DPWH may approve CTBEx project by November

By Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) may soon be granted original proponent status for its Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEx), an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday.

“As long as we don’t see any conflict and it complies with the conditions under the law of unsolicited proposal, we’ll be able to give the results of the evaluation within November,” Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral said during a media briefing after inspecting the site of the proposed project.

MPCALA Holdings, Inc. had submitted the unsolicited proposal for the CTBEx project to the DPWH last July 7. The 49-kilometer toll road will connect the Cavite-Laguna Expressway at Silang East Interchange to Tagaytay City, and end at Nasugbu, Batangas.

“This will have to be vetted with other ongoing projects as well as the conditions before we can give the go-signal and approval for the unsolicited (proposal),” Ms. Cabral added.

As an unsolicited proposal, the P22.43-billion project will have to be approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board after the DPWH grants original proponent status to the MPIC unit.

The project will then be subjected to a Swiss challenge wherein third parties can submit competing offers, while the original proponent will be given the right to match them.

Ms. Cabral said the Swiss challenge may be conducted by the first half of next year, expressing hope the government will be able to get the best offer.

“We’re optimistic we can break ground sometime next year,” she added.

Construction of the CTBEx is targeted to begin by mid-2019, and completed by mid-2022.

Ms. Cabral noted CTBEx, which is the first unsolicited offer submitted to the DPWH under the Duterte administration, will cut travel time from Manila to Tagaytay from 2.5 hours to less than an hour.

MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT, Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Build Build Build for our country’s prosperity

In establishing inclusive growth in the country, it is vital to foster excellent relations with stakeholders who will work together to create programs to achieve the common goal. Good thing to have a government that is eager to deliver results to its constituents.

Recently, I, JICA Philippines Chief Representative Susumu Ito and Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez presided over a meeting between the presidential economic team and members of the private sector to discuss programs where the private sector can contribute and collaborate with the government.

The meeting was attended by  Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Budget Secretary Ben Diokno, Economic Planning Secretary Ernie Pernia, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon.

Joining me from the private sector were Edgar Saavedra (Megawide Construction), Josephine Yap (Filinvest Land), Manny Pangilinan (Metro Pacific Investments Corp.), Tessie Coson (SM Investment Corp.), Sabin Aboitiz (Aboitiz Equity Ventures), Ricky Delgado (Citadel Holdings), Ricky Razon (International Container Terminal Services), Michael Tan (LT Group), Alfred Ty (GT Holdings), Jaime Augusto Zobel (Ayala Corp.), George Barcelon (ASEAN BAC Philippines and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry), James Go (JG Summit Holdings Inc.), Lito Alvarez (Philippine Airlines), and Leo Virata (CLSA Exchange Capital Inc.).

The meeting was a venue for key Cabinet members who oversee the administration’s economic and infrastructure development agenda to listen to the business conglomerates’ position in supporting and cooperating with the government’s Build Build Build program. It is also the Filipino businessmen’s venue to learn in finer detail about the government’s direction - on whether the government is open to private sector collaboration in order to accelerate the execution of its infrastructure program.

The Build Build Build projects will then create jobs, spur economic growth and attract foreign investors. It created the Philippine infrastructure portal (www.build.gov.ph) that lists high impact projects envisioned to increase economic productivity, create jobs, increase incomes and strengthen the investment climate which could lead to sustained inclusive growth. It serves as the government’s tool for project monitoring and tracking.

With Build Build Build, the public has access to relevant information about public spending on infrastructure projects. It provides information on the status of each project such as the development, procurement, and implementation of Public-Private Partnerships.

It is worth noting that since President Duterte’s government took over 18 months ago, they have been fast moving on the projects that will strengthen the connectivity of the country. In this series of coordination, my role is to hasten the partnership and collaboration of the private sector and the government.

I am honored to be part of both sectors, in the private sector and in the public sector with my role as the presidential adviser for entrepreneurship. I intend to bridge the gap between the two sectors.

I have been advocating for the 3Ms which we believe will help an entrepreneur succeed. The 3Ms are Mentorship, Money, and Market. The role of the Build Build Build is connectivity which links entrepreneurs to its markets. Access to market is vital to the growth of micro entrepreneurs. Roads, bridges and ports which provide easier transportation of goods and services will support the economic and trade activities of MSMEs. And since the Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7000 islands, we can maximize these infrastructures to strengthen the tourism sector which many MSMEs are involved in.

One of the projects the private sector would want to contribute to is the development and extensive improvement of airports in key cities outside of Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

The economic team encourages the private sector to develop the plans and present these so the team can integrate and streamline these into the administration’s development agenda.

