Philippine National Infrastructure and Urban Planning [Archive] - Page 5

sushi___

February 1st, 2009, 06:14 PM

well baguio has indeed retrogressed....although maraming nadagdag na business establishments crowded na masyado and parang ang dami nang iskwater...even their tourists spots hindi well managed...it is sad.....sana ma correct pa ito....ok pa naman ang panagbenga festival nila....the last time i was there a few months back....ginagawa ang mga pavements pinapalitan ng mga bricks sana ganon na ang gawin all over the city ang the burnham park ang pangit na...madumi and parang walang integrated plan ang city government or clueless lang talaga ang mga tao ng city hall on what is beautiful....dapat in what ever they will do to their city...consider nila palagi ang cultural value....nito...they should not deviate from it so that their igorot culture will be further enhanced...

just read from the local paper di nman po clueless ang city govt dito sa baguio... actually nasa phase 1 na ng rehab ng burnham park.. yun nga lang mdaming delay sa contractor, at nagagalit na ang vice mayor at hinahabol na sila... i mean the city govt knows what is beautiful for baguio yun nga lang yung ibang andun ngayon incompetent pa pogi... mas maayos pa nung admin ni vergara at domogan... nasira kay yaranon at ngayon kay bautista... 10 years ago cleanest and greenest ngayon... di pa namin alam san ilalagay basura... buti pa ang vice mayor compared sa mayor alam ang maganda sa city hindi lang pinapaboran yung university na pag mamayari nila... actually corruption ngayon problema dito at walang political will lahat ng politiko kaya lahat ng infra at lhat ng plano dito basura na... may mga nagawa naman pero... not enuf...

and oo pala about the culture... di lang native or igorot culture ang Baguio... actually it is a melting pot of various cultures already ... ilokano, pangalatok, kankanaey, tagalog, and igorot... i think its just a notion from alot in manila that all people and the entire culture is just igorot in baguio.... sa dami na ng nagmigrate dito even korean culture na din hahaha... pero mas masaya nga madami culture dito sa baguio... unique tlga ...

le Reine

February 2nd, 2009, 05:08 AM

Couldn't they do something about those parking spaces on major roads? I think it contributes to traffic congestion.

frustratedarchitect

February 11th, 2009, 06:23 AM

^^ There's been a plan to build a 3 storey parking building in Burnham park. But it met a lot of opposition. I wonder whatever happened to it.:)

frustratedarchitect

February 11th, 2009, 06:27 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/2976356455_ea1b0b58e1.jpg?v=0

Burnham Park rehabilitation

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2976271537_b2b45a355e.jpg?v=0

Baguio sidewalk bricklaying

venntro

February 11th, 2009, 09:01 AM

NEDA Board OKs road project in Samar and airport upgrade in Palawan (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/148283/NEDA-Board-OKs-road-project-in-Samar-and-airport-upgrade-in-Palawan)
02/11/2009 | 03:26 PM

MANILA, Philippines- The National Economic and Development Authority Board, chaired by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has approved two new projects aiming to link remote provinces in Samar and increase tourist arrivals in Palawan.

In a statement, NEDA said the two projects, which will be sponsored by South Korea, are worth P6 billion.

The P2.5-billion Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project will link the towns in Samar Island to enhance the development of potential agricultural lands and fishing grounds of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar provinces as well as facilitate the movement of goods and services in the area.

It involves the improvement of the 108.4-kilometer road that traverses the pacific coastal towns of Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, and Lapinig in Northern Samar and Arteche and San Policarpo in Eastern Samar. Of the total project cost, about P1.6 billion will be foreign-funded while the remaining P900 million will be the local counterpart. The foreign cost component shall be sourced from the Korean-EDCF loan facility.

While the project is set to be implemented from 2010 to 2013, the Department of Public Works and Highways has jumpstarted implementation of the project in “critical" locations in 2008. About P287 million was used to finance the project last year while P500 million is allocated to continue completion this year.

Meanwhile, the Board also approved the P3.5-billion Puerto Princesa Airport Development Project. About P2.8 billion of the total cost for this project shall be sourced from the Korean EDCF loan facility while the remaining P700 million will be the government counterpart.

The project will improve the Puerto Princesa Airport by upgrading its facilities to meet the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization .

It includes the construction of a new passenger terminal complex and a new access road off the national highway; widening of the runway strip and installation of an Instrument Landing System (ILS); establishment of new security fencing; and improvement of navigational aid, air traffic control, communications and air field lighting.

Moreover, the Board approved the “emergency" repair works for the LRT Line 1 Capacity Expansion Project (Phase II). The LRT Line 1 was constructed in December 1984 and operated as the first light rail line in Asia.

The Line 1 Capacity Expansion Project which was implemented from 1994 to 1998 increased the passenger-carrying capacity by 50 percent from 18,000 to 27,000 passengers per peak hour per direction.

On the other hand, the Phase II of the project, implemented from 1999 to 2008 supported the operations of integrated LRT Lines 1, 2 and 3 networks. This increased passenger capacity by another 50 percent from 27,000 to 40,000 passengers per peak hour per direction. GMANews.TV

le Reine

February 11th, 2009, 10:03 AM

^^ There's been a plan to build a 3 storey parking building in Burnham park. But it met a lot of opposition. I wonder whatever happened to it.:)I see. Is it really planned to be built inside Burnham Park? I wouldn't be surprised if people would oppose that plan. Couldn't they think of another place?

Aside from that, aren't there any plans to use buses instead of jeepneys? That would surely lessen the congestion in major roads.

chris_nigel

February 11th, 2009, 10:53 AM

^^as a Mindanaoan, the Mindanao railway sounds interesting. Pero it may take some time before it becomes a reality. (Peace situation)

it will take time talaga to built the mindanao railway pero i hope magawa na sya the soonest para naman maramdaman ng taga mindanao na talagang sa pilipinas sila..hehe:) i like to go to mindanao and experince the beauty of it sawa na ako d2 sa luzon

venntro

February 13th, 2009, 01:53 AM

North-South Luzon tollway linkage estimated to cost P20 billion (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=439756&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña Updated February 13, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Linking the North and South Luzon expressways by road and rail is estimated to cost around P20 billion, according to a top official of the First Philippine Infrastructure Inc. (FPII).

