LRT-MRT common station agreement to be signed this month

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade has confirmed that the agreement on the LRT-MRT common station will be signed this month.

The common station is set to be built between Ayala Land’s Trinoma Mall and SM North EDSA in Quezon City. The station would connect the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), and the proposed MRT Line 7 in Quezon City. According to Tugade, stakeholders Ramon Ang, Vice-Chairman, President and COO of San Miguel Corporation, Manuel V. Pangilinan, Chairman of TV5 Network, Philex Mining, Philex Petroleum, and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) and Jaime Augusto Zóbel de Ayala II, chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation, chairman of the board of directors of Globe Telecom, Bank of the Philippine Islands, and Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI); vice chairman of the board of directors and member of the Executive Committee of Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI); vice chairman of Manila Water Company, Inc.; and co-chairman and trustee of Ayala Foundation, Inc., have agreed to finalize the project after a private meeting with him.

“We tried to meet separately and collectively with all the stakeholders. The last meeting was done yesterday with no less than the heads, stakeholders meeting with me, in a private meeting,” Sec. Tugade said.

Tugade also confirmed that SM Prime Holdings agreed on the location of the common station between The Annex at SM City North EDSA and Trinoma Mall. Tugade also explained that the stakeholders saw the importance of having one single station and that they agreed on the intention to not burden commuters in making them walk distantly.

“What we have basically agreed upon, number 1, all of them saw the importance of 1 single station. All of them saw the difficulty of making people walk to do connectivity between LRT’s and MRT’s,” he explained.

The location of the common station, however, has yet to be finalized. The current court battle between SMPH and ALI impeded this decision.

On September 28, 2009, SM Prime Holdings  had a deal with the LRT Authority to construct the common station in front of The Annex at SM City North EDSA.

On January 25, 2010, SM Prime Holdings gave 200 million pesos to LRTA for the naming rights of the common station. But on May 30, 2013, former DOTC secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya decided to transfer the location of the common station near Trinoma Mall. The case reached the court but SM Prime Holdings loss the case. The 200-million peso cash bond is still in the possession of LRTA and will be sent back as soon as possible.

The DOT is proposing a budget of P55.47 billion for 2017, 25 percent higher than this year’s budget.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com, untvweb.com

The great equalizer

The LRT-MRT common station in SM City North Edsa, which aims to connect the LRT Line 1, MRT Line 3, and the proposed MRT Line 7, has been in the government’s pipeline for several years now. Unfortunately, there have been delays in the construction due to the technicalities and disagreements among parties involved.

During the Department of Transportation budget hearing last Friday, I had the chance to inquire on the development of this project. According to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, the parties involved have finally agreed to proceed with the construction. My question is, what exactly was their agreement? Where exactly will the common station be?

During the 14th Congress, I took part in crafting a resolution to construct a common railway station at SM City North Edsa.With the convenience of the commuters in mind, we believe that a common station would ease the daily transportation grind of the working class. Our resolution originally proposed to construct the railway interchange in front of SM City North Edsa. The alignment was changed during the previous administration as the North-end station of the MRT Line 3 was relocated beside TriNoMa Mall, an Ayala property. We would like to revisit this new design of the LRT-MRT common station in North Edsa as we hope to avoid the blunder of the Gateway Mall connection, where commuters have to walk approximately 700 meters to transfer from MRT Line 3 to LRT Line 2. This kind of set-up favors only the interests of the mall owners and not of the working class. In other countries such as Hong Kong and New York, interchange stations only require commuters to go up or down a platform or walk a few meters to transfer railway lines. Why can’t we implement the same here?

The government recognizes the big role of the country’s top corporations in making the LRT-MRT common station project possible. SM Prime Holdings Inc. together with the Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) is the concessionaire for the operations, maintenance and extension of LRT-1, of which Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. (MPLRC), a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is the controlling shareholder, and the Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), a unit of San Miguel Holdings Corp., should collaborate to construct a bona fide LRT-MRT common station in SM City North Edsa. We have to make sure that the deal does not favor anyone but the public.

