LRT-1 Cavite: From Baclaran, only 15 minutes to Sucat, 20 minutes to Zapote

With the Light Rail Transit 1’s (LRT-1) Cavite extension, commuters in the south of Metro Manila may save several hours of travel time everyday.

Juan Alfonso, president of the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) said a one-way trip from Bacoor, Cavite to Baclaran usually takes one and a half hours.

“We can bring that down to only 30 minutes,” Alfonso said. “From Baclaran to Sucat, it will be only 15 minutes; Baclaran to Zapote, 20 minutes.”

“This project can save passengers around three hours of travel time per day, which means being able to sleep longer and having more time to spend with the family,” he added.

Alfonso touted the project as the solution to decongesting traffic in Metro Manila and improve the “quality of life” of residents in southern Metro Manila.

“You don’t have to wake up at 3:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m. to be in Manila for work because you know the train will be there every three and a half minutes or so and that travel time is very predictable, is traffic-free,” he said.

The 11-kilometer extension would connect LRT-1 Baclaran station to eight new stations: Redemptorist, NAIA Avenue, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog. /vvp



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Right-of-way issues for phase 1 of LRT1 Cavite extension 70-80% completed —LRMC

Construction works for the first phase of the P64-billion Light Rail Transit Line (LRT1) extension to Bacoor, Cavite, will commence later this year as right-of-way issues were substantially addressed, private sector operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) said Tuesday.

LRMC president and CEO Juan Alfonso told reporters in a press conference in Pasay City that right-of-way for the phase 1 or "package 1" — 

1. Redemptorist,
2. MIA,
3. Asiaworld,
4. Ninoy Aquino, and
5. Dr. Santos —

is around "70 to 80 percent completed."

"We feel that the right of way is complete or is at a stage where we can start... our target is toward the later part of this year to build from Dr. Santos towards Redemptorist... it's at a stage where we can start moving," Alfonso said.

The LRMC chief said the right-of-way for the phase 1 is in the process of getting certified by an independent consultant.

"Aside from the right-of-way, we have to take care of relocating the utilities... we have Meralco poles or Maynilad pipes or NGCP lines which have to be relocated," Alfonso said.

DOTr: Then and now

The new Department of Transportation (DOTr) came in at a really bad time. The country’s main airport was the world’s worst, laglagbala was a money-making scheme, flights were always delayed, motorists had no license cards, vehicles had no plates, the MRT-3 suffered countless glitches and was unreliable, dilapidated jeepneys were kings of the road, and business processes took almost forever.

To say that there was so much to be done was a great understatement. The transportation department was on the news every day for all the wrong reasons. People were getting impatient, and change seemed like a long shot.

Then, President Duterte appointed award-winning businessman, and their law school valedictorian, Arthur P. Tugade to lead the DOTr and transform the transportation system in the country.

A tough job required a tough guy like Art Tugade.

As soon as Secretary Tugade assumed office, he initiated the formulation of a 30-year roadmap that will address traffic congestion, and provide a consolidated nationwide transportation system that is efficient, intelligent, and environment-friendly. For Sec. Tugade, transportation should be treated as an equalizer of life, much like death and taxes. The jeepney or the bus should neither be associated with the poor nor private cars with the rich. Commuters wearing slippers and commuters wearing a suit should be able to take the same train or the same bus.

In just two years, the DOTr is changing the headlines. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) went from being the “worst” to one of the “most improved” airports in the world. The nightmare of laglagbala can now be put behind us. These are two of the biggest issues that the past administration hurdled, and which the new administration solved by shifting policies, strictly implementing existing rules, and sheer political will.

Before the Duterte administration took over, the On-Time Performance (OTP) of Philippine airports was at 48%. As of 2017, the OTP has been improved to 71%, which means delayed flights have been significantly reduced. Facilities for passenger convenience such as toilets and additional seats have been addressed. Fast and reliable wi-fi is offered for free.