FPII, now owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corp., earlier entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine National Railways to study the feasibility of developing an integrated transport system that will connect the two tollways.

FPII president and chief executive officer Ramoncito Fernandez said initial estimates show that the project might cost about P20 billion and could be completed over a period of four to five years.

Fernandez said securing the right-of-way might take two years and another two years to construct the project.

Initial discussions earlier focused on the development of an 18-kilometer rail and toll road project that will feature a level and elevated roadways over the existing PNR line.

Manuel Pangilinan, FPII chairman, said the partnership with PNR was in line with the group’s thrust to focus on infrastructure projects and to help ease the congestion in the greater Metro Manila transportation networks.

This was an alternative to two proposals. The government is planning to build a flyover that will connect C-5 Road to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, so that vehicles from the South Luzon Expressway don’t have to deal with traffic on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to get to the North Luzon Expressway. It will cost P420 million.

Another plan, worth P55 billion, is to extend the Skyway from Parañaque to Balintawak in Quezon City.

FPII was acquired last year by MPIC when it bought the stakes held by two Lopez-led companies for P12.2 billion.

bustero

February 13th, 2009, 04:52 AM

buncha interesting news!

http://bworld.com.ph/BW021309/content.php?id=041

Vol. XXII, No. 138
Friday, February 13, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Corporate News
Pangilinan tollway firm to spend P40B on infra projects this year

PANGILINAN-LED Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. will spend about P40 billion on infrastructure projects this year.

Vehicle overpass on c-5 road in Pasig

Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of Metro Pacific Tollways — formerly First Philippine Infrastructure, Inc. — said P2.1 billion would be spent for the construction of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)-Segment 8.1, which will link it to the C-5 Road.

Construction will start in March and the project is expected to be completed by April 2010.

The NLEX Segment 8.1 is a two-lane, 2.7-kilometer expressway that will link Mindanao Ave. to the NLEX.

Based on the plan, a toll plaza will be built on Mindanao Ave. where motorists can enter and exit the NLEX, effectively easing traffic congestion on the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Balintawak.

Mr. Pangilinan said around P20 billion would be spent on the road that will link the North and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

He also said the amount was just an estimate and could still go up or down once a prefeasibility study is finished.

"That’s the initial estimate, but I think in the course of the feasiblity phase, we are going to have a full idea [of how much we really need]," he told reporters on the sidelines of a special stockholders’ meeting yesterday.

"The detailed study will require a bit more time since it is something we really need to do to reduce travel time between the NLEX and SLEX," he said.

Mr. Pangilinan said the estimated travel time via this tollway would be only 15 minutes from the present one hour when one travels through EDSA or C-5.

He said the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is seeking to build a railroad track either in the middle of the railway or on the side, so that it could develop a commuter train service between the NLEX all the way to Calamba.

"It’s going to be a long-term project and will be rolled out in two to three years," Mr. Pangilinan said.

Last month, Metro Pacific Tollways and state-owned PNR signed a deal to conduct a prefeasibility study that will link the NLEX and SLEX by road and rail. The link will be an integrated rail and tollway project using the PNR’s right of way, which cuts across Metro Manila.

Initial discussions focused on the development of an 18-kilometer integrated rail and tollway project that will have "at-grade" and elevated roads over the existing PNR line.

The project is an alternative to various plans to link the two tollways. Other alternatives include the government’s P420-million plan of building a flyover that will connect the C-5 Road to Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City, so that vehicles from the SLEX do not have to deal with traffic on EDSA to get to the NLEX.

Another plan, worth P55 billion, is to extend the Skyway from Parañaque to Balintawak in Quezon City.

Aside from the two projects, Mr. Pangilinan said they hope to start with their Tarlac-La Union Toll Expressway project this year.

"It is still in the early stages of discussion. The objective is to start within the year even if [we would only able to secure] the right of way," he added.

The project cost, he said, is about P15 billion, half of which would be raised by borrowing from the public.

The 10-member consortium, composed of big players in the local construction industry, will oversee the design, construction, financing and operations of the 88.5-kilometer expressway project.

The Tarlac-La Union Expressway will extend from La Paz, Tarlac to Rosario, La Union, which is expected to lessen the travel time between Central and Northern Luzon.

Tarlac-La Union Expressway will have eight interchanges, nine toll plazas, two operating buildings, 20 bridges, two viaducts, 26 overpasses and three farm crossings.

Partial operations will start in January 2010 for the Tarlac-Carmen section, in January 2011 for the Carmen-Urdaneta stretch, and in March 2013 for the Urdaneta-Rosario segment.

Mr. Pangilinan entered the tollway business last year when his holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp. bought First Philippine Infrastructure from the Lopez family for more than P12 billion, giving the holding company two-thirds of the North Luzon tollway concession, and the Manila North Tollways Corp.

In a special stockholders’ meeting yesterday, minority shareholders of First Philippine Infrastructure approved the change in name of the company to Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. to reflect the new ownership. — Kristine Jane R. Liu

venntro

February 13th, 2009, 04:57 AM

^^ MVP for President. :banana: hehehehe

bustero

February 13th, 2009, 05:09 AM

^^kung ganoon, puro super gwapo mga PSG niya!:lol::pepper::dance2::cucumber::carrot::banana:

venntro

February 13th, 2009, 05:12 AM

^^kung ganoon, puro super gwapo mga PSG niya!:lol::pepper::dance2::cucumber::carrot::banana:

^^ Mga former basketball players pa. Intriga na naman yan. :lol:

frustratedarchitect

February 13th, 2009, 06:15 AM

I think the plan never pushed through. The building was supposed to be built last year, but the area is now used for "emergency simulation activities of teh red cross and baguio emergency medical services"

I do hope they replace jeepneys with other forms of transport. Jeepneys tend to clog the major roads. There has been a proposal for a tramline to be built in Baguio. The article is found below.

frustratedarchitect

February 13th, 2009, 06:17 AM

Mayor eyes tramline system in Baguio
02/12/2009 | 08:10 PM

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – A tramline might soon be running along Session Road here.