We in the minority firmly believe that the concept of 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. As a prime advocate of long-term traffic solutions and as one of the initiators of the construction of the common station, I commit to be proactive in ensuring that this project gets done the soonest. My only appeal to the public is to remain patient as this construction would affect the current traffic condition. Rest assured, it will all be worth it.

ANG PASKO AY SUMAPIT

ang Pasko ay sumapit
tayo ay mangagsiawit
ng magagandang himig
dahil sa Diyos ay pag-ibig
nang si Kristo ay isilang
may tatlong haring nagsidalaw
at ang bawa't isa
ay nagsipaghandog ng tanging alay

Koro:
Bagong Taon ay magbagong-buhay
nang lumigaya
ang ating bayan
tayo'y magsikap
upang makamtan natin
ang kasaganaan
tayo'y mangagsiawit
habang ang mundo ay tahimik
ang araw ay sumapit
ng sanggol na dulot ng langit
tayo ay magmahalan
ating sundin ang gintong aral
at magbuhat ngayon
kahit hindi Pasko ay magbigayan (Koro)

sa maybahay ang aming bati

‘Merry Christmas!’ na maluwalhati

ang pag-ibig ‘pag siyang naghari

araw-araw ay magiging Paskong lagi

ang sanhi po ng pagparito

hihingi po ng aginaldo

kung sakaling kami’y perhuwisyo

pasensya na kayo’t kami’y namamasko.

Ang Pasko ay sumapit na naman

kaya’t tayo ay dapat na magdiwang

pagkat ngayon ay araw ng pagsilang ni hesus

na di natin malilimutan

halina tayo ay manalangin

nang tayong lahat ay kanyang pagpalain

ang Pasko ay ating pasayahin

sa pagmamahalan natin.

Maligayang Pasko sa bawat tahanan

ang dalangin namin sana ay makamtan

Masaganang buhay sa taong darating

ang maging palad

sana natin dinggin lamang

ang dalangin darating

ang hangarin

sama-samang awitin ang isang Ama Namin

may gayak ang lahat ng tahanan

masdan niyo at nagpapaligsahan

may parol at ilaw bawat bintana na sadyang

iba’t-iba ang kulay kayganda 

ang ayos ng simbahan

ang lahat ay inaanyayahan

nang dahil sa pagsilang sa sanggol na siyang maghahari

sa panghabang panahon

ang Pasko ay araw

ng bigayan ang lahat

ay nagmamahalan tuwing Pasko

ay lagi nang ganyan

may sigla, may galak ang bayan

Maligaya, maligayang Pasko

Kayo ay bigyan masagana,

Masaganang Bagong Taon

ay kamtan ipagdiwang,

Ipagdiwang araw ng maykapal

Upang manatili sa atin

Ang kapalaran at mabuhay

nang lagi sa kapayapaan

Mano Po Ninong, Mano Po Ninang

naririto kami ngayon

humahalik sa inyong kamay

salamat ninong, salamat ninang

sa aginaldo pong inyong ibibigay

Pasko na naman, Pasko na naman

kaya kami ngayo'y ay naririto

upang kayong lahat ay aming handugan

nang iba’t-ibang himig na Pamasko

Maligaya, maligaya maligayang Pasko
sa inyong lahat!

‘ASAP New York’ a big hit by Crispina Martinez - Belen September 16, 2016 (updated)