Congestion at the NAIA is also continuously being addressed with stricter policies and additional infrastructure. Commercial flights were prioritized over general aviation, and pilots who declare they are ready to take-off must do so in 5 minutes or risk being put back at the end of the queue.

To decongest NAIA, airlines were also encouraged to launch more flights from the Clark International Airport. Before Sec. Tugade came in, there were only seven flights at Clark per week, passengers recorded were at a measly 800,000 annually, and the airport was highly under-maximized. Today, over 200 flights take off from CRK every week, and by the end of 2017, an all-time high 1.5 million passengers passed through CRK.

Making commercial airports capable of night-time operations is also a priority of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). From only 15 night-rated airports by mid-2016, the number is now at 20. And, this year, four more are being night-rated, which means domestic flights do not have to be crammed during day time as well as more schedule options for passengers.

In January, 2018, the satellite-based Communication, Navigation, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management system was inaugurated. This project that comes with an ATM building and 10 additional radars to augment the existing three radars is necessary to make the airspace safer. The project was initiated in 2009 but did not go very far. DOTr-CAAP completed the project in a year and a half.

Airports all over the country are being improved and developed. For the first half of 2018, four airports have been given a facelift with improved passenger terminal buildings and wider runways —- Lal-lo International Airport and Tuguegarao Airport in the North, Tacloban Airport in the Visayas, and San Vicente Airport in Palawan.

The MRT-3 was one of the biggest challenges that the DOTr took on: Several trains were beyond repair, unloading incidents were a daily occurrence, facilities were in a bad condition, lines were incredibly long, and the half a million daily passengers were getting even more impatient with the sacrifices they had to make just to get to work every day. The ills of the MRT-3, which had accumulated for decades, remain one of the most difficult challenges that the DOTr is beset with. Since the Busan Universal, Rail,  Inc. was terminated as a maintenance provider in November, 2017, the DOTr put together a maintenance transition team that has successfully fielded 15-18 running training sets, reduced unloading incidents remarkably, and repaired facilities such as elevators and escalators. In fact, just recently, MRT-3 set its longest “no unloading incident streak” in seven years. Through an agreement with the Japanese government, an experienced and highly-qualified maintenance provider will come in by June, and is tasked to bring the MRT-3 back to its original condition, while also increasing the number of trains and enhancing the system’s over-all reliability.

On the road, motorists held on to receipts because the previous Land Transportation Office (LTO) has failed to issue license cards. In less than six months, the Duterte administration began printing and releasing cards, this time with five years validity, and with an increased number of security features. The three million backlog was completely addressed by early 2017. Online appointments for license applications is also now available in some areas.

If motorists did not have licenses, vehicles didn’t have plates. The Supreme Court’s June, 2016, order to stop distribution was a major setback. The decision was lifted in January,  2018, and now, the DOTr is just waiting for the lifting of the disallowance set by the Commission on Audit (COA). It also inaugurated a plate making plant, which houses plate making equipment, so that the government may now manufacture plates on its own, ensuring a faster and more efficient production.

Before, motorists using the expressways had to queue and pay at every exit. But today, toll operators of every single toll system in the country have agreed to unify collection and make their systems interoperable to facilitate seamless and faster travel.

At sea, ports all over the country are in need of rehabilitation and improvement. The DOTr, together with the Philippine Ports Authority, aggressively modernized one port at a time to increase their operational efficiency. For 2018, over 100 port projects are being completed.

The Philippine Coast Guard is now better equipped than ever, making them more capable of protecting our coasts, marine environment, and our people. Lighthouses have also increased their operational efficiency. From only 113 operational lighthouses in 2014, DOTr was able to increase the number to 552 in 2017.

Across the board, business processes are being simplified and streamlined. In Marina, for example, it used to take 15 days before a seafarer could be issued a seafarer’s book, but today, the process would only take one day.

These improvements prove that with hard work and political will, great things can happen.