Other infrastructure projects along the way are the building of ports, MRT connections, bridges, railways, expressways, power, and water utilities. The economic team acknowledges the interest of the private sector in helping the government’s goal of creating a better community.

As we promote prosperity for all, it is high time to create tools and systems such as hard structures that can pave the road of inclusive growth for all Filipinos.

Why ‘Maynila’ is close to Joel Lamangan’s heart

If multi-awarded film director Joel Lamangan is excited doing “Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag, The Musical” currently being staged at Kia Theatre in Cubao, it’s because he got his first acting job in the movie version.

“It was my very first movie appearance, extra lang ako du’n,” he told us during the gala performance of the musical. “But my character made a lasting impression because I was the one who killed Bembol Roco’s character.”

Seeing an enthusiastic audience fill Kia Theatre during the gala show-cum press preview over the weekend, I was happy for my dear friend Babes Javier of Grand Leisure Corp. who produced the musical adaptation of the movie by the late National Artist Lino Brocka. Babes is passionate with her local productions (the first being “Annie” the musical in 2016) and even her foreign acts starting with The Platters several years ago, and the latest, The Stylistics last month.

Babes and her husband Victor (who is an engineer) started out in the construction business but have taken to heart local production of entertainment events. They also own Park N Ride in Plaza Lawton, Manila.

Anyway, “Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag,” presented in collaboration with Gantimpala Theater Foundation, has Arman Ferrer as Julio Madiaga who goes to Manila in search of his beloved Ligaya who was recruited for a “job” by Mrs. Cruz (Dulce/Ima Castro). Shiela Martinez and Lara Maigue alternate as Ligaya; Rita Daniela and Aicelle Santos as Perla.

The musical will be staged twice tomorrow, Oct. 6, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• • •

Jazz up and dance

To share the stage of Teatrino in Promenade, Greenhills on Oct. 7 are two female singers and one male artist with powerful voices – Judith Banal and Emcy Corteza and Richard Merk. The one-night concert is titled “Jazz Up And Dance.”

It is not the first time Judith and Emcy are performing together as they have shared the stage at the Calesa Bar reunion show and in some fundraisers. Judith used to be the vocalist of Cicada and Powerplay band, while Emcy was with Fourplay.

When Emcy finally went solo, she encouraged and insisted for Judith to do the same. “At the Hyatt Hotel, that’s where our paths crossed,” Emcy recalled. “The band Poppin’ Jazz was a common ground, having most of the members performing with Gary Valenciano.”

Judith started in the music industry as one of the lead vocalists of Manila’s then premier bands, Cicada and Powerplay. She was influenced by the late Rudy Francisco during her stint at Calesa Bar, and Eddie Katindig.

Richard, on the other hand, has been singing jazz since age nine and his greatest influence is her mother Annie Brazil, dubbed the “Queen of Jazz.” He has travelled all over the world with jazz music as his armor in a lot of music festivals abroad and club stints in Europe.

• • •

ABS-CBN, GMA top TV ratings


ABS-CBN and GMA Network on Tuesday both claimed higher television ratings in September.


ABS-CBN, according to data from Kantar Media, registered an average audience of 47 percent or 14 points higher than GMA’s 33 percent. ABS-CBN ruled the primetime with an average share of 51 percent, a 20-point lead over GMA’s 31 percent.


ABS-CBN also led other networks in other time blocks such as the morning block, where it scored an average audience share of 40 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent the noontime block where it hit 47 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent.


In the afternoon block, ABS-CBN had 43 percent versus GMA’s 39 percent.


Furthermore, nine Kapamilya shows made it to the top 10 most watched programs in national urban and rural homes. They are the following: FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, La Luna Sangre, A Love to Last, The Good Son, TV Patrol, Little Big Shots, Maalaala Mo Kaya, I Can See Your Voice, Wansapanataym, Rated K, Gandang Gabi Vice, Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin, It's Showtime, Pusong Ligaw, The Better Half, The Promise of Forever, Wildflower, Home Sweetie Home and Goin’ Bulilit.

Meanwhile, citing Nielsen’s NUTAM data, GMA said it remained the dominant player across all time blocks, registering a total day people audience share of 48 percent compared to ABS-CBN’s 33 percent.

GMA Network, meanwhile, kept its nationwide ratings advantage over competition in September based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

From September 1 to 27, GMA said it garnered more viewers in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement with an average total day people audience share of 41.9 percent. ABS-CBN just managed 38.8 percent.

