Daegu Metropolitan Transit named preferred bidder for Philippines’ LRT maintenance project

South Korea’s Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation (DTRO) was chosen as the preferred bidder for a project worth 39 billion won ($35.7 million) to do maintenance work of the Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) System Line 2, the company said Friday.

Once the two parties sign on a final agreement, DTRO is expected to be in charge of supporting maintenance work of the LRT Line 2 connecting the east and west of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, for the next five years. It is scheduled to sign an official contract with the Philippines’ Light Rail Transit Authority early next year after going through a qualification review around the end of this month.

Following the latest deal, the company plans to expand its overseas business. It is currently seeking to win a project for operation and maintenance of Singapore’s Sentosa Monorail and plans to tap into overseas monorail construction business in the Philippines and Thailand. DTRO President Hong Seung-hwal said that the company will work hard to secure various projects based on its 20-year-long experience of running Daegu Metro.

Duterte to attend Pacquiao's birthday bash

President Rodrigo Duterte is set attend the 39th birthday celebration of Senator Manny Pacquiao in General Santos City, Sunday.

Police and soldiers have set up checkpoints across the southern city to ensure the safety of the President and Pacquiao's 2,000 other guests.

Among those expected at the party are several senators and singers Freddie Aguilar, Victor Wood and Joey Genoroso.

GMA may digital TV signal na!

Mas makulay, mas malinaw, at mas maganda na ang Digital TV signal ng GMA Network sa Mega Manila, dahilan upang mas lalong kagiliwan ng mga Kapuso viewers ang mga inaabangang programa sa GMA at GMA News TV.

Ang mga loyal na Kapuso mula sa buong Metro Manila at sa mga kalapit na probinsya ng Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, at Pampanga ay maaari nang makapanood ng kanilang paboritong Kapuso shows nang libre mula umaga hanggang gabi sa kanilang digital converter boxes.

Para sa mga Kapuso viewers na may digital TV boxes, mae-enjoy n’yo na ang full digital broadcast ng GMA at GMA News TV in three easy steps. Pindutin ang Menu, pumunta sa Settings, at sa loob Installation piliin ang Auto Search o Auto Scan. Hintaying matapos ang scanning.

Pindutin ang OK o Exit at maaari n’yo nang hanapin ang GMA at GMA News TV gamit ang up and down buttons ng inyong remote control.

Para sa karagdagang katanungan at impo­rmasyon ukol sa digital feed ng GMA, maaa­ring tumawag sa hotline ng GMA DTV 462-8177, mag-email sa signalreception@gmanetwork.com, bisitahin ang @gmatvsignal Facebook page, o maglog-on sa www.gmanetwork.com/digitalhowto.

Enhancing beauty

Wellness and technology came together at the recent launch of Skin Rejuve Elite-Alabang held at the Grand Ballroom of The Bellevue Manila in Muntinlupa City.

Led by Skin Rejuve Inc. CEO Prescy Yulo and Skin Rejuve Elite-Alabang president Crystal Jacinto, the event was a fashion show topbilled by empowered women who are not afraid to embrace technology in order to maintain their youthful glow.

The women gave testimonials about the effectiveness of Skin Rejuve’s state-of-the-art procedures and machines, invented by Sybaritic Inc. chairman, lawyer Steve Daffer, who was also a guest of honor.

During the event, many guests won exciting prizes like free sessions for face lifting and body contouring as well as treatments from the Cocoon Wellness Pro Hot Sculpt, a machine that offers a revitalizing, rejuvenating and relaxing experience for the mind, body and spirit.

Congratulations to Skin Rejuve for a successful launch party!

Greetings

Happy birthday to our celebrator today, Edwina Litton Ortigas.

Advance birthday greetings to Cesar Buenaventura, Hoseki founder Faico and Lali Herrera, Dec. 18; Muebles Italiano president and chief executive officer Noel Gonzales, Dec. 19; Pie Gaspar, Dec. 20; Maritess Lopez, Fritz Azanza, Wellington Soong and STAR’s Mary Ann Reyes, Dec. 21; socialite Dely Ongsiako, Marion Salonga, Anna Sobrepeña and palangga Maurice Arcache, Dec. 22.

So, how was your week?

(For comments and inquiries, please e-mail me at jjlitton@indanet.com.)

Under-designed

My mouth was probably agape as I listened intently while San Miguel CEO Ramon Ang briefed us about what he was doing with the MRT-7 project. He had his fingers in every aspect of the undertaking.

He told us he asked added gauges for the rails, intervened in the design of the rail cars to make them lighter by using aluminum bodies and specified the highest standard steel for the bogeys that linked the rail cars. He made sure the elevated structure was better than specification, added the depth of the gravels ballasts to reduce damage to the rails. He ordered a third more cars than specified so that the trains could go on periodic maintenance servicing like jet planes do.

Will this not make the project costlier? “It is first and foremost a public service,” he said. This system will not burden commuters with frequent breakdowns.

As for the costs, he says they will still be lower than if government built the system. The over-designed MRT-7 will run smoothly for decades.

That is the opposite of the attitude taken by those who built the MRT-3. In the first 15 days of December, the MRT-3 operations broke down 16 times. It will not get better anytime soon. It can only get worse.

Every aspect of the MRT-3 appears under-designed. Corners were cut on nearly every aspect.

MRT-3 uses overweight trams converted into rapid transit trains by lifting the cars to align with the stations. There was a mismatch from the very start.

A few months after it started operating, maintenance provider Sumitomo discovered several cracked bogeys. The engineers suspected that either inferior steel was used for them or the Czech supplier delivered refurbished parts.

As early as the first year of operations, the rail system experienced too much shelling and damage to the tracks. Two things explain this: the rails were of inferior quality and the gravels ballasts were too thin to soften the impact of train wheels. Those train wheels wore out easily, explaining the swaying motion of the MRT-3.

In the Makati area, the rails were found to be misaligned, causing the trains to twist and vibrate. Engineers surmise the reason for this is that two separate contractors built the rails and failed to align them properly.

In 2003, the Czech suppliers were summoned to examine the flaws in the system. They recommended horizontal dampers be installed to absorb the excessive lateral vibrations and mitigate damage to the rail cars. Sumitomo took no corrective action. We inherit rolling wrecks as a consequence.

Cesar Chavez, before he resigned as DOTr Undersecretary for Rails, was obsessed with getting maintenance provider Busan out and bringing Sumitomo back in. He succeeded in getting Busan out, but did nothing about the structural flaws in this system. He withheld monthly payments to Buri from September last year and expected the company to deliver.

In the meantime, in-house crews do the sophisticated maintenance work needed on a daily basis. Less than a third of the trains are in use, causing the long queues and the overcrowding that further deteriorates the system.

Since Abaya’s mis-designed Dalian trains are unusable, we could run out of trains for this dinosaur of a mass transit system. Good luck to all of us.

Singing soldier realizes dreams

When Mel Sorillano won in the Grand Battle of Singing Soldiers Champions in 2012, we judged him on the basis of one song. It was only recently, when he launched his debut album “Dinggin Mo Bayan” at RJ Bistro at Dusit Thani Hotel Makati, that we found out his awesome range of musicality.

