Several DPWH PPP projects for immediate implementation

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) aims to immediately implement at least six (6) solicited Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects that are now under or will undergo feasibility studies.

DPWH Undersecretary for Planning and PPP Maria Catalina E. Cabral said priority projects this year that are expected to decongest major highways in Luzon and Mindanao include the: Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Phase 2; Quezon-Bicol Expressway; Batangas City - Bauan Toll Road Project; Davao-Digos Expressway; TPLEX Extension; and Delpan-Pasig-Marikina Expressway.
“Our government is pushing for the realization of these major road projects that are necessary to ease traffic congestion within city roads,” said Undersecretary Cabral.

According to Undersecretary Cabral, the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Phase 2 which will be 35.7-kilometer extension of the existing CLLEX Phase I from Cabanatuan City and San Jose City is now under procurement of Transaction Advisory (TA) Services and Feasibility Study (FS).
The feasibility study of the approximately 180 kilometers Quezon-Bicol Expressway which will start at Pagbilao, Quezon and will end at Maharlika Highway in San Fernando, Camarines Sur will be completed by third quarter of 2018.

DPWH is likewise preparing the Terms of Reference (TOR) and Estimated Budget for the contract (EBC) of three (3) other projects namely: Batangas City - Bauan Toll Road Project which is a 10-kilometer road from Batangas City to Bauan, Batangas traversing the municipality of San Pascual, Batangas; 60-kilometer Davao-Digos Expressway, which will start from Bukidnon-Davao National Highway in Davao City to Digos-Sultan Kudarat Road in Digos City ; and the 24.72-kilometer Delpan-Pasig-Marikina Expressway that will start in Manila, pass through Makati, and terminate at Marcos Highway in the city of Marikina through the Pasig River.

The EBC of TPLEX Extension which is an approximately 54-kilometer toll road starting from the end of TPLEX Section 3B in Rosario, La Union to F. Ortega Highway at San Fernando, La Union is also being prepared by the DPWH while its TOR has been transmitted for approval.

Aside from the 6 projects, DPWH PPP Service is also supervising the implementation of 3 on-going projects namely: TPLEX which Pozorrubio to Rosario subsection is now 14 percent completed; Cavite-Laguna Expressway which construction has now reached 6 percent accomplishment on Laguna segment; and the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road which construction is aimed to start within first quarter of 2018.

MMDA: Around 40,000 affected by Sevilla Bridge reconstruction

By Jel Santos

Around 40, 000 motorists are expected to be affected by the five-month-long reconstruction of Sevilla Bridge as its construction will start tomorrow at 10 p.m., the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said today.

The reconstruction of the bridge coincides with the construction of Skyway 3, the contractor said

The bridge connects the cities of Mandaluyong and Manila.

Jojo Garcia, MMDA general manager for planning, said the construction of Sevilla Bridge will certainly cause heavy traffic congestion, but he said that once it’s complete, the public will surely benefit.

MMDA’s Sevilla Bridge reconstruction project plan (photo by Jel Santos)

“Around 40,000 motorists ang dumadaan diyan sa Sevilla Bridge a day…Definitely [we are ready for the criticism of the public.] Pros and cons ‘yan. Kapag may ginawa ka, may maapektuhan.– after naman ng paghihirap ay may kaginhawahan (Around 40,000 motorists are using that bridge…If you are going to do something, there are always people who will get affected—but after the burden, relief will follow),” he said.

“Ang repair ng tulay is five months. Kapag nagawa natin itong section na ito, all the way ma-connect na natin ‘yung Skyway from South Luzon to North Luzon. [The construction] of the Skyway will take 17 months (The repair of the bridge is five months. When the Skyway is already done, South Luzon and North Luzon will be connected),” Engr. Rey Luna, general manager of SUNMARU, the contractor of the Skyway 3 and Sevilla Bridge project, said

According to Luna, the lane which will be closed today is the one from Manila to EDSA, from P. Sanchez to Shaw Boulevard at 10 p.m.

