The Common Station project started in 2009 and has been on hold due to legal issues.
The LRTA inked a deal with SMPHI to build the station near SM North EDSA.
Even if the physical infrastructure connecting the two rail systems are in place and successfully tested, commuters have to go down at the Roosevelt station of LRT-1 and walk over or take a tricycle or jeepney for the one kilometer distance to the Trinoma terminal of MRT-3.
Former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was arrested on November 18, 2011 after a Pasay court issued a warrant of arrest against her, following the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections.
The arrest warrant was served at a St. Luke's Medical Center at Taguig where Arroyo had been confined.
Days earlier, the Supreme Court had issued a Resolution enjoining attempts by the Department of Justice to prevent her departure from the Philippines to seek medical treatment overseas.
She was transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on December 9, 2011.
On December 12, 2011, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached by the House of Representatives.
On May 29, 2012, Corona was found guilty by the Senate of violating Article II of the Articles of Impeachment filed against him pertaining to his failure to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth to the public.
A year later, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) decided to build the station near Ayala’s near Trinoma, which is owned and operated by rival Ayala Land Inc., citing lower costs as a reason for the change of location.
On November 21, 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 will be constructed.
The Supreme Court intervened and issued a TRO in favor of SMPHI to stop the construction of the common station.
“Acting on the prayer for the issuance of a TRO and writ of preliminary injunction, the Court furthermore resolves to issue a TRO as prayed for, effectively immediately and continuing until further notice from this Court, enjoining the respondents, their agents and representatives, from proceeding with the transfer of the common station in front of SM City North EDSA to the new site in front of the Trinoma Mall in North Avenue, Quezon, City,” the July 30 order handed down by the high court’s First Division said.
It also ordered the respondents to comment on SM Prime’s petition “within a non-extendable period of 10 days from notice thereof.”
In a statement, SM Prime said the TRO reinforces the company's position on the construction of the common station in its original location across the SM City North EDSA Annex building under the terms of a memorandum of agreement the company signed with LRTA.
"We are merely asking that the DOTC/LRTA and/or the winning bidder construct the Common Station component thereof in front of SM City North EDSA, in faithful compliance with the MOA," it said.
Corona died on April 29, 2016, at 1:48 a.m. at The Medical City in Pasig due to complications of a heart attack. He also suffered from kidney disease and diabetes.
On July 19, 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the dismissal of plunder case against Arroyo, gathering a vote of 11-4 which was read by spokesperson Theodore Te. The majority of four justices who ruled against Arroyo's acquittal were appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III, namely Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Benjamin Caguioa. Joining the dissent is Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, an appointee during Arroyo's administration.
Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday asked the Department of Transportation to explain why it allowed a revision to the North Terminal project even if this would violate obligations under the MRT-7 contract and inconvenience commuters. Senators also grilled DOTr officials on the priorities they have set among a slew of measures sought to be embodied under emergency powers for the Executive to solve the traffic crisis.
At the Senate hearing into the emergency powers being sought by President Rodrigo Duterte to solve the country’s transport woes, Poe zeroed in on the project that would provide a common station linking Lines 3 and 7 of the Mass Rail Transit, noting that while it “is not part of your proposal under emergency powers, also concerns easing the traffic in Metro Manila.”
Poe said the revision, contained in the September 28 memorandum of understanding signed by SM-Ayala and the DOTr, involves transferring the location of the common station from along EDSA, as originally planned, to within the property of Trinoma mall.
She noted that DOTr planning division chief Joel Magbanua, in an internal memorandum to Undersecretary for Planning Rene Limcaoco, had assailed the revision as a violation of the obligations under the MRT-7 contract.
Aside from this, she said, the memo pointed out that the transfer would force the 55,000 commuters using the rail line daily to walk 350 meters from the MRT-3 to the MRT-7.
“May pag-aaral bang ginawa para may compelling reason kayo na ilipat ang common station (Was a study done to show a compelling reason to transfer the common station)?” Poe asked.
“Have you considered the stakeholders involved?” she added. “Paano na ang mga matatanda at (What about the elderly and) persons with disability?”
She pointed out that even if the way between the two lines would be airconditioned and wheelchairs are provided for those unable to walk that far, it would still be an inconvenience.
Poe also asked for a copy of the memorandum of understanding.
More questions than answers
Poe said the point she raised about the North Avenue Common Station project was just one of several questions the administration should answer before Duterte can be granted the emergency powers he seeks.
Among these questions Poe wants answered are:
For the DPWH, what are your projects for flooding?
How do you envision the Bus Rapid Transport System to work along EDSA? What about the narrow lanes, such as the intersection of Shaw Blvd and EDSA?
On your proposal to construct an Integrated Transport System South Terminal, you indicated PPP funding amounting to 2.2 billion; however, we have also received proposals from the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) and the South Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA), who are both willing to construct the North and South Terminals, respectively, for free.
What are your plans for new railways? Why not go through the regular bidding process for new railways?
What about specific projects? What projects do you have for Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro? “Nabanggit ninyo ‘yung rail system doon, saan doon (You mentioned the rail system, where exactly will this be)?”
