Road closures, rerouting schedules set for Tuesday Black Nazarene ‘Traslación’

ALL types of vehicles are not allowed to pass several roads leading to Quiapo Church starting on Monday evening to give way to the annual Traslación of the Black Nazarene from Rizal Park to Quiapo Church on January 9.

Chief Insp. Alejandro Pelias of the Manila Police District’s Traffic Enforcement Unit disclosed the road closures and rerouting plan scheduled on Monday, a day before the traditional yearly voyage of the iconic burnt image of Jesus Christ carrying the cross from the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park to Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo.

Based on the traffic advisory, “the closure of some streets will be in effect as the procession approaches and will be opened immediately once the tail end of the procession passes.”

Ground policies are, likewise, implemented, such as only the authorized personnel are given special access to Katigbak Driveway.

For the Pahalik (kissing of the holy image), there will be access on Kalaw Extension, Hotel H2O and Luneta Park Hotel for authorized vehicles.

Meanwhile, the parade ground is restricted only for personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines until the start of the procession.

Portalets are installed along Roxas Boulevard and Kalaw Extension. Devotees who will camp out along the parade areas are prohibited to bring stoves and black plastic bags.

The route of this year’s parade of the Black Nazarene has been changed a bit. For safety concerns of the expected sea of people joining the parade, the centuries-old religious image will no longer pass the Lagusnilad Bridge fronting the Manila City Hall.

Also helping ease the city’s major thoroughfares from commuters, Mayor Joseph Estrada has suspended classes for all levels in all universities, colleges and schools, as well as work across all departments, offices and bureaus in the city government.

Exempted from the mayor’s Executive Order 01 are those engaged in the maintenance of peace and order, traffic enforcement, disaster and risk reduction management and health and sanitation.

The cancellation of classes and work has been recommended for “public order, safety and convenience and to reduce traffic congestion during the occasion.”

To ensure order and security during the procession, the PNP will deploy snipers who will operate “high tech” drones to monitor the parade.

According to National Capital Region Police Office Director Oscar Albayalde, snipers will be positioned, along with the Special Weapons and Tactics units, on high-rise buildings from January 8 to 10.

More are expected to join the celebration this year. While he sees that 1 million to 2 million people will participate on Tuesday, Father Douglas Badong, a priest at the Quiapo Church, hopes for a shorter procession this year. Around 1.4 million devotees were estimated to have joined the more than 22-hour procession last year.

The statue of the Black Nazarene was carved by an unknown Mexican from a dark wood in the 16th century in Mexico. It was then transported to the Philippines in 1606 by Augustinian priests. Popular belief, however, says that the icon’s dark color was caused by burning from a fire that happened in the galleon carrying it.

After it was housed in various churches near Manila in the early decades, the image finally arrived in Quiapo Church in 1787 where it has been enshrined ever since.

Here is the traffic plan:

January 8, road closures, starting at 10 p.m.:

Katigbak and South Drive (one lane accessible to Manila Hotel and Hotel H20);
Northbound lane of Quezon and MacArthur Bridge from Bonifacio Shrine onward; and
Taft Avenue from Ayala Boulevard to Bonifacio Shrine.
Rerouting scheme:

Light vehicles intending to use the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound shall turn to Anda Circle going to A. Soriano Avenue, turn right to General Luna Street to Burgos-Orosa Street, then turn left to T.M. Kalaw Street to Taft Avenue to destination.

Trucks and other heavy vehicles intending to use the stretch of Bonifacio Drive southbound shall turn around Anda Circle going back to northbound lane of Road 10 to C3 to destination.

Vehicles coming from the southern part of Manila intending to take the northbound lane of Roxas Boulevard from T.M. Kalaw to P. Burgos Streets shall turn right to T.M. Kalaw Street, left to Orosa Street going to Intramuros, left to A. Soriano Avenue to destination.

Vehicles plying P. Burgos Street shall turn right to Finance Road to Ayala Avenue to destination.

Vehicles using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right to Ayala Boulevard to destination.

January 9, road closures, starting 12 m.n. for the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene set for 6 a.m.:

• Stretch of MacArthur, Jones and Quezon Bridges;
• Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to T.M. Kalaw Street; and
• Both lanes of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza/Fugoso Street and España Avenue/P. Campa for southbound and from Taft Avenue/Ayala Boulevard for northbound.

Rerouting scheme:

Vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of España Avenue shall turn right to P. Campa Street then turn left to A. Mendoza Street, then turn right to Fugoso Street, turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or left to Nicanor Reyes Street, turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue to destination.

Vehicles coming from Legarda Street shall turn right to C.M. Recto Avenue or turn left to Mendiola Street to destination.

Vehicles coming from Caloocan City plying Rizal Avenue shall turn right to Fugoso Street or C.M. Recto Avenue to destination.

Heavy vehicles/cargo trucks shall take President Osmeña to President Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan Bridge via A.H. Lacson Avenue to Capulong Street (vice versa).

All buses using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right to Ayala Avenue to destination.