No less than New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo praised the staging of “ASAP New York” recently at Barclays Center, the sports and entertainment mecca of Brooklyn, NY.
He said “I join in applauding all who have helped make tonight’s event a reality. May you all enjoy this exciting and inspiring expression of musical creativity.”
It was a sold-out show. Over 50 Filipino performers from the Philippines and the US participated, among them Piolo Pascual, Coco Martin, Angeline Quinto, Vice Ganda, Billy Crawford, Daniel Padilla, Daryl Ong, Elmo Magalona, Enrique Gil, Erik Santos, Gary Valenciano, Gerald Anderson, Janella Salvador, and many more.
Also present was host of the longest-running Philippine TV drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” Charo Santos-Concio; and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Gerard Salonga.
Currently living in New York as reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach from the Philippines also graced the event.
“ASAP New York” will be aired on TFC linear worldwide tomorrow.
“It is our honor to have made Filipino event history in New York with our beloved Kapamilya,and their tremendous support inspires us to continue providing them with meaningful and memorable live entertainment experience,” said ABS-CBN Global Events Business Unit Head Ricky Resurreccion.
• • •
Nancy Leonard competes for Miss Tourism Queen Int’l
Nancy Lee Leonard from Zamboanga has been appointed by Queen of the Phils. Foundation, Inc. and La Unica Events Management in collaboration with Megastar Production, to represent the country at the 2016 Miss Tourism Queen Int’l, which is ongoing till Sept. 26 in Wenzhou, China.
The 25-year-old graduate of BS Psychology major in Guidance and Counselling at Ateneo de Zamboanga University was crowned Miss Zamboanga in 2011. She was also Miss Philippines Earth-Water 2013. She also joined Bb. Pilipinas 2015.
Nancy said “I will do my best to bring home the crown. Thank you for all the trust and support especially to Tita Annie Refrea and her daughter Roanne Refrea for their encouragement and advises.”
The Miss Tourism Queen Int’l Pageant, founded by Charlie See, is one of the largest and oldest tourism-themed pageants in the world.
• • •
Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Sept. 17, go to Aiza Seguerra, Becky de Liano, Albert Marcelo, Doris Leelin, John Burke, Albert Marcelo, Shalon Lara Victoriano, Rommel A. Foronda of San Francisco, CA, Dr. Marcelo Villarosa, Nick Lizette Paman, Cacai Tandingan, Evelyn Malicdem, Matthew Zulnaga, Cecille Novales, Justine Amores Martinez of Cebu, Atty. Ronnie Orebillo, Grace Martinez of New York, Rommel Foronda of SF, Shalom Victoriano, Justine Amores Martinez, Cecile Novales, Lucila Garme Tan, Aian L. Grino, Chinny Villacorta, Dialma Judilla-Perez, Fe Naranjo, Jun Alvarez, Glophet Pag-ong and Francine Prieto… Sept. 18: Marites M. Lopez, Tessie Velasco, Tom Portillo, Cecille Cheng, Dr. Elizabeth Serrano, Nana de Rios, Marita Soriano, Erika Markham, Tessie G. Velasco, Nana de Rios, Tom Portillo, Cecile Cheng, Dr. Elizabeth Pizarro-Serrano, Marita Soriano, Eugene Allen Ocampo, Candy Alison, Joi Samal, Ma. Rouffel Reyes-Valles, Catherine Lara Victoriano, Marvin P. Serrano, Xandra Valenzuela, Steve B. Salonga, Lilet Rico, Lourdes Choa, Valerie Honeylit Clarino, Mimi Jorge, Benjie Sese, Dondon Sermino of Abante Una; Engr. Richmond Francis Malvar, Marites M. Lopez, MB’s Marita S. Gozum, Roufelle Reyes Valles, Joi Samal, Lara Victoriano, Valerie Clarino, Mimi Jorge, Dondon Sermino, Marita Gozum, Gela Larion Acuzar of Cataning, Balanga City, Bataan, Mark Jose Sabutan Ultra, Leony Dante, Sofia Marie Cabral, Abelardo Almario, Jr., Earl Kent Espinosa, Elma Arcayan, Empressiona, Grace Suzette Calog, Guillin Rose Gallardo, Liklik Padigos, Louise Mary Almario-Concepcion, Nigel Paul Villarete, Raleigh Aliboy Vilo, Soping Torrejos, and Lourdes Choa…Happy wedding anniversary to Ramon and Fayee Mauricio, and Christopher and Geraldine Silan of New York…  Sept. 19: former Rep. Peping Cojuangco, Impy Pilapil, Josie Darang, Maoui David, Nap Gutierrez, Lydia C. De Guzman, Danny Vibas, Atty. Nelson Lidua, Dr. Nilo Apale, Gio Anthony Medina, Jon Mathay, Dennis Herruela of Stratworks, and MB’s Marilou B. Laderas…Belated b-day greetings to Eugene Aquino, Rina Fe Magtinao, Desa Rose Bea Logarta, Riza Margarete Raagas-Ramos, Justine Besas (Sept. 15)…Success of the National Coastal Clean-Up Day