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.

RMN: PNR PROJECT | Mahigit 100-libong pamilya, ire-relocate

Nasa 100-libong pamilya na maapektuhan ng North-South Railway Project ng Philippine National Railway (PNR) ang ire-relocate ng pamahalaan.

Sa susunod na taon na kasi sisimulan ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) ang pagpapalawig ng biyahe ng PNR mula Maynila patungong Los Baños, Laguna, Naga, Legazpi, Sorsogon at Batangas.

Sa ilalim ng kasunduang nilagdaan ng DOTr, PNR at iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan, maglalaan ng murang pabahay para sa mga apektadong pamilya na pawang mga informal settlers.

Ang PNR project ay may habang 653-kilometers at magiging alternatibong transportasyon para sa mga pauwi ng Bicol region.

Govt inks P54-B deal to relocate settlers affected by PNR South project

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine National Railways (PNR), along with government housing agencies, have signed a memorandum of agreement for a P54-billion relocation project for informal settler families (ISFs) who will be affected by the North-South Railway Project (NSRP).

Around 100,000 ISFs will be relocated batch by batch and the relocation will be conducted by the National Housing Authority, according to Assistant Secretary for Rails Timothy John Batan.

The agencies involved in the project are the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor, National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation, and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Under the MOA, the said government agencies agreed to perform resettlement activities and social preparation to provide the ISFs with affordable housing programs.

The NSRP, also known as the PNR South Long Haul, is a 653-kilometer railway project that will run from Manila to Batangas, Laguna, Bicol and Sorsogon. It is expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2022.

“It is projected to carry up to 300,000 passengers on opening day alone,” Batan said.

Batan said travel time between Manila and Los Baños would be cut from two-and-a-half hours currently to only 45 minutes, and travel time between Manila and Bicol will be cut to six hours from the usual 12 hours.

“We will start construction by 2019 as soon as the right-of-way ]is cleared,” Batan said.

The NSRP Commuter Line segment, which spans 72 kilometers with 23 stations, will start from Solis-Hermosa in Manila to Los Baños. The Long Haul segment will start from Los Baños and will run through Batangas, Quezon, Camarines Sur, and Albay to Sorsogon.

The Commuter Line will be funded by official development assistance from Japan while the Long Haul segment will be funded by ODA from China. REICELENE JOY N. IGNACIO

MMFF 2017 announces official entries

The official entries to the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) have been announced in a program held recently at Club Filipino attended by the members of this year’s MMFF Executive Committee headed by Chairman Tim Orbos.

The official entries were selected based on the following criteria: Artistic excellence (40%), commercial viability (40%), promotion of Filipino cultural and historical values (10%) and global appeal (10%).

The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Selection Committee National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera with members Atty. Alu Dorotan, Alan and Yulde (Cinema 2000), Bing Advincula (Robinsons Movieworld), award-winning filmmakerS Maryo J. de los Reyes and Mel Chionglo, Gordon Ting (Vista Cinema), award-winning writer Roy C. Iglesias, MTRCB representative Consoliza Laguardia and film producer Jessie Ejercito.

The eight official full-length entries are “Ang Panday” (CCM Creative Productions, Viva and Star Cinema) directed by Rodel Nacianceno; starring Coco Martin, “Deadma Walking” (T-Rex Productions) directed by Julius Alfonso; starring Joross Gamboa and Edgar Allan Guzman, “Gandarrapido! The Revenger Squad” (Star Cinema and Viva Films) directed by Joyce Bernal; starring Vice Ganda, Pia Wurtzbach and Daniel Padilla, “Siargao” (Ten17 Productions) directed by Paul Soriano; starring Jericho Rosales and Erich Gonzales, “All Of You” (Quantum Films) directed by Dan Villegas; starring Jennylyn Mercado and Derek Ramsay, “Haunted Forest” (Regal Films) directed by Ian Loreños; starring Jane Oineza, Jameson Blake and Jon Lucas, “Ang Larawan” (Culturtain Muscat Productions Inc.) directed by Loy Arcenas; starring Joanna Ampil, Rachel Alejandro and Paulo Avelino; and “Meant To Beh” (MZet, APT and OctoArts Films) directed by Chris Martinez; starring Vic Sotto and Dawn Zulueta.

Now on its 43rd year, the annual MMFF will run from Dec. 25, 2017 to Jan. 7, 2018 with the traditional Parade of Stars happening on Dec. 23 sponsored by the City of Muntinlupa (celebrating its Centennial Anniversary) and the Gabi ng Parangal on Dec. 27 at the KIA Theater.

• • •

Music stars at MBC Choral Competition

Special guest artists brighten up the Aliw Theater stage as Manila Broadcasting Company and Star City mount the ongoing 2017 MBC National Choral Competitions.