“Bukas if magsara kami ng lane ito po [ay] ‘yung from Maynila to EDSA (vice versa), from P. Sanchez to Shaw Boulevard at 10 p.m. [on Saturday]. Equipment namin is nasa ilalim ng tulay, may barge kami sa ilalim ng tulay. Sa ilog ang equipment,” the contractor said.

He said that 50 workers will work together in reconstructing half of the bridge.

Garcia said MMDA has been conducting clearing operations to the alternative routes to make sure the traffic congestion expected to be caused by the bridge would be diminished.

“We have been removing illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions along alternative routes for the past three weeks,” Garcia said.

MMDA has already initiated its clearing operations a few weeks before the DPWH would begin repairing the Sevilla Bridge to open alternate routes for commuters affected by it.

Alternate routes

Motorists coming from Shaw Boulevard are advised to turn right to F. Blumentritt St., then left to F. Manalo St., right to Old Sta. Mesa, left to Araneta Avenue and right to Aurora Boulevard going to destination.

From Shaw Boulevard they can also turn right to F. Blumentritt St. left to Manalo St. right to Old Santa Mesa to destination; right to F. Blumentritt St., left to F. Manalo St., right to Old Santa Mesa, left to Araneta Avenue going to destination.

As such, from Shaw Boulevard, motorists can also turn right to F. Blumentritt St., left to F. Manalo St., left to Old Santa Mesa, right to V. Mapa, left to Aurora Boulevard, heading to their destination.

Eastbound motorists, meanwhile, from Magsaysay Boulevard can turn right to Valenzuela St., right to Cordillera, left to Lubiran to Boni Avenue to Maysilo roundabout and exit to FB Martinez St., then right to Shaw Boulevard going to destination.

Also, motorists from Magsaysay Boulevard can go to V. Mapa, right to Old Sta. Mesa, left to Reposo St., left to Valenzuela, right to V. Mapa, right to Bagumbayan St., left to Lubiran, left to Kalentong then right to Shaw Boulevard to destination.

From New Panaderos Extension turn right to Shaw Boulevard heading to their destination.

Garcia said the reconstruction of the bridge will be undertaken by a private contractor which will work 24/7 a day.

The reconstruction intends to strengthen its capacity and increase its water elevation to allow barges to pass underneath that will cater to equipment and remove debris during dredging periods.

MMDA said the truck ban along Shaw Boulevard will be adjusted from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. while the reconstruction takes place.

MMDA is asking the public for understanding, saying that the constructions will benefit commuters as soon as it’s done.

Website of alternative news outfit attacked

NUJP sees the attack on Kodao as part of the Duterte government’s “efforts to silence critical media, as seen in the continuing attempt to shut down Rappler, threaten other news outfits, and other voices of dissent.”

By BULATLAT

MANILA — The website of alternative news outfit Kodao Productions (www.kodao.org) was attacked, rendering it inaccessible.

The website was subjected to a code injection attack through online publishing platform WordPress around midnight last night, Feb. 2, that prevents its website technicians from logging in.

In a statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemned the attack on the alternative news outfit’s website, noting that the attack came when other media organizations are also “under relentless attacks from enemies of press freedom and other human rights.”

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) revoked the registration of Rappler, an online media outfit. At least 54 radio stations under the country’s Catholic Media Network (CMN) are in danger of being silenced as its application for renewal of franchise remains pending at the Lower House.

NUJP sees the attack on Kodao as part of the Duterte government’s “efforts to silence critical media, as seen in the continuing attempt to shut down Rappler, threaten other news outfits, and other voices of dissent.”

Established in 2000, Kodao is the second oldest existing alternative media outfit in the country. It is known for its comprehensive coverage of the GRP-NDFP peace process, indigenous peoples struggles, human rights, environment and other social issues.

