Thursday, September 23, 2021
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
NLEX Connector reaches España, now half complete
The NLEX Connector is on track to finish construction by first-quarter next year as the toll road’s first five-kilometer section is now half complete, a unit of the Metro Pacific Tollways announced.
J. Luigi L. Bautista, NLEX Corp. president, and general manager said the P23 billion section running from Caloocan Interchange to España Boulevard is now 50 percent complete and will be finished by end-March 2022.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar confirmed that NLEX Connector’s Manila segment is now nearly halfway done.
“We are targeting to deliver the full right-of-way (ROW) for this section by next month so we can further accelerate the project,” Villar said.
The eight-kilometer, four-lane elevated expressway that will link the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway is a public-private partnership project between NLEX Corp. and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Bautista said NLEX Corp. tapped new technology to hasten the construction, such as Indonesia’s Sosrobahu, which is used to launch coping beams or pierheads in certain portions of the project.
The rotating device enables the construction of expressways above existing roads with minimum disturbance to traffic, Bautista said.
“This technology will ramp up the construction progress and minimize traffic jams,” Bautista explained. “Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, we can expect significant progress in the coming months because of this solution.”
Aside from the Sosrobahu, NLEX is also using Super T girders to expedite the construction of the infrastructure.
Super T girders are pre-stressed box girders that are widely used for bridges in Australia and New Zealand. More than 1,400 girders will be used for the entire project.
NLEX is also using the Philippine National Railway’s tracks in transporting major structural components from one site to another to speed up the construction.
The connector road will provide trucks with a 24/7 alternative route and reduce travel time between NLEX and South Luzon from two hours to 20 minutes.
While the NLEX Connector España Section is progressing, the company will start building the next 3-km elevated section between España Interchange and the vicinity of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila within the year.
Once completed, the NLEX Connector will have four toll plazas and interchanges in C3 and España.
It is expected to serve 35,000 motorists daily and provide better access to Manila Ports and airports such as NAIA and Clark.
This will also enable faster transport of goods and services between Metro Manila and Luzon provinces.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/09/22/nlex-connector-espana-section-50-complete/
"March 2022 is doable if ROW is already delivered NOW as in NOW as I type this. SMV was quoted to deliver 100% ROW for Segment 1 by 31 October 2021, so need din maglevel ng papalit sa kanya.
Eh based sa updates ng infra vloggers, it's highly unlikely as there are so many establishments that needs to be demolished pa."
(March 2022 is doable if ROW is already delivered NOW as in NOW as I type this. SMV was quoted to deliver 100% ROW for Segment 1 by 31 October 2021, so we also need to level a replacement for him.
Eh based on the updates of infrastructre vloggers, it's highly unlikely as there are so many establishments that need to be demolished yet)
The forerunners to succeed Villar as the secretary of public works and highways if the build, build, build program will continue:
- Maria Catalina E. Cabral - Undersecretary for Planning, PPP and Information Management Service
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Nat’l gov’t, private sector sign Pasig River Expressway deal
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
A six-lane elevated expressway traversing the length of the Pasig River will soon be built after the signing of the supplemental toll operations agreement (STOA) of the project between national government officials and partners in the private sector.
During a virtual presser on Tuesday, the STOA for the Pasig River Expressway (PAREx) was signed between Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Executive Director Alvin Carullo, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Cathy Cabral, San Miguel President and COO Ramon Ang, and Philippine National Construction Corporation Assistant Vice President for Legal Henry Salazar.
Carullo said the PAREx will be about 19.365 kilometers long and will begin at the borders of San Nicolas and Intramuros in Manila to Taytay, Rizal, with entry and exit points placed “strategically” to connect it to other main thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“As part of the STOA, the project is considered an extension or linkage between Skyway Stage 3 and the C6 project,” he said.
The project, he said, includes the financing, design, construction, operation, maintenance of the toll expressway and consists of three segments.
The first 5.740-km segment will cover R10 to Skyway Stage 3 to Plaza Azul while the second 7.325-km section will stretch from Skyway Stage 3, San Juan River, to C5, and the third 6.3 km segment will be from C5 to Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, also known as C-6 Expressway.
“It has a franchise period of 30 consecutive years--commencing from the issuance of the toll operations certificate. And the construction period is for 36 consecutive months counted from the issuance of the notice to proceed with a 12-month grace period,” Carullo said.
The project cost is estimated at PHP81.527 billion with a “project reasonable rate of return” of 9.87 percent.
In a Facebook post, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the PAREx aims to address traffic congestion from the East to West of NCR.