He, together with guests Haydee Manosca, Gem Mascarinas, Sheila Reyes and Ann Diglasan, the singing policewoman, all award-winning singers, sang English songs (proving he is worthy of the title given him by RJ Jacinto as the Nat King Cole of the Philippines). And then Mel performed the Tagalog songs in his album, three of them he wrote: “Kawal Ng Bayan,” “Dinggin Mo Bayan” and “Ang Bayani Ay Ikaw,” which he dedicates to the gallant men in uniform. His special guests were Dulce and Token Lizares.

Mel has gone a long way since leaving his hometown of Nabua, Camarines Sur after high school. Endowed with a rich singing voice, Mel used his talent to help his impoverished family by joining amateur singing contests. Almost always, he would win and bring home the bacon, so to speak. But his big dream then was to sing on a bigger stage in televised events in Manila.

Mel fulfilled this dream when he won in “Eat Bulaga!”’s AFP Singing Soldiers Amateur Contest in 1986. Acknowledged as the AFP Singing Ambassador, he has performed before Malacanang foreign guests during the administrations of former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Cory Aquino and Gloria Arroyo.

• • •

Winners of LRTArt

A nationwide painting competition was held to mark the 37th anniversary celebration of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA). Dubbed “LRTArt 2017” with the theme “LRT – Sasakyan Ko Sa Magandang Kinabukasan” (LRT – My Ride To A Better Future), the announcement of the winners was held recently at the LRTA Social Hall in Pasig.

According to LRTA Administrator Gen. Reynaldo I. Berroya, LRTArt aims to recognize Filipino artistry and to inform people that its train systems not only bring its passengers to their destinations but more importantly, into their journey towards their dreams and aspirations.

In the Main Competition, Robert Tiano and Juan Aguasito Jr. won the 2nd and 3rd prize and received P100,000 and R200,000 respectively. In the Junior Division, Jheco Lorica, Bianca Dominique Verano and Brahm Daniel Verano, clenched the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize, and received P150,000, P100,000, and P50,000 respectively.

Ralph Allen Semilla, the grand winner, received P300,000 and a trophy. His painting will be displayed inside the LRTA Depot.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greeting today, Dec. 16, go to Ms. Gloria Romero, Kerima Tuvera, Mila Limgenco, Catherine Santos, Tessie & Iris Benito, Annie Vergara, Dr. Randy Dellosa, Jay Gonzales and Frankie Pangilinan…Dec. 17: Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Mel Valic, Dr. Vivian Sarabia-Ong, Ernani Cuenco Jr., Elmie Roldan, Henrietta Mendez, Leon Miguel, Winnie Mariano, Aiko Melendez and Michael V.…Happy 4th wedding anniversary to Regina Mae Parungao and Daryll James Juan…Dec. 18: Frank Evaristo, Cesar Buenaventura, Jojo dela Cruz, Luna Viernesto, Anita Carlo, Roberto Tabor, Vivian Cajucom, Atty. Cirilo Tolosa and Gen. Narciso Cabrera…

LRT-1 shift to LED system seen to promote energy efficiency

The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is investing PHP20 million for all stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) to shift to light emitting diode (LED) systems as part of efforts to improve passenger safety.

The LRT-1 operator has installed LED systems at six stations, namely, Doroteo Jose, Abad Santos, R. Papa, Gil Puyat, Pedro Gil, and UN Avenue with its complete installation on all stations expected by end of 2018.

“More than the benefits of lower energy cost and the elimination of mercury-containing fluorescent lights, the LED lighting marks a big improvement in illumination quality and thus enhances safety for our passengers,” LRMC Chief Operating Officer Rodolfo Chansuyco said in a statement.

“The lighting system replacement shift is in line with our Biyaheng Better Everyday commitment to the LRT-1 passengers—a step towards a safer and better riding experience for the commuters. This is also our way of ensuring that LRT-1 stations run under environment-friendly operations, with the significant reduction in toxic elements emissions,” he added.

Meanwhile, LRT-1’s 106 light rail vehicles (LRVs) will also be retrofitted with the LED system starting 2018.

LRT-1 this year received the ISO certifications Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015), following a two-year, company-wide program to improve operational efficiencies in Manila’s oldest light rail system.

SM Center Moonwalk Paranaque

P1T worth of projects OKd by Neda board in 2017

The National Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by President Duterte approved P1 trillion in projects so far this year, with the rollout of up to a dozen infrastructure projects next year expected to create more jobs.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told reporters yesterday that at least six projects would be implemented starting early next year. These are mainly big-ticket projects such as the Clark airport expansion; the Metro Manila subway; the north-south railway projects connecting Los Baños, Laguna, Tutuban, Manila and Clark free port; the 130-kilometer first phase of the Mindanao railway connecting Digos, Davao City and Tagum; Chico River dam; Kaliwa water supply, and the Cavite flood control project.

Pernia, who heads the National Economic and Development Authority, said the Neda Board had approved this year 20 projects—14 new and six existing projects with changes in scope or financing, bringing to 36 the total number of projects approved by the Duterte administration in its first 18 months in office.

Most of these projects will be financed through the national budget or official development assistance (ODA), he said.

Neda Assistant Secretary Jonathan L. Uy said the projects approved this year cost a total of P1 trillion, higher than the P400 billion total cost of the 17 projects approved last year.

Uy said they were planning to seek Neda Board approval for six more projects, including three new, and tweaks to three ongoing projects.

The three new projects include a peace and order project in a command center in Davao City to be funded by China; the purchase of helicopters for marine disaster response, and a bridge construction acceleration project, Uy said.

Pernia said that amid political instability in the Middle East, the government’s massive “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program was expected to generate more jobs that could absorb overseas Filipino workers who might be repatriated.

Neda Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said the jobs requirement for the “Build, Build, Build” would be integrated in the portal Philjobnet to make them accessible to applicants.

Noting that the “flagship” infrastructure projects would be implemented 24/7, Pernia said jobs in construction, engineering and design would be in demand next year.

Read more: http://business.inquirer.net/242554/p1t-worth-projects-okd-neda-board-2017#ixzz51iRInOP5
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Tugade now a PAF reserve lieutenant colonel

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade formally joined the Philippine Air Force (PAF) reserves as a lieutenant colonel during short ceremonies Tuesday.

Donning ceremonies were held at the Hall of Flags, Department of National Defense (DND) Building, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement Thursday.

The ceremonies were spearheaded by DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Chief-of-Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, he added.

The two officials also formally donned the DOTr chief his lieutenant colonel rank.

LRT-1 operator to spend P20M for shift to LED lights

THE Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), operator of the Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1), has allocated P20 million to shift to light-emitting diode (LED) systems for all of its 20 LRT-1 stations.

“So far, we have completed the installation of LEDs at six stations: Doroteo Jose, Abad Santos, R. Papa, Gil Puyat, Pedro Gil and UN Avenue stations. The installation will be completed in all stations by end-2018,” LRMC Chief Operating Officer Rodolfo Chansuyo said in a statement.

According to Chansuyo, using LED will not only result in lower energy cost but would also eliminate the use of mercury-containing fluorescent lights.

“The lighting system replacement shift is in line with our Biyaheng Better Everyday commitment to the LRT-1 passengers, a step towards a safer and better riding experience for the commuters,” Chansuyo said.

“This is also our way of ensuring that LRT-1 stations run under environment-friendly operations, with the significant reduction in toxic elements emissions,” Chansuyco explained,” he added.

LRMC said that its 106 light rail vehicles will also be retrofitted with LED systems starting in 2018.

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. (MIHPL).