This is not the first time that Kodao was targeted. In 2006, when Gloria Arroyo declared a State of National Emergency, Kodao was the first media victim when its award-winning daily show “Ngayon na, Bayan” in DZRJ was suddenly prevented from airing. Kodao was also wrongfully accused and charged with rebellion, which was subsequently dismissed for lack of merit.

“The NUJP stands with Kodao Productions and all other legitimate media outfits that only seek to amplify the voice of the people against tyranny, neglect and abuse by those in power,” NUJP Acting Chair Atty. Jocelyn Clemente and Secretary General Dabet Panelo said. (http://bulatlat.com)

DPWH lists 6 road projects as its PPP priorities

THE DPWH has identified six priority public-private partnership (PPP) projects for this year.

DPWH Undersecretary for Planning and PPP Maria Catalina E. Cabral said in a statement that priority projects this year, expected to decongest major highways in Luzon and Mindanao, include the Central Luzon Link Expressway (CLLEX) Phase 2; Quezon-Bicol Expressway (QuBEX); Batangas City-Bauan Toll Road Project; Davao-Digos Expressway; Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union (TPLEX) Extension; and Delpan-Pasig-Marikina Expressway.

Ms. Cabral said the CLLEX Phase 2, a 35.7-kilometer extension of the existing CLLEX Phase I from Cabanatuan City and San Jose City, is now under procurement of Transaction Advisory (TA) Services and Feasibility Study (FS).

The feasibility study of the around 180-kilometer QuBEX will be completed by third quarter of 2018. The project will start at Pagbilao, Quezon and will end at Maharlika Highway in San Fernando, Camarines Sur.

For the Batangas-Bauang Toll Road Project, Davao-Digos Expressway, TPLEX Extension, and Delpan-Pasig-Marikina Expressway, the DPWH is preparing the terms of reference (TOR) and the estimated budget for the contract (EBC).

The Batangas City-Bauan Toll Road Project is a 10-kilometer road traversing the municipality of San Pascual, Batangas. The 60-kilometer Davao-Digos Expressway will start from Bukidnon-Davao National Highway in Davao City to Digos-Sultan Kudarat Road in Digos City; and the 24.72-kilometer Delpan-Pasig-Marikina Expressway will start in the City of Manila, pass through Makati City, and terminate at Marcos Highway in Marikina City through the Pasig River.

The EBC of TPLEX Extension is also being prepared by the DPWH while its TOR has been transmitted for approval, the agency said. The extension is a 54-kilometer toll road starting from the end of TPLEX Section 3B in Rosario, La Union to F. Ortega Highway in San Fernando, La Union. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo

White elephant

NEDA may yet frustrate President Duterte’s desire to bring about a golden age of infrastructure. NEDA has through the years shown a bias for ODA and GAA and against PPP and unsolicited proposals.

President Duterte has said he is in favor of the unsolicited proposal and Swiss challenge mode for his infra projects. But it will take a stronger presidential expression of preference for NEDA to see the light.

President Duterte is right. Private sector proponents of infra projects under the unsolicited mode are more likely to deliver projects on time and on budget. Only the failure of DPWH to deliver right of way on time can cause delays and cost overruns in private sector-led projects.

Over the last week, NEDA announced that two projects have passed their screening and awaiting President Duterte’s approval. One is the Mindanao Railway and the other is the Subic-Clark railway. Both are funded by ODA which means taxpayers will eventually pay their costs.

It is because public funds are involved that NEDA should more carefully screen such projects as to viability and need. Experts I have talked to think these two rail projects are potential white elephants.

Indeed, when the staff of the Foundation for Economic Freedom asked for a copy of the Subic-Clark feasibility study approved by NEDA, the request was declined. Confidential daw. The truth is, they can’t let a bunch of independent economists review it because it is indefensible. Freedom of Information be dammed.