“It is also set to provide a faster and alternative access to Makati, Ortigas, and Bonifacio Global City,” Tugade said.
‘First hybrid highway’
In a separate statement, Ang said the agreement would bring about the country’s first “green, hybrid highway and the future of urban transport.”
“PAREx will not only decongest traffic, it will greatly improve the way we move around Metro Manila. It will be designed to accommodate motor vehicles, a bus rapid transit system, bicycles, pedestrians, and water ferries,” Ang said.
In addition, he said his company is “fully committed” to a PHP2 billion rehabilitation initiative for the Pasig River.
“PAREx will address not only the present needs of both people and the environment but also the future needs of generations to come,” Ang said.
Monday, September 20, 2021
With Airport Express Service Makati-Clark in 55 minutes
TRAVEL time between Makati and Clark via railway will be reduced to 55 minutes with the Airport Express Service.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials said this during the first inspection of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) railway project on Saturday, September 19, 2021
This airport link project, the first of its kind in the country, is also part of the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
Aside from this, the travel time between Malolos, Bulacan, and Clark will be cut down from one hour and 30 minutes to just 30 to 35 minutes, the agency stated.
The 53-kilometer Malolo-Clark railway segment will link several areas in Central Luzon to Metro Manila.
It has six stations in Calumpit, Bulacan; Apalit, Pampanga; City of San Fernando; Angeles City; Clark Freeport and Clark International Airport.
Eigo Azukizawa, the chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), lauded the DOTr for its swift implementation of the project despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the successful commencement and ongoing rollout of construction are products of collaborative efforts and firm partnership between the government and its partner agencies.
"We are amazed by the fast and continued progress of the project amid the pandemic," the Jica official added.
During an inspection of the project in Mabalacat City, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko said their government will continue providing technology and other means for the effective implementation of the NSCR project.
Japan is one of the top funding sources for the railway projects implemented by the DOTr.
PNR Clark-Malolos 32% complete, no construction delays: DOTr
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
The Malolos-Clark segment or phase two of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), is now 32 percent complete and is on track to be completed in 2024.
In a Laging Handa briefing on Monday, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the NSCR Phase 2 began construction this year.
“Sa kasalukuyan ay meron tayong 32 percent na overall progress rate para sa PNR Clark Phase 2 at inaasahan natin na yan ay matapos--kabuuan mula Manila hanggang Clark--by the year 2024 (To date we have a 32 percent overall progress rate for the PNR Clark Phase and we’re expecting this to be completed—from Manila to Clark—by the year 2024),” Batan said.
The NSCR is composed of three segments—the PNR Clark Phase 1 that began construction in 2019, PNR Clark Phase 2, and PNR Calamba that is slated to begin construction next year.
“Itong [NSCR] ay meron haba na 147 kilometers (km) at meron yan 35 na mga istasyon at yan ay magdadaan sa 25 na cities at municipalities mula sa Clark International Airport (CRK) hanggang Calamba (The NSCR is 147 km long and has 35 stations that will pass through 25 cities and municipalities from CRK to Calamba),” Batan said.
He said the NSCR is expected to provide a total of 25,000 direct jobs.
“Sa Clark Phase 2 pa lang ay 7,000 jobs na ang magagawa at direct pa lang yan. Ibig sabihin yung mga trabahador natin, wala pa diyan yung mga indirect jobs na tinatawag na magmumula sa doon sa economic activity na isasagawa at maidudulot nitong proyekto (PNR Clark Phase 2 alone will provide 7,000 direct jobs. That only includes project workers, not including indirect jobs that will be created by the project’s economic activity),” Batan said.
On Saturday, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials conducted a site inspection of the underground railway station adjacent to CRK that is part of the NSCR Phase 2.
Once operational, the journey from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga is seen to cut down to 30 to 35 minutes from the previous 1.5 to two-hour drive and will be part of the country’s first “Airport Express Service.”
Tugade: PNR Malolos to Clark segment to generate 7,000 direct jobs
PAMPANGA – Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade reiterated that job opportunities are available for Filipinos as the construction of various infrastructure projects is underway, such as the massive North-South Commuter Railway’s (NSCR) Malolos-Clark segment, which opened a total of 7,000 direct jobs.
During the inspection of the PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark Segment) project on 18 September 2021, Sec. Tugade highlighted the employment benefits of the railway project which will give priority to local hiring.