DM Consunji returns after 26 years

CONSTRUCTION giant DM Consunji Inc. is back in Cebu to build one of the biggest infrastructure projects, the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). DM Consunji president Jorge A. Consunji said the 8.5-kilometer tollway bridge connecting Cebu City and the town of Cordova will be the fourth construction project of the company in Cebu. “The reason we were unable to return was because we suddenly had so many projects and we also became busy with the projects we did outside (overseas),” the executive said. Consunji said his company was commissioned to construct SM City Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, and the first building of Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in 1991, its last project in the province. It’s been 26 years. Now that it has returned to the Queen City of the South for the construction of a P22.6-billion toll bridge, Consunji sees a more buoyant environment. “The market has changed. The local contractors are also strong now. The business is very competitive and there are so many players,” Consunji said. With the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration, Consunji is optimistic about having more infrastructure projects in the country. “We are very optimistic but it’s how the government will sequence that. It’s not for us to see where it’s gonna be. Everybody, all the contractors, are very hopeful,” he said. The five-decade-old construction company claims to have constructed the largest number of commercial establishments, high-rise offices and residential condominiums and infrastructure projects in the country, as it has literally created today’s Makati Central Business and Ortigas Center financial districts, and continues to do so. Some of the notable commercial buildings it constructed include the Philippine Stock Exchange Plaza and Roxas Triangle; Makati Shangri-la Hotel, SM Megamall, Glorietta 4, and Alabang Town Center, among others. For infrastructure, its portfolio includes the Carmen Bridge, and the three interchanges on Manila’s main thoroughfare and, the LRT Line 1 North Extension Project and Trackworks on LRT-2. It is also involved in the industrial sector with the building of five semi-conductor facilities namely, Intel, NEC, Analog Device, Motorola and Philips; Enron Power Plant in Subic and Pinamucan, Batangas and recently the Panay Power Plant and Dingle Power in Iloilo. Overseas, the company constructed the Istana Nurul Iman (The Royal Palace) in the Sultanate of Brunei and got involved in the building of numerous bridges in Saudi Arabia as well as interchanges and bridges in Kuwait and an irrigation structure in the Kirkuk-Adhaim Irrigation Project in Iraq. To date, Consunji said his company has not yet made a bid for a new project in Cebu. (JOG)

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2017/12/14/dm-consunji-returns-after-26-years-579875
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Duterte to ABS-CBN: Promote federalism, we’ll settle case

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he was willing to have a compromise with television network ABS-CBN in one condition: promote federalism.

“Kung magtulong kayo diyan sa federal system campaign at gawain ninyong slogan also for the unity and to preserve this republic, makipag-areglo ako,” Duterte said in a speech during the PDP-Laban Christmas Benefit Dinner on Wednesday night.

Duterte had previously threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN television’s franchise when it expires on March 30, 2020.

ABS-CBN was now revamping its content strategy to compete with other stations.

“I think the entertainment, lifestyle and news and current affairs will stay, substantially as it is. The sports content will still be there and we’re expanding the sports content. Then there will be some entertainment shows that we will be putting in,” he said.

“It’s not a shutdown situation for ABS-CBN. I think it’s a selective kind of programming. I think it’s the only way for ABS-CBN to compete. The viewing habits for video are slowly changing, so we want to move in the direction rather than stay with the legacy where we are not competitive,” the network said.

He has accused the giant network of estafa for supposedly not providing him the airtime he had paid for during the election period.

During his speech, the President again slammed the Lopezes, which owns ABS-CBN for its supposed debt with the government.

Duterte said he had not forgotten the debt of ABS-CBN but said he was willing to talk and shake hands with the owners of ABS-CBN.

“But kayo, may mali man rin kayo, may utang rin kayo sa gobyerno, do your part and maybe we can talk about it,’ he said.

“I will go to you and say… Wala akong hingiin. Just dedicate a portion of your time, your expensive and precious time on TV, help us promote federalism, only the good ones. But if you think that it is not into your system, fine,” he added.

But said he wasn’t asking for anything but to support his agenda on federalism.

“Pero kung suportahan lang ninyo ang… Kayong mga network, wala kayo. Wala akong hingiin, ‘yan lang. And I said, I’m willing to shake hands with you,’ he said.

Duterte assured he wasn’t asking the giant network to stop its criticisms on corruption.

“You can continue with your criticisms about corruption. Pareho tayo ayaw ng corruption and wrongdoing,’ he said.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/952371/breaking-news-rodrigo-duterte-abs-cbn-federalism-lopez#ixzz51FfQOvxm
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Duterte says he’s willing to settle beef with ABS-CBN if...

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he was willing to enter into a compromise deal with broadcast network ABS-CBN if the company would promote his bid for a shift to a federal form of government.

"Kung magtulong kayo diyan sa federal system campaign at gawain ninyong slogan also for the unity and to preserve this Republic, makipag-areglo ako," Duterte said in a speech at the PDP-Laban's Christmas Benefit Dinner for Marawi at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

"Just dedicate a portion of your time, your expensive and precious time on TV, help us promote federalism, only the good ones. But if you think that it is not into your system, fine," he added.

In Malacañang, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte was "inviting media to be his partner in disseminating the benefits of federalism."

"So there will be intensified dissemination activities to explain to the people the need for federalism," Roque said at a press briefing on Thursday.

ABS-CBN has been a frequent target of Duterte's rants, with the President accusing the network of accepting funds from him without airing his political advertisements.

He had also threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise, which is set to expire in 2020.

In his speech, Duterte again hit the Lopez Holdings Corp., which controls ABS-CBN, for allegedly not paying its debt to the state-run Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

"DBP, kayong mga negosyante, alam naman ninyo DBP pabangkarote, why? Because the Lopez Group of Companies and their debts were condoned, not paid," Duterte said.

"Kaya ‘wag ninyo ako bolahin mga ABS-CBN...you know he who comes to equity must have clean hands. When you talk of righteousness, be sure that you are right," he added.

Lopez Holdings Corp. earlier said it does not have any unpaid obligations to the DBP or other government financial institutions after Duterte announced on August 30 that he was going after holdings company over supposed debt to the state owned lender.

GMA News Online is still trying to get ABS-CBN's side as of posting time.

12 to 15 major infra projects to roll out in 2018, says NEDA

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board is targeting the approval of 26 projects worth P1-trillion before 2017 ends, a sign of the administration's commitment to rev up its infrastructure program.

So far, 20 projects have been approved, said NEDA during its 2017 year-end briefing. The agency hopes to approve six more projects.

In total, all 26 projects are worth nearly P1-trillion, a figure bigger than the infrastructure programs in previous years.

Among the approved projects are the Clark International Airport expansion project, the Metro Manila Subway project, the Chico River Dam project, and the Mindanao Railway project.

These are among the 12 to 15 projects expected to roll out next year.

NEDA said these projects will help generate jobs for Filipinos who may be displaced in the Middle East as well as the introduction of artificial intelligence mainly in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector next year.

NEDA, however, did not give estimates as to how many new jobs will be created by these 26 projects.

Budget Secretary Ben Diokno earlier said, the Build, Build, Build program is seen creating at least 1 million new jobs every year.