Kapuso shows dominated the list of top programs in the NUTAM survey with Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho as the most watched GMA program nationwide in the said period. GMA, in turn, claimed nine of the top 10 programs in Urban Luzon; while sweeping the top 10 spots in Mega Manila.

Consistent top-rating Kapuso shows include the Network’s flagship newscast 24 Oras, followed by Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Pepito Manaloto, Magpakailanman and Celebrity Bluff.

Meanwhile, newly launched series Super Ma’am, with Marian Rivera-Dantes, immediately landed a spot in the list of most watched programs. Closely following is the returning hit musical game show All-Star Videoke, with Solenn Heussaff-Bolzico and Betong Sumaya.

Also making it to the list are Alyas Robin Hood, Mulawin vs. Ravena, My Korean Jagiya, Bubble Gang, Saksi, Eat Bulaga, Ika-6 na Utos, Impostora, Haplos, Tadhana, Imbestigador, Road Trip, Wowowin, and 24 Oras Weekend.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Oct. 5, go to Supreme Court Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Korina Sanchez, Liela Benitez-Simpson, Nelia Silverio, Ida Joseph, Tita Calalang, Karina “Bing” Baylon, Corazon G. Dizon, Karen Capina, Jet Ejercito, Inger Cuenco, Nanette Edillon, Bobby Rodrigo, Melody Anne Bonoan, Josephine Woodward, Roselle Vargas, Marilou Sanchez Catalucci, Danny Velasco, Virgie McAffrey, Elvis Trocio of DSWD, Mat Ranillo III, Rose Monaghan, Rolly Quizon, Danny Velasco and Star Magic’s Maja Salvador… Happy wedding anniversary to Nards and Sol Cansana…Oct. 6: Mrs. Ma. Victoria Araneta Concepcion, Letty M. Talag, Elena Chiongbian Young, Lou Bonnevie, Susan Joven, Carmen Dy-Liacco, Rosario Agustin, Jiggy Cruz, Lilibeth Josue, Marivic Tengco, Cory Gayon, Dona Rosario Savillano Ablan, Sonia Domingo Sadsad, Nonoy Orlina, Losario Delmar, Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Chef Joey Carbon, Ogie Mendoza, Mex Gonzales and Queen of Jazz Annie Brazil… Happy wedding anniversary to Manny and Lulu Geslani…Belated b-day greetings to Dexter Hubag and Arden Tubag (Oct. 4)… 

DPWH to put MPTSC proposal to a Swiss Challenge next year

THE competitive challenge for the P22.43-billion Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX), an unsolicited proposal of Metro Pacific Tollways South Corp. (MPTSC), is expected to be launched by the first half of next year, pending the approval of the deal from several government agencies.

Public Works Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral said the agency aims to officially subject the proposal to a Swiss Challenge as early as the first quarter of next year, even as it continues to review the feasibility of the deal through November.

“The Swiss Challenge, which will take about 60 days, will be within the first to the second quarter of 2018,” she said in a news conference on Wednesday. “We are optimistic and hopeful that we can ground break for this sometime next year.”

In a nutshell, a Swiss Challenge is a legal process of inviting other groups to bid for an unsolicited deal. The original proponent, then, has the right to submit a counteroffer.

Currently, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is evaluating the proposal that was submitted by the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. in July. The company has forwarded additional documents last month to answer issues raised by the DPWH.

“We are now processing and reviewing the study submitted to us. We’ll go to Neda Board for its evaluation and approval soon after,” Cabral said, referring to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board.

If there will be no conflict, and it complies to conditions under the law on unsolicited proposals, the agency will be able to give the results of the evaluation “within November”.

Once this has been done, the DPWH may award the original proponent status to Metro Pacific.

CTBEX, a proposed 49-kilometer expressway, will connect Cavite and Batangas, with a spur road to Tagaytay City and, ultimately, terminating in Nasugbu, with another spur road to Tuy, Batangas.

MPTSC President Luigi L. Bautista said the project will greatly improve access to Tagaytay City and Nasugbu, thereby ensuring faster travel and support for the government’s tourism thrust. Once completed, travel time will be reduced to less than an hour from the current 2.5 hours, he said.

“The whole expressway will take about three years to complete, but we will open the first section in one and a half years, since the government aims to award the contract by mid-2018,” he added.

CTBEX will start at the Silang East Interchange of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway. The alignment shall traverse the towns of Silang, Amadeo, Mendez and Alfonso in Cavite; Tagaytay City; and Nasugbu in Batangas.

