DOTr breaks ground for South East MM Expressway Project

MANILA — Travel time from Taguig to Batasan Complex in Quezon City will reduce to at least half an hour once the South East Metro Manila Expressway Project (SEMME) project is completed.

This, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), led the groundbreaking Monday of the expressway project at the C-5 Service Road in Taguig.

SEMME is a 34-kilometer expressway linking the existing Skyway Stage 1 in FTI, Taguig City to Batasan Complex in Quezon City. It will eventually connect to the North Luzon Expressway via Balagtas, Bulacan.

“When completed, travel time of motorists from Bicutan, Taguig to Batasan, Quezon City will be reduced to only 35 minutes,” the DOTr said in a statement Monday.

SEMME, which is part of the Metro Manila C-6 Expressway Project, will have six lanes for combined elevated and at-grade expressway with two directional traffic flow.

“Aside from decongesting roads in Manila and Quezon City, particularly major road networks such as EDSA, C-5, Ortigas Avenue and its extension, SEMME shall likewise provide commuters and motorists fast and direct access by South and Southeast as well as Metro Manila inter-city travelers to major international and domestic airports,” the DOTr said.

SEMME which is the first phase of the Metro Manila C-6 Expressway Project will cost around PHP45 billion and will start its construction this year. It is expected to be completed by 2020.

The project is being operated by Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. (CITI) of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) as concessionaire with its concession period lasting for 30 years from issuance of the toll operation certificate.

The C-6 expressway project will have its second phase involving a 24.28-kilometer expressway from San Mateo to City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and third phase which entails a 22-kilometer tollway from San Jose del Monte to Meycauyan and Marilao, Bulacan. (PNA)

Japan to provide aid for MRT-3 rehab and maintenance

Japan has committed to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

This follows the exchange of note verbales between the Philippines and Japan which involves obtaining Official Development Assistance (ODA) financing under Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Special Terms for Economic Partnership.

“These developments show that we are wasting no time and effort in rehabilitating and restoring the reliability and capacity of MRT-3. This year, we will make significant improvements to MRT-3 and that is our commitment to the Filipino commuters,” Department of Transportation (DOTr) OIC Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said in a statement Tuesday.

JICA will conduct its feasibility study in January to February to assess what needs to be fixed in the MRT system.

Once this is completed, the signing of the loan agreement and procurement of the rehabilitation and maintenance provider will follow in March to April with the mobilization of the Japanese provider expected within the second quarter of this year.

Japan assured that it will nominate a provider that is highly qualified and has a strong and reliable track record.

The DOTr terminated last November its contract with Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI) as the MRT-3’s maintenance provider citing its failure to perform its maintenance obligations and procure spare parts.

The Japan ODA for the MRT-3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project is part of the DOTr’s strategies to improve the operations of the railway system which involves promoting accountability with the termination of BURI; ensuring continued service delivery by establishing the Maintenance Transition Team (MTT) and purchasing needed spare parts; contracting a rehabilitation and maintenance service provider together with an ODA partner and putting in place a long term maintenance and operator provider for MRT 3. (PNA)

History may repeat itself

Call it fanaticism or any other name. But the devotion of some 17-million Filipinos to the Black Nazarene shows the piety of Roman Catholics.

The traslacion is more than enough proof that Catholicism remains deeply rooted in us.

My gulay, even foreigners come to Manila to witness this spectacle. It is just unparalleled!

Many believe that touching the image of the Black Nazarene could bring miracles.

This is why I am glad I am a Catholic.

* * *

I am confused with the statement of Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque that he was given permission by President Duterte to give personal comments on the Court of Appeals’ decision on the Gerry Ortega case. The appellate court cleared former Palawan governor Joel Reyes for the murder of Ortega, a journalist and activist.

I cannot by any language separate the position of Roque as a presidential spokesman and his personal belief as a former lawyer of the Ortega family.

Roque went on to say that the release of Reyes was a sad development for freedom of the press and that the murder of Ortega was a classic case of extra-legal killing.

But how can you separate Roque’s words from his position as presidential spokesman?