List of 20 approved projects:
1. Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) Phase 1 Tagum – Davao - Digos Segment
2. Malolos - Clark Railway Project (PNR North 2)
3. Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project
4. Clark International Airport (CIA) Expansion Project
5. Education Pathways to Peace in Conflict-Affected Areas of Mindanao (PATHWAYS)
6. Australia Awards and Alumni Engagement Program Philippines
7. Project Approval and Change in Financing of Chico River Pump Irrigation Project
8. New Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Systems Development Project: 30-Month Loan Validity Extension and Reallocation of Funds
9. New Configuration of the LRT Line 1 North Extension Project Common Station / Unified Grand Central Station (North Extension Project)
10. Change in Scope, Cost, and Financing Arrangements for the Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase II
11. Change in Financing of the New Centennial Water Source Kaliwa Dam Project
12. Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP)
13. Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project
14. Binondo - Intramuros and Estrella - Pantaleon Bridges Construction Project
15. Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project
16. Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility
17. Philippine National Railway-South Line*
18. ADB loan validity extension for the Road Improvement and Institutional Development Project*
19. Increase in cost of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit*
20. Conflict Sensitive Resource and Asset Management (COSERAM) Programme - Financial Cooperation (FC) Measure

Projects pending approval:

1. "Safe Philippines Project" which will be supported by China, this will provide CCTV support, overall command centers for peace and order (under DILG)
2. Improvement of capacity of PH Coast Guard
3. Bridge Construction Acceleration Project of DPWH (between PH and Australia)
4. New Bohol Airport
5. Completion of Circumferential road of Samar Pacific Coastal Project
6. IloIlo irrigation Project (Jalaur Dam) 

Duterte to ABS-CBN: Help promote federalism

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is willing to compromise with ABS-CBN if the network helps promote his campaign to shift to a federal form of government.

"[P]ero kung magtulong kayo diyan sa federal system campaign at gawain ninyong slogan also for the unity and to preserve this Republic, makipag-areglo ako," he said during his speech at the PDP-Laban's Christmas Benefit Dinner for Marawi at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

"I will go to you and say...Wala akong hingiin. Just dedicate a portion of your time, your expensive and precious time on TV, help us promote federalism, only the good ones," he said.

"But if you think that it is not into your system, fine."

The President again lashed out at ABS-CBN and the Lopez group of companies, accusing the group of not paying its debts to the Development Bank of the Philippines.

"DBP, kayong mga negosyante, alam naman ninyo DBP pabangkarote, why? Because the is the Lopez Group of Companies and their debts were condoned, not paid," he said, without providing further details about the alleged debt.

"Huwag tayong magbolahan dito. If you want to --- lahat tayo may... You expose my wrongs and I will strip you naked in public. Hubaran ko kayo at hubaran ninyo ako. No quarters asked, no quarters given. Kung 'yan ang gusto ninyo. At hindi rin ako gusto maghingi sa inyo ng pabor. Never had," he added.

Duterte made these comments in the context of touting his victories in tax collection, specifically mentioning the recovery of the Mile Long property.

Lopez Holdings Corp earlier said it did not have unpaid debts with the DBP or any government institution. "All debt papers, including those sold by DBP to the were eventually settled by the company," the company said last August.

Duterte has previously attacked ABS-CBN for allegedly failing to air his campaign ads, and for reporting allegations on his bank accounts.

Duterte to Lopezes: If ABS-CBN promotes federalism, I'll shake hands with you

President Rodrigo Duterte has a proposal for ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III: If his television network promotes federalism, Duterte is willing to call it quits.

"Kung magtulong kayo diyan sa federal system campaign at gawain ninyong slogan also for the unity and to preserve the republic, makipag-areglo ako," said Duterte on Wednesday night, December 13, during the PDP-Laban Christmas Benefit Dinner.

(If you can help with the federal system campaign and you make a slogan also for unity and to preserve the republic, I'll make amends with you.)

He said this right after repeating his usual rant against Lopez and the "debt" that the ABS-CBN chairman's family owes the government.

"Just dedicate a portion of your time, your expensive and precious time on TV, help us promote federalism...I'm willing to shake hands with you," said Duterte.

About the Lopezes' "debt," the President stressed he hasn't forgotten about them but he'd be willing to discuss the issue with them.

"But you've done a wrong. You still owe the government. Do your part, maybe we can talk about it," said Duterte.

He gave assurances that he isn't asking for ABS-CBN to stop reporting on corruption or wrongdoing in government.

"You can continue with your criticism about corruption. We both don't like corruption and wrongdoing," said Duterte.

Towards the end of his speech, he seemed to say he was offering his proposal to other networks he has a beef with.

"If you support this, you networks, I won't ask for anything else, that's it," said Duterte.

The previous night, the President had noted that Filipinos appear not to be ready for a shift to a federal form of government, a longtime advocacy of his and among his major campaign promises.

He has long issued threats against the Lopezes and ABS-CBN, starting with his vow to block the TV network's franchise renewal.

For supposedly not airing his political advertisements during the 2016 campaign season, Duterte has also threatened to file multiple estafa charges against the network.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/191299-duterte-lopez-abs-cbn-federalism?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nation

‘Larawan’ features historic La Naval

The last La Naval procession in Intramuros has been recreated in the movie “Ang Larawan,” an official entry to the 2017 MMFF. The La Naval tradition had its roots in Intramuros in Old Manila where the Santo Domingo Church was located prior to the bombing of Manila during World War II.

The La Naval procession is one of the highlights of “Ang Larawan,” which was based on Nick Joaquin’s play “A Portrait Of The Artist As Filipino” and starring Joanna Ampil, Rachel Alejandro and Paulo Avelino. It was for the procession scene that the movie got a grant from the Quezon City Film Development Commission.

Culturtain Musicat Productions executive producer Celeste Legaspi said “We are very blessed and thankful for all their support. But the biggest blessing is that Santo Domingo Church allowed us to use the decades-old image of the Virgin of La Naval which was carefully transported from QC to Intramuros. What viewers will see onscreen is truly a wonderful and breathtaking sight!”

Along with the other 2017 MMFF entries, “Ang Larawan,” co-produced by Harlene Bautista, opens Dec. 25 in cinemas nationwide.

• • •

Showbiz comeback

His name may not ring a bell to some but Kuya E (Neo de Padua) has been in show business in various capacities – as singer, performer and talent coordinator/provider. For a while though his work in showbiz was sidetracked by an illness, the Dreaded C no less. But he is well now prompting him to return to the music scene.

“Yes, I am a cancer survivor, dumaan ako sa isang malaking pagsubok and through faith in God nalagpasan ko naman ito,” Kuya E said.

He will continue his self-imposed mission “to inspire people and promote love in all walks of life.”

His concert “Miracle, Music And Love” is tonight at the Music Museum. Produced by Big Eyes Events and Productions, the concert also features E4 Band, Ani Pearl, Kath Loria, Rapido and Himig Handog 2017 awardee Aikee.

Kuya E also released the song “Ako’y Nangarap.”

Part of Kuya E’s comeback agenda is talk show “RYTS (Rule Yourself To Success)” for airing next month.

Kuya E is known in the business sector as the “Millionaire Maker of MLM Industry in the Philippines.”

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Dec. 14, go to CCP Chairman Nick Lizaso, Leo Valdez, Phillip Juico, Nancy Chiongbian, Shielah Martinez, Danilo Clarino, Grace Tapia, Vergel Danaytan, Ryan Palma, Joshua Dionisio, Domingo Pabalate, Atty. Dan de Padua and Mark Herras…Dec. 15: Rosie Castro, Cara Cristobal, Caroline Ortega, Minda Azarcón, Josephine Manuel, Manny Martinez, Jay-O Bonachita, Evelyn Trinidad, Leticia Belen, John Stevens, Nena Santiago, Thelma Velasco, Lita Reyes, Jet Valle, Dianne Landingin, Valeriana Silvania, Oj Mojo,  and Nikki Coseteng…Happy wedding anniversary to Bobby and Ida Joseph…

New Joaquin album

Singer Joaquin is back in the music scene with the launch of his album recently through a mini-concert at the Resorts World Manila.