“I have been stressing this and I want to make sure that under the Build, Build, Build, we shall prioritize the employment of former Overseas Filipino Workers and transport workers to guarantee the inclusivity of this project,” Secretary Tugade said in his message, which was delivered by DOTr Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 forms part of the massive 147-km NSCR line, which will have 35 stations, and shall operate 464 train cars, with 58 8-car train sets configuration.
To note, apart from the 7,000 direct jobs that opened during the construction phase of the PNR Clark Phase 2, around 3,000 more job opportunities will be generated once the project becomes operational. Moreover, for the whole NSCR line, over 25,000 direct job opportunities will be generated during its construction, while 10,000 jobs are expected to provide employment to the people.
For a mega infrastructure project such as the NSCR, the Japanese government as well as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), which will co-finance the project, commended the DOTr for ensuring that construction works continue despite present challenges and global crisis.
In his message, the Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko stressed the important benefits of the NSCR to Filipinos, including the improvement of connectivity surrounding Metro Manila, and the convenience it will provide to commuters.
“On top of these, the benefit of this project will extend as far as creating many job opportunities. A total of allowance 10,000 new jobs are expected during its construction and once operations begin,” Ambassador Kazuhiko said.
As of July 2021, PNR Clark Phase 2 recorded an overall progress rate of 32%, while PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban to Malolos segment), is now 48% complete.
The PNR Clark project features the country’s first-ever airport railway express service, which will surely unlock the economic growth and employment potentials of Central Luzon, especially Bulacan and Pampanga.
“This project is going to be incredibly important to the economic recovery and particularly in this region. So, you can imagine you got a lot of employment that’s being created, a lot of supply contracts – so this is the direct effects. And then there are the indirect effects – the second round of effects – the creating of new income opportunities for the region,” ADB Country Director Kelly Bird meanwhile said.
“This project is also one of the prime examples of JICA-ADB partnership for financing quality infrastructure. We are amazed by the fast and continuous progress of the project amidst the pandemic,” JICA Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa expressed.
Meanwhile, proving that job opportunities are at hand, two (2) returning overseas workers gave their testimonies and encouraged others to take advantage of the employment opportunities under the government’s Build, Build, Build program.
“I am an OFW for around of 18 years already, and when I heard about this PNR project, which my parent company is one of the contractors— the Hyundai Engineering— I was amazed and very much interested to come back to the Philippines for this one,” said Melvin Avellana, a former OFW in Singapore.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of this company (Acciona-EEI JV), which develops and manages infrastructure solutions in one of the most important projects in my home country. I told my family and friends back in Dubai not to be afraid to come back because there are opportunities, and I am happy to be back home,” Reynalyn Garcia, an OFW for 15 years in the United Arab of Emirates, shared.
JICA-ADB funded Metro Manila to Clark railway extension project to create 10,000 jobs – Japanese envoy
The construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension, the Philippines’ first airport-bound highspeed railway, will create 10,000 jobs and cut down travel time between Metro Manila and Clark to only about an hour, Japanese Ambassador to Manila Koshikawa Kazuhiko said over the weekend.
Koshikawa made this statement at the start of the construction of the Philippine National Railways’ Clark Phase 2 on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The railway segment plans to “seamlessly” link PNR Clark 1 line in Tutuban to Malolos, Bulacan (38 kilometers) and the PNR Clark 2 line from Malolos to Clark International Airport (58 kilometers).
In January 2019, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an agreement that would provide an Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) loan to the Philippines amounting to JPY167.199 billion ($1.54 billion) for the 109-kilometer NSCR extension project.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is co-financing the project.
The loan funds of the Japan ODA will be used to procure rolling stock, a railway system and consulting services, while the ADB assistance will be utilized for civil works.
According to JICA, the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP) will apply to the Japanese ODA loan for the project that will involve the transfer of advanced Japanese technology such as safe and punctual signaling systems and rolling stock that is lightweight and energy-efficient.
The Japanese funding agency said the project aims to strengthen the connectivity of urban transportation and enhance the transportation capacity in and around Metro Manila.
The railway extension forms part of the 147-kilometer NSCR project extending the North-South Commuter Railway to Clark International Airport in Pampanga Province in the north and to Calamba of Laguna Province in the south.
An ODA loan agreement for the NSCR was first signed in November 2015 during the time of the Aquino administration. The total cost of the NSCR project, including the extension, is P628.42 billion ($12.03 billion).
The entire 147-kilometer NSCR project that stretches from Laguna to Clark in Pampanga will have a total of 35 stations and 464 train cars with 58 eight-car train sets configuration.
It will also link existing railway lines – Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2, the MRT 3, and the upcoming Metro Manila Subway.
The NSCR project is targeted for completion in September 2025.