This is something for Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

* * *

Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan found, in mid-December 2017, that eight out of 10 Filipinos have given President Duterte high trust and approval ratings.

I can believe that.

President Duterte has been doing many things that the people have been clamoring for. He has been firing executive officials for traveling too much at the people’s expense. No other president has done this before.

Even in his war on drugs, the President continues to have the Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority run the show. The Philippine National Police can just come to help the PDEA when needed. The result—there are fewer summary killings.

As far as the people are concerned, President Duterte is the change they never experienced under the Aquino administration. PNoy just had his hypocritical Daang Matuwid and selective justice.

With eight in 10 Filipinos believing in him, the President can do so much more.

He can, for instance, stop both the House of Representatives and the Senate from ramming down Constituent Assembly down our throats. This could lead to the extension of terms of all duly-elected incumbent officials, from the President all the way down to barangay officials.

The President himself has said repeatedly that he is against extending his term. He would rather step down after the federal system of government is put in motion.

So Mr. Duterte must now put on the brakes on his allies who are tinkering with the fundamental law of the land.

To my mind, this is what the high approval ratings mean. He continues to enjoy support so he could do what is good for the greatest number.

The President should stop both Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez from pushing the country over the edge.

Santa Banana, history may just repeat itself. In the past, people had enough of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos so they ousted him during the 1986 People Power Revolution.

* * *

The Duterte administration is trying to push for the swift passage of the second phase of the law on tax reform. This is to ensure the government’s fiscal position remains stable and its deficit target attainable.

I see the need for government to conduct a massive information and education campaign so the people would know what the law is for.

According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, the projected P89.9 billion corresponds to only about two thirds of the P134 billion original revenue target under the 2018 budget.

Dominguez explained that the lower-than-expected revenue gain from the tax reform law could widen the country’s fiscal deficit this year to 3.3 percent of the gross domestic product—unless Congress approves an additional revenue-generating measure.

According to DoF estimates, Dominguez said, Package 1B is seen to increase government revenue by P38.9 billion, resulting in incremental revenues of P128.8 billion when combined with Package 1A.

Package 1A, signed into law, involved the reduction of personal income taxes, adjustments in the excise tax on fuel, automobiles and imported coal and expansion of the value-added tax base, among others.

Package B will comprise an estate tax amnesty program, adjustments in the Motor Vehicle Users charge and amendments to bank secrecy laws, which are expected to be tackled by Congress when it resumes its sessions.

That’s clear enough if government must achieve its ambitious Build Build Build infrastructure program and attract foreign investments.

But, as I said, in the wake of consumers still trying to meet the increase of prices, government must reach out to the people and enlighten them.

* * *

I see a light at the end of the tunnel for the MRT—even as the tunnel has been long.

The required investments of Metro Pacific could reach P20 billion, including the equity component. MPIC has already secured an original proponent status from the Department of Transportation for the expansion and rehabilitation of MRT 3. MPIC will buy out the government’s stake and also those of the private sector.

Santa Banana, given how desperate people are about the daily glitches of the MRT, they would be willing to pay higher fares just to get to their destination in one piece!

DOTr sees ‘significant improvement’ in MRT 3 commuter service this year

GOVERNMENT officials of Japan and the Philippines have exchanged an unsigned diplomatic correspondence for the provision of a loan under Tokyo’s official development assistance (ODA) for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3.


Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Timothy John R. Batan called the exchange of the “note verbales” as a “major milestone for the much-needed rehabilitation and maintenance of the MRT 3.”


The arrangement with Japan, he added, involves obtaining ODA financing under Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (Jica) Special Terms for Economic Partnership.


Typically, Japanese ODA packages in the Philippines involve the following terms: 0.1 percent interest per annum, 40 years payment period and 12 years grace period for the principal.


“These developments show that we are wasting no time and effort in rehabilitating and restoring the reliability and capacity of the MRT 3,” Batan said late Tuesday.


The next step, he added, is for Jica to conduct a feasibility study, which will refine the project’s scope of works.


This will be done in January to February, after which government approvals will be obtained.


Signing of the loan agreement and procurement of the rehabilitation and maintenance provider will then follow in March to April, and mobilization of the Japanese provider is expected within the second quarter.


