
“Mag-uumpisa na po ang ating mga pre-construction activities nito pong huling parte ng 2022 at ito pong February 2023 ay mag-uumpisa na po ang ating full scale na construction works (We’ll begin pre-construction activities by the latter part of 2022 and by February 2023, we’ll begin full scale construction works),” Batan said.
During its construction, he said the project is seen to create almost 10,000 jobs and boost the economic activity in project areas.
Homeowners and informal settlers affected by the NSCR, he said, will be compensated through coordination with social housing finance corporations, the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
“Para po masigurado na ang atin pong mga maaapektuhan na mga kababayan ay magkakaroon po ng sapat na lilipatan at sapat po na kompensasyon para po sa kanilang mga tinamaan na mga ari-arian (This is to ensure that those affected by the project will have a suitable new home and adequate compensation for their property),” he said.
The NSCR is a 142-kilometer railway system that will stretch from Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga all the way south to Calamba in Laguna with a travel time of about one hour and 45 minutes, about half the time it would take to drive.
Once operational, it is seen to have a daily passenger capacity of 350,000 and will have direct connections with other transportation projects such as the Metro Manila Subway.
Monday, October 10, 2022
Sunday, October 9, 2022
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Friday, October 7, 2022
Thursday, October 6, 2022
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Monday, October 3, 2022
PBBM keen on pursuing 'grander, more ambitious' infra projects
By Azer Parrocha and Wilnard Bacelonia
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said his administration is eyeing to pursue “grander” and “more ambitious” infrastructure projects to create jobs, improve connectivity, and provide convenience to Filipino commuters.
Marcos made this remark during the groundbreaking rites for the construction of the Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard stations of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) at Metrowalk Commercial Complex in Pasig City.
“Let the breaking ground of this subway system signal our intention to the world to pursue even grander dreams and more ambitious endeavors that will bring comfort and progress to our people all over the country,” Marcos said in his speech.
He reassured the public of his administration’s commitment to not only continue but also expand the government’s infrastructure program.
“Be assured that this administration will take the lead in identifying, pursuing, and implementing projects as part of the Build Better More Infrastructure Agenda that we have laid out,” he added.
Marcos also expressed hope that Filipinos’ aspirations for a “better, brighter, and more prosperous” country enkindle their purpose to work for the nation’s advancement.
‘Small inconveniences’
Meanwhile, Marcos said he looked forward to “brighter days” once the construction of the MMSP’s two stations is completed.
“Although it is a given that the construction of these structures will take time and cause disruption, let us be optimistic and just count these small inconveniences as a small price to pay for the fruitful results that this program, this project will yield,” he said.
He expressed hope that the project would be completed as scheduled so that the public may soon enjoy its benefits.
With the MMSP, Marcos said his administration anticipates helping people “skip long lines of traffic” and spare themselves from the “perils of commuting.”
He said the government also sees more business opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors, as well as additional economic activity with the improved linkages of key areas and business districts in the Metro and the availability of stalls and other stores in the stations and nearby markets.
“As our people gain more time by cutting long hours of travel, they can now engage in more worthwhile and productive endeavors, making time for greater self-improvement or equally important spending quality time with their families,” he said.
Joining Marcos at the event were Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) chief representative Takema Sakamoto; Senators Grace Poe, JV Ejercito, and Mark Villar; and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto.
The MMSP is a foreign-assisted project under the Official Development Assistance program and funded by the JICA.
Silencing doubters
Villar, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the Duterte administration when the project was conceptualized, said many were doubtful at first.
"But here we are here today, realizing the project that has come to fruition. This world-class subway only proves that we can be on par with other developed countries,” Villar said in an interview.
Villar said he is glad that President Marcos’ “Build, Better, More” program will continue the country’s “Golden Age of Infrastructure” and carry on the “Build, Build, Build” programs of the previous administration.
"Continuity is very significant in terms of infrastructure development in the country,” he said.
As DPWH secretary, Villar said he envisioned the MMSP as efficient, operational, and resilient considering that it will use Japanese technology.
"Inaasahan natin na ang (We are expecting that the) Metro Manila Subway ay maghahatid sa ating mga (will bring our) commuters sa mas mabilis na oras sa kanilang destinasyon. Ang dating matagal na oras na inilalaan sa biyahe ay mas mailalalaan na sa pamilya (at a faster time to their destination. The longer time they allot to travel can be spent with their families),” Villar said.
Once operational, the subway can accommodate more than 370,000 passengers a day and reduce the usual travel time of nearly two hours from Valenzuela to Bicutan to just 45 minutes.
Road closures will take effect until 2028 and will cover the front section of Capitol Commons up to the corner of Shaw Boulevard.