Vehicles coming from Reina Regente Street using southbound lane shall turn right to San Fernando Street or make a U-turn at Plaza Ruiz to destination.

Light vehicles intending to take the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound shall turn around to Anda Circle going to Delpan or Moriones to destination.

MPT South sets aside ₧10-B capex for 2018

EXPRESSWAY operator Metro Pacific Tollways South Corp. (MPTSC) announced it has allotted P10 billion (about $200.9 million at current exchange rates) in capital outlays for two major expressway projects this year.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. CFO Christopher C. Lizo said the firm programmed the amount to finance the construction of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax) and the C5 South Link of the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway (Cavitex).

“For south, the capital expenditures is about P10 billion—mostly for Calax and [the] C5 South Link,” Lizo said. The construction of the four-lane 47-kilometer-long Calax will connect Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite, to the South Luzon Expressway (Slex)-Mamplasan Interchange and will cost an estimated P35.42 billion ($787 million).

“It will open end-2020 or early of 2021, but we may open certain sections ahead,” Lizo said.

The C5 South Link is a P11.7-billion project that aims to connect R-1 in Parañaque to C5 in Cavitex. It will run parallel to the runway of the main airport in Pasay and will cross the Slex and Skyway toward C5.

“It will open in phases: one in 2019 and the whole alignment by 2020,” Lizo added.

The Slex is being operated by San Miguel Corp. and Indonesia-based Citra group, while the Northern Luzon Expressway is being operated by the Manila North Tollways Corp.

Lizo said the capital requirement for the C5 South Link will be financed through a mix of debt and equity.

“We are in talks with local banks for the debt portion,” he said.

The MPTSC aims to double its revenues in the next three years.

Transportation dept leads groundbreaking rites for SMME

The Department of Transportation will lead today the groundbreaking ceremony of the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway (SMME), the first phase of the Metro Manila Expressway (MME) Project.

The 34.024-kilometer MME consists of three phases and has six lanes combined with elevated and at-grade expressway with two directional traffic flow that starts in the south with a connection to the existing Skyway Stage 1 in FTI, Taguig City. It terminates at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City, and will connect to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via Balagtas.

“[The] SMME Project seeks to address the need to provide an alternate route, linking the southern and eastern cities of Metro Manila, that will help in decongesting the traffic situation being currently experienced in these areas,” the DoTr said in a statement.

The project was awarded to Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. under a public-private partnership arrangement. The concession period is 30 years from the issuance of the Toll Operation Certificate by the government to Citra.

Phase 1 of the project has an estimated cost of P45 billion, phase 2 about P25 billion, and the third phase approximately P20 billion.

MM expressway Phase 1 completed by 2020

Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. (CITI), the joint venture between the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) and San Miguel Holding Corp. is set to start the construction of Metro Manila Expressway (MME) or Circumferential road 6 (C6) expressway  it targets to complete by 2020.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the two are set to break ground today on the P45-billion Southeast Metro Manila expressway (SEMME), the first phase of the three-phased MME. 

The project will be completed in two years, DOTr said.

The SEMME is a 34-kilometer, six-lane expressway that starts in the south with a connection to the existing Skyway Stage 1 in FTI, Taguig City and terminates at Batasan Complex in Quezon City. This will eventually connect to the North Luzon Expressway  via Balagtas, Bulacan.

The project provides an alternate route linking the southern and eastern cities of Metro Manila.

The project is covered  by the Supplemental Toll Operations agreement (STOA) entered among the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) as the grantor, the PNCC, CITI as the investor and the Metro O&M Corp. as operator. 

MME phase 2  called East Metro Manila Expressway (EMME) is a 24.28-km. toll way with four lanes from San Mateo to City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan with estimated cost of P25 billion. 

The project is currently under evaluation.  

MME Phase 3 called North East Metro Manila Expressway (NEMME) is a 22-km tollway with four lanes from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to Meycauayan and Marilao towns  with estimated an cost of P20 billion. 

MME is part of P554-billion toll network projects of PNCC and San Miguel. The network is composed of six major toll road projects which will extend the expressway up to Sorsogon, Bicol.

The expanded road network will include the extension of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project and the Metro Manila Expressway, or C6/Skyway Stage 4.

The projects include San Pedro-C6 Laguna Lake Road extending the South Luzon expressway (SLEX) from City of San Pedro, Metro Manila passing along the shores of Laguna Lake and ending at C6 in Taguig; Tanauan-Tagaytay Expressway or Sky 8; toll road (TR) 5 extending the SLEX from the end of TR4 in Pagbilao, Quezon to Matnog, Sorsogon; Sky 7 (connecting Taguig to Commonwealth avenue in Quezon City); Buendia Interchange and Ramp Extension to Macapagal boulevard and Sky 9 (Pasig River alignment) including ramps to Buendia, Pioneer and Bonifacio Global City.

San Miguel and PNCC are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. and CITI, the concession companies of Skyway Stages 3 and 4, respectively.