The procurement of a Japan-nominated rehabilitation and maintenance provider will be done pursuant to Jica’s procurement guidelines.


Batan said that, given the urgent need to restore the MRT 3’s reliability and capacity, Japan has given assurances that it will nominate a provider that is highly qualified, and has a robust and reliable track record.


This early, Sumitomo Corp., the builder and previous maintenance provider of the MRT 3, has signified its interest in the said deal.


“This year we will make significant improvements to the MRT 3, and that is our commitment to the Filipino commuters,” Batan said.


The MRT 3 serves almost half-a- million passengers daily. It has been considered a perennial problem for the government due to the numerous daily breakdowns, unloading incidents, and stoppages.

San Miguel, DOTr break ground for expressway linking Taguig to Batasan

SEMME will connect Skyway, Ortigas Extension, and Commonwealth

There will be a new expressway serving Metro Manila in the future and will be particularly interesting for those living east of the metropolis. And the work starts today.

Earlier this morning the Department of Transportation (DOTr) led by Secretary Arthur Tugade, together with executives from the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), held a groundbreaking ceremony for the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME, the Circumferential Road 6 Expressway), a new toll road that will link Taguig, Rizal, Marikina, and Quezon City.

The project, spearheaded by SMC and its subsidiaries, will be comprised of elevated and at-grade carriageways with up to three lanes in each direction. The southern terminus of the project will link up directly with the Skyway Stage 1 to FTI in Taguig and follow a path that passes through Taytay, Cainta, Marikina City, and eventually at a main toll plaza near the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

The DOTr say that this long term infrastructure project will be accomplished in two segments split up into 6 sections. Segment 1 - Section 1 (both 1A and 1B, 4.049 kilometers total) will be completed by 2020 and cost PhP 45 billion. The succeeding two sections of Segment 1, Section 2 and 3, will build a direct link from Skyway to Ortigas Avenue Extension.

Segment 2 (comprised of Sections 4 to 6) will span from Ortigas Avenue Extension to Batasan. When fully completed, the DOTr says travel time between Taguig and Quezon City using the 34.024 kilometer SEMME/C-6 Expressway will be reduced to just over 30 minutes.

Eventually the new expressway will be connected directly to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as well.

Construction of Southeast Metro Manila or C6 expressway to begin soon

Another major expressway will be built by the government this year to ease travel to the southern part of Metro Manila.

On Monday, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Southeast Metro Manila expressway or the C6 expressway.

The construction of the road will begin in April and is expected to be finished in just two and a half years.

According to Secretary Villar, aside from easing up traffic, the project will also help the economy.

“Base po sa study ng JICA, ang nawawala po sa atin ay 2.4 billion pesos a day sa productivity. Isipin niyo na lang po yung oras natin sa traffic (Based on JICA’s study, we lose P2.4 billion a day in productivity. Just think of the time we spend in traffic),” said Sec. Villar.

He added that the project will help decongest C5 and EDSA.

“Travel time from Quezon City to Taguig will soon take up to 35 minutes with the construction of C6 expressway. That is about two and a half hours faster than the current three hours ride,” he said.

According to Tugade, this plan is long overdue and it will come true.

“Ngayon binibigyang buhay natin yan. Binibigyang buhay natin upang sa ganun matugunan yung isyu ng connectivity, matugunan yung isyu na mobility (We are now turning this into reality. We are actualizing this to address the issue of connectivity and mobility),” said the DOTr secretary.

The 34-kilometer C6 expressway is under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration with a P450-billion budget.

The expressway is expected to be ready for use by 2020. — Rajel Adora | UNTV News & Rescue

San Miguel set to begin construction of C6 expressway

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Monday said it is set to begin construction of a new expressway that will connect Taguig City to Quezon City.

The first phase of the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) or C6 will span 34 kilometers from Skyway/FTI to Batasan Complex, SMC said.

"We're very glad to be starting 2018 on a very positive note. Because of the hard work of our partners in government, we will finally be able to proceed with this vital infrastructure project," SMC President Ramon S. Ang said.