The album has five original tracks – “Kahit Kailan,” “Ayoko Na,” “I’m Sorry,” “And If Only” and “I Will Love You Till The End” – and the Minus One of the songs. He filmed the music video of “Kahit Kailan” with noted indie actress Althea Vega as his leading lady. The proceeds of the album goes to Bahay Pag-ibig Foundation in Angeles, Pampanga.

“The foundation helps the elderly. Laking lola kasi ako that’s why malapit sa puso ko mga lolo at lola. It was for them that I did my best to finish my album.”

Joaquin said “every song has a story to tell.”

“My album is about courting someone, or parents na nasaktan mo like what the song ‘I’m Sorry’ conveys. I was once upon a time a ‘bad boy’ too, we always learn the hard way. Dumaan din ako sa bandang gusto ko na mag-give up, so I needed to change my perspective in life.”

Joaquin, who was once a member of German Moreno’s “That’s Entertainment,” and once managed by Pilita Corrales, said one of his favorite songs is “Christmas Won’t Be The Same Without You” which he offers to OFWs whenever he sings it. “Because I was once an OFW myself,” he said. Joaquin worked as a singer in Japan when he was about 15 or 16.

Joaquin was also a WCOPA (World Championship of the Performing Arts) winner in 2007. He won in four categories including Original Composition, Contemporary and Gospel. There was no cash prize, he said, just the prestige. “It was like an international recital this competition.”

His ultimate dream is “to help and inspire others in whatever I do.”

• • •

Solaire to receive Special Aliw Award

Solaire Resort & Casino’s The Theater will be the recipient of Aliw Awards Foundation’s Special Award on Dec. 19, at the Manila Hotel’s Fiesta Pavilion during the annual Aliw Awards Night, part of the 40th year celebration of the Foundation.

The award, according to Founding President Alice H. Reyes, is in recognition of the outstanding support given by The Theatre management to Filipino live entertainers and for its promotion of Original Pilipino Music (OPM).

The anniversary festivities are supported by the Department of Tourism, the Quezon City Government, PCSO, PAGCOR and San Miguel Corp.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings, Dec. 12 goes to Bobby Joseph, Pops Fernandez, Carlos Agassi, Emil Venus, Jr., Roger Begre, Fe Ng, Winnie Noriega, Ben Martillo, Lillie Anne Pájaro, Dante Lagana, Rogel Velasco, Gil Ortiz, and Joan Roncan…Dec. 13: Former Sen. Manny Villar, Robert Yupangco, Charlie Agatep, Mario Katigbak, Robert Castaneda, Luz Caparanga, Nicolo Pili, Mely Fernandez, Efren Ocampo, Jennifer Strachan, Dr. Hermogenes Jarin, Fe delos Reyes, Allan K., and Amy Austria…

Duterte forms committee to organize papal visit and world youth day

The national committee is tasked with ensuring the smooth visit of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in January 2023

About 3 months before the expected visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte formed a national organizing committee to ensure the smooth flow of his visit.

In a memorandum released Friday, October 6, Duterte called for the creation of the Papal Visit and World Youth Day 2023-National Organizing Committee (PV-NOC) to coordinate preparations. The Committee is chaired by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea and vice-chaired by Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

Other members include:

• Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
• Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano
• Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar
• Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III
• Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
• Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo
• Presidential Communications Operations Office
• Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff
• Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim
• National Youth Commission Chairman Cariza Seguerra

On Wednesday, Duterte also announced that the Filipino peacekeepers, who successfully escaped a standoff with Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights, have been tasked to secure the Pope.

“As instructed by President Duterte, all heads of the different government departments, local governments as well as the private sectors are encouraged to participate and coordinate all efforts to make sure that the visit of His Holiness in our country next year will be well organized and peaceful,” Medialdea said in a statement.

Among the duties of the committee are ensuring cooperation between public and private sectors, particularly with the central committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP); peace and order; and traffic management.

The memorandum, effective immediately, also established two local executive committees – one in Manila and another in Leyte – where the Pope is expected to visit. The local committees will “serve as the on-site full-time, day-to-day operations arms of the PV-WYD-NOC,” said the statement.

Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be making a stop in Leyte to visit disaster-hit victims. Their visit comes nine years after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) killed more than 6,000 people, mostly in Tacloban City in Eastern Visayas.

This will mark the first time in 3 decades – only the second time ever – for a pope to go beyond the Philippine capital, Manila, as the first Latin American pontiff vows to reach out to the world's “peripheries.” 

The Pope is expected to visit the Philippines on January 12 to 16, 2023. His trip will be the first by a Pope since Pope John Paul II's visit in 1995 and himself in 2015. 

Nagrenew ng kontrata ang ABS-CBN, kaya di magsasara yan sa 2020.

A provincial’s hope for the ‘dead city’

There are many who reacted negatively to statements calling Metro Manila a “dead city.” This description may not exactly be inaccurate, and reflect the opinion of many experts over the last decades, making it tough to dispute.

This also forces us to face obvious truths that Metro Manilans can no longer deny, and consider suggestions we once thought were not possible.

As a non-resident, outsider and frequent visitor, I offer the observations from the outside looking in that residents may not realize:

Traffic has defined the daily life of Metro Manilans. Studies say it has slowed to about 30 km per hour, the once-hour long journey to traverse a 15km distance is now a three-hour grind.

Thus, visitors like us can only manage one appointment per half day when we could previously handle two to three to maximize our stay. We now need to spend longer days in the metro to get the same amount of work or business done, transacting with partners and/or government officials that previously liked to concentrate processes and decisions to higher echelons in Manila.

Add to that the higher cost of food and accomodations compared with where we come from, and the transaction costs when dealing with Metro Manila can drain meager pockets.

While these are costs business people can bear, woe to those seeking medical treatment in Metro Manila’s big hospitals. They need to wade through this traffic for doctors appointments and medical tests and procedures.

To be sure, sitting in traffic isn’t relaxing as other studies like that of JICA in 2015 claim a daily loss of 2.4 billion pesos a day to traffic alone. The staggering cost represents externalities that past governments failed to manage while pushing high economic growth targets.

All of these make a visit to Metro Manila a necessary pain we in the provinces have to bear, as a lot of what we need to do was concentrated in Metro manila.

Hopes for opening up the Metro

But recent events represent hopes for many of us and may help ease Metro Manila in the process.

For one, the announcement of a government satellite system and Internet backbone will do well to make online transactions easier and faster. This dovetails with recent announcements to speed up permit acquisitions and do them through online systems, negating the need to go to Metro Manila just to transact. This is a relief for many of us, easing the work of doing business.

At the same time, this lets also allows many business process outsourcing companies and home based workers to obtain livelihoods online, removing the need to travel to and from offices.

Second, the re-emphasis on rail systems with the MRT-LRT common station, the Mega Manila subway, and the MRT-7, LRT-1 Cavite and LRT-2 East extensions will allow suburban dwellers from Mega Manila to go to and from the Metro easily on a daily basis, removing the need for them to rent bed spaces and apartments in the business districts. this also tempers runaway speculation that jacks up Metro property prices to a level beyond the reach of most people.

