P753B worth of infra projects up for Japan funding

Japan will finance 19 infrastructure projects worth at least P753 billion under the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program.

During the Fourth Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation Meeting in Lapu-Lapu City on Monday, the two sides discussed 11 projects in the pipeline to be financed by firm loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), six pitched for soft loans also from Jica, and three eyed for grants from the aid agency.

Documents showed that the biggest project to be funded by the Japanese government would be the P356.9-billion Metro Manila Subway Project Phase 1, which would primarily connect Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City and Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City, with a spur line to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III last Monday said the loan agreement for the country’s first underground rail system would be signed in March, with partial operations by the second quarter of 2022.

The construction of the 25.3-kilometer subway, whose rollout was already green-lighted by the National Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by President Duterte in September last year, would start next year and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

Jica will also finance the P211.4-billion Philippine National Railways North 2 project connecting Malolos, Bulacan, and Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

The loan agreement for PNR North 2 is expected to be signed by the fourth quarter of this year, following the Neda Board approval in June last year.

Construction of the 69-km railway with seven stations passing through Clark International Airport will start in January next year to commence operations by the second quarter of 2022.

Another big-ticket project to be funded by a Jica loan is the P124.1-billion PNR South Commuter or the North-South Railway Project (NSRP)-South Line, which will run between Tutuban, Manila, and Los Baños, Laguna.

The Philippine and Japanese governments are hoping to sign the loan agreement for the 72-km PNR South Commuter project also in the fourth quarter.

Approved by the Neda Board in September last year, the commuter railway would be constructed starting January 2019, with operations to commence in the second quarter of 2022.

The Philippines and Japan last November signed the loan agreement for the P9.9-billion Cavite Industrial Area Flood Management Project. Of the amount, P7.1 billion will be financed by Jica, while the remainder will be shouldered by the government.

Also up for Jica loan financing are: the P5.3-billion Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3 (formerly Plaridel Bypass); P5.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Phase 2; P4.8-billion Dalton Pass East Alignment Alternative Road Project; P9.9-billion Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao; P26.8-billion Pasig River-Marikina Channel Improvement Project Phase 4; as well as the three-year Metro Rail Transit 3 Rehabilitation and Maintenance, which the Department of Transportation said would start in May.

A P1.2-billion supplemental loan is also being eyed for the P7.8-billion New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project.

Soft loans from Jica are being sought for the P10.5-billion Circumferential Road 3 Missing Link Project; P9.9-billion Parañaque Spillway Project; New Manila International Airport Project; Third Mandaue-Mactan Bridge Project in Cebu; Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Project connecting Batangas and Manila, and a Drainage System in Metro Manila.



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Erap eyes 3rd term as mayor, sees Isko, Lim, Villar as rivals

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Thursday announced his intention to seek a third and final term in elections next year.

“Definitely, I will run again,” Estrada said in a statement.

The 80-year-old mayor and former president said he might be pitted against former Senator Manuel Villar, former Mayor Alfredo Lim and former Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

“The more the merrier, right?” Estrada said, adding he had “nothing to prove anymore” as he had beaten Lim and Villar in different elections.

Estrada defeated Lim in two consecutive mayoral contests. Villar, meanwhile, placed third in the 2010 presidential race where Estrada landed second after Benigno Aquino III.

“At this point, only my esteemed rival, Mayor Lim, has announced a plan to campaign for the mayor’s office. If Mayor Lim finally decides he will seek another term, I welcome his decision. I’m excited,” Estrada said. —AIE BALAGTAS SEE

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Poe to public: Give MRT until March to improve rail system

Senator Grace Poe appealed to the public on Thursday to give the Department of Transportation (DOTr) until March to fulfill its promise of improved Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) services.

The DOTr has repeatedly promised better services for MRT riders by end of February as new spare parts for the ageing trains start to arrive this week.

“Talagang malaki ang problema diyan at alam naman natin iyon, dumadating na ang mga parts,” Poe said in an interview in the Senate when told that the number of MRT trains running went down to only three at one point.

(The problem there is really big and we know that, spare parts are now arriving.)

“Binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang DOTr na ikabit iyang mga parts na iyan pero siyempre hindi naman pwedeng isaksak na sabay-sabay iyan. So realistically siguro sinasabi nila end of February, bigyan naman natin sila ng hanggang March.”

(We are giving the DOTr a chance to install these parts but of course it will not be done all at the same time. So realistically they are saying by end of February, but let’s give them until March.)

“Alam kong napakainit na ng ulo natin. Pero sa aming pagdinig, ilalabas na namin talaga yung mga may kasalanan nito kaya tayo nagka-abot abot sa ganito,” added Poe, who has been conducting hearings on the country’s transport services as chair of the Senate committee on public services.

(I know that we already hot-headed. But in our hearing, we really need to expose the ones who made a mistake that’s why we reached this point.)

The senator reiterated that the MRT-3 mess was a result of alleged corruption by some government officials.

“Pati yung mga Dalian trains, ako gusto ko na nga ipasauli yan e. Kailangan pang i-audit kasi kung isasauli natin at tayo ay magkakaso sa kanila, baka matalo pa tayo kung hindi makumpleto ang audit na sinasabi na talagang certifiable na hindi pwedeng gamitin ang mga ito,” Poe said.

(Even the Dalian trains, personally I want those units to be sent back. It just really needs some auditing when we are going to send them back and we will file a case against them, we may lose the case if the auditing is not finished. Auditing will certify the trains are not compatible to be used here.)

Poe was referring to the P3.8-billion worth of 48 MRT coaches from China’s Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co.

“Napakalungkot ng sitwasyon ng ating mga pasahero dahil dito at talagang dapat may magbayad at makulong na,” she added.

(Our passengers really expressed sadness on this and someone has to pay and go to jail. /jpv

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