For the grand finals today, Tanya Chinita of 90.7 Love Radio, Donnalyn Bartolome, and Migz Haleco are the special guests.

There are 41 chorales vying for the 2017 MBC National Choral Competition championships. R150,000 is at stake for the grand champion in the open category, and R100,000 is up for grabs in the children’s division.

Showtime is at 5 p.m. Admission is free.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Dec. 9, go to Dr. James Dy, Judith Banal, Beverly Salviejo, Butch Francisco, Ernie Pilapil, Lily Juico, OV Espiritu, and Eva Sharma… Dec. 10: Conchita Razon, Lydia Veneracion, Ramon Valencia, Sabina Dacer, Teddy Gordoncillo, Lota Reyes, Elizabeth Chan, and Krista Ranillo… Dec. 11: Aquilino Pimentel, Hannah Gana, Lovely Romulo, Brenda del Rio, Ian de Leon, Alice Cabahug, Mark Manalang, Ellen Velasco of Ellen’s Salon & Spa, Atty. Emil Anton Coronel, Nelson Navarro, Baby Nebrida, Dik Trofeo, Hazel Tuazon-Soriano, Atty. Estelita Aguirre, Cecile Marcaida, Carina Martinez, Puma de Borja, Sam Pinto and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez… A tribute concert to Ms. Annie Brazil (who’s still in the hospital) will be held tomorrow at Aruba in Rockwell Makati. One of the performer is Rachel Ann Wolf who’s coming over from New York…

Palafox says Duterte right for predicting ‘dead’ Metro Manila by 2042

A well-respected figure in urban planning and architecture said on Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte was right to predict a "dead" Metro Manila by 2042, or in 25 years' time.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, architect Jun Palafox not only agreed with the President but also said that Metro Manila's deterioration has actually begun.

"It's happening now. In 1976 I worked with the World Bank... for Metro Manila. What we said then, Metro Plan Manila, it was one of the best metro plans in the world. Kaya ako nakilala overseas," said Palafox, founder of the architecture firm Palafox Associates and has lent his expertise in 38 countries.

"We said that time, with the do-nothing scenario, we will have catastrophic traffic, catastrophic planning, lack of decent housing. And what do we have now?" he added.

He said Metro Manila should have completed eight train lines by 1992, but lamented how in the past six years, only 4 kilometers of roads had been built.

On Thursday, Duterte pitched for the development of more cities in the Philippines, saying Metro Manila will be a dead "city" in 25 years.

"Manila I think will be in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is way that we can rehab the place," he added. Metro Manila is a region, which includes the Philippine capital and city of Manila.

On Friday, Palafox also expressed dismay at the cutting down of thousands of hundred-year-old trees along McArthur Highway, which he pointed out was vital in providing fresh air amid the pollution in the city.

Palafox slammed the government for disregarding his suggestions, only to plagiarize his ideas once disaster strikes.

"Sa bayan natin, magpropose ako, iniinsulto pa ko na alarmist daw ako, hungry for publicity. Then kapag disaster na, they plagiarize my recommendation," he said.

He added that corruption remained to be one of the main problems beleaguering the country.

"Pag walang korupsyon, we are number 16th economy in the world. Kung walang korupsyon," he said.

However, Palafox remained optimistic that the city could still be salvaged, citing as models the masterplans for cities such as Davao and Clark which had been winning in competitions.

"Nanalo kami ng competition, Metro Davao, zero corruption. Nanalo rin kami ng masterplan ng Clark, zero corruption. So pwede pala magkaroon ng government project, zero corruption," he said. — MDM, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/635901/palafox-says-duterte-right-for-predicting-dead-metro-manila-by-2042/story/

Poe backs ‘outward development’ to save Metro Manila

Senator Grace Poe said on Friday that the government should seriously consider outward development in order to decongest overcrowded Metro Manila.

She made this remark after President Duterte declared that the metropolis may become a dead city in 25 years.

“Metro Manila may have no future if we do not act now,” Poe said in a statement.

“(W)e should seriously consider and push for outward development to decongest Metro Manila for the medium to long term but right now we have to jumpstart that initiative,” Poe said.

For the government to achieve this, political will and emergency powers would be needed should President Duterte would certify the matter as urgent, according to Poe.

“For this, political will is needed and the emergency powers could come in handy if only the President would certify this as urgent,” she said.

On Thursday, Duterte lamented the traffic situation in Metro Manila, suggesting that investors should consider developing industrial areas outside the National Capital Region.

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

But Poe was optimistic that the Duterte administration’s P8-trillion “Build Build Build” infrastructure program would improve Metro Manila’s perennial traffic problem.