As I reported last Monday, a transport expert familiar with government’s projects commented that “the feasibility study for Mindanao Railway is very raw, and flawed but NEDA approved it (political pressure). Just to cite a few: timetable is fantasy - completion in 2020 when ROW for 105-km has not yet been surveyed.”

As for the P57.6 billion Subic-Clark Railway, it is being justified as a part of a rail network connecting Subic with the Manila and Batangas ports. But an expert I consulted remains unconvinced it should be built.

“I’m still not convinced it makes sense for cargo. You still need double handling with rail; and you still don’t get the efficiency of long haul travel—whether its 70 km or 500 km plus. There’s no long haul for the Philippines; the country doesn’t have the scale of India or China. If decent roads (not congested) parallel a railway, general cargo is typically dominated by trucking.”

“Note that railways were built in the country before decent roads were built. That’s when PNR freight traffic thrived. Once roads were built and truck-bus competition was in place, the PNR lost most of its market share.”

I am told by experts that traditionally, and in general, cargo movements less than 1,000 km are moved thru highways. Said one: “Cargo rail for that distance of 70 kilometers will be more expensive than trucking.”

Honestly, we are really only talking of the Subic-Clark leg. Absolutely nothing will happen to connect that to Manila, much less to Batangas in the next five years or more. If a stand alone is all we are talking about, this is one project that should be left in the back burner.

Experts also point out that our railway lines are heavily subsidized. If all of those railway dreams get built, all the TRAIN packages won’t be able to raise enough money for the required subsidies.

Said one expert: “Yes, we need to spend more on infrastructure—the right kind that is needed by the country, not what politicians want. If the add-on revenues from TRAIN 1-4 would only be squandered on wrong railway projects, we might as well derail the next packages.”

“The only comfort I get from these rail obsessions is that DOTr’s execution ability is so bad, most of them won’t happen anyway.”

Indeed, SCTEX and the Angeles to Dinalupihan national highway can very well handle the cargo traffic between Subic and Clark for quite a while.

These two haphazard approvals are getting some economists who supported TRAIN worried that bureaucrats who think they have so much money to squander are going to build white elephants.

They should remain focused on completing the basic railway projects (PNR’s commuter and Bicol lines as well the Manila to Clark lines) instead of dissipating funds and attention on Subic-Clark railway whose usefulness is doubtful.

While NEDA quickly approved these two questionable projects that will waste our tax money, it seems they are making San Miguel sweat it out on its unsolicited proposal for a new international airport in Bulacan.

I don't understand why NEDA should worry about San Miguel's airport having a good financial return or not. Unlike the railway projects, not a centavo of government money is at stake. If San Miguel is wrong about its financial assumptions, that’s their problem.

The fact that San Miguel has proposed it must mean they have crunched their financial numbers and are confident about the project’s viability. I am not sure it is right for NEDA to ask San Miguel to share their financial details because that’s proprietary information that could be used by rivals in the Swiss challenge.

But San Miguel quickly shared their financial model and other details with NEDA anyway. Hopefully, this gesture of goodwill will be reciprocated with an early approval of the airport proposal.

Of course the project requires some amount of government regulation, notably as it refers to CAAP and the CAB. But financial viability should be left to San Miguel.

I am just worried that NEDA may want to protect the government owned and managed NAIA and Clark and consider San Miguel’s proposal as a threat. The way I look at it, the more the merrier! A private sector owned international airport will force NAIA and Clark to compete by vastly improving services.

It has already happened at Mactan… private management has noticeably improved services even in the old terminal building. The new terminal is to be inaugurated this June and it looks good.

 People deserve the best service, something bureaucrats find difficult to provide.

The bitter pill

It’s just the second month of the year but already, an assortment of both man-made and natural misfortunes have come our way. The top two most pressing issues in our midst are the continuing restiveness of the majestic Mt. Mayon and the effects in the implementation of the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) Law.