These reforms come with the biggest and boldest infrastructure plan for the Philippines. The Build, Build, Build program is geared towards being Duterte’s enduring legacy, as it aims to provide comfortable life for all.

The PNR line from Manila to Clark via Malolos and the LRT-1 Cavite Extension will start construction by mid-2018, while the country’s first subway system will break ground by the fourth quarter. The PNR line to Bicol will be revived, and the first rail system outside Luzon will be built in Mindanao.

By August, 2018, the new Bohol International Airport in Panglao and the new world-class terminal in Mactan, Cebu, will begin commercial operations. In Bicol, a new airport in Albay is being constructed.

Intermodal terminals are being built in Paranaque and Taguig, and soon in Bulacan, for passengers entering Metro Manila from the south and the north.

The country now has its first barge terminal located in Tanza, Cavite, so that cargoes are ferried via barges at sea, and not on roads. This will reduce the number of trucks plying the roads by 140,000 truck trips.

Under Tugade’s leadership, those who owe government, give the government its due. Case in point are PAL’s P6-billion debt and the non-remittance of CAAP of its dividends. For two years, GOCCs under the DOTr such as CAAP, PPA, and the MIAA have been remitting record-breaking dividends amounting to billions to the National Treasury.

For 2017, the DOTr delivered on its commitment to spend at least 80% of its budget in infrastructure projects, higher than the target spending set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). This simply means that the people’s money is returned to the public in the form of projects and initiatives.

In July, 2017, Secretary Tugade did something that many thought was un-doable. He transferred the central office of the DOTr from Ortigas to Clark in Pampanga. For so long, the government has been saying we need to decongest Metro Manila, but only Tugade had the will to start doing so from his own home.

Finally, the DOTr is cracking down on all corrupt officials and employees in the department, as well as its attached agencies. Apart from dismissals within DOTr, officials and personnel from the LTO, LTFRB, CAAP, and MARINA were recently sacked for corruption charges.

The DOTr takes the issue of transparency very seriously. Bidding processes within the DOTr are now being streamed online, and it is among the top-performing agencies in implementing Freedom of Information.DOTr’s social media accounts likewise ranked as one of the top government social media accounts in terms of reach and engagement.

Secretary Art brings with him the values of hard work and incorruptibility. He is a brilliant manager and a selfless public servant.

Watch as this boy from the slums transform the state of transportation in the Philippines.

DoTr opens bidding for Malolos-Tutuban rail line

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it has opened the bidding for the construction contract for the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project.

The DoTr is bidding out the civil works and building components of the project. It has two contract packages: the first covers elevated structures, seven stations and a depot; the second includes elevated structures and three stations.

Eligible bidders must have a Japanese prime contractor, with no nationality restrictions on sub-contractors

The DoTr started the phase 1 of the project in January. This involves the clearing of roads that will be affected by the construction of NSCR.

http://bworldonline.com/dotr-opens-bidding-for-malolos-tutuban-rail-line/

Finally, a rehab plan for MRT3

In any solution to Metro Manila’s traffic problem, a major part would be the rehabilitation of Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) which runs from Quezon City in the north along Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA) to Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay in the south. It complements the Light Rail Transit (LRT) which runs from Quezon City west to Caloocan, then south via Rizal Ave. to Manila and via Taft Ave. to Pasay.

Metro traffic gained international notoriety during the Aquino III administration years when increased vehicle sales combined with heightened cargo deliveries from the piers and repeated breakdowns in MRT operations. Sen. Grace Poe highlighted a Senate inquiry with her lining up with thousands of rush-hour commuters in queues that ran for blocks around MRT stations in Quezon City. The inquiry, among others, brought out the fact that the new administration officials had somehow managed in 2012 to replace the reliable Sumitomo maintenance firm with a new company of their own with, however, little expertise in light rail operations.