This also allows us from the provinces to travel within Metro Manila more seamlessly, lessening our dependence on taxis and more expensive TNVs systems like Grab and Uber that in recent experience has not exactly delivered as well on their promises of a hassle-free experience as the wait for booking on these apps has grown longer. With a better light rail system, we’d rather get on a train as many of us do in Singapore or Hong Kong.

Third, the coming of government heart and kidney centers in Cagayan de Oro and Davao already under construction, and heightened specialty medical services in places like iloilo and Bacolod give many of us the opportunity to obtain speciaity services and advanced facilities we could only avail of in Manila. this lowers the cost of specialty care, and lessens our need to fly to the Metro for this care.

Government investment in this type of health care encourages specialists to relocate from Metro Manila to these cities, spurring the investment of other private medical establishments like St. Luke’s in Davao, for instance.

Deconcentrating the Metro will decongest and revive it

In these three examples, we see the possibility of reviving the dead city by investing wisely in things that will allow the rest of the country to build their own capabilites and partake of the processes that were once exclusive to Metro Manila. This also encourages private investment to move into the provinces, creating employment and income opportunities in a manner that reduces the over all cost of doing business.

This deconcentrates power and decongests its corridors that only a few of us from elsewhere in the archipelago can pass through.In the process, the metro will begin to breathe again.

For reactions; facebook.com/johntriapage

Duterte predicts Metro Manila’s decay in 25 years

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has obviously given up on any possible way of improving Metro Manila as he predicted that it will soon become a “dead city” in at least 25 years. "Manila, I think, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay," he said before a crowd of mostly Kapampangans inside Clark on Thursday. "Ten years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop this, this is the best. Something similar to Clark in other places – Batangas, Cavite," said Duterte, lamenting that Manila is among the few places in the world without adequate sewerage system. Duterte proposed closing factories and opening them elsewhere. He seemed to allude for the need to decongest Metro Manila all the while lauding the possible developments for Clark. Duterte said that there is a need for mass transport systems so as not to replicate the situation in Metro Manila. “You rehabilitate the place, you have to, baklasin mo ang Maynila (break Manila apart) to do that," Duterte added, stressing the need to develop other key cities in the country. It could be remembered that since 2015, leaders of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PamCham) have been reiterating the need to decongest Metro Manila. However, the need to make Clark and neighboring cities infrastructure-ready has become a key issue with rapid developments in Pampanga already causing traffic and raising issues on proper urban planning. The country is also in the risks of paralysis if a magnitude 7.2 earthquake or other large scale disasters hit the country’s the financial and governing center in Metro Manila.

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2017/12/09/duterte-predicts-metro-manilas-decay-25-years-579011
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Yes, we can make Philippines safest for tourists

Anywhere in the world, tourists experience some of their best and worse moments. Let’s talk about the latter. Even some of the most visited places in the world like Paris, New York, London, Sydney, Barcelona, Manchester, Istanbul, Chicago and Bangkok, among others, have hogged the headlines because of bad elements in society.

In a domino effect, other countries whose tourism industries are fragile are also affected, either by unfair travel advisories, overblown stories, magnified news that barely touches the surface and biased opinions on social media.

In spite of that, tourism remains resilient. People continue to travel in spite of threats to world peace. In a report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council, it calls on governments to work hard and adopt stringent measures to prepare countries affected by travel disruptions. It emphatically said: “The global impact of these destructive acts has been rising over the past decade.”

The Institute of Economics and Peace puts the cost at over $52 billion for the year 2014 alone. The New York Times also reported that the economic impact of 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington came closer to $3.3 billion when indirect and long-term expenditures were included.

What is our Department of Tourism (DOT) doing in light of this?

Meet the DOT TOP COPs. They are the finest men and women of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and they will be stationed in the country’s popular tourist sites to assure that the country remains a safe haven or one of the safest places for international and local tourists to visit.

“While the continuous influx of foreign guests attests to our image as a safe tourist destination, we must enhance security and preventive measures through police presence and visibility,” Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo said. “Needless to say, they serve not only as protectors of our foreign guests and the general public, but also as diplomatic hosts in the tradition of Filipino hospitality,” she pointed out.

At least 46 personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) formally joined the ranks of the Tourist Police Unit (TPU) after recently completing a seminar-workshop on Tourism-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOP COP) conducted by the DOT-NCR in cooperation with the PNP. Teo said other DOT regional offices and local police units are jointly preparing to implement the TOP COP program.

“In Metro Manila alone, the DOT-NCR will hold a series of  TOP COP seminar-workshop to produce 200 more tourist police officers by 2017,”  DOT-NCR  OIC Director Ina Zara-Loyola said. Loyola spoke at the graduation of the first batch of TOP COP, citing the vital role the policemen performed in facilitating, as well as securing, major international events like the recent Asean Plus-3 Summit.

PNP chief Supt. Emmanuel Luis D. Licup, who is also a PNP deputy director for operations, addressed the TOP COP graduates, saying the program is an opportunity for them to show the outstanding qualities of police officers. “Let us put our best foot forward and earn the respect that we, uniformed men and women, so deserve,” Licup stressed.

The weeklong seminar-workshop covered the following topics: Tourism Basics and Trends; Child Safe Tourism/Child Protection Laws, Tourist Behavior Patterns and Market Profiles; Local Products and Services; Basic Investigation Procedure and Security and Safety Protocols; Community-Oriented Policing System (COP); Incident Command System; Immigration Laws and Procedures and Crisis Incident Management.

The new TOP COP graduates inducted were PSSupt. Chito G. Bersaluna of NCRPO Regional Training and Education Division, PSSupt. Rudolph B. Dimas of the Public Safety Division,  DOT-NCR Chief Tourism Operations Officer Catherine C. Agustin and DOT-NCR Training Director Mariville Ramos.

“As this developed, more policemen will also be deployed to patrol malls and other crowded areas in Metro Manila leading to the holiday season. We are watching and monitoring these places and other areas of public convergence to maximize police visibility in the above-mentioned areas,” National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said in a news briefing.

In Central Luzon more police officers will also be assigned on foot patrol and be seen in the streets to bolster public safety, newly installed Central Luzon regional police director Chief Supt. Amadro V. Corpuz stressed, after assuming the top regional police post.

Meanwhile, Alexander Waltner, in his “Swedish Nomad,” blog continues to plug the Philippines worldwide. “Curious about the Philippines? I was there last year, and I loved it. The vibe is amazing, and there are just so many things to see and do. There are few places on Earth and the country is one of them,” he said. He went on to say that there are 25 reasons people should visit it. Jenn Brown of The Huffington Post, for her part, wrote in her column that the Philippines is a safe place to visit, saying: “There is no single word that can sum up the Philippines but there are seven reasons why you should definitely experience this country with a spectacle of contrasts.”

Patrolling the country’s over 7,100 islands is a daunting task and it is not easy. So is it safe to travel to the Philippines?  Of course, it is. Like many other countries, the US and Europe, in particular, the Philippines has areas where troubles tend to occur and areas that are generally considered safe.

Investopedia, the world’s leading source of financial content on the web ranging from market news to retirement strategies to investing in education, says, “While it is important to be aware of threats, it can be inaccurate to label the entire country as dangerous because it has known trouble spots.”

