Gov’t to fast-track subway plan

Project cost seen rising to as much as $7B; completion of first phase by 2022

Economic managers are expected to approve today a higher project cost for the first subway system in the country to fast-track its completion, the country’s chief economist said.

On the sidelines of the House plenary debates on the proposed P3.767-trillion 2018 national budget yesterday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told the Inquirer that the National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) would discuss the project before forwarding it for the approval of the Neda Board chaired by President Duterte on Sept. 12.

Separately, Neda Undersecretary Rolando G. Tungpalan told the Inquirer that the final project cost would be firmed up during the Neda ICC-CabCom meeting.

Pernia earlier said that to allow completion of the Mega Manila Subway Project Phase 1 in 2022 instead of the previous target of 2024, the initial project cost of $4.4 billion could rise to $6-7 billion.

In June, Pernia disclosed to the Inquirer that the government was looking at securing the biggest official development assistance (ODA) from Japan for the subway system that would serve Metro Manila and surrounding areas.

Pernia had said that an estimated $4.4 billion in ODA from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) was in the pipeline to finance the Mega Manila subway project.

The Neda chief had said that they were expecting below 1-percent interest for the Jica loan payable over 20 years with a 15-year grace period.

According to the government’s “Build, Build, Build” website, the Department of Transportation-led subway project will connect major business hubs as well as government centers in Metro Manila through a 25-kilometer underground mass transportation system connecting Quezon City and Taguig City.

Meanwhile, the Department of Finance also yesterday enjoined local government units (LGUs) to tap a P2.58-billion revolving facility for projects to be undertaken through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
“The Project Development and Monitoring Facility (PDMF) can be utilized not only by LGUs but other national government agencies as well for fund support in conducting prefeasibility and feasibility studies, project structuring, preparation of bid documents and project monitoring for their proposed PPP initiatives,” the DOF said in a statement.

“Managed by the PPP Center, the PDMF also provides probity advisory services to ensure fairness, accountability and transparency in the procurement process for PPP projects,” the DOF added.

The PDMF started with a P300-million revolving fund and a $6-million (approximately P300 million) initial contribution from the Australian government. The Australian grant is administered by the Asian Development Bank.

The fund has since grown to about P2.58 billion as of end-July, according to the DOF, citing a recent report by the Privatization Office to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III.

Read more: http://business.inquirer.net/236296/govt-fast-track-subway-plan
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New LRT 1 coaches on target

Light Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led by Ayala Corp and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is optimistic the auction for the supply of new light rail vehicles of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension will be competed by November this year.

“We are happy with the outcome, at least its not a failed bidding. Based on the timeline it looks like they will be able to meet the November 14 procurement,” LRMC president and chief executive Rogelio Singson said.

“I think there should be enough time... we are happy with the progress it’s a matter of DOTr agreeing with the final evaluation of the financial and technical proposals,” he added.

The Department of Transportation is evaluating the technical and financial proposals of Marubeni Corp and Mitsubishi Corp. for the P30-billion contract to supply 120 brand-new light rail vehicles for the oldest metro rail transit in Southeast Asia.

The winning bid will cover the coaches, design, production, verification, delivery, testing, commissioning, technical support materials associated with the operation and maintenance of the vehicles and training for maintenance staff, engineers and operators.

The 120 LRVs will be configured into 30 four-car train sets to allow the rail line to accommodate up to 750,000  passengers daily.

Transportation in March last year declared the bidding for 120 LRVs a failure after no offers were received by the agency from Japanese companies.

Marubeni and Sumitomo earlier expressed interest to participate in the auction for the procurement of 120 brand-new cars for LRT Line 1.

The government allocated P30 billion for the 120 new coaches of the LRT Line 1 under the P64.9-billion LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project, which was awarded to Light Rail Manila Corp.

LRMC will construct the Cavite extension over the next four and a half years, making the entire line operational by the fourth quarter of 2020.

LRMC, a joint venture between Ayala and Metro Pacific, has been operating and maintaining the LRT-1 system since the functions were handed over by the Light Rail Transit Authority in September 2016.

LRTA remains the regulator of the railway while Transportation is the implementing agency of the 32-year public-private partnership concession agreement with LRMC.