We have yet to feel the full impact of TRAIN implementation in our day-to-day existence. This early, however, vehicle owners are already feeling its effects with the seemingly unceasing increase in the prices of petroleum products. TRAIN is not only the cause of the rise. Major oil players point to the upward adjustments in the prices of oil per barrel in the international market. The peso depreciation, too, has influenced the hike in the pump prices in the domestic market. Wait ‘til the transport sector, which like Mt. Mayon is, also, restive, demands  higher fare.

The specter of  a domino effect on the prices of basic commodities is facing us consumers as illustrated by my tax guru, my neighbor, Dr. Milwida Guevara in her column Wednesday. Ms. Nene, as we business journalists  call her, breaths taxation. She was the person behind the 1997 Comprehensive Tax Reform Package (CTRP). She was finance undersecretary then. The CTRP is the precursor of the TRAIN law that is now chugging down our daily lives with its smoke billowing, affecting our subsistence.

Lest we forget, there are three more of the TRAIN cars coming our way – packages 2, 3, and 4 which Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez unveiled at the general membership meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines a couple of weeks ago.

Although, I recoil at the sting of the black smoke the TRAIN emits, I agree with certain reservations that it is a bitter pill we have to take to support the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program. The government needs to get these major infrastructure projects going, a vital component in pushing the domestic economy to the next level, keep it up to speed with the rest of the economies in the region.

Good road networks are essential in bringing products from the source to the distributors to the consumers. This may be the rationale behind the move of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President Ramon S. Ang to venture into the another construction project. The visionary that he is, Mr. Ang  took another leap with the construction of a new expressway designed to link the north and the south. At the onset of the year, SMC-Citra, in partnership with the government, disclosed it will carry out the first phase of the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, otherwise known as C6. The interconnection spans 34 kilometers from Skyway/FTI (Food Terminal, Inc.) to Batasan.

While SMC’s bottomline is most desirable to bankroll the estimated P45- billion project cost, the conglomerate is set to tap the market to issue debt instruments.

The issuance of the debt securities will be done by drawing from its shelf-registration filed before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in September last year amounting to P60 billion. SMC has yet to satisfy the full amount of the shelf-registration, there’s still a balance of P30 billion.

BDO Capital and Investments Corporations, BPI Capital Corporation, ING Bank, China Bank Capital Corporations, First Metro Investments Corporation, Security Bank Capital Investment Corporation, and Standard Chartered Bank have been engaged to underwrite the offering with tenors of 5-7-10 years.

“By any standard San Miguel has the money. The prevailing low interest regime, however, is ripe for the SMC to tap the  market for an issue for re-financing,” says a banking source.

Let us not be overwhelmed by the incredible gridlocks that we have to brace up for arising from all these Build, Build, Build projects. Looking ahead, they  will ease the ride around the metropolis. And, more importantly, they will diminish the  supply bottleneck.

No pain, no gain.

Talk back to me at sionil731@gmail.com

House to approve bill mandating setup of new housing agency

A Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council priority measure seeking to address the basic housing needs and requirements of the Filipino family through the creation of a new housing department has been approved on second reading in the House of Representatives.

Voting through viva voce, lawmakers approved the passage of the House Bill (HB) 6775, or An Act Creating the Department of Human Settles and Urban Development (DHUD), late Wednesday.

House Committee on Housing and Urban Development Chairman Rep. Alfredo B. Benitez of the Third District of Negros Occidental said the bill would address the worsening housing problem in the country.

The lower chamber is expected to approve the bill next week.

The measure aims to establish an efficient, effective, comprehensive and integrated national and local housing and urban development program.

It also seeks to rationalize, and coordinate the functions and powers of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC), Home Guaranty Corp.(HGC), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) and the National Housing Authority (NHA).

The bill calls for the establishment of the DHUD by merging the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

According to Benitez, the current Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development Housing Act, has apparently overlooked the enormous demands in the housing sector.