To illustrate it, it said that it would be misleading to label the entire United States as dangerous because of the violent crime statistics of Detroit and East Saint Louis. Last, it provided the clincher—it’s always difficult to use the word “safe” about travel because the word implies you will be protected from or not exposed to any danger or risk. This is never the case, no matter where you travel.

Duterte on Manila traffic: We can’t solve it on our own

By ARGYLL CYRUS B. GEDUCOS

President Duterte revealed he has approached neighboring Asian countries about the “horrendous” traffic situation in the metropolis.

In a recent speech in Clark, Pampanga, Duterte admitted, “We are living a horrendous life. Unless relief can come somewhere else, we are stuck with it.”

He added, “Ang kulang lang natin is the infrastructure for mobility. But in due time, I think in the fullness of God’s time, we will have it.”

Referring to infrastructure already pledged by Japan and China, “I hope it would come, even half of what they have offered so far.”

According to Duterte, he opted to approach these countries because government cannot solve the problem on its own.

“I went to China, started to move around and then to Japan and Korea, ‘yan ang ginawa ko. Pero kung sabihin mo na mag-asa pa ako sa tayo-tayo, mahirap,” he said.

“We will continue to suffer until such time that Japan or China, whoever gets there first to build the – and if we have the financing, then we can move,” he added.

According to Duterte, improving infrastructure, including the expansion of highwaysis among solutions to the traffic problem.

“But I think the most practical thing to do is really [improve] the mass transport system. And many are willing. It’s only a matter of the grid,” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte said he is looking into moving industries in other key cities in the country to ease crowding in Metro Manila.

“Manila, I think, will be, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is no way that we can rehab the place,” he said.

According to the President, the only way to save the metropolis is to start from scratch.

“You cannot rehabilitate the place. You have to – baklasin mo ang Maynila to do that, and there’s no more time and space for all of you who want to do something about it,” Duterte said.

“You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories at some time in the future. But about 10 years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop,” he added, referring to other areas such as Clark, Pampanga.

In a bid to decongest the metropolis and create alternative hubs, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) relocated its main office from Mandaluyong to Clark, Pampanga early this year.

According to the DOTr, the move is aimed to help decongest traffic in Metro Manila and boost development in “the peripheries of the National Capital Region.”

Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon earlier said more government agencies will follow the move of the DOTr.

“Slowly we will be moving key government offices from Metro Manila to Clark,” Dizon said last April.

The STAR is NCR’s no. 1 newspaper

The Philippine STAR has emerged as the most-read newspaper in Metro Manila for the third quarter of 2017, according to results of the latest Consumer and Media View (CMV) survey conducted by leading global information and measurement firm The Nielsen Co.

Nielsen’s survey from July to September 2017 revealed that The STAR overtook closest competitors Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin in readership in Metro Manila by 0.3 and 0.6 percentage points, respectively.

In Mega Manila, it’s still a tight race for readership supremacy among the three competing newspapers.

Aside from The STAR, Filipino-language daily tabloid Pilipino Star Ngayon (PSN) also led closest competitors Bulgar and Abante in Mega Manila and Luzon, marking the first time in over a decade that PSN registered a lead in the tabloid race in the area.

In online news consumption, about 4.11 million Filipinos are consuming their news articles online in the past 12 months, 66 percent of whom are weekly online readers.

The same survey also showed that philstar.com, the official news website of The Philippine STAR, significantly grew its online visits during the past 12 months and has a large opportunity to become the go-to news website in the future.

The Nielsen Consumer and Media View is a comprehensive study on media habits, product usage and lifestyle of consumers in Metro Manila and 56 other large cities and municipalities in balance urban Philippines. Data used in the study were gathered from door-to-door personal interviews conducted quarterly among 10,000 male/female probability respondents aged 10 years and older, across all socio-economic classes (ABCDE) nationwide.

Owing to leadership in the broadsheet and tabloid categories, the Philstar Media Group continued to be the preferred newspaper brand of print advertisers.

Of total ads spent in newspapers nationwide, 42 percent were placed in titles owned by the multimedia company, which include The STAR, Pilipino Star Ngayon, business daily BusinessWorld and Cebu-based regional newspaper The Freeman.

The STAR has been the leading broadsheet in terms of advertising revenue since 2007.

In response to the results of Nielsen’s study, Philstar Media Group EVP Lucien Dy Tioco said, “This latest development is a huge boost not only in making us the absolute no.1 paper nationwide but also as the country’s biggest newspaper-based multimedia organization. All the hard work of our team is paying off to make The STAR the most relevant and viable newspaper in the changed landscape.”

PhilSTAR Media Group is the largest multimedia company in the country, owning six newspaper titles nationwide. Its parent company, MediaQuest Holdings Inc., is the media conglomerate of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), which is owned by business tycoon Manuel Pangilinan.

Japanese consultant picked for Malolos-Tutuban rail project

A Japanese consortium led by Oriental Consultants Global has bagged the consulting contract for the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project (Malolos – Tutuban line), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said.

“JICA has consistently supported transport infrastructure development in the Philippines since the 1960s. The NSCR project will be the game changer by kick-starting the large scale investment by the current administration through building a modern railway network for achieving the twin goals of addressing the serious traffic congestion in Metro Manila and enhancing the connectivity of Metro Manila and its nearby areas, thus expanding Manila’s economic sphere,” said JICA Philippines senior representative Tetsuya Yamada.

The 37.6-kilometer NSCR is an elevated railway expected reduce travel time from Malolos, Bulacan to Tutuban, Manila from 2 hours to 35 minutes and allow economic activity to spread out to surrounding areas of Metro Manila. Advanced Japanese technologies including seismic designs would be used in the railway to make the infrastructure disaster-resilient.

The NSCR project is funded by an official development assistance loan amounting to 241.991 billion yen signed in November 2015. It is among the flagship projects under the Philippine government’s Build Build, Build program.

The NSCR is part of the cooperation agenda identified between Japan and the Philippines during the first Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation meeting in Japan early this year.

Prior to that, the Philippine government has approved the Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas in 2014. Under the roadmap, the creation of two mass transit systems traversing Metro Manila from north to south – the NSCR and the Metro Manila Subway Project – is eyed to alleviate traffic congestion in Metro Manila by improving its connectivity to the suburbs.

JICA noted that although Metro Manila has a population density of 19,137 people for every square kilometer, its transportation backbone is inferior, having only three elevated railway lines with a total length of about 50 kilometers operating.

Duterte asked for foreign aid for metro infrastructure

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

President Rodrigo Duterte said he approached neighboring countries as he deemed that the “horrendous” traffic situation in the metropolis cannot be solved by the Philippine government alone.

This came after Malacañang expressed that there is a solution to the worsening traffic condition in Metro Manila.

Duterte, in a speech in Clark, Pampanga, noted that the traffic congestion in Metro Manila is due to the lack of infrastructure for mobility.

“Traffic is really horrendous. We are living in a horrendous life. Unless relief can come somewhere else, we are stuck with it,” Duterte said.

“Ang kulang lang natin (What we lack ) is the infrastructure for mobility. But in due time, I think in the fullness of God’s time, we will have it,” he added.

“I hope it would come even half of what they have offered so far. Kahit kalahati lang sana (Even just half will do),” he continued, referring to the investment on infrastructure pledged by Japan and China.

According to Duterte, he opted to approach other countries because he believes that the Philippines cannot solve this particular problem on its own.