At the start of the Duterte administration in 2016, rehabilitation of MRT 3 began in earnest. As emergency measures were taken to increase the number of running trains, the new Department of Transportation worked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on an overall MRT3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project.

After long discussions and appraisal of the problem, the two sides agreed last Friday on a 43-month rehabilitation program designed to restore MRT3 to its original condition and capacity at a cost of 34.48 billion yen (P16.98 billion) covering the trains, overhead power lines, tracks, radio, public address, and signaling systems, stations, and equipment depots. Signing of the agreement is set for next month.

There was a time when MRT3 was down to running only seven trains and there was at least one breakdown a day, stranding hundreds of passengers in between stations. In the last few months, MRT3 has been able to increase the number of trains to 15, carrying 405,000 passengers a day.

A new maintenance provider nominated by JICA is expected to start working this month and it is hoped the number of running trains will reach 20, capable of carrying 540,000 passengers a day.

At the end of the 43-month rehabilitation that was agreed upon last week, MRT3 should be back to its original designed capacity of 600,000 riders a day. That would take a huge load off Metro Manila’s jammed roads and highways.

NO FREE LUNCH: Planning for Mega Manila

Once upon a time (around 1920-1930, to be more specific), Manila could be described as a well-designed, mass-transit-based urban area. It had an extensive tranvia or streetcar network, similar to that in San Francisco in California, running on an estimated 85 kilometers of tracks. The tranvia met 40 percent of the total estimated demand for mobility in the city, even as there was a diversity of urban transport modes ranging from bicycles to horse-drawn calesas and the newly mass-produced model T Fords from America. There was strategic integrated development, where the establishment of a suburban transport line was well-coordinated with housing development and the provision of electric power supply. Traffic management was good, and Manila had all the features of a well-planned urban area.

That was the historical backdrop to the “Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Surrounding Areas” done jointly in 2014 by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). That was a time when the city had a population of 300,000. Now, nearly a century later, Metro Manila is home to more than 50 times as many people, and using “good traffic management” and “well-planned urban area” to describe the metropolis would be a bad joke. There’s so much that needs to be changed, and so much to be undone if it is to move toward earning those descriptions again.

As tracked by the Neda-Jica study, a big part of the problem arose within the 30-year period from 1980 to 2010. In that period, the Metro Manila population doubled from 5.9 to 11.8 million. But the number of motor vehicles rose 4.3 times, from less than half a million to nearly 2 million. The number of buses nearly quadrupled, from 3,600 to 14,200 units. And yet, road length only increased 1.5 times, from 675 to 1,032 km. We all know the glaring result, and city dwellers suffer it daily. Meanwhile, public rail transit spanned 50 km in 2010, against 20 in 1980—an increase of 2.5 times, but still much less than the 85 km (of tranvia) we had in the 1920s.

While the study was focused on transport infrastructure, it noted other challenges attendant to the growth of the metropolis. Housing, for one, is too often forgotten in all the talk about infrastructure and the “Build, build, build” program of the government. There was an estimated backlog of 500,000 housing units, and need to resettle 560,000 households living in hazard areas beside waterways (probably underestimates by now). And yet our public expenditure on housing as percent of gross domestic product or GDP pales in comparison to that of our neighbors, and even less than in poorer countries like Bangladesh.

The capital region grew from just the city of Manila in the early 20th century to Metro Manila by the 1970s, and now we see the rise of “Mega Manila” that includes much of Region III (Central Luzon) on the north and Region IV-A (Calabarzon) on the south. The

Neda-Jica study notes that “Metro Manila’s problems can no longer be solved within Metro Manila,” and that Regions III and IV-A must “maximize positive impacts of Metro Manila while contributing to mitigate Metro Manila’s problems.” This entails a departure from monocentric planning with the national capital at the core of development, to a “polycentric” one that sees the cities of Angeles (Clark), Olongapo (Subic), Malolos, San Fernando, Calamba, Lipa, Batangas, San Pablo and Lucena as growth poles as well.