It is expected to ease traffic congestion in major thoroughfares including EDSA, C-5, Ortigas Avenue and Ortigas Extension while “providing commuters from Metro Manila and the south faster and direct access to the country’s major airport,” SMC said.

On Monday, SMC, with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) led the groundbreaking for Section 1, Phase 1 of the project.

SMC’s unit Citra Intercity Tollways, Inc. will handle the project, which is expected to be completed by 2020. 

JICA declares start of clearing operations of North-South Commuter Railway

The advance site clearing works that will expedite succeeding construction of the Philippines’ new railway network North-South Commuter Railway project (NSCR) is now a go, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said in a statement.

“We will continue supporting the Philippine government’s efforts to ensure that the future generation reaps the benefit of an integrated, seamless, and resilient transport infrastructure system through the NSCR project,“ said JICA chief representative Susumu Ito during the ceremony declaring the start of the clearing operations said over the weekend.

Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) officially marked the railway stations in Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan, and Valenzuela, Caloocan and Tutuban in Metro Manila.

Shortly after the marking of the stations, the DOTr awarded the contract of the construction supervision consulting services for the project to NS Tren, a consortium led by Tokyo-based Oriental Consultants Global.

JICA also confirmed that contractors will be paid using the Japanese loan.

The DOTr has also partnered with local government units (LGUs) to address right-of-way acquisitions so the construction can begin on time.

Ito said the start of work includes clearing the site, grading of unleveled surfaces and demolition of obstructing structures of the NSCR, a 38-kilometer railway.

Along with the Metro Manila Subway Project, NSCR is part of the mass transit backbone forming the North-South Corridor as specified in the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development Study for Metro Manila and its surrounding areas.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) conducted the said study with the assistance of JICA.

JICA has also recently handed the detailed engineering design of the project to DOTr, signaling the project’s transition from planning to actual construction.

The JICA official reiterated that the project is a “game changer” in Philippine transport infrastructure, helping the country to kick-start the Duterte administration’s large-scale investments in modern railways.

The new railway will also use Japanese seismic designs to ensure commuter safety low and emission electric trains for sustainability.

The 3-billion dollar project aims for completion within the remaining years of the Duterte administration and is expected to reduce travel time from the traditional land travel of two hours to just merely 35 minutes from Malolos in Bulacan to Tutuban in Manila.

A promising year ahead

2016 was a good year to us, as we transitioned into a new administration. It was a year that brought about “change” in our country in many aspects. Came year 2017, we continued to adapt to these changes. It was a year filled with unexpected events that challenged our nation, such as the Maute terror attack, which led to the loss of many lives, displacement of many residents, damage to property, and the President’s declaration of Martial Law to the whole of Mindanao.

Despite these challenges, we stood as one nation and were able to end the year on a good note. The first package of the tax reform, also known as the “Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN),” and the 2018 national budget were finally signed by the President into law.

Many of us are wondering—how would our 2018 be? No one can really tell our nation’s fate right now; but at least we have good things to look forward to this year. With the implementation of TRAIN, workers earning P250,000 and below are exempted from paying personal income tax; hence, minimum wage earners can now enjoy their full earnings. The increased excise taxes on automobiles, tobacco, coal, and sugar-sweetened beverages will generate more revenue for the government to finance its “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure development program. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs were also given higher collection targets this year.

We also look forward to an improved collection efficiency of these agencies, as Department of Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez promised to strictly implement RA 9335, or the Lateral Attrition Law.

Similarly, we look forward to the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build infrastructure program. Starting this year, we would have to endure heavier traffic jams due to the construction of several roads and railways; but this is the bullet we have to bite if we want to harvest long-term results. We expect the completion of the construction of the MRT 7 and the MRT Common Station by 2019; so this year, we will have to be more patient about the less tolerable  metro traffic condition.