“I went to China, started to move around and then to Japan and Korea. ‘Yan ang ginawa ko. Pero kung sabihin mo na mag-asa pa ako sa tayo-tayo, mahirap (That’s what I did. Because if you tell me that we can do it alone, that’s difficult),” he said.

“Well, then we continue to suffer until such time that Japan or China, whoever gets there first to build the [infrastructures]—and if we have the financing, then we can move,” he added.

According to Duterte, building infrastructure, including the expansion of highways, and improving the mass transport system, is one of the solutions to address the problem.

“But I think the most practical thing to do is really [improve] the mass transport system. And many are willing. It’s only a matter of the grid,” he said.

Malacañang earlier said that there is a solution to Metro Manila’s traffic gridlock.

This after transport network company Uber said that Metro Manila will be on a standstill in the next five years.

“We accept that challenge, if that was what Uber stated, we will prove – with the right political will – we will have a solution to traffic,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

‘Manila cannot be saved’

Meanwhile, Duterte said he is looking into spreading the industries in other key cities in the country as he deemed that Metro Manila will be beyond salvation in at least 10 years.

“Manila, I think, will be in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is that we can rehab the place,” he said.

According to the President, the only way to save the metropolis is to start from scratch. However, he said there’s no more time for that.

“You cannot rehabilitate the place. You have to — baklasin mo ang Maynila (dismantle Manila) to do that and there’s no more time and space for all of you who want to do something about it,” Duterte said.

“You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories at some time in the future. But about 10 years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop,” he added, referring to other areas such as Clark, Pampanga.

“So Manila is no longer an option for industries. They have to go to the provinces,” he continued.

In a bid to decongest the metropolis and create alternative hubs, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) relocated its main office from Mandaluyong to Clark, Pampanga last July, 2017.

According to the DOTr, the move aims to help decongest traffic in Metro Manila, reduce travel time, improve travel of motorists,and boost development in “the peripheries of the National Capital Region.”

Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon earlier said that more government agencies will follow the move of the DOTr.

“Slowly we will be moving key government offices from Metro Manila to Clark,” Dizon had said last April.

Cheap housing for families leaving railway homes

Gov’t agencies assure resettlement of people along PNR South line

Houses, stores and other structures crowd the railroad track leading to the Philippine National Railways’ station in Lucena City. —DELFIN T. MALLARI JR.

CLARK FREEPORT — The government will resettle 100,000 families occupying the right-of-way of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South project traversing 653 kilometers from Manila to Batangas, Laguna and Sorsogon provinces, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said here on Friday.

Tugade and PNR officials signed a memorandum of agreement guaranteeing affordable housing programs for families displaced by the new railway projects with James Mark Terry Ridon, chair of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor; Marcelino Escalada Jr., general manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA); Arnolfo Cabling, president of the Social Housing Finance Corp.; and Eduardo del Rosario, chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

The PNR South is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2022. No timetable or budget for the resettlement was mentioned.

The project will be funded by the Chinese government following a Nov. 15 memorandum of understanding between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Ministry of Commerce of China.

The 72-km commuter line with 23 stations will run from Solis-Hermosa in Manila to Los Baños town in Laguna. The long haul segment begins in Los Baños and extends to Batangas, Sorsogon, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Albay provinces.

As of the latest count, 638 families are staying on the abandoned tracks of the PNR project from Manila to Clark, part of the road right-of-way for the new railway project to be built using Japan’s official development assistance.

Timothy John Batan, transportation assistant secretary for railways, said 414 families would be resettled to make way for Phase 1 of the project that runs from Tutuban in Divisoria, Manila, to the City of Malolos in Bulacan province.

That number, Batan said, was based on the project’s postdetailed engineering resettlement action plan.

Phase 2 of the project from the City of Malolos to Clark will call for the relocation of 224 families, a number that “may still change during the project’s detailed engineering design,” he said.

NorthRail was supposed to run through the cities of Malabon, Caloocan and Valenzuela in Metro Manila; the towns of Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto, and the City of Malolos in Bulacan; and the towns of Apalit, San Simon and San Luis, and the cities of San Fernando, Angeles and Mabalacat in Pampanga province.

The NHA built more than 15 resettlement sites.

The DOTr pressed on with the PNR Clark project after the agency and the NorthRail contractor, Sinomach (China National Machinery Industry Corp.), agreed to drop legal and arbitration cases in early November.

Batan said the DOTr would strictly observe President Duterte’s policy that houses would be demolished until the families were relocated.

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/950855/cheap-housing-for-families-leaving-railway-homes#ixzz50kdbK5qY 

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Sweldo, benepisyo ng TV5 employees inaayos na - Andanar

Siniguro ni Presidential Communications Ope­rations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar na inaayos na ang pondo para sa nabiting benepisyo at sweldo ng mga empleyado ng TV5.

Sinabi ni Sec. Andanar naibigay na kahapon ang na-delay na suweldo ng mga TV5 employees at inaayos na ang pondo para maibigay na din ang para sa kanilang 13th month pay at iba pang benepisyong nabitin.

Wika pa ni Andanar hindi nagpapabaya ang PCOO upang masiguro na makuha ng mga TV5 employees ang kanilang suweldo at mga benepisyo.

Idinagdag pa ng PCOO chief, minamadali na din nila ang pag-amyen­da sa charter ng TV5 na nakatakdang talakayin sa Martes sa Senado.

“We are working for the release of funds. We are also working with Congress to amend the charter of the major television station,” wika pa ni Andanar.

Magugunita na nagsasagawa ng kilos-protesta ang mga empleyado ng TV5 dahil sa delayed ng kanilang suweldo, 13th month pay at Christmas bonus gayundin hindi din daw nababayaran ang kanilng overtime pay.

‘Metro Manila traffic at standstill in 5 years’

METRO Manila is known for its horrendous traffic jams but motorists may soon have to endure standstill traffic as more Filipinos see the need to buy a car in the next five years, a study commissioned by a ride-sharing platform said.

The study entitled “Unlocking Cities” by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), found that Manila has congestion levels that are “high both in peak and non-peak hours of travel.”

Statistics of the Metro Manila Development Authority show that around 7,500 vehicles use EDSA every hour.

Out of the study’s 300 respondents, 252 or 84 percent of commuters indicated plans to purchase a car in the next five years. Considering Manila’s current vehicle growth levels, cars would be traveling at 10 kph, the study implied.

“These same respondents said there is the highest likelihood, among all cities studied, to forgo purchasing a vehicle if ride-sharing can meet their transport requirements on price, timeliness and availability,” the BCG added.

The study categorized Metro Manila under Tier 3 cities along with Jakarta in Indonesia, Surabaya in Jawa Timur, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. These cities are said to have “relatively undeveloped public transport networks, or rely heavily on informal road-based transport networks.”

Meanwhile, Tier 1 cities, which include Taipei, Singapore and Hong Kong, have low levels of congestion outside of peak hours even if they heavily rely on public transport.

Tier 2 cities, which include Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, are more likely to face road congestion for lack of public transport.

The study added that a combination of a significant uptake in public transport as well as efficient alternatives to vehicle ownership are likely to be needed to curb congestion.

Asked to comment on the study, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) spokesman Aileen Lizada stressed the need for better public transportation.

“What we need to do is modernize public transportation so that private car owners will be encouraged to leave their cars behind and take the public utility vehicles provided by the operators—one that is compliant with Omnibus Franchising Guidelines,” Lizada said.

LTFRB records show that around 2.5 million vehicles were registered in Metro Manila, 1.5 million of which were private cars.