“Perhaps with the ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects of President Duterte like the Mega Manila subway, the completion of NLEX, SLEX, etc., we can see a marked improvement in the near future,” she said. /kga

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/950769/senator-grace-poe-metro-manila-dead-city-outward-development#ixzz50qCtHbLm
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DOTr to Sign MOA for Resettlement of 100,000 Informal Settler Families Along PNR South Project

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) today, 8 December 2017, for the resettlement of around 100,000 informal settler families (ISFs) who would be affected by the North-South Railway Project (NSRP) slated to start early next year.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, together with officials of the Philippine National Raiways (PNR), would ink the MOA with Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) Chairperson James Mark Terry Ridon, National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) President Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling, and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Eduardo del Rosario.

The NSRP, also known as the PNR South Long Haul, is a 653-kilometer railway project that will run from Manila to Laguna, Batangas, Bicol, and Sorsogon.

The railway project for commuter and freight system will provide interconnectivity and better alternative mode of transport from Manila to Bicol Region and vice versa. Its construction will start in 2018.

Under the MOA, government agencies will agree to perform the resettlement activities and social preparation, providing the ISFs affected by the railway project with affordable housing programs.

In November 15, 2017, Secretary Tugade, along with other Cabinet Secretaries, joined President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during the signing of 14 agreements, following the expanded bilateral meeting between the two countries.

One of the signed agreements was the Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Promoting the PNR South Long Haul Project Cooperation between DOTr and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

The PNR South Long Haul is expected to be operational by 2nd quarter of 2022.

Based on recent changes, its Commuter Line segment which spans 72 kilometers with 23 stations, will now start from Solis-Hermosa in Manila to Los Baños, Laguna.

Meanwhile, the Long Haul segment will start from Los Banos and will run through Batangas, Quezon and the Bicol provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay to Sorsogon.####DOTrPH

North-South Railway project advances as DOTr awards consulting contract

The Department of Transportation (DOTR) takes a major step towards the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project (Malolos-Tutuban) through the awarding of the consulting contract to Japanese consortium led by Oriental Consultants Global, as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the transport system within and beyond Metro Manila.

The official contract-signing ceremony took place recently at DOTr’s Clark main office, Angeles City, witnessed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The 37.6-kilometer NSCR will be the Philippines’ new elevated railway expected to help reduce travel time from Malolos City, Bulacan to Tutuban, Manila from 2 hours to 35 minutes and allow economic activities to spread out to the surrounding areas of Metro Manila. Aside from this, the NSCR will use advanced Japanese technologies including seismic designs from Japan to make the infrastructure disaster-resilient.

The NSCR project is being assisted by Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan to the Philippines amounting to 241.991 billion yen signed in November 2015. It is considered as a flagship project to help advance the Philippine government’s “Build, Build, Build” program which aims at tapping infrastructure investment for socio-economic development.

“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 at the signing ceremony.

According to Yamada, in addition to the NSCR project, JICA is currently extending support in conducting feasibility studies and detailed design studies for railway services extending the NSCR to both Northand South, Malolos to Clark and Solis to Los Baños, respectively.

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 penetrating Metro Manila from North to South, namely the NSCR and the Metro Manila Subway project, for which JICA has also committed its loan in November this year,  is eyed to alleviate overconcentration in Metro Manila by improving its connectivity to the suburbs.

Although Metro Manila accounts for 36% of the country’s GDP with population density of 19,137 people for every square kilometer, according to the above Roadmap study, it has only three elevated railway lines with a total length of about 50 kilometers operating.

The NSCR project is therefore expected to help establish a transport corridor connecting Metro Manila to its north and south, while giving options to commuters, and contributing to the country’s economic competitiveness in the long term.

Manila will be a dead city in 25 years, warns Duterte

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has warned that the country's capital Manila would turn into a "dead city" in the next 25 years because of the worsening traffic situation.

Speaking about developing and urbanising the outskirts of Metro Manila, he said the capital would not be able to meet the demands of the residents in the coming days as it would soon reach a saturation point.

"It is very important that we disperse the industries because Manila, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is no way we can rehabilitate the place," said the firebrand leader, who has been pushing for moving key industries to the countryside.

While addressing the terrible traffic situation in Metro Manila, a region of roughly 620sq.km hosting 1.8 million residents, Duterte admitted the Filipino capital is no longer an attractive destination for investment.

"You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories sometime in the future. Ten years from now, close Manila and start to develop other places. Manila is no longer an option for industries," added Duterte.

Previously, the president revealed he was planning a $180m-worth infrastructure project under the scheme "Build, Build, Build" during his six-year term in office. Under the scheme, there have been several ambitious projects intended to improve transportation in Manila and upgrade of other key facilities.