“Neither did Executive Order 9, which created a coordinating body  for shelter agencies of the government,  address the housing backlog that stood at 3 million in 1992,” he said.

The measure said the department shall be headed by a secretary and assisted by four undersecretaries and four assistant secretaries to be appointed by the President.

The bill added functions of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board shall be transferred to the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) that will be created under this Act.

It also said the NHA, HGC, NHMFC, HDMF, Social Housing Finance Corp. and HSAC are hereby attached to the housing department for policy and program coordination, monitoring and evaluation. All these agencies shall continue to function according to existing laws and their respective charters.

Under HB 6775, the agency will not only provide for housing but will also “focus on building communities and habitats in both rural and urban areas.”

The lawmaker said the department shall act as the primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement and urban development.

“It will not only deal with the physical element of housing but likewise provide the necessary link to community services and components, such as education, health, culture, welfare, recreation, food and nutrition,” Benitez said.

He added the agency shall be the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination and performance-monitoring entity for all housing, human settlement and urban-development concerns, primarily focusing on the access to and the affordability of basic human needs.

Benitez said the new department shall develop and adopt a national strategy to immediately address the provision of adequate and affordable housing to all Filipinos, and shall ensure alignment of all the policies, programs and projects of all its attached agencies to facilitate the achievement of this objective.

Earlier, the solon said the housing needs of Filipinos could balloon to 6.8 million before President Duterte’s term ends on June 30, 2022.

He added there will be an estimated 774,441 housing needs in 2018; 788,773 in 2019; 803,405 in 2020; 818,363 in 2021 and 833,619 in 2022.

GMA Network secures top spot in nationwide TV ratings

GMA Network posted a strong start for 2018 in the nationwide television ratings competition after securing the top spot anew based on the latest data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, the industry’s widely-trusted ratings service provider.

For the full month of January (with January 21 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA registered winning numbers in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) with an average of 43.7 percent total day people audience share, beating ABS-CBN’s 38.6 percent.

The Kapuso Network reigned supreme across all day parts in NUTAM. In the morning block, GMA recorded a 42.3 percent people audience share versus ABS-CBN’s 35.4 percent.

GMA’s afternoon line-up, which garnered 47.3 percent, was way ahead of rival network’s 36.8 percent.

Continuing well into the evening block, the Network maintained a leading share of 41.5 percent as against competition’s 41.2 percent.

The Kapuso Network similarly dominated all time blocks with bigger margins in both Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 76 and 59 percent of all urban viewers in the country.

In Urban Luzon, GMA registered a total day people audience share of 49.2 percent; besting ABS-CBN’s 32 percent.

Likewise in Mega Manila (with official data from January 1 to 20), the Kapuso Network upheld its strong showing with 51.9 percent total day people audience share while ABS-CBN only managed to get 28.5 percent.

More Kapuso shows also made it to the list of top programs in NUTAM with the award-winning news magazine show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) being the most watched GMA program for January.

Joining KMJS as the Network’s ratings drivers for the month were Magpakailanman; Sherlock Jr.; Pepito Manaloto; 24 Oras; Super Ma’am; Kambal, Karibal; Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko; All-Star Videoke; and Sirkus.

Included in the list as well were weekend primetime newscast 24 Oras Weekend; Ika-6 na Utos; Impostora; Haplos; Imbestigador; The One That Got Away; My Korean Jagiya; Bubble Gang; Saksi; Tadhana; Eat Bulaga; and Wowowin.

GMA Network still ruled the list of top programs in Urban Luzon with 8 Kapuso programs making it to the top 10, while once again sweeping Mega Manila’s top 10 list.

Nielsen data is gathered through a greater number of sampled homes nationwide in comparison to Kantar Media. With approximately 900 more homes surveyed in Total Urban and Rural Philippines compared to Kantar, Nielsen data is statistically considered more representative of the total TV population.