Before 2017 came to a close, the House Committee on Public Works and Highways approved two of my most important bills, which aim to improve road systems in the provinces to improve trade, and to provide the Filipino people better access to good paying jobs, and to provide for faster delivery of basic social services.  House Bill 599, or “An Act Mandating the Construction of the Quezon-Bicol Expressway,” will connect the South Luzon Expressway from Quezon to Sorsogon. I am hopeful that the Department of Public Works and Highways will be able to make significant progress on this project starting this year. I am also excited about the construction of the “Pacific Corridor,” as all Committee members agreed to co-sponsor my bill, House Bill 3883 or, “An Act Providing of the Construction of the Pacific Palisades Superhighway Connecting the Provinces of Bicol, Quezon, Aurora, Quirino, Isabela, and Cagayan.” The planning and execution of such an ambitious project is not easy, so I do not expect immediate results; but I hope the agency will soon take significant steps for the progress of this project.

The past two years of the Duterte government were also focused on the intensified campaign against illegal drugs. While we have seen significant improvement in the eradication of illegal drugs in the country, illegal drugs continued to proliferate. Hence, with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) leading this campaign, we expect that they would go after the big drug lords and dealers, and get to the real roots of this illegal drug problem.

We are also looking forward to the rehabilitation of the battle-scarred Marawi City, which according to Task Force Bangon Marawi Chairperson Eduardo del Rosario, will start by the second semester of 2018.

Before 2017 ended, Congress voted for the extension of the implementation of Martial Law to the whole of Mindanao for the entire year of 2018. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that, “remnants of (terror) groups continue to rebuild through recruitment, training and fundraising.” Furthermore, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea stated: “There is still a state of rebellion ready to explode anew at any time.” The Martial Law extension is aimed at ensuring the safety and security of the Filipino people.

The government should learn from its mistakes from the previous years. This 2018, it should cease its perpetual mistake of underspending, most especially because it was given a higher budget this year. I hope that the government agencies, as promised during the budget deliberations, will ensure the full utilization of their respective allocated budgets.

The government cannot do everything on its own. We too have a responsibility to fulfill. As Filipino people, let us help the government in reaching its goals for the benefit of our entire nation. Together, let’s move towards a better Philippines. Happy New Year!

New P12-b Cavite road eyed

Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. said it is set to submit by February next year a proposal to the Toll Regulatory Board to build a P12-billion expressway linking Kawit and Rosario in Cavite province.

“We’re finishing up the feasibility study. We will complete it [feasibility study] January. And then, we will submit business proposal to TRB in February,” Cavitex president and chief executive Luigi Bautista said.

“If TRB approves it, we will start completing detailed engineering design and then we go to implementation,” he added.

The Segment 5 of Cavitex is a 7.6-kilometer road that will link Kawit to Noveleta and Noveleta to Rosario in Cavite.

The company earlier earmarked P1.7 billion in capital expenditures to expand the Manila-Cavite Expressway.

Cavitex earlier tapped FF Cruz Construction Inc. to construct the first phase of the Cavitex C5 South Link, which will connect C5 and Merville, Parañaque by way of a flyover.

The second phase will link Merville and Cavite and cost P9.5 billion.

Cavitex C5 South Link will allow residents from Cavite, Las Piñas and parts of Parañaque to avoid Edsa and take a direct link to and from C5 to Cavitex.

Bautista said the new expressway, which was expected to be completed in 2019, would add 40,000 to 45,000 vehicle traffic per day, on top of the 130,000 vehicles currently using Cavitex.

C5 South Link will ultimately connect with R1 Expressway (Coastal Road) and provide fast, safe and convenient travel for motorists going to and from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite and for Paranaque residents in Multinational, Moonwalk and Merville villages.

The new expressway will not only decongest the Parañaque villages, but will also provide easier travel from Taguig, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City and other northern areas to Manila, Las Piñas and Cavite.

It will also provide relief for vehicles using the congested Edsa and C5 Road arteries of the metropolis.

When completed, the expressway will provide a seamless connection to Cavitex road network and to Cavite-Laguna Expressway slated for completion in 2020.

The new C5 Link is envisioned to spur further economic development in Parañaque and in Cavite and Laguna provinces by providing a safe and convenient link from the central and northern parts of Metro Manila to the high-growth industrial and residential centers in Southern Tagalog.