"We can expect some marked acceleration in government spending in the third and fourth quarter because many of the projects are already in the bidding stage," earlier said Ernesto Pernia, one of the key economic advisers of Duterte. "There will be more activity, building activity in the coming quarters... There's already double-digit (growth in) public construction. Next year, definitely, there will be a flurry of construction."

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/manila-will-be-dead-city-25-years-warns-duterte-1650596

Manila’s Subway: Japan to Fund Southeast Asia’s ‘Project of the Century’

Of Japan’s infrastructure, it is the subway that visiting Filipinos approve of the most: the technology, the mechanics, the efficiency. They will have one in Metro Manila in eight years, as the Japanese government is set to finance the Philippines’ first subway.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte witnessed the exchanged notes on the subway project and four other projects during their bilateral meeting in Manila during the ASEAN Summit in November.

The 25-kilometer-long subway will run from the north of Metro Manila, traversing five cities in the capital region, and ending at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. 

The $7-billion loan will have an annual 0.10% interest, payable in 40 years, according to the Philippines’ Department of Transportation. A grade period of 12 years is provided.

In a forum at the sidelines of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) senior vice president Shinya Ejima called the Philippines’ subway the region’s “project of the century.”

“JICA has been a good partner for ASEAN for 50 years. Here in the Philippines, we are about to start and help Metro Manila Subway,” Ejima said.

The project will break ground in the last quarter of 2018, and is targeted for completed by 2025.

Aside from the subway project, Japan is also extending loans to the Philippines for a 24.6-kilometer road project provinces north of Metro Manila, and a $198-million flood risk management project in the industrial area of Cavite, south of the capital.

JICA has drawn a transport network roadmap called Mega Manila Dream Plan, and part of this are three big-ticket project with a combined worth of $12.87 billion. The Metro Manila Subway is one of them.

The Philippine government is considering loan offers from both Japan and China for the two other railway projects under the dream plan.

PIDC authorized to operate TPLEX segment

The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has issued a permit allowing the Private Infrastructure Development Corp. (PIDC) to operate and maintain the Binalonan-Pozorrubio segment of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Wednesday.

The permit came after TRB technical staff and representatives of the PIDC and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) jointly inspected and confirmed that the 10.10-kilometer segment is “substantially complete and is safe to be operated commercially.”

The aforementioned parties, led by the Public Works department, are set to open the segment, which stretches from Binalonan town to Pozorrubio municipality in Pangasinan province, on December 6.

In a statement on December 2, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the road “would ease traffic and significantly reduce travel time from Tarlac to Pozorrubio from two hours and 30 minutes to just 45 minutes.”

Thes segment is the second to the last portion of the TPLEX that would be constructed by PIDC. An earlier segment of the expressway opened on July 28, 2016.

TPLEX – Pozorrubio Section now open

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar announced the opening of the 10.10 km segment of Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway (TPLEX) spanning from Binalonan to Pozorrubio, Pangasinan this December 6.

Villar said works for the 10.10 kilometer segment is almost complete and Private Infra Dev Corp. (PIDC), the concessionaire of the project, has already committed to finish the segment in time to provide ease to motorists during the Christmas season.

“The additional 10 kilometer road would ease traffic and significantly reduce travel time from TarlacAP to Pozorrubio from 2 hours and 30 minutes to just 45 minutes,” Villar noted.

The completion of the new segment will make TPLEX a 78.39-kilometer expressway, connecting provinces of Tarlac and Pangasinan.

Secretary Villar said its last section – the 10.92 kilometer Pozorrubio, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union segment is set for completion in June 2019.

“Upon full completion, TPLEX would reduce travel time from Tarlac to Rosario, La Union from 3.5 Hours to just an hour, benefitting an average of 20,000 vehicles per day,” he noted. (DPWH)

Joint Meeting of Chinese-Philippine & Philippine-Chinese Business Councils successfully held in Manila

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- In conjunction with “The 23rd Ministerial Joint Economic Cooperation Meeting “ and the government’s promotion of its “New Southbound Policy,” the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA) organized a delegation led by Clement Yang (楊克誠), Chairman of the Chinese-Philippine Business Council, to visit the Philippines from December 6 to 9.

The 24th Joint Meeting of Chinese-Philippine & Philippine-Chinese Business Councils was held at the Dusit Thani Hotel on December 7.

Business matching and networking was held in the morning, followed by a meeting co-chaired by Yang and Dra. Luzviminda Jose, who is the incoming chairperson of the Philippine – Chinese Business Council, as well as the president of the Philippine Chamber for Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) and Hon. Gilberto F. Lauengco, vice chairman of the Manila Economic & Cultural Office, addressed the conference.