What all this requires is closer integration of the three regions, and this starts with integrative physical planning. Key transport links are the NLEx-SLEx connector road, the North-South Commuter Railway from Clark to Los Banos, and the subway that will ultimately span City of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan to City of Dasmariñas in Cavite. Urban expressways, smart traffic management systems and more also form part of the “Dream Plan” for Mega Manila that would lead to a truly integrated, multimodal urban mass transit network. Will we see all this happen within our lifetimes? Perhaps we could, if the government can make good on its promise of a “Golden Age of Infrastructure.”

cielito.habito@gmail.com

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Japan firms to fix MRT3 starting next month

The busy Metro Rail Transit Line 3, which had grabbed headlines for constant breakdowns in recent years, could be restored to its original condition in two and a half years, the Department of Transportation said on Tuesday.

The DOTr, for the first time, released details of a plan to tap Japanese companies to rehabilitate and maintain the almost two decades-old MRT3, which runs along the crucial Edsa in Metro Manila.

The DOTr said it hosted last week officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) during a so-called appraisal mission. The event covered technical matters on the size, scope and project cost of the MRT-3 rehabilitation project.

Based on those discussions, the DOTr said the project would cost an estimated 34.48 billion yen or close to P17 billion.

The rehabilitation and maintenance will take some 43 months. It said 31 months were allocated “for the simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works to restore MRT3 to its original design condition and capacity.” The remaining 12 months would be for a so-called defect liability period.

The DOTr said the new maintenance and rehabilitation provider would begin work starting this June. The loan signing is also targeted for next month.

While it did not name the provider, the DOTr in previous statements said they were considering the tandem of Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Mitsubishi-Sumitomo handled maintenance operations for the MRT3’s first 12 years of operations.

The project scope will include the MRT3’s power supply system, overhead catenary system, radio system, CCTV system, public address system, signaling system, rail tracks, road rail vehicles, depot equipment, elevators and escalators and other station building equipment, the DOTr noted.

The DOTr may eventually allow the private sector to assume operations of the MRT3. Metro Pacific Investments Corp. last year bagged original proponent status for its P12.5-billion offer to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the MRT3 for a period of 30 years.

Once approved by the National Economic and Development Authority, Metro Pacific’s offer will be subjected to a competitive challenge.

The DOTr is finalizing the results of an audit to determine whether it could use 48 train coaches supplied by Chinese company CRRC Dalian. It earlier tapped Germany’s TUV Rheinland as independent consultant for the audit.

John Batan, DOTr undersecretary for railways, said previously that the TUV Rheinland results would “guide” the DOTr in the scope of works to be undertaken by the Japanese providers.

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Government, Japanese agency agree to expand MRT 3

The Transportation Department and Japan International Cooperation Agency agreed to undertake the P16.98-billion rehabilitation and expansion of Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

The two parties signed Friday the minutes of discussion for the appraisal mission over the Japan-financed MRT-3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project.

It contained the final details on project cost, scope of works and schedule of implementation.

Under the agreement, Jica will finance the rehabilitation and maintenance project of MRT-3, covering the system’s trains, power supply system, overhead catenary system, radio system, CCTV system, PABX public address system, signaling system, rail tracks, road rail vehicles, depot equipment, elevators and escalators, and other station building equipment.

Discussions between Jica and the Transportation Department showed that the rehabilitation and maintenance of MRT 3 would take 43 months.

This would include 31 months for the simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works to restore MRT-3 to its original design condition and capacity and 12 months for the defect liability period.

The two parties also agreed to commit to best environmental management practices and social considerations through the procurement of a supervision consultant who would facilitate the implementation of an environmental management plan and an environmental monitoring plan.

The supervision consultant, to ensure the project’s sustainability, is required to draft and institutionalize new MRT-3 manuals that will update methodologies on appropriate asset management, project monitoring and supervision and operations and maintenance activities.