 Through its legislative franchise, PNCC has the authority to construct, maintain and operate the SLEX and Skyway Stages 1, 2, 3 as well as all extensions, linkages or stretches from any part of the existing toll roads.

SMC’s South East Metro Manila Expressway project begins

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is starting work on an expressway project that is seen to cut travel time between Taguig City and the Batasan Complex in Quezon City to only 35 minutes.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday with government agencies led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The project, formally known as the South East Metro Manila Expressway, is estimated to cost P45 billion and targeted for completion by 2020.

According to the DOTr, the 34-kilometer expressway will link SMC’s Skyway Stage 1 in the Food Terminal Inc. complex in Taguig City to the Batasan complex. Eventually, the expressway will connect to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) via Balagtas.

“When completed, travel time of motorists from Bicutan, Taguig to Batasan, Quezon City will be reduced to only 35 minutes,” the DOTr said on Monday.

The project, which is part of the Metro Manila C-6 Expressway project, will have six lanes, both for elevated and at-grade sections.

“Aside from decongesting roads in Manila and Quezon City, particularly major road networks such as EDSA, C-5, Ortigas Avenue, and its extension, [South East Metro Manila Expressway] shall likewise provide commuters and motorists fast and direct access by South and Southeast, as well as Metro Manila inter-city travelers, to major international and domestic airports,” the DOTr noted.

The DOTr said the project has a concession period of 30 years. SMC-led Citra Intercity Tollways Inc. is the project concessionaire for the C-6 expressway.

According to the DOTr, the C-6 expressway project will have a second phase involving a 24.28-kilometer expressway that would provide links to San Mateo and City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. / kga


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JICA begins detailed engineering design for PNR Clark North Phase 2

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade led the formal commencement of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark North Phase 1 project. The DOTr also began to clear the path of the railway, which will be from Tutuban to Malolos. The project will be finished by 2021. (Shane F. Velasco, PIA 3)

MARILAO, Bulacan, Jan. 8 (PIA) -- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has started the detailed engineering design for the Phase 2 of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark North Project from Malolos City to Clark International Airport (CRK).

Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda confirmed this development during the commencement of construction of the PNR Clark North Phase 1 from Tutuban in Metro Manila to Malolos City.

Phase 1 of PNR Clark North is 38 kilometers while Phase 2 is 69.5 kilometers.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade disclosed that the railways track of the P150 billion worth PNR Clark North Phase 2 will be built beside Terminal 2 of CRK which is also currently being constructed and will be finished by 2020.

Tugade added that the Phase 1 of PNR Clark North will be completed by 2021, ahead of 2022 original schedule.

Once completed, the entire PNR line from Tutuban all the way to Clark International Airport will be an electrified, fully elevated and standard gauge railway.

Majority of the P150 billion financial requirements of PNR Clark North Phase 2 will be provided by the JICA, as a result of the October 2017 second official visit to Japan of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Ambassador Haneda said, is committed to extend Official Development Assistance for the PNR Clark North Phase 2 project on top of the P93 billion provided by JICA for the P105 billion worth PNR Clark North Phase 1. (CLJD/SFV-PIA 3)

JICA declares start of clearing operations of North-South Commuter Railway

The advance site clearing works that will expedite succeeding construction of the Philippines’ new railway network North-South Commuter Railway project (NSCR) is now a go, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said in a statement.

“We will continue supporting the Philippine government’s efforts to ensure that the future generation reaps the benefit of an integrated, seamless, and resilient transport infrastructure system through the NSCR project,“ said JICA chief representative Susumu Ito during the ceremony declaring the start of the clearing operations said over the weekend.

Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) officially marked the railway stations in Marilao and Meycauayan in Bulacan, and Valenzuela, Caloocan and Tutuban in Metro Manila.

Shortly after the marking of the stations, the DOTr awarded the contract of the construction supervision consulting services for the project to NS Tren, a consortium led by Tokyo-based Oriental Consultants Global.

JICA also confirmed that contractors will be paid using the Japanese loan.

The DOTr has also partnered with local government units (LGUs) to address right-of-way acquisitions so the construction can begin on time.

Ito said the start of work includes clearing the site, grading of unleveled surfaces and demolition of obstructing structures of the NSCR, a 38-kilometer railway.

Along with the Metro Manila Subway Project, NSCR is part of the mass transit backbone forming the North-South Corridor as specified in the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development Study for Metro Manila and its surrounding areas.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) conducted the said study with the assistance of JICA.

JICA has also recently handed the detailed engineering design of the project to DOTr, signaling the project’s transition from planning to actual construction.

The JICA official reiterated that the project is a “game changer” in Philippine transport infrastructure, helping the country to kick-start the Duterte administration’s large-scale investments in modern railways.

The new railway will also use Japanese seismic designs to ensure commuter safety low and emission electric trains for sustainability.

The 3-billion dollar project aims for completion within the remaining years of the Duterte administration and is expected to reduce travel time from the traditional land travel of two hours to just merely 35 minutes from Malolos in Bulacan to Tutuban in Manila.