Mayor Peter Reinaldo Bautista Jr. is currently studying a proposal by a Spanish company, Advena, to build a two-kilometer tram line to go around the city’s central business district.

The proposed tramline would start at the Baguio Patriotic High School down to the Maharlika area going up to Session Road. It would also pass SM City Baguio, Upper Session Road, The Baguio Convention Center, and the University of the Philippines-Baguio.

“The system will occupy one whole lane (of) Session Road,” Bautista said, adding that the setting up of a tramline was the idea of Joseph Delano Bernardo, the Philippine Ambassador to Spain, who is from this city.

Bautista also said that according to Advena's proposal, the tramline system could be installed within a year once it is approved.

Bautista said the tramline, once installed, would ease pollution and traffic problems in the city. “This is the best solution to help clean the air. This will also be an added attraction for the city if plans push through,” he said.

Bautista said the proposed mass transport system would have four electric cable cars with a capacity of 70 persons. It would run at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour and operate for eight hours every day.

If pursued, the Baguio tramline would be the first in the country.

Bautista said they are batting for a zero cash investment for the P721,898,014-project by getting private companies to invest in the project. He said he is eyeing the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), which operates the Metro Rail Transit System in Manila, as one of the investors. - Ma. Elena Catajan, GMANews.TV

venntro

February 14th, 2009, 12:58 AM

Port authority to build ports worth P11-B (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/02/13/09/port-authority-build-ports-worth-p11-b)
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 02/13/2009 10:19 PM

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will construct 74 modular ports around the country worth P11 billion this year.

Oscar Sevilla, the general manager of the port regulator, said that construction of the ports would start by the third quarter or fourth quarter of 2008.

The modular ports construction is part of the government's "GMA Maritime Port Access" project, which the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has agreed to shoulder, Sevilla said.

Sevilla said modular ports are cheaper and easier to build. PPA is also tapping a contractor of Eiffel Tower in Paris who developed a modular port technology.

Each port can be completed in two months. Sevilla said each would cost between P40 million and P50 million.

Sevilla said the government is negotiating with foreign banks to finance the implementation of the project. Once completed, the modular ports will become a part of the Roll-on, Roll-off (RORO) Nautical Highway in the country.

greenshields

February 16th, 2009, 02:36 AM

kratos1211

February 16th, 2009, 07:25 AM

WOW:banana:

Agas agas bridge in Leyte is 350-meter three-span cantilever pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge connected to a 75-meter hollow box-type pier on a bored foundation

picture by www.dutchpickle.com Dec 8, 2008

http://www.dutchpickle.com/wp-content/pics/leyte/thumbs/thumbs_010a4_agas-agas-004.jpg http://www.dutchpickle.com/wp-content/pics/leyte/thumbs/thumbs_010a4_agas-agas-001.jpg

http://www.dutchpickle.com/wp-content/pics/leyte/thumbs/thumbs_010a4_agas-agas-005.jpg http://www.dutchpickle.com/wp-content/pics/leyte/thumbs/thumbs_010a4_agas-agas-006.jpg

expected completion August 2009

venntro

February 16th, 2009, 07:37 AM

^^ Great news!!

sushi___

February 16th, 2009, 08:09 AM

The tram looks too expensive even for a city like Baguio. They should just consider something like a BRT to replace the jeepneys instead. It will take a lot of political will for the LGU to rationalize public transport services but it will ultimately benefit the city.

being from baguio a BRT (bus rapid transit) is not viable... sobrang mausok na sa baguio at ang laki ng mga bus sa sikip ng session road...

kung matutuloy man itong tramline na ito... dapat magroadwidening muna (bawasan ang sidewalk sa session into half its size on both sides, at tangalin yung barrier sa gitna) hindi puwedeng ilagay na lang basta ang tramline dun sa daan kasi masikip ang session road compared sa harrison road...

about sa gagawa ... please wag sana MRTC ... corrupt sila... wala nga sila mgawa dito sa Manila eh... siguro patulong na lang sila sa LRT, First Balfour, at DMCI... added tourist attraction to parang San Francisco (same weather)

greenshields

February 16th, 2009, 08:48 AM

BRT buses need not be the conventional ones. There are electric, LPG and clean diesel tehnologies now available. The question of emissions is already a problem that can be addressed by decreasing the poorly maintained jeepneys and buses that are the bane of Baguio's environment.

And the trams for such a short distance won't be viable anyway. The mention of widening Session Road and eating up the sidewalk certainly is not the way to go. It may be better to pedestrianize Session, getting rid of the emissions along the road once and for all.

le Reine

February 16th, 2009, 09:09 AM

I guess people are thinking that buses aren't viable because of the present concerns with the width of the major roads in Baguio. But the way I see it, major roads are just wide enough. For instance, this road's width is adequate enough for mass transport. Heck, they even managed to have a parking space on one lane.

http://images.ekspi.multiply.com/image/2/photos/94/1200x1200/188/S6300494.JPG?et=UmSGWQEhKy2b7HUbdMXfzA&nmid=188593191
http://images.ekspi.multiply.com/image/2/photos/94/1200x1200/186/S6300492.JPG?et=iCv5bqFfnV5eje8UZ7h5aw&nmid=188593191

The point is that when we replace jeeps and fxs with buses, the roads would have less vehicles on it because buses could handle more people in just one space. Aside from that, the use of cars should be discouraged by adding comprehensive and efficient mass transport so that people wouldn't need to use private cars when touring the city. If they could make it a lá San Francisco tram, then why not. But that would be too costly.