In 2017, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement increased its client pool to a total of 41 clients/subscribers consisting of 12 local TV networks including TV5, Aksyon TV, CNN Philippines, Net 25, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Viva Communications Inc., among others; 5 regional clients; 2 blocktimers;  21 agencies (18 media agencies, 2 consulting agencies, 1 digital agency); and 1 advertiser.

LRMC to raise LRT1 train speed to 60 kph

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) is targeting to increase the train speed of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) by the second quarter of the year.

The plan to raise the speed is now possible since company has been able to complete the 26.5-kilometer rail replacement last year.

“From 40 kph magiging 60 kph na, probably in the second quarter,” LRMC chief operating officer Rodolfo Chansuyco told reporters on the sidelines of a forum in Makati City on Thursday.

“So, completed na ‘yung mga rails and we still need to do some tests. We need to ensure that they can run at 60. So there will be testing,” he said.

“We are just fulfilling some tests, improvements, commissioning, quality check. We also have a ‘quality team’ to certify na all things are done there and complied with the checklist ang ... process, then we go ahead,” Chansuyco noted.

With the trains running at a top speed of 60 kph,  the number of trips per day will increase by 15 percent. LRMC president and CEO Juan Alfonso said.

Since it took over the maintenance and operation of the mass rail system on September 12, 2015, LRMC was able to increase the number of light rail vehicles running from 77 to 109 coaches or from 25 trains to around 30, he said.

“With this, the headway or the waiting time for commuters to ride a train was reduced to 3.5 minutes from between 5 and 6 minutes when we took over,” Chansuyco noted.

A study commissioned by the LRMC showed that LRT-1 ridership increased by 16 percent in 2015 to 2017.

“Before we took over, nasa around 400,000 passengers average per day. Now, it is around 500,000,” Chansuyco said.

Clean trains and stations and better ticket-buying efficiency, helped increase the number of commuter on the LRT1, according to LRMC. —VDS, GMA News

50 railway engineers start audit of MRT 3

More than 50 railway engineers and experts from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) kicked off on Thursday a system audit of the Metro Rail Transit 3, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr).

“We obviously need all the help we can get and we are very grateful that the Japanese government answered our call for assistance to rehabilitate and restore the MRT 3 system,” Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said in a statement.

“Additional trains on the MRT 3 may be expected within February since the first batch of spare parts that were ordered last December are scheduled to be delivered and installed this month. The spare parts that were already ordered have a delivery lead time of 30 days to 6 months,” Batan added.

The DOTr noted that the system audit is an important part in determining the rehabilitation and restoration needed.

The maintenance provider will be nominated by JICA and will be mobilized in May, it said.

Earlier, the DoTr announced that it will pursue a 30-year unsolicited proposal to take the maintenance and operation of the MRT 3, of which original proponent status was given to the Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation.

LRT-1 extension works set to begin by mid-year

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) plans to commence actual construction works for the extension of the existing Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) by the middle of the year.

 “We want the actual construction to start if we can, by the middle of this year. If we can do it quicker, if issues are solved faster, we’ll do it quicker,” LRMC president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the presentation of a study on profiles and preferences of LRT-1 passengers.

He said there are issues which are still being ironed out before actual construction could begin.



“It’s more than just the right of way. It’s really clearing the path for the actual construction because sometimes, they say the right of way is completed but actual structures have to be completed and moved, whether it’s residents or utility lines or sometimes, alignments,” Alfonso said.

He said LRMC is optimistic the issues would be resolved soon.

“We are now entering the detailed design phase with our EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contractor,” he said.

LRMC earlier signed the EPC contract with French firms Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom Transport for the construction of the LRT-1 Cavite extension.

The consortium composed of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd., broke ground on the P65 billion LRT-1 Cavite extension in May last year.

It bagged the contract to operate, maintain and extend the train line until Cavite, under the public-private partnership program during the previous administration.

In September 2015, it took over the operations of the train line which currently covers Roosevelt station in Quezon City until Baclaran station in Pasay City.