The consortium would spend over P40 billion to rehabilitate and expand LRT Line 1.

Eight new stations will be provided with three intermodal facilities across Pasay City, Parañaque City, Las Piñas City and Bacoor City.

http://www.thestandard.com.ph/business/biz-plus/246084/new-lrt-1-coaches-on-target.html

NLEX Segment 10 and NLEX-SLEX Connector Road 3D Visualization

LRMC eyes launching LRT-1 express train in December

The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) is planning to put up express trips, supposedly to improve passenger comfort on the 30-year-old Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1).

"We are now looking at how we can do express trains, trips," LRMC president and CEO Rogelio Singson said in a press conference in Pasay City on Thursday.

The express trips will not stop at all stations, Singson noted. "Halimbawa galing ka ng Monumento gusto mo pumunta sa Edsa, hindi mo na kailangan huminto sa lahat ng stasyon," he said.

"The concept for this is customer comfort," he added.

LRMC intended to launch the express trips by December. "Kasi December ang peak season e... This is just assuming that the grantors, the government responded positively," Singson said

But LRMC has not yet submitted a formal proposal to the government. "This is now in the works and we're still doing the refinements inside," Singson said.

The rates will be the same for regular and express trips, the LRMC chief noted. "Same fare pa rin. Iikli lang ang biyahe mo at magiging mas maluwag," he said. — VDS/KVD, GMA News

LRT-1 gets ISO certification

Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation has been certified compliant for international standards in Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015) as it pursues initiatives to modernize the operations of the railway system.
LRMC’s certification makes LRT-1 the first and only railway system in the country to have achieved the ISO certifications.
“This achievement sends a clear message to our employees, customers and trade partners that LRMC is committed to setting the gold standard in Philippine public transport,” LRMC president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson said in his address during the awarding ceremony held Thursday at the LRT-1 depot in Pasay City.
“The achievements of the LRMC bodes well for the Philippine government’s program to accelerate infrastructure and contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction in Metro Manila through safe, efficient, reliable and comfortable journeys everyday,” he added.
LRMC formally received the certification of its management to global standards from international certification body TUV Rhineland.
TUV Rhineland conducted last June and July its audit on the LRMC’s policies and procedures to promote environmental protection and ensure quality delivery of services.
On Sept.12, 2015, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), a joint venture company of Metro Pacific’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL), started a 32-year concession for the operation and maintenance of LRT Line 1 and the construction of a PHP65 billion extension project to Bacoor, Cavite.
Under its concession agreement, the company is obligated to achieve ISO 19001 and ISO 14001 certification within 2 years.
Since taking over the management of the LRT-1, LRMC has completed the replacement of its 32 year old rails which is slated to be commissioned by the last quarter of 2017 and is expected to increase travel speed from 40 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers per hour by first quarter of next year.
It has also increased the number of light rail vehicles (LRVs) from 77 in 2015 to 104 in June 2017. As a result, LRMC was able to increase LRT-1’s weekday trips to 554 from the previous schedule of 498 decreasing its headway time from 3.75 minutes to 3.33 minutes.
“Since assuming management of LRT-1 in September 2015, LRMC was able to improve efficiencies and introduce innovations that resulted in increased number of trains and trips, reduced passenger waiting time, improved safety and cleanliness of the stations, increased ridership, extended operating hours, increased customer satisfaction – all unprecedented milestones in the 32-year history of Manila’s oldest light rail system,” according to Singson.
LRMC is currently implementing a four year rehabilitation plan spanning from 2016 to 2020 which aims to set the operations of the LRT-1 at par to international standards.
It aims to reduce the waiting time between trains from 4 minutes to 3 minutes and increase system reliability and safety for 400,000-500,000 commuters daily.
LRMC will also work towards the finalization of the common station linking the LRT and the MRT system as it begins the building of the LRT-1 Cavite extension.
For the second phase of its concession (2021-2047), LRMC intends to improve commuting experience from Cavite to Quezon City by reducing headway from 3 minutes to 2.5 minutes.
It eyes for the LRT-1 to serve around 700,000-800,000 commuters daily and expand connectivity through feeder lines to MRT-7 and LRT-6.
The MRT-7 will traverse from North Avenue, Quezon City up to Araneta-Colinas Verdes Subdivision, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan while the LRT-6 will traverse from Niog, Bacoor City to Governor's Drive, Dasmarinas City in Cavite province. (PNA)