What I've noticed was that Baguio has become a cooler (literally) version of Manila, where cars are the kings of the road. Baguio is a tourist space, and certainly cars aren't part of the attraction.

greenshields

February 17th, 2009, 01:08 AM

I must agree. If Baguio can replace the jeepneys and FX's with more energy efficient and envi friendly public transport, while at the same time restricting car use (start with Session), then perhaps they can improve conditions in the city. Let's face it, the city's population will continue to grow and at a fast rate. If the city continues with the current transport system (including minimal restrictions on cars), then it would be near impossible to reverse the adverse envi impacts they are already experiencing.

sushi___

February 17th, 2009, 01:58 AM

ang masasabi ko lang ulit... dapat talaga iexpand na ang baguio sa outskirts nito -- the BLIST plan is really nice but it cant take shape that easily... andaming jeep puro half empty naman lagi, pati mga FX haba ng pila kpag walang mga turista at kpag hindi umuulan... pag bus masikip talaga sa baguio... mini bus siguro o coasters puwede pa...

greenshields

February 17th, 2009, 03:42 AM

sushi___

February 17th, 2009, 04:14 AM

Jeepneys half full and FX's underutilized means there are too many of them. All the more their numbers should be reduced. Roadside friction like on-street parking should also be reduced. I'm sure that a significant reduction in vehicle traffic while replacing low capacity modes with buses (or mini-buses) will go a long way in improving mobility in the city.

at isa pa.. hindi man lang magregulate ang city govt na bawal na magpark sa mga daanan sa baguio .. dapat talaga matuloy din ang central parking system... kasi imagine ang session road na dpat 2 lanes on both sides nagiging 1 na lang per side dahil sa parking... kahit saan ganun sa baguio... i mean walang kwenta talaga ang mayor ngayon at ang council ng baguio worst ever since i was born... puro sila papogi

venntro

February 18th, 2009, 01:46 AM

Legal dispute stalls Batangas port dev’t (http://http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/20090218bus4.html)
02/18/2009

A costly P6.162-billion port development project in the Batangas port is incurring overruns of P3 billion a year including interest payments which the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) blamed on a legal dispute over the cost of land at which it would pay lot owners over mostly now the cargo terminal.

The PPA hopes to settle the legal tussle with Batangas residents that is now with the Supreme Court to allow it to bid out this year a 25-year management contract for the port’s cargo terminal in which already big names in the industry such as International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) and Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) had expressed interest to praticipate.

The ATI currently operates the domestic and international port terminal on a yearly contract but a port official said there is barely any cargo business to keep the interest of investors going for the 25-year international cargo contract.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation which funded the loan for the project had required the international port and terminal operator to pay the PPA a fee of $2.2 million a year for the first two years of operations which will rise to as much $5 million a year depending on the cargo volume that the operator will handle.

Two quay or ship-to-shore cranes and four rubber-tyred gantries or RTGs will be provided to the winning bidder as start-up equipment to operate the container terminal. The units were delivered into the port and was ready since November 2007 on expectations that the bidding would have had a result by last year.

The PPA has rescheduled the bid this year but the legal dispute with Batangas residents and delayed completion of collateral infrastructure works are conspiring to make investors think twice before committing their money to the project particularly amid a global downturn in trade.

American President Lines, Maersk Lines, Aboitiz and Lorenzo Shipping were at separate times lessees in the Batangas international cargo terminal but left subsequently because of high freight costs shouldered by their customers since truckers and brokers are mainly based in Manila and doing business in Batangas is also costlier for them.

venntro

February 18th, 2009, 01:53 AM

Call to ‘bury’ Bataan Nuclear Power Plant heats up (http://http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/feb/18/yehey/prov/20090218pro4.html)

BALANGA City, Bataan: The call “to bury” the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in Napot Pt. at the Bataan mountain town of Morong has snowballed with the gathering of anti-nuclear veterans and new generation of advocates in a symposium Monday for a new fight against the re-commissioning of what they call as the “Monster of Morong.”

After the forum that lasted from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., about 500 people joined the torch parade around the major streets in the city of Balanga. Chants of “Tutulan BNPP” filed the air.

Monsignor Antonio Dumaual, lawyer Dante Ilaya, University of the Philippines Prof. Roland Simbulan and Gov. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga led the anti-nuke veterans in the forum with new crop of advocates. Some nuns were seen in the forum and in the torch parade.

Dumaual, former chairperson of the Nuclear Free Bataan Movement in the 1980s threatened to go back to the streets and conduct “welgang Bayan,” as they did at the height of the struggle against the nuclear plant then.

“Pero, sana naman makinig na ang gobyerno para hindi na maulit ang malawakang protesta tulad noon,” the priest of the Hermosa (Bataan) parish said. Speakers reminisced how they participated in mass actions all over Bataan. Some pictures of the protest actions were shown.

Dumaual said the call against the re-commissioning of the nuclear power plant began after bishop Socrates Villegas issued three pastoral statements condemning the revival of the BNPP. The pastoral letters were read during masses for two consecutive Sundays already.

The third statement would be read this coming Sunday after which the following Monday (February 23), a prayer rally would be held in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral in Balanga City.

Monsignor Dumaual said the International Atomic Energy Commission has found 4,000 defects in the BNPP “with some defects that can no longer be remedied.” The participants in the forum signed a giant “Statement against revival of BNPP.”

Among Panlilio said he has been against the nuclear plant since he was a seminarian. “Tutol ako noon at tutol pa rin ako ngayon,” he said. The priest-turned-politician said the BNPP was marred with anomalies after anomalies. He said the plant reportedly stands in an earthquake fault, which is dangerous not only for the people of Bataan but most in central Luzon.

“Wala pang kakayahan sa science ng nuclear ang Pilipinas at saan dadalhin ang nuclear waste,” the Pampanga governor said. He called on every one to unite and register their voices against the nuclear plant. “Hindi lamang mga taga-Bataan ang magbabayad ng uutangin na namang $1 bilyon kundi ang lahat ng mga Pilipinong taxpayers,” Panlilio said.

Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan has also registered his sentiment against the opening of the BNPP. “Tanungin muna natin ang taong-bayan at sila ang dapat masunod,” he said.
-- Ernie B. Esconde

venntro

February 18th, 2009, 02:32 AM

Creation of team to monitor infrastructure fund urged (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=441207&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio Updated February 18, 2009

MANILA, Philippines - Businessmen who committed to putting up half of the P100 billion infrastructure fund are asking the government to set up a monitoring team to ensure that the money will be used properly.