Expected to handle an initial 60,000 vehicles per day, the proposed expressway will have eight major interchanges, two spur roads and a number of overpasses.

It is divided into three phases: Section 1, a 17.4-km road from Silang, Cavite to Tagaytay City; Section 2, a 9.86-km road from Tagaytay City to Alfonso; and Section 3, a 22.2-km road from Alfonso to Nasugbu.

When awarded by mid-2018, the proponent can start the construction of the infrastructure by the third quarter 2019. The whole expressway is expected to be opened by mid-2022, the last year of President Duterte’s term.

Metro Pacific, an infrastructure-holdings conglomerate in the Philippines, is no stranger to unsolicited proposals for toll projects.

After six long years, it bagged the multibillion-peso connector road, an 8-km road that will link the North and South Luzon Expressways. It also has existing proposals for the development of thoroughfares in Metro Manila.

Metro Pacific is the largest tollways operator in the Philippines. It also has interests in expressways Thailand and Vietnam.

2 Tarlac towns vie for cityhood

GERONA, Tarlac: This town is racing against its contemporary, the 1st class municipality of Capas to become the province’s second metropolis next to the capital city of Tarlac.

Mayor Eloy Eclar, in a media forum, said Gerona is preparing more challenging moves to become a premier community by becoming a city soon, and his administration is taking every step to reach this goal on target.

“We have the potential and we only need to meet the population requirement to quality for the bid,” he said.

Gerona has a total population of about 90,000 as of latest count and an average annual income of P242-million with land area of 128.89 square kilometers.

“We cannot meet the requirement on population yet but as long as we pass the other two I think we can achieve our goal within my tenure,” Eclar, who is on his first term as mayor, said.

Similarly, Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan is optimistic that his town is long overdue for cityhood.

“Capas is indeed only a few steps away from cityhood especially upon the realization of the Green City Project and poised to become the next big metropolis,” he said in their website.

Catacutan eyes the realization of the bid by 2019 or earlier.

The 440-square kilometer Capas town is home to 140,202 residents based on the 2015 census and close to P250-million annual income.

The Local Government Code of 1991 states that for a municipality or a cluster of barangay (villages) to be converted into a component city, it must have an average annual income, certified by the Department of Finance, of at least P20-million for the last two consecutive years based on 1991 constant prices; a contiguous territory of at least 100 square kilometers as certified by the Lands Management Bureau; and a population of not less than 150,000 inhabitants, certified by the National Statistics Office.

P22B expressway starts construction in ’19

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is expected to start the construction of the P22.4-billion Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas expressway project (CTBEx) in the first half of 2019.

Currently, the agency is reviewing the unsolicited proposal submitted by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) unit MPCALA Holdings Inc. last July, said Catalina Cabral, DPWH undersecretary for planning and public-private partnership, during a press briefing.

“We have seen the alignment. We are processing and reviewing the studies submitted to us and it will go to NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) for further evaluation,” Cabral added.

According to Cabral, DPWH is expected to complete the review and announce its decision whether the original proponent status will be awarded to MPCALA by next month.

“We’re ready to give the results of our decision by November,” Cabral said.

Once the government awards the original proponent status to MPCALA, a Swiss challenge will be conducted to give other companies a chance to make a better offer to the government. This is set in the first to second quarter of next year.

The detail engineering design will follow in the third quarter of 2018 while right of way acquisition, which will be shouldered by the project proponent, will start in the fourth quarter of next year.

The project is expected to commence construction towards the first half of 2019. The first section through Tagaytay is targeted to be delivered in the first half of 2021. The two other sections will be constructed simultaneously and completion of the full expressway is targeted in the first half of 2022.

The project will be an extension of the Cavite-Laguna expressway. It will start from Silang Interchange all the way to Tagaytay then to Nasugbu, Batangas.

The three sections are Silang to Tagaytay which is 17.3 kilometers; Tagaytay to Alfonso, Cavite with 9.86 km; and Alfonso to Nasugbu at 22.23 km.

The two-hour travel time from Manila to Tagaytay will be reduced to less than an hour as the project is seen to address traffic congestion in the area.

Aside from CTBex, MPIC also submitted an unsolicited proposal to build the 21.8-km Circumferential road 5 expressway and the 15-km North Luzon expressway (NLEx)-Manila-Cavite expressway (Cavitex) port expressway link.

So Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas expressway project (CTBEx) is an extension of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (in a sense)?

15 km NLEX to Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex)? Do they mean the Harbor Link Expressway or is this new?

Anyway baka kaya nilang tapusin ito by end of 2021 if they start beginning of 2019.