Alegria Limjoco, director of the PCCI, and Gary Song-Huan Lin (林松煥), the Taiwanese ambassador to the Philippines, also delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.

More than 160 participants from both sides participated in the meeting. Later in the evening, the entire Taiwan delegation attended a dinner hosted by Ramon Lopez, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry

It's been over 10 years since the last joint meeting was held in the Philippines.

The PCCI placed great importance on the organization of the program, including the welcome dinner on December 6, the business matching and networking and the joint meeting on the 7th, and the industrial tours to be held on the 8th.

“Agricultural Technology: Opportunities and Best Practices,” “Collaborative Opportunities in Renewable/Green Energy,” “Financial Services” and “Enhancing Trade And Investment Through Ease Of Doing Business,” were among the topics discussed during the meetings.

The New Taipei City Green Industry Association also held a product exhibition during the meetings.

On December 8, the Taiwanese delegation will visit New Clark Green City and San Simon Industrial Park, with the aim of exploring more business opportunities.

Duterte: Manila will be a ‘dead city’ in 25 years

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said Manila will be a “dead city in 25 years” as he lamented the worsening traffic situation in the capital and moved for the development of other potential urban hubs outside Metro Manila.

In a speech in Pampanga, Duterte said it is important to develop other industrial areas in the country as Metro Manila would no longer be a viable destination for investment.

“It is very important that we disperse the industries because Manila, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is no way we can rehabilitate the place,” Duterte said during his speech at the Kapampangan Food Festival in Pampanga’s Clark Freeport Zone.

“You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories sometime in the future. Ten years from now, close Manila and start to develop other places. Manila is no longer an option for industries,” said Duterte, a long-time Davao City mayor who is pushing for federalism in a bid to promote countryside development.

READ: Traffic to cost PH P6-B a day in 2030: JICA

According to the President, Clark will be the country's next industrial hub.

“The most important was ibinigay sa iyo ang Clark for you to manage and make use of. Clark is a very important destination now,” he said.

The administration is embarking on an ambitious P8-trillion infrastructure program to improve mobility in the Philippine capital and build more road networks and other infrastructure around the country.

Among projects under Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program are the Mega Manila Subway, which is partly funded by Japan, the Mindanao Railway Project, Malolos-Clark Railway Project, the LRT-1 North Extension Project, and the expansion of the Clark International Airport.

READ: 'Build build build' to accelerate in 2nd half, gov't says

7 big companies in talks over NAIA redevelopment

A planned consortium of at least seven of the biggest companies in the Philippines is now in talks regarding the modernization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country's main gateway.

In separate but related regulatory filings, seven companies said they intend to participate in the development of NAIA, which the government valued at P74.56 billion.

The are Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Alliance Global Group Inc., Ayala Corp., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc., LT Group Inc., and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

"We confirm that we are in discussions with several business groups to participate in a project involving the Ninoy Aquino International Airport," MPIC said.

At this point, however, no final commitments have been made.

"We wish to clarify that the discussions are still in the exploratory phase and no firm commitments or formal agreements have been reached, including on the composition of the consortium," Ayala Corp. said.

The P74.56-billion project is supposed to be a public-private partnership (PPP) project, encompassing the operations, maintenance, improvement, upgrade, and enhancement of the operational efficiencies of all existing terminals of the NAIA.

The project is expected to improve and upgrade the airport so it meets the International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

San Miguel Corp. said earlier it intends to make a bid for the project. It was not included on the list of firms planning to form a consortium. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News

Juan Alfonso takes over LRMC

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has appointed Juan Alfonso as its president and chief executive officer, effectively replacing Rogelio "Babes" Singson.

"LRMC welcomes the appointment of Mr. Juan F. Alfonso as President and CEO effective 01 December 2017, replacing Mr. Rogelio L. Singson who will step up as Board Director of the LRT-1 operator," it said in an emailed statement.

Prior to his appointment in LRMC, Alfonso served as the chief operating officer of Aseagas Corp. and a senior vice president of AP Renewables Inc., both of which units of Aboitiz-led Aboitiz Power Corp.

He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, and a Masters in Business Administration from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. He also attended the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.

To recall, Singson — the secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways under the previous administration — was tapped to head the LRMC in November 2016.

Singson currently serves as the senior vice president of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the president and chief executive officer of its subsidiary Meralco Powergen Corp.

The LRMC took over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) in September 2015. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/635719/juan-alfonso-takes-over-lrmc/story/

LRT-1 operator names new president

The operator of LRT-1, Light Rail Manila Corp (LRMC), said on Wednesday that it appointed a new president and chief executive officer, Juan Alfonso.