“We want a monitoring group composed of church leaders, representatives of the business organization, the government and probably the academe,” Edgardo Lacson, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said in a telephone interview.

According to Lacson, funders must be represented in the monitoring team to assure people putting up the money that they will be able to earn from their investment.

He explained that choosing which project to fund is crucial because the aim of the fund is to pump prime the economy. “We need to be careful. The project to be chosen must be the one with the biggest multiplier effect,” he noted.

“We need to be prepared. When the crisis ends, the Philippines must be ready to house new investors and this can be done by improving our country during this time of crisis,” Lacson explained further.

Lacson said the group will choose the project from a list pre-approved by the National Economic Development Agency (NEDA).

Aside from this, Lacson said it is imperative to make the bidding process as transparent as possible. “We cannot afford another controversy related to our infrastructure projects. We want this to run as smoothly as possible,” he added.

Lacson said there are already three possible projects. These are the LRT-MRT connection, the extension of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to Diosdado Macapagal Airport and the extension of the South Luzon Expressway.

Lacson said the combined value of the three projects can be more than the private sector part. He said the infrastructure fund will be able to bankroll its first project by June. Initially, the target was to get the fund running by first quarter. The delays, Lacson said, was due to some of the questions raised regarding the funds.

“This is an unprecedented idea. We have to be careful because we do not want to make a mistake. That will be bad for the country,” he said.

Lacson stressed the importance of the infrastructure fund because he said this will take the place of the overseas development assistance (ODA) funds. The ODA received by the Philippines slowed down as a result of the slowdown in the global economy as most nations focus on their own pump priming measures.

chris_nigel

February 19th, 2009, 03:45 AM

naku mawawala yung landscape ng session road sana nga magawa na sya ASAP d yung puro proposal na lang

venntro

February 19th, 2009, 05:28 AM

P62.5-B big-ticket projects for auction in first quarter (http://http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/20090219bus3.html)
By Riza Recio

02/19/2009

The Palace said yesterday it was on track with the front-loading plan for the budget in which 60 percent of major projects will be bid out in the first quarter with a total of P62.5 billion in infrastructure works of the Department of Public Works and Highways auctioned off in the year until February.

The government had stated that the front-loading plan will seek to perk up the economy but a recent World Bank report indicating widespread corruption in the auction of road projects had thrown a cloud of suspicion on the build-up plan a year prior to national elections.

The Palace said government agencies were trying to beat the deadline set by Mrs. Arroyo to spend at least 60 percent of their obligated capital for big projects for implementation until June 30.

During a Cabinet meeting yesterday, officials gave updates on the auction of big projects in their agencies under the so-called national economic resiliency program of Mrs. Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

Department of Transportation and Communications reported that 41 projects have been advertised for bidding in March this year. The total project cost amounts to P12.975 billion.

The Department of Education reported that this March, it will reach 100 percent of its target completion in the construction, repair, rehabilitation of classrooms and water and sanitation facilities with project cost of P1.150 billion.

The Department of Health reported that the upgrading of facilities in 98 government-run hospitals will reach 16 percent of its construction requirements bidded out by March.

The health agency also reported that the 35 percent increase in health benefits for PhilHealth Beneficiaries has been approved since Feb. 12, 2009. It will meet target of 85 percent PhilHealth coverage by 2010.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported to the President and to the Cabinet in the meeting that it will be covering some 669,016 households by end-2009 mostly from the country’s 10 poorest provinces. This coverage for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino is almost double the coverage reached in 2008 reaching 337,416 households benefitting from the Pantawid Pamilya.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources through its “green collar” jobs for the upland and coastal environment program covering the 12 poorest provinces will be generating employment of 110,429 beneficiaries for the Bantay Gubat and 51,318 jobs for the Upland Development program.

venntro

February 19th, 2009, 09:10 AM

Corruption, lack of experts blamed for poor roads (http://http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/19/09/corruption-lack-experts-blamed-poor-roads)
By DHOBIE DE GUZMAN, ABS-CBN News Baguio | 02/19/2009 3:38 PM

BAGUIO CITY - The chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority said rampant corruption and insufficiency of experts lead to the poor quality of roads in the country.

In a press conference, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said institutions that are supposed to guard against irregular government projects are not organized and are not functioning well.

"Yes, [corruption] happens. We have a lack of technical competence to deal with infrastructure projects. The system structure (government projects) is OK but institutions tasked to prevent anomalies in government projects are not working well," he told reporters.

"The checks and balance should work. The end result of corruption plus lack of technical competence is poor roads."

The Senate is currently investigating the World Bank's blacklisting of several Filipino and Chinese companies due to alleged corruption and collusion in biddings of WB-funded road projects.

The World Bank said there was collusion in the awarding of contract for Phase 1 of the National Roads Improvement and Management Program, known as NRIMP 1 that it had financed with $138 million. It blacklisted three Philippine and four Chinese construction firms that allegedly colluded in the bidding on the NRMIP 1 contract. The three Philippine firms are E.C. Luna Construction Corp., Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp. and CM Pancho Construction Inc.

venntro

February 19th, 2009, 09:11 AM

venntro

February 19th, 2009, 09:13 AM

renell

February 20th, 2009, 07:31 AM

Burnham's plans look great from the air but it needs a 21st-century refit. Given its recent earthquake many people might be reluctant to put a subway system, I think a light-rail or even a monorail would be sufficient.

