Congressmen led by Minority Leader Danilo Suarez on Wednesday expressed the need to "revisit" and closely monitor the new design to be laid down by the government for the common link station to connect the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) lines.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier told lawmakers that stakeholders had agreed to build the common station in between SM North and Trinoma in Quezon City. The memorandum of agreement is set to be signed on September 28.
But on Wednesday, the minority congressmen said they would closely monitor the progress of the common station project to ensure that it does not favor anyone but the public.
"We find it necessary to revisit the new design of the LRT-MRT common station in North EDSA as we don't want a mistake similar to the Gateway Mall connection, where commuters have to walk approximately 700 meters to transfer from MRT Line 3 to LRT Line 2," said the minority.
"We wonder then the interests served here. Is it that of the mall owners?," asked the minority in a statement read by Suarez to the media during a news conference.
The group said that interchange stations in Hong Kong and New York only require commuters to go up or down a platform or walk a few meters to transfer railway lines.
"There must be an assurance na huwag mo paglalakarin ang commuters.... Sa bago nilang assignment na iniisip, mababasa ka pa ng ulan para lumipat ka sa kabilang istasyon," said Suarez.
In his group's statement, the congressmen said: "We in the minority firmly believe that the concept of a mass transit is the great equalizer between a rich man and a poor man. To paraphrase, a developed country is not where everybody rides a private vehicle; it is one where the rich and the working class ride the train together."
During a House hearing on the Department of Transportation's budget last week, Tugade had vowed that the parties would have reached a common agreement before the plenary budget deliberations in October.
Among those who agreed build the common station are San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and CEO Ramon Ang, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and business tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II.
The P1.4-billion project will link LRT-1, MRT-3, and the proposed MRT-7 – from the North Avenue station to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, via Commonwealth Avenue.
The P63-billion MRT-7 is to be constructed by Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), a unit of San Miguel Holdings Corp. Once completed, the 22.8-kilometer MRT- 7 line would traverse the northeast direction of Quezon City, Caloocan, and Bulacan. It is designed to carry around two million passengers a year.
Meanwhile, the P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension project was awarded to the Light Rail Manila Consortium – a joint venture between MPIC and the Ayala Group.
The extension project would stretch the LRT-1 from Baclaran in Pasay City to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite.
Under the Aquino administration, the then-Department of Transportation and Communications decided to have the proposed P1.4-billion common station at the TriNoMa Mall – rather than in front of SM City North EDSA.
TriNoMa mall is owned by North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., a 73.24-percent subsidary of Ayala Land Inc.
According to the previous DOTC management, the common station was relocated after a study showed that the government can save P800 million to P1 billion if the station is built close to Trinoma, an adjacent mall owned by competitor Ayala Land Inc.
The DOTC had said that the agreement with SM Prime expired in 2011 but the Sy-led developer claimed there was no expiry date provided in the documents.
In November 2013, Malacanang approved the P1.4 billion construction of the LRT1 North Extension Project – Common Station.
The project involves the provision of a common station for LRT1, MRT3 and eventually MRT7. Head to head platforms for LRT1 and MRT3 with a 147.4-meter elevated walk-a-lator to the proposed MRT7 at North Avenue near SM Sky Dome will be constructed. It also comes with a footbridge at the southbound side of the North Avenue Station, near Hotel Sogo.— RSJ, GMA News
- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/581362/money/companies/house-minority-wants-to-revisit-new-design-for-lrt-mrt-common-link-station#sthash.zlhVsPT7.dpuf
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier told lawmakers that stakeholders had agreed to build the common station in between SM North and Trinoma in Quezon City. The memorandum of agreement is set to be signed on September 28.
But on Wednesday, the minority congressmen said they would closely monitor the progress of the common station project to ensure that it does not favor anyone but the public.
"We find it necessary to revisit the new design of the LRT-MRT common station in North EDSA as we don't want a mistake similar to the Gateway Mall connection, where commuters have to walk approximately 700 meters to transfer from MRT Line 3 to LRT Line 2," said the minority.
"We wonder then the interests served here. Is it that of the mall owners?," asked the minority in a statement read by Suarez to the media during a news conference.
The group said that interchange stations in Hong Kong and New York only require commuters to go up or down a platform or walk a few meters to transfer railway lines.
"There must be an assurance na huwag mo paglalakarin ang commuters.... Sa bago nilang assignment na iniisip, mababasa ka pa ng ulan para lumipat ka sa kabilang istasyon," said Suarez.
In his group's statement, the congressmen said: "We in the minority firmly believe that the concept of a mass transit is the great equalizer between a rich man and a poor man. To paraphrase, a developed country is not where everybody rides a private vehicle; it is one where the rich and the working class ride the train together."
During a House hearing on the Department of Transportation's budget last week, Tugade had vowed that the parties would have reached a common agreement before the plenary budget deliberations in October.
Among those who agreed build the common station are San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and CEO Ramon Ang, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and business tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II.
The P1.4-billion project will link LRT-1, MRT-3, and the proposed MRT-7 – from the North Avenue station to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, via Commonwealth Avenue.
The P63-billion MRT-7 is to be constructed by Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), a unit of San Miguel Holdings Corp. Once completed, the 22.8-kilometer MRT- 7 line would traverse the northeast direction of Quezon City, Caloocan, and Bulacan. It is designed to carry around two million passengers a year.
Meanwhile, the P65-billion LRT-1 Cavite extension project was awarded to the Light Rail Manila Consortium – a joint venture between MPIC and the Ayala Group.
The extension project would stretch the LRT-1 from Baclaran in Pasay City to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite.
Under the Aquino administration, the then-Department of Transportation and Communications decided to have the proposed P1.4-billion common station at the TriNoMa Mall – rather than in front of SM City North EDSA.
TriNoMa mall is owned by North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., a 73.24-percent subsidary of Ayala Land Inc.
According to the previous DOTC management, the common station was relocated after a study showed that the government can save P800 million to P1 billion if the station is built close to Trinoma, an adjacent mall owned by competitor Ayala Land Inc.
The DOTC had said that the agreement with SM Prime expired in 2011 but the Sy-led developer claimed there was no expiry date provided in the documents.
In November 2013, Malacanang approved the P1.4 billion construction of the LRT1 North Extension Project – Common Station.
The project involves the provision of a common station for LRT1, MRT3 and eventually MRT7. Head to head platforms for LRT1 and MRT3 with a 147.4-meter elevated walk-a-lator to the proposed MRT7 at North Avenue near SM Sky Dome will be constructed. It also comes with a footbridge at the southbound side of the North Avenue Station, near Hotel Sogo.— RSJ, GMA News
- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/581362/money/companies/house-minority-wants-to-revisit-new-design-for-lrt-mrt-common-link-station#sthash.zlhVsPT7.dpuf
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