Alfonso, former chief operating officer of Aboitiz Power unit Aseagas Corp, replaced Rogelio Singson, who was reassigned as Light Rail Manila board director, the company said in a statement. The new assignments took effect on Dec. 1.

The new LRMC chief also previously served as vice president for corporate services at AP Renewables, where he oversaw accounting, finance, legal, human resources and strategy, LRMC said in a statement.

Before he took over management of LRMC, Singson served for 6 years as public works secretary under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.

A joint venture between Metro Pacific Investments Corp and Ayala Corp's infrastructure arm, LRMC operates the nearly 21-kilometer long LRT-1, the capital's first elevated railway.

Construction of an 11.7-kilometer extension to the Cavite suburbs is underway.

Ownership structure keeps MRT 3 derailed

Conclusion

Metro traffic by 2022 would reach a standstill level, according to a study made by the Boston Consulting Group, which was commissioned by ride hailing company Uber.

Not even the Duterte administration’s much-touted infrastructure program, the study says, could solve such eventuality. For one, Edsa, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare, has already reached its carrying threshold and is hosting vehicles way past its capacity of 6,000 vehicles per hour.

Conducted between September and October of this year and covering around 300 commuters per city, the study cautions that bottlenecks may become riotous in cities, such as Manila, because “80 percent of commuters surveyed indicates plans to purchase a car in the next five years.”

Such a terrifying scenario should prompt the government to fix whatever is wrong with Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 and think of other ways to put some order on Metro roads.

MRT 3’s maintenance has been dismal. Sumitomo, its maintenance provider since day one, relinquished the responsibility in 2010 when MRT Corp. (MRTC) abdicated its upkeep accountability and threw it back to the government. Sumitomo’s contract with the government does not cover necessities for “penalties for malfunctioning elevators and escalators, and setting a minimum requirement of 19 trains running during peak hours between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.” The government had been paying Sumitomo $1.4 million per month (when payment should have come from MRTC’s pockets). There had been no enhancement done since the problems became apparent in 2007, and Sumitomo was even suspected of cannibalizing parts.

Busan Universal Rail (Buri), which replaced Sumitomo, had somehow restored MRT 3 to its maximum number of working trains to 22 within a year after it signed the management contract. Starting from the 2017 summer season, however, a sequence of failures hindered operations and brought back the number of maximum functioning trains to less than 20. But what could any maintenance provider do except patch-up jobs on an old system that has been operating beyond its design capacity and which has drastically reduced the trains’ lifespan?

Light Rail Manila President Rogelio L. Singson agrees that MRT 3’s ownership structure—being jointly run by the government and the private sector—is the cause of its many problems. Light Rail Manila is the single operator and maintenance provider of Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 which navigates Caloocan to Pasay. LRT 2, meanwhile, which runs from Manila to Pasig, is purely government-run.

“They’re pointing fingers at each other. To me, that is the main problem. It’s either the government or the private sector, which should run it,” Singson says.

A former public works and highways secretary, Singson believes that the most effectual system is having the private sector do the operation and maintenance. Light Rail Manila, a joint venture between the Ayala Group and tycoon Manuel Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific, has submitted to the government a proposal to run the MRT 3.

The consortium has set a P1-billion budget to upgrade the LRT 1.

According to Singson, restoration works augmented the number of operational train cars from 77 to 104, cutting waiting time between trains from four minutes to “a little over” three minutes. The preservation of trains is key, Singson explains, citing the decades-old,  yet still-operational tram system of San Francisco in northern California as an example.

“Our trains are millennials, while other trains are heritage. Maintenance is the solution,” he says.

Singson said some of LRT 1 station platforms would be widened once the railway line’s extension to the Cavite suburbs is operational in 2021 to give way to the projected increase in daily passengers to 800,000 from the current 480,000.

“I’m sorry to say that the problems of the MRT 3 cannot be resolved by government VIPs, [such as Presidential Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr. and Sen. Grace Poe] riding the train to see how commuters suffer before and during the trips. [They suffer very much.] The problem is congenital. The elevated train system is like a two-headed monster: It has one body [the train line] but has two heads—one belongs to the owners, and the other belongs to the operator; and the two heads are quarrelling,” Singson says.

Another problem that is taking a toll on government’s coffers is the subsidy it provides to MRT 3 commuters. When it began its daily ride in December 1999, the fare was P30 per passenger. Designed to take in 300,000 riders, MRT 3 attracted only 40,000 in its first few months of operation. Then-President Joseph E. Estrada decided to lower the fare to P15 maximum and P10 minimum, which amplified ridership to 400,000 a day. The Arroyo administration continued to implement the same fare rates, forcing the government to put out a subsidy to meet the agreed rental payments to the consortium. Also, the subsidies varied with every drop in the foreign exchange rate since the rentals were denominated in dollars while revenues were in pesos.