Plus Session Road on-street planning should be banned. The government should take the initiatve and buy an centralized plot of land (even if it has an existing building), tear it down and convert it into a multi-storey (if possible also underground) parking lot. It'll make some money - so maybe they can get a private company to do BOT. But Session Road is already clogged even 10 years ago, the problem is there are more cars but no solutions.

frustratedarchitect

February 23rd, 2009, 04:03 AM

frustratedarchitect

February 23rd, 2009, 05:23 AM

at isa pa.. hindi man lang magregulate ang city govt na bawal na magpark sa mga daanan sa baguio .. dapat talaga matuloy din ang central parking system... kasi imagine ang session road na dpat 2 lanes on both sides nagiging 1 na lang per side dahil sa parking... kahit saan ganun sa baguio... i mean walang kwenta talaga ang mayor ngayon at ang council ng baguio worst ever since i was born... puro sila papogi

True. Ang dami dami pang sinasabi ng mayor na yan. And ang city council, kinokontra lahat ng projects na merong sense. nakakahiya, pati yung dominican hill na noong 2004 pa sana na develop, hanggang ngayon walang nangyayari. Horrible way of governing really. And after all the trouble with garbage, ioopen ulit ang irisan dump.:ohno:

venntro

February 23rd, 2009, 07:04 AM

Green Financing offered to organic Benguet farmers (http://http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/green-financing-offered-organic-benguet-farmers)

BENGUET vegetable farmers have made headway in organic agriculture practice with its vision to make Benguet the Organic Food Bowl in Asia.

The La Trinidad Organic Practitioners (Latop) Multi-Purpose Cooperative will give the province a jump start for the future as they received loans through the Green Financing component of the project: Upscaling Organic Vegetable Production in Metro Benguet and Baguio, funded by the Philippine Australia Community Assistance Program (Pacap) and the Foundation for Sustainable Society Incorporated (FSSI) through the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc. (JVOFI).

The Green Financing assistance is a credit facility that will provide Latop members P25,000 in loans to be used for the construction of organic farming structures such as greenhouses, compost sheds, nurseries and packing areas to improve organic farming production.

To date, 51 LaTOP farmers have availed of the Green Financing loan from both the Pacap and FSSI Project.

JVOFI Executive Director Marichu Lopez said this project for LaTOP would serve as model for the country's agricultural industry. He added that Green Financing is something new to be implemented in the agriculture scene.

She said the project not only responds to poverty reduction in Benguet, but would also address the concerns on environment and health.

Both Pacap and FSSI conform with the vision of JVOFI to promote the production of organic fertilizers for small farmers to minimize their dependence on chemical fertilizers.

Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan also shares the belief of JVOFI and Latop farmers that going back to the basics through organic farming will provide people with healthier food and will address the problem of the spiralling cost of petroleum-based fertilizers.

JVOFI's Ecological Enhancement Manager Rhoda Fe Buenavista said food security begins in the farming communities, but added that farmers have to know many things before going fully organic.

She stressed farmers must first know the techniques of proper management of soils and nutrients. This is where JVOFI comes in through the "Upscaling Organic Farming in Metro Baguio and Benguet.”

LaTOP members are continuously undergoing training and seminars on organic farming through the capacity building component of the project. LaTOP producers are expected to train more farmers to become organic practitioners.

Through the information and education campaign on organic farming, the organic demo farm modeling aims to establish organic demo farms in Benguet.

Buenavista added, aside from being friendly to the environment and health, organic farming would help rehabilitate and restore the fertility of the soil.

sushi___

February 23rd, 2009, 08:05 AM

sushi___

February 23rd, 2009, 08:07 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/3169464785_1413274099.jpg?v=0

fixing the burnham park fence...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2976575443_ce5836c48d.jpg?v=0

parking area in Baguio cathedralarea u/c

parang di updated itong pic na ito... tagal na ito tapos at may roof na hmmmm hehehe... maganda yung fence sa burnham .. yun pa lang ngagagwa ng city government sa plano <shame> :ohno:

chris_nigel

February 23rd, 2009, 11:29 AM

oo nga dapat i renovate na ang buong baguio city maxado na luma dapat idevelop uli yung burnham park saka konting linis lang maganda na uli un parang d na kasi na memaintain ng maayus hope mabasa ito ng kinauukulan

venntro

February 25th, 2009, 07:36 AM

Luzon beltway projects 22% complete (http://http://www.inquirer.net/propertyguide/buildingblocks/view.php?db=1&article=20090224-190818)
February 24, 2009 20:02:00
Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—Thirteen government projects have been completed in the Luzon Urban Beltway worth P39.3 billion, or 22 percent of the total P180 billion allotted to develop the "super region" in the north, a Malacañang official said.

Secretary Eduardo Pamintuan, who heads the development in the region, on Tuesday said that of the 38 projects in the beltway, the 13 completed projects are:

• Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX)
• Panday Pira Aacess Road
• Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA)
• DMIA passenger terminal expansion
• Subic port development
• Southern Tagalog Arterial Road
• Phase two of the Batangas Port Development Project
• Three projects for the roll-on, roll-off ferry link between Lucena town, Quezon province, and Boac town, Marinduque province
• Rehabilitation of EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue)
• Upgrading of hospitals
• Opening of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

"Let us develop the Luzon Urban Beltway a seamless priority infrastructure project," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said in a speech during a Cabinet meeting here.

lochinvar

February 25th, 2009, 08:33 AM

I noticed almost all threads are bombarded with the last posting. May commission ka yata rito. :lol:

han742

February 25th, 2009, 03:03 PM

^^^^:lol::lol::lol::lol:

han742

February 25th, 2009, 03:55 PM

check out the side view of the structure. it looks like an inclined/floating compact disc or sumthin. we rarely see those kind of structures in the Philippines. or is there such? hehe

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/cebupics/Megadome3.jpg

parang cap ng toga itsura nya, na pinaghiwa-hiwa, :) medyo matagal na palang post ito, pero medyo unusual kasi design,

han742

February 25th, 2009, 04:01 PM

venntro

February 26th, 2009, 02:02 AM

Govt cautioned vs preference for local sources in pump-priming (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/150422/Govt-cautioned-vs-preference-for-local-sources-in-pump-priming)
02/26/2009 | 04:03 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Governments should avoid attaching as a condition to infrastructure spending and other pump-priming plans an official preference for locally made materials, since this could violate free trade rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an official said.

Overall, however, the WTO is of the opinion that there has been "limited signs of increased protectionism" amid the global economic downturn, Ambassador Manuel A.J. Teehankee, Manila’s representative to the WTO said, relaying what WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy had told members in a report last Feb. 9.

Many WTO members have objected to the "Buy American" provision in the US stimulus package, Mr. Teehankee said.