LRT-1’s extension would cover eight new stations such as Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos Stations in Parañaque City, Las Piñas and Zapote Stations in Las Piñas City and Niog Station in Bacoor, Cavite.

Alfonso said LRMC is planning to increase the trains’ speed to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) from the current 40 kph, to have more trips and enable faster commute for passengers.

“We feel if the system is more efficient then, people will use it more. It’s going to drive itself,” he said.

 “We’re trying to improve infrastructure that goes along per station with the trains. So, that will improve the customer experience as well and hopefully drive traffic more,” he said.

LRT 1 riders jumped 16% in last three years–study

GIVEN the perennial traffic problem faced by Filipino commuters on a daily basis, the riding public has remained confident of the pioneering Metro system in the country as a reliable mode of transportation, a study released on Thursday by PHAR Philippines Inc. and TNS  of Kantar Media showed.

In a sideline interview during the research results’ announcement in Makati City, TNS Business Director Jose Mari Villabroza told the BusinessMirror that from a satisfaction rate of 40 when they first conducted the survey in 2015, Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) got a score of 52 in 2017.

While the rating for the second installment of the study is not “exemplary” yet, he emphasized, though, that it’s still “a good number” considering the it’s an improvement from a low score three years ago.

“This is actually telling us that people are happy with LRT  1. The main reason they’re happy is because they feel it’s cleaner now, it’s safer and its more convenient. And I think that resulted to more patronage, especially in 2017,” he said.

Due to improved commuting experience of the riding public on the back of developments happening at LRT 1, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has seen a 16-percent increase in the number of daily riders between the two periods in review.

Likewise, passengers belonging to socioeconomic classes A, B and C1 also grew by 37.5 percent between 2015 and 2017.

“Before, we had an average number of passengers reaching 400,000 per day. And now, it’s 500,000 plus. So there’s a big increase,” LRMC COO Rodolfo Chansuyco said.

The top executive attributed this to their improved fleet, wherein the number of  light rail vehicles  now operating from the time they took over the management of LRT 1 three years ago had increased from 77 to 109.

Alongside the enhanced capacity is the reduction in the length of time of commute. Per the results, the average passengers spend about 62 minutes per day in LRT 1 trains and stations.

Chansuyco revealed that peak hours in the morning and in the evening span for four hours, with the foot traffic becoming heavier on Monday,  Wednesday and Friday.

Among the 20 stations, he cited that Monumento, Gil Puyat, Edsa and United Nations are the routes where the bulk of the passengers come from.

What make the commuters to continue to ride on LRT 1 to their destinations is the spic and span condition and improved operation of the system.

In the study, there was an improved cleanliness factor by 177 percent, with Abad Santos and Gil Puyat garnering the highest scores.

The respondents have also agreed that the entry to LRT 1 has also become more efficient. In fact, it was rated with 260 percent improvement in terms of queues for tickets, wherein the Vito Cruz station was singled out as the most improved in terms of convenience in train-ticket purchasing.

“We’re focused on improving the customer service,” LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso said of the company’s effort to further improve the riding experience in LRT 1.

As part of their strategic plan, he bared that they will enhance further the speed of their trains this year.

“The new thing that we’re going to implement is what we call the 60 kph. The trains currently are running at 40 kilometers per hour. So we’ll run the trains faster,” Alfonso said.

The increase in speed, according to him, will be adding about 10 percent or 15 percent more trips per day using the same trains.

“So people will be spending less time at the station,” the president and CEO said.

“We feel that if the system is more efficient, then people will use it more. So it’s going to drive [our growth].”

Titled “Unlocking LRT 1 Riders: Research and Data on Consumers,” the sophomore edition of the research was done in 2016. About 5,500 LRT 1 passengers were interviewed between 2015 and 2017.

In the latest research, about 65 percent of the riders are aged 18 to 29 years old. The gender ratio is 50 percent male and 50 percent female.