http://www.canadianinquirer.net/2017/08/31/lrt-1-gets-iso-certification/

MOA expansion to be completed by end-2017

The SM GROUP targets to finish the expansion of the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) before the year ends, which would make it the largest shopping mall in the country.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. started the expansion of MOA for its 10th year anniversary on May 21, 2016, in a bid to add around 250,000 square meters (sq.m.) more of floor space to the current 407,000 sq.m.

“They’re trying to hit late this year, if not early next year. That’s a major expansion, and also they’re upgrading a lot of facilities,” SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) Senior Vice-President for Investor Relations Corazon P. Guidote told reporters at the sidelines of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines forum in Manila last Friday.

When it opened, SM MOA was the largest shopping mall in the country at the time. However, it was soon overtaken by SM City North EDSA and SM Megamall, which also underwent expansion.

The SM MOA expansion forms part of SM Prime’s plan to add five more malls under its network in 2017. To date, the listed firm owned by the country’s richest man Henry Sy, Sr. has already opened three of the planned malls, namely SM Cagayan de Oro Downtown Premier, S Maison at Conrad Manila in Pasay City, and SM Cherry in Antipolo City

SM Prime is set to open another mall in Puerto Princesa, Palawan by the second week of September, which will have a total gross leasable area of 65,073 sq.m.

Asked how many more the company plans to add, Ms. Guidote noted the annual expansion target is usually five to six malls.

“But I think next year mas marami (there will be more) because they’re opening smaller malls. I think we’ll be closing around 10 malls next year. But in addition, they’re also expanding existing malls,” she added.

The company’s store network now stands at 63 shopping malls in the Philippines and seven in China, totaling 1.3 million sq.m.

By 2018, SM Prime targets to have 75 malls as part of a five-year road map that looks to double both earnings and revenues by 2018. The company earmarked P50 billion in capital expenditures this year to support the expansion plan.

SM Prime’s net income attributable to the parent rose 14% to P14.39 billion in the first six months of 2017. Consolidated revenues picked up 10% to P43.25 billion, 60% of which came from mall operations which amounted P21.75 billion. — Arra B. Francia

http://bworldonline.com/moa-expansion-completed-end-2017/

Early completion of metro subway to cost up to $7 B

The government is considering the possibility of completing the Japan-funded Mega Manila Subway Project earlier but at a higher cost, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said.

“The Department of Transportation wants to accelerate the completion from 2024 to 2022. And so it means there will be more borers for the paneling needed, therefore the cost will go up,” he told reporters in a recent interview.

The cost for the project was originally placed at $4.4 billion but if it will be completed by 2022, the cost can go up to $7 billion, said Pernia.


“We don’t know the exact number yet,” he said.

The subway, which will link major business districts and government offices in Metro Manila, is expected to be approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board this month.

Funding will come from official development assistance (ODA) loan issued through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at an interest rate of less than one percent at a 20-year term. A grace period of 15 years will also be provided before payment of the loan.

The first phase of the project alignment comprises 13 stations from Quezon City to Taguig and is expected to serve 350,000 passengers daily.

The DOTr is considering the extension of the subway project to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport due to the expected growth in passenger volume.

Construction has been tentatively slated between 2019 and 2020.

The NEDA board is targeting to approve the project in time for the scheduled signing of the loan agreement in November when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe comes to the Philippines for the ASEAN Summit.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/08/29/1733576/early-completion-metro-subway-cost-7-b

NLEX extending road to Bataan

NLEX Corp. is investing up to P20 billion to extend the North Luzon Expressway to Bataan province, a top executive said.

NLEX president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said the company was currently doing the engineering study for NLEX Phase 3, with the project cost estimated at P16 billion to P20 billion.

NLEX Phase 3 is envisioned as a 37.76-kilometer, two by two-lane expressway from Sto. Tomas, Pampanga to Dinalupihan, Bataan.

“We are set to submit the investment proposal to TRB,” Franco said.