"In banking and financial services, as well as in industrial sectorsthe general principle of nondiscrimination and national treatment applies fully," Mr. Teehankee said in an e-mail.

WTO members are now pressing for "increased transparency, coordination, and cooperation" in implementing stimulus packages to prevent "prejudicial effects" on other countries, Mr. Teehankee said.

"With full transparency and more cooperation and coordination[states can avoid] policies that could lead to a domino effect of more restrictive trade and investment that will be a repeat of the mistakes of policies that led to the Great Depression," Mr. Teehankee said.

But the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), which had earlier called on the government to prioritize the use of locally made construction materials this year, maintained its position.

"Everybody is saying that America has removed that provision in the stimulus plan, but that’s not true. The final version of the law retains the provision, but they placed a condition that this shouldn’t in any way violate international agreements," FPI Pres. Jesus L. Arranza said in a phone interview last weekend.

"If the US, the very country that is advocating free trade, is doing it, then who are we to say no? It is nationalism that will tell us to buy local at this time."

Manufacturers of cement, steel, wood, flat glass, welding products and ceramic tiles are among FPI’s members, the group’s Web site shows.

For its part, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. said that the P1-billion export development fund it is asking from the government respects free trade rules.

"I don’t think WTO is referring to export funds. They’re referring more to subsidies. Developed countries are not willing to give up their protection, but are discouraging developing countries from [doing the same]," Philexport President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said in a separate telephone interview.

WTO’s Pascal Lamy, said Mr. Teehankee, had concluded that there were limited signs of new trade barriers. While some cases such as the European Commission’s hike in export subsidies for its dairy goods and Indonesia’s new limits on entry ports were brought up, these moves did not violate WTO rules, Mr. Teehankee said.

Philippine exporters, for their part, have not had to grapple with new trade barriers, Mr. Ortiz-Luis noted.

Bureau of Export Trade Promotions Director Senen M. Perlada echoed this, saying in a mobile "text" message last week: "There are no big issues for now. Philippine exports are affected by global downturn and not by protectionism, at least for now." — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa, BusinessWorld

bustero

February 26th, 2009, 03:42 AM

Vol. XXII, No. 147
Thursday, February 26, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Today’s Headlines

BY JESSICA ANNE D. HERMOSA, Reporter
Projects on as gov’t provides guarantee

TWO INFRASTRUCTURE projects will break ground within the first half under a joint public-private sector pump-priming plan, officials yesterday said.

The progress comes as the government-run Philippine Export Import Credit Agency (Philexim) will be guaranteeing loans made by the private sector to finance such projects.

Commercial banks were said to be hesitant to support the shared stimulus plan, requiring that the state back loans for covered infrastructure projects.

The government balked at a full guarantee and the primary proponent, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the proposed P100-billion fund could be abandoned.

Trade Secretary Peter B. Favila, however, told reporters yesterday that the government will issue a list of projects the private sector can invest in and then provide guarantees.

"Philexim will guarantee 85% of the project cost while the 15% should come as [the private proponent’s] equity," Mr. Favila said at the sidelines of a government economic briefing, adding that projects will only qualify for surety if they are listed under the 2004-2010 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan.

"We already have ready-to-go projects ... such as connecting NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) to C-5," Mr. Favila said in Filipino.

PCCI Chairman Emeritus Donald G. Dee confirmed this yesterday, saying the private sector was amenable to the 85% guarantee.

"That’s what we have agreed on. Two projects ... will be on the ground hopefully in three months time," he said, declining to elaborate.

The government share of the fund — P50 billion — may be spent on other infrastructure projects separate from the ones the private sector will back, Mr. Dee said.

"We will make our own decisions. There is no more shared fund per se, but a guarantee feature instead," he said.

The National Development Corp., previously tagged as the P100-billion fund’s disbursing agency, will no longer be involved, Mr. Favila said. — Jessica Anne D. Hermosa

http://bworld.com.ph/BW022609/content.php?id=002

venntro

February 26th, 2009, 05:20 AM

^^ That's great news. Hopefully wala lang kokontra.

skywalker2008

March 1st, 2009, 11:47 AM

RP has Asia’s deadliest roads (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090228-191614/RP-has-Asias-deadliest-roads)

By Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 17:04:00 02/28/2009

MANILA, Philippines -- The country’s roads are the most dangerous in Asia, Senator Francis Escudero said in a statement released Saturday.

Citing a study conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund last year, he said that three of five road accidents involved child pedestrians and road accidents were the leading cause of injury admissions to hospitals.

Escudero’s statement came after a 10-year-old pupil from Ateneo died this week after being run over inside the school parking lot.

A separate study by child safety groups in the country shows that six children die from accidents in the country daily, the senator said, adding that the country has a total of 2,500 vehicular accidents monthly involving both children and adults.
Citing another study by the Asian Development Bank in 2006, Escudero said: “Overall, the 7.8 percent of the 100,000 people who die as a result of traffic-related accidents a year is one of the highest in Asia according to the Asian Development Bank.”

Escudero thus called on the government to make use of the Road Users Tax (RUT) to make streets safer for pedestrians.

He said the patent lack of safety signs, endless road diggings, varying traffic rules in different localities, aging motor vehicles, among other factors, contribute to the bad state of roads in Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

“More than P30 billion in (Road Users Tax revenues) over the last four years have not made streets any safer for kids. RUT-spending should be refocused to make schools child-safety zones. A driver can be fined for reckless (driving or) overspeeding, but who will fine the government for reckless spending of RUT funds?” he asked.

“Under Republic Act No. 8794, or Road User’s Tax Law, 7.5 centavos for every peso paid for car registration should go to a special road safety fund,” he said.

He said that this year, out of a projected P8.9 billion Road User’s Tax collection, an estimated P668 million should be funneled into this safety fund.

Julian Carlo Miguel Alcantara, known to his friends as “Amiel,” was inside the Ateneo campus with his 65-year-old nanny when he was hit and run over by a van.

“Beyond the fields of Ateneo lie grim statistics on child vehicular deaths. Road accidents have become the most prolific killer of Filipino children after pneumonia,” he said, referring to the Unicef study.