After completing the appraisal mission, the transport agency and Japan would move on to signing of the loan agreement and the mobilization of the new maintenance and rehabilitation provider for MRT-3 in June 2018.

MRT 3, which runs along Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, serves over 500,000 passengers a day, beyond its rated capacity of 350,000.

The line has a fleet of 73 Czech-made air-conditioned rail cars.

DOTr and JICA mobilizing new MRT-3 maintenance provider

The Philippine government, together with Japan, are working together to speed up the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3).

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) last Friday (May 11, 2018) signed the Minutes of Discussion for the Appraisal Mission for the Japan-financed MRT-3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project, where details on estimate project cost, scope of works, and schedule have been finalized.

The Appraisal Mission was conducted over the course of last week through thorough technical discussions between officials of JICA and DOTr.  Based on the discussions, the Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project of MRT-3 will take 43 months: 31 months for the simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works to restore MRT-3 to its original design condition and capacity, and 12 months for the defect liability period.

The scope of works of the Project, with cost estimated at ¥34.480 billion (R16.985 billion), will cover the MRT-3’s trains, power supply system, overhead catenary system, radio system, CCTV system, PABX public address system, signaling system, rail tracks, road rail vehicles, depot equipment, elevators and escalators, and other station building equipment.

DOTr and JICA have also agreed to commit to best environmental management practices and social considerations through the procurement of a Supervision Consultant who will facilitate the implementation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and an Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMoP).

To ensure the project’s sustainability, the Supervision Consultant shall also draft and institutionalize new MRT-3 manuals that will update methodologies on appropriate asset management, project monitoring and supervision, and operations and maintenance activities.

After completing the Appraisal Mission, DOTr and Japan will now move on to signing of the loan agreement and the mobilization of the new maintenance and rehabilitation provider for MRT-3, which is targeted this June, 2018.

Selection of new MRT3 maintenance provider moved to June

It will take 31 months and P16.985 billion to restore the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, based on talks between the Department of Transportation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency

The government changed its target month for the selection of a new maintenance and rehabilitation provider for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) from May to June, as signing a loan deal with the Japanese government is taking more time than initially expected.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday, May 15, said in a statement that an appraisal mission was conducted last week through technical discussions with officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

"After completing the appraisal mission, DOTr and Japan will now move on to signing of the loan agreement and the mobilization of the new maintenance and rehabilitation provider for MRT3, which is targeted this June 2018," said the DOTr.

Transportation officials have yet to explain why the target for choosing a new MRT3 maintenance provider was moved by one month.

Back in December 2017, the DOTr had said it expects a new MRT3 maintenance provider by May, as it is already finalizing the terms of its loan agreement with JICA.

Timeline, cost

Based on the minutes of discussion, the DOTr said it will take 31 months and P16.985 billion to restore the MRT3. Another 12 months has been set to address any problems or glitches that could arise – called a defect liability period. (READ: MRT3 delivers on its promise of more trains)

"31 months for the simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works to restore MRT3 to its original design condition and capacity, and 12 months for the defect liability period," the transportation department said.

It added that the project cost of ¥34.480 billion (P16.985 billion) will cover the MRT3's trains, power supply system, overhead catenary system, radio system, CCTV system, PABX public address system, signaling system, rail tracks, road rail vehicles, depot equipment, elevators and escalators, as well as other station building equipment.

Aside from funding, the DOTr had said it will utilize the bidding process of Japan in getting a new MRT3 maintenance provider.

"Required in all official development assistance (ODA) arrangements with them," Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said last December.

Batan had said procurement rules and regulations will be observed in choosing the new MRT3 maintenance provider, noting that it will be Japanese like other projects of the DOTr with Japan.

Batan was sought for comment on the timeline of the bidding for the new MRT3 maintenance and rehabilitation provider, but he has not yet replied as of posting.

The MRT3 has been encountering numerous malfunctions in recent years due to substandard maintenance and underinvestment in system renewal requirements.