Some P35.2 billion has already been shelled out by the government to MRTC. During that time, however, MRTC did not purchase new coaches or upgraded key systems of the line, including crucial signaling and ticketing systems. It reasoned that the government did not pay its rent promptly. By 2009 the Department of Transportation and Communications-MRTC relationship became rocky and spiteful. MRTC filed an arbitration suit in Singapore against the Philippines because of the delayed rental payments.

The following year then-President Corazon C. Aquino issued orders to expand the MRT 3 capacity by buying new coaches. Unfortunately, the Ramos administration-approved build-lease-transfer agreement gives the MRTC as owner the right of first refusal. And that is why the Filipino commuting public is now stuck in this mess.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com.

Unexpected reunion, first back-to-back show

It was really unexpected, this reunion on the big screen of megastar Sharon Cuneta and Robin Padilla via the movie “Unexpectedly Yours,” now showing in cinemas nationwide.

At the premiere of the movie at SM Megamall, fan Johnelle Galigaro (who together with her friend Allan Guerra came all the way from Asingan, Pangasinan just to attend the premiere) was heard saying “Nakakakilig sina Sharon at Robin, ang galing nila.” Of course, they also gushed over their idols, Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, the reason they had to make a way from school and work to catch up with the premiere showing.

The Sharon-Robin reunion movie happened after 16 years (their last movie together was “Pagdating Ng Panahon” shown in 2001). As to the popular belief that Robin was the replacement of Gabby Concepcion in the supposed movie project between the former couple, Sharon clarified that “this is an entirely different movie.” And Robin playfully asked who she wanted to be her leading man, and when Sharon pointed to him, Robin raised his hand jubilantly as if he won the lottery!

Both Sharon and Robin (whose first movie together, the blockbuster “Maging Sino Ka Man,” was made 26 years ago) expressed fondness and admiration for their current counterpart loveteam, Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto. “Nakakatuwa sila sa set,” they said.

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, “Unexpectedly Yours” has Sharon playing the role of the overbearing and overachieving Patty and her daughter Yanni (Julia). Robin, on the other hand, plays the charming Cocoy who is idolized by his equally charming nephew Jason (Joshua).

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Back-to-back

For the first time, composer-singer Rey Valera and pop icon Nonoy Zuñiga will be doing a back-to-back concert billed “The Glow” tonight at 7 at the SMX Bacolod.

Nonoy, Rey and the other pop icons have been touring the country and the world as part of the “Greatest Hitmakers” and the “OPM Legends.” This time, it’s just the two of them singing their hit songs and favorite hits of yesteryears.

Nonoy will also sing a popular Cebuano song “Atik Ra” with another Cebuano rising star, Jolianne Salvado. Jolianne at a tender age of 14 has already composed songs and she plays the guitar too. She has performed with popular names in the industry like Arnel Pineda, Vice Ganda, Jona, Darren Espanto, Ehra, Jed Madela, Marco Sison, Hadji Alejandro and others. Jolianne was a finalist of “The Voice Kids 2.”

“The Glow” concert is for the benefit of Kalipay Foundation.

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Celeb bazaar

After a year of bringing families together, Greenfield District’s Sunset Fair has prepared something even more special on Dec. 10.

A star-studded celebration will happen as 21 of the most famous personalities in the country – some of the most followed actors, models, and influencers – will open their own booth.

“Helping forge a stronger family bond – one that can stand for generations – is at the heart of what we do. From our developments to our events, it has always been about creating idyllic moments for the family,” said Atty. Duane A.X Santos, President and general manager of the develpment company.

The bazaar will be open from 4 p.m. to midnight.

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Rival TV networks both claim ratings lead

ABS-CBN Corp. claimed a nationwide lead in television ratings for November while main rival GMA Network Inc. said it was ahead in key urban areas.

The two networks used data from separate third-party research firms, which showed both leading in mega Manila, including the National Capital Region.

In a statement, ABS-CBN said it was ahead of GMA in national TV ratings, with average audience share of 46 percent, above GMA’s 34 percent, citing data from Kantar Media.

ABS-CBN said it was also ahead in “all territories,” including mega Manila, with 37 percent of audience share against 34 percent for GMA and Metro Manila, where it claimed 41 percent against GMA’s 27 percent.

Kantar data showed ABS-CBN had an audience share of 51 percent during primetime, where most Filipinos watch TV, compared to GMA's 32 percent, the network said. ABS-CBN also took the lead in the morning (6 a.m to 12 p.m.), noontime (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) and afternoon (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.).

Nine of the ten most watched programs in the country were produced by ABS-CBN, led by the long running police drama “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” the network said.