How is the NLEX-SLEX connector an urgent infrastructure project that will address the traffic crisis, and why has an award notice not been issued yet?
We also need to know the right of way issues, have you resolved them? NGCP, I’d like to know the status of that.
What is your masterplan on decongesting port areas?
There are appears to be some projects that have nothing to do with easing traffic in the country. “How will the establishment of a National Emission Testing Center, procurement of license plates, and procurement of projects under the Office of Transportation Security (such as the facial recognition system, etc.) address the traffic crisis? These are important and these need to be addressed immediately but I would think this is connected with what has been tasked for us to do which is to ease traffic.”
Also, regarding the National Emission Testing Center, I have received word that there was a recent meeting between the LTO and the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association (IPPCA). During this meeting, the IPPCA pledged to undertake the repair of the motor vehicles inspection service facilities for free. Are you considering their offer? And if not, why not?
What are your plans on relocating informal settler families? Have you finally coordinated with other government agencies? This was raised by (Quezon City) Mayor Herbert (Bautista).
One of the powers requested under the proposed emergency powers bill is the power to reorganize attached agencies. Have you already identified which agencies will be reorganized and which agencies will have to remove employees due to redundancy? What assurance can you give us that these affected employees will either be transferred to a different department or paid separation incentives?
How do you plan to implement the transfer of international flights to Clark? Have you considered that this might result in additional travel cost to the commuters? You cannot tell me that if they can afford to travel internationally means that they can afford to pay more for travel to the airport. You should include in your proposal information on parking and ride facilities.
Even if they are tactical in nature, even if they’re palliative and temporary, I and the general public for that matter, would like to hear from our guests the traffic plan especially designed and customized for the Christmas season.
“These are among the questions I wish to ask. I have more later. Perhaps, the DOTr should focus on projects that will immediately solve traffic. Baka kasi sobrang dami ng gusto ninyong gawin tapos marami sa mga proyektong iyun ay hindi naman talaga makakatulong sa problema. Meron din problema sa C6, ano bang plano, parang ‘di naman nabanggit (With so much you want to do, many of those projects might not even help solve the problem. There is also a problem with the C6, what is your plan, it doesn’t appear to have been mentioned)?” Poe said.
During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto reprimanded the DOTr after finding out that no budget for the emergency powers was allocated in the 2017 national expenditure plan and there was no detailed engineering plan or even a feasibility study of the proposed projects.
Recto clarified that he did not oppose giving emergency powers to the government as long as these are clearly defined.
The LRTA inked a deal with SMPHI to build the station near SM North EDSA.
Even if the physical infrastructure connecting the two rail systems are in place and successfully tested, commuters have to go down at the Roosevelt station of LRT-1 and walk over or take a tricycle or jeepney for the one kilometer distance to the Trinoma terminal of MRT-3.
Former president and now Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was arrested on November 18, 2011 after a Pasay court issued a warrant of arrest against her, following the filing of a complaint for electoral sabotage by the Commission on Elections.
The arrest warrant was served at a St. Luke's Medical Center at Taguig where Arroyo had been confined.
Days earlier, the Supreme Court had issued a Resolution enjoining attempts by the Department of Justice to prevent her departure from the Philippines to seek medical treatment overseas.
She was transferred to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on December 9, 2011.
On December 12, 2011, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached by the House of Representatives.
On May 29, 2012, Corona was found guilty by the Senate of violating Article II of the Articles of Impeachment filed against him pertaining to his failure to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth to the public.
A year later, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) decided to build the station near Ayala’s near Trinoma, which is owned and operated by rival Ayala Land Inc., citing lower costs as a reason for the change of location.
On November 21, 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 will be constructed.
The Supreme Court intervened and issued a TRO in favor of SMPHI to stop the construction of the common station.
“Acting on the prayer for the issuance of a TRO and writ of preliminary injunction, the Court furthermore resolves to issue a TRO as prayed for, effectively immediately and continuing until further notice from this Court, enjoining the respondents, their agents and representatives, from proceeding with the transfer of the common station in front of SM City North EDSA to the new site in front of the Trinoma Mall in North Avenue, Quezon, City,” the July 30 order handed down by the high court’s First Division said.
It also ordered the respondents to comment on SM Prime’s petition “within a non-extendable period of 10 days from notice thereof.”
In a statement, SM Prime said the TRO reinforces the company's position on the construction of the common station in its original location across the SM City North EDSA Annex building under the terms of a memorandum of agreement the company signed with LRTA.
"We are merely asking that the DOTC/LRTA and/or the winning bidder construct the Common Station component thereof in front of SM City North EDSA, in faithful compliance with the MOA," it said.
Corona died on April 29, 2016, at 1:48 a.m. at The Medical City in Pasig due to complications of a heart attack. He also suffered from kidney disease and diabetes.
On July 19, 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the dismissal of plunder case against Arroyo, gathering a vote of 11-4 which was read by spokesperson Theodore Te. The majority of four justices who ruled against Arroyo's acquittal were appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III, namely Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Benjamin Caguioa. Joining the dissent is Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, an appointee during Arroyo's administration.
Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday asked the Department of Transportation to explain why it allowed a revision to the North Terminal project even if this would violate obligations under the MRT-7 contract and inconvenience commuters. Senators also grilled DOTr officials on the priorities they have set among a slew of measures sought to be embodied under emergency powers for the Executive to solve the traffic crisis.
At the Senate hearing into the emergency powers being sought by President Rodrigo Duterte to solve the country’s transport woes, Poe zeroed in on the project that would provide a common station linking Lines 3 and 7 of the Mass Rail Transit, noting that while it “is not part of your proposal under emergency powers, also concerns easing the traffic in Metro Manila.”
Poe said the revision, contained in the September 28 memorandum of understanding signed by SM-Ayala and the DOTr, involves transferring the location of the common station from along EDSA, as originally planned, to within the property of Trinoma mall.
She noted that DOTr planning division chief Joel Magbanua, in an internal memorandum to Undersecretary for Planning Rene Limcaoco, had assailed the revision as a violation of the obligations under the MRT-7 contract.
Aside from this, she said, the memo pointed out that the transfer would force the 55,000 commuters using the rail line daily to walk 350 meters from the MRT-3 to the MRT-7.
“May pag-aaral bang ginawa para may compelling reason kayo na ilipat ang common station (Was a study done to show a compelling reason to transfer the common station)?” Poe asked.
“Have you considered the stakeholders involved?” she added. “Paano na ang mga matatanda at (What about the elderly and) persons with disability?”
She pointed out that even if the way between the two lines would be airconditioned and wheelchairs are provided for those unable to walk that far, it would still be an inconvenience.
Poe also asked for a copy of the memorandum of understanding.
More questions than answers
Poe said the point she raised about the North Avenue Common Station project was just one of several questions the administration should answer before Duterte can be granted the emergency powers he seeks.
Among these questions Poe wants answered are:
For the DPWH, what are your projects for flooding?
How do you envision the Bus Rapid Transport System to work along EDSA? What about the narrow lanes, such as the intersection of Shaw Blvd and EDSA?
On your proposal to construct an Integrated Transport System South Terminal, you indicated PPP funding amounting to 2.2 billion; however, we have also received proposals from the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) and the South Luzon Bus Operators Association (SOLUBOA), who are both willing to construct the North and South Terminals, respectively, for free.
What are your plans for new railways? Why not go through the regular bidding process for new railways?
What about specific projects? What projects do you have for Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro? “Nabanggit ninyo ‘yung rail system doon, saan doon (You mentioned the rail system, where exactly will this be)?”
How is the NLEX-SLEX connector an urgent infrastructure project that will address the traffic crisis, and why has an award notice not been issued yet?
We also need to know the right of way issues, have you resolved them? NGCP, I’d like to know the status of that.
What is your masterplan on decongesting port areas?
There are appears to be some projects that have nothing to do with easing traffic in the country. “How will the establishment of a National Emission Testing Center, procurement of license plates, and procurement of projects under the Office of Transportation Security (such as the facial recognition system, etc.) address the traffic crisis? These are important and these need to be addressed immediately but I would think this is connected with what has been tasked for us to do which is to ease traffic.”
Also, regarding the National Emission Testing Center, I have received word that there was a recent meeting between the LTO and the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association (IPPCA). During this meeting, the IPPCA pledged to undertake the repair of the motor vehicles inspection service facilities for free. Are you considering their offer? And if not, why not?
What are your plans on relocating informal settler families? Have you finally coordinated with other government agencies? This was raised by (Quezon City) Mayor Herbert (Bautista).
One of the powers requested under the proposed emergency powers bill is the power to reorganize attached agencies. Have you already identified which agencies will be reorganized and which agencies will have to remove employees due to redundancy? What assurance can you give us that these affected employees will either be transferred to a different department or paid separation incentives?
How do you plan to implement the transfer of international flights to Clark? Have you considered that this might result in additional travel cost to the commuters? You cannot tell me that if they can afford to travel internationally means that they can afford to pay more for travel to the airport. You should include in your proposal information on parking and ride facilities.
Even if they are tactical in nature, even if they’re palliative and temporary, I and the general public for that matter, would like to hear from our guests the traffic plan especially designed and customized for the Christmas season.
“These are among the questions I wish to ask. I have more later. Perhaps, the DOTr should focus on projects that will immediately solve traffic. Baka kasi sobrang dami ng gusto ninyong gawin tapos marami sa mga proyektong iyun ay hindi naman talaga makakatulong sa problema. Meron din problema sa C6, ano bang plano, parang ‘di naman nabanggit (With so much you want to do, many of those projects might not even help solve the problem. There is also a problem with the C6, what is your plan, it doesn’t appear to have been mentioned)?” Poe said.
During the hearing, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto reprimanded the DOTr after finding out that no budget for the emergency powers was allocated in the 2017 national expenditure plan and there was no detailed engineering plan or even a feasibility study of the proposed projects.
Recto clarified that he did not oppose giving emergency powers to the government as long as these are clearly defined.
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