Franco said the company was expecting to complete the right of way acquisition in two years and start the construction by 2020.

Phase 1 of NLEX consists of four segments with a total length of 92 kilometers, including the rehabilitated and expanded 84-km stretch from Balintawak, Quezon City to Mabalacat, Pampanga and the 8.5-km Segment 7 from Hermosa,  Bataan to Subic Freeport.

Phase 2 of NLEX consists four segments with a length of 21 kilometers, involving the construction of the greenfield northern C5 to connect the existing C5 from C.P. Garcia Ave. in the University of the Philippines complex in Diliman, Quezon City to NLEX, and extend westward to MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, turning south down to C3 in Caloocan City.

NLEX earlier said it was investing  P29.43 billion in expressway projects between 2018 and 2020.

These projects include NLEX Segment 10 which is projected to be operational by the first half 2018; Segment 10 from C3 to R10 section to be completed by first quarter of 2019; and the Subic Freeport Expressway to be finished by the first quarter of 2019.

The NLEX-SLEX Connector Road is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2021.

NLEX  earlier reported a net profit of P2.3 billion in January to June, up from P2 billion a year ago.

Toll revenues increased 8 percent in the six-month period to P5.7 billion from P5.2 billion a year earlier, because of the increase in traffic at NLEX and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

The average daily traffic for NLEX reached 233,652 daily entries in the first half, or 7 percent higher than the same period last year, while average daily traffic alone SCTEX rose 24 percent to 54,991 daily entries.

Non-toll revenues amounted to P83 million in the first half, also up from P73 million a year ago, on higher royalty fees, utility facility fees and other non-toll initiatives.

NLEX earlier submitted unsolicited proposals worth P122.43 billion to build two major expressway projects.

http://www.thestandard.com.ph/business/banking-report/245620/nlex-extending-road-to-bataan.html

Mga bahay ng may 80,000 pamilya tatamaan sa pagtatayo ng PNR Rail Project

Mahigit 80,000 pamilya apektado ng PNR South at North Rail Projects.

Aminado ang Department of Transportation na libu-libong pamilya ang maaapektuhan ng itatayong PNR North and South Rail Project na sisimulan sa mga susunod na buwan.

Sa pagdinig ng Kamara sinabi ni DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade, aabot sa humigit kumulang 82,000 ang mga pamilyang matatamaan ng P7 Billion PNR North and South project.

Kasama na sa pondo ang right of way payments para sa mga residenteng maaapektuhan dahil kukunin ang kanilang lupa.

Pero, hindi tulad sa DPWH na ang right of way payment ay may probisyong sinusunod kung saan kailangang magsumite ng requirement bago ma-release ang pondo, ang DOTr ay walang ganito.

Ang nasabing railway system ay dadaan ito sa Manila to Los Baños, Calamba to Batangas, kahabaan ng Quezon, Camarines Norte and Sur, Albay and Sorsogon.

Kinalampag naman ni ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio ang ahensya na bago maisakatuparan ang mga proyekto ay dapat may tiyak na plano para sa mga maapektuhan nito.

http://radyo.inquirer.net/78780/mga-bahay-ng-may-80000-pamilya-tatamaan-sa-pagtatayo-ng-pnr-rail-project

Cost of US$4.4-B Metro Manila subway may go up: NEDA chief

The US$4.4-billion subway system for Metro Manila, targeted for full completion before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends in 2022, may require cost adjustments, said the country’s chief economist.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Ernesto Pernia told reporters the project cost of the Mega Manila Subway is not “totally complete.”

“The cost may increase because the DOTr (Department of Transportation) wants to accelerate the completion from 2024 to 2022 which means that there will be more borers for the tunneling needed, therefore, the cost will go up,” he said.

Pernia said the project cost could probably reach US$6 billion or US$7 billion, but added, “we don’t know the exact number (yet).”

The project’s feasibility study was conducted with the help of a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

President Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were set to sign an agreement for the construction of the subway project on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in November.

The P227-billion Mega Manila Subway, from Quezon City to Taguig City, is a 25-kilometer underground mass transportation system connecting major business districts and government centers.

It is expected to serve around 370,000 passengers per day in its opening year.