The series topbilled by Coco Martin recorded a national TV rating of 41.1 percent, while variety show “It’s Showtime” is still the most watched noontime show in the country with a national TV rating of 39.8% on weekdays and 30.2% on Saturdays, against its rival “Eat Bulaga” which only got 20% on weekdays and 13.2% on Saturdays, ABS-CBN said.

Other programs that made it to the list include “La Luna Sangre,” “The Good Son,” “Tonight with Boy Abunda,” “Bandila,” “TV Patrol,” “Little Big Shots,” “Wansapanataym,” “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “Rated K,” “I Can See Your Voice,” “Gandang Gabi Vice,” “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin,” “ASAP,” “Pusong Ligaw,” “The Promise of Forever,” “Hanggang Saan,” “Ipaglaban Mo,” “Banana Sundae,” “Wildflower,” “Home Sweetie Home,” and “Goin’ Bulilit.”

For its part, GMA said it was ahead in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement using data from Nielsen Philippines TV Audience Measurement. GMA said it had cornered an average total day people audience share of 43.2 percent, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 38.2 percent.

GMA said it led in all time blocks in urban Luzon and mega Manila, which accounted for over half of all viewers in the country.

GMA said it had cornered 48.8 percent of the market in urban Luzon, versus 32.6 percent of ABS-CBN, and 51.1 percent in mega Manila, against its ABS-CBN’s 28.5 percent.

More Kapuso shows also made it to the list of top programs in NUTAM with the award-winning weekly family sitcom “Pepito Manaloto” still reigning as the most watched Kapuso program nationwide in November.

Included in the list as well were “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho”, “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko”, “Magpakailanman”, “24 Oras”, “Super Ma’am”, “All-Star Videoke”, “24 Oras Weekend”, and the Dingdong Dantes-starrer “Alyas Robin Hood”, which concluded last November 24.

Newly launched primetime series “Kambal, Karibal” immediately made its way to the list of most watched Kapuso programs in NUTAM along with consistent ratings drivers “Ika-6 na Utos”, “Tadhana,” “Wowowin”, “My Korean Jagiya”, “Bubble Gang”, “Saksi”, “Imbestigador,” “Eat Bulaga,” “Sunday PinaSaya,” “Dear Uge,” “Celebrity Bluff,” “Haplos” and “Impostora”.

GMA Network again dominated the list of top programs in Urban Luzon with 8 of the top 10; while sweeping Mega Manila’s top 10 list.

Further, GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB was also hailed as the listeners’ number one choice in Mega Manila proving GMA’s dominance both in TV and radio. 

Based on the most recent data from Nielsen Radio Audience Measurement.

November ratings data show DZBB posting a total week average audience share of 33.3 percent in November, winning over DZMM’s 28.8 percent and DZRH’s 11.2 percent.

From Monday to Friday, DZBB’s ratings dominance was driven by its topnotch delivery of news and fearless commentaries through Saksi sa Dobol B hosted by Mike Enriquez; Sino? with Mike, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Sotto; Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide with Mike and Joel Reyes Zobel; and Dobol B Balitang-Balita hosted by Melo del Prado.


Meanwhile, DZBB also kept listeners tuned to its weekend line-up through its public service program MMDA sa GMA hosted by Orly Trinidad in partnership with MMDA; Super Balita sa Umaga Saturday and Sunday Edition with Sam Nielsen and Cecil Villarosa; Super Radyo Nationwide with Francis Flores, and Buena Manong Balita presented by Rowena Salvacion.

ABS-CBN said it led ratings in other parts of the country.

For “total Luzon,” ABS-CBN said it got an audience share of 44 percent for November while GMA got 35 percent. For total Visayas, ABS-CBN cornered 54 percent versus GMA’s 27 percent, and for total Mindanao, it secured 49 percent against GMA’s 34 percent.

Apart from television ratings, ABS-CBN cited gains it made in its digital TV initiative. As of last month, ABS-CBN TVplus has already sold four million boxes since its launch in 2015.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Dec. 7, go to Ada Mauricio, Nene Brosas, Mimi Viernes, Fe Vilar, Joelle Trisha Galigaro, Jason Tuazon, Andrea Sazzi and Derek Ramsay… Dec. 8: Felipe Gozon, Pia Arcangel, Connie Sison, Mrs. Susana Ople, Andrea Ynares, Beth Bautista, Connie Garcia, Nonie Basilio, Ellen Novales, Pura Mondejar, Bremel Guiao, Lina Mabanag, Ma. Joyce Tobias, Fiscal Ma. Victoria Estoesta, Barry Marcelo, Jinky Petersen, Hero Angeles, Gracelyn Ramos, Dr. Ching Oreta, Perlita Lim of Mabuan, Quezon and Mika dela Cruz…