“Spent well and applied wisely, the whole road user’s tax fund can bankroll engineering and education initiatives that will result in safe roads. Unfortunately, the Road User’s Tax has been caught in the wrong priorities,” Escudero said.

Escudero bared that in the year 2006, total collection from the RUT amounted to P7.49 billion, while P7.73 billion was raised in 2007. Last year, it stood at around P8.34 billion.

He said the rush to register new vehicles has increased the dangers for children going to school.

“But the latter should not be hazardous to their health, and government has the resources to make it so,” Escudero said.

venntro

March 2nd, 2009, 01:40 AM

Macro Group acquires 15% of NLEE project proponent (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=444694&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated March 02, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Ausphil Tollways Corp., private proponent of the North Luzon East Expressway (NLEE) project, announced recently the purchase by the Macro Group of the remaining 15 million stapled shares of the corporation.

Ausphil has an authorized capital stock of 100 million shares which are fully subscribed and paid. The Ausphil board approved the increase in capitalization last year and is in the process of increasing its authorized capital stock to one billion shares, inclusive of 800 million class “B” shares reserved for institutional infrastructure investors.

Ausphil president and CEO Ricardo L. Penson said the entry of Macro is “strategic to the immediate implementation of the proposed P10-billion, 56 kilometer tollroad project from Commonwealth Ave. at La Mesa Park, Quezon City to Baliwag, Bulacan under the build-operate-transfer scheme in answer to President Arroyo’s call for infrastructure stimuli from the private sector”.

Penson said, “Macro can ensure continuous delivery of the Geofoam EPS critical to the structural integrity and construction timeline of the NLEE as exclusive manufacturer and installer. It is an integral part of the new technology package being introduced by Ausphil for the project”.

Early last year, Egis Projects SA of France, the partner/operator of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) acquired 25 percent of Ausphil after a long drawn share purchase negotiation.

Egis’ subsidiary Egis Road Operation Philippines further acquired 40 percent of La Mesa Parkways Corp., the designated project operations and maintenance company. Penson further confirmed “Ausphil is consistent to its share price index developed by KPMG Corporate Finance Australia Ltd for shareholder value and to its adopted innovative business model”.

Macro Industrial chairman and CEO Macario L. Gaw said: “We are very excited to be part of Ausphil and will do our share to contribute to its success. Ausphil has a lean and mean management dedicated to keeping the Philippines on the Asia Pacific engineering map.”

The NLEE’s novel engineering design has been lauded by Asia Infrastructure in Sydney, Australia in 2004 specifically for its integration of catchment for at least 15.2 million cubic meters of rainwater collection for the La Mesa reservoir. Its use of the MWSS right of way includes the development of the La Mesa Eco Park which it spearheaded in 2004 and the Montalban watershed for ecotourism.

In a related development, Ausphil submitted a proposal for the use of four low friction turbines in tandem along the high pressure pipes to initially generate 35 megawatts of hydroelectric power for the proposed construction and development of the Aqueduct 6 phase II project of the MWSS.

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 06:06 AM

Butuan City ~ The highly urbanized administrative and economic hub of Northeastern Mindanao comprising a land area of 817.28 km2 (315.6 sq mi) aims to develop its vast territory into multiple satellite towns/cities as envisioned in its land use urban plan.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/2825191834_57c382bece_b.jpg

One of the major components of the plan is to construct highways that will interlink these future satellite CBDs....to complement the now ongoing construction of different inter regional highways linking the city to other growth centers in Mindanao.

Butuan Existing and U/C Connecting Highways
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2567086925_c4ae3dbb77.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2567548378_32253dbce2.jpg?v=0
light brown : Butuan-Cagayan-Iligan Highway

dark brown : Surigao-Butuan-Davao Highway section of Philippine Japan Highway

Under Construction:
red line: Butuan-Malaybalay Highway (Butuan-Las Nieves-Bayugan-Esperanza)

blue line: Hawilian-Salug section (Agusan-Bukidnon)

yellow line: Butuan-Tandag Highway
(Pianing,Butuan section)

corollary highway:
pink line: SUDOPARIM (Surigao-Davao Oriental Pacific Rim Highway)

2nd Phase Butuan By Pass Highway Project
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3278191480_031c8d32d0_o.jpg

JC Aquino-Montilla Blvd. FlyOver Project (Soil Testing Studies ongoing)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3186269947_5e9e883143_o.jpg

Just as important these existing and U/C highways are....equal emphasis are also being given to develop its air and sea portal to maintain its link to growth hubs in the Visayas and Luzon.

Nasipit Port Expansion Project (Pipeline)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/3233475944_af38a20ca4_b.jpg

Butuan Airport Development Project
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3228/2532377071_cb1509ca89.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3216/2540215567_5e9b9a5d9a.jpg?v=0

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 06:15 AM

the 400 M Php Baan Viaducts and Highway Improvement (Completed)

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/baan.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/baan-1.jpg?t=1234447527

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 06:24 AM

Diosdado Macapagal Cable Stayed Bridge and Phase 1 Butuan By Pass Highway Project (Completed)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1140/1376161954_853f9a1ffe.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/davao_world/bxu/IMG_8471.jpg

regjeex

March 2nd, 2009, 06:50 AM

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/958/bridgeb.jpg

regjeex

March 2nd, 2009, 06:51 AM

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/2625/bxuviaduct.jpg

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 02:18 PM

Six Lane segment of Phase 1 By Pass Highway (completed)

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/Butuan004.jpg?t=1235999846

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 02:25 PM

Baan Highway - Maguinda Road widening (completed)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3183571759_c03fb7955d_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3183572647_d182764f84_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3184409596_d0d6112e42.jpg?v=0

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 02:42 PM

Palafox Designed Millenium Historical Park and Boardwalk and Riverfront Urban Renewal Project (pipeline)

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/tulay.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x287/GearX_2007/2008/pal2.gif http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x287/GearX_2007/2008/pal1.gif

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 02:50 PM

LARBDP (Lower Agusan River Basin Development Project) (completed)

A multi phase flood mitigation project that involves construction of diversion systems, leevees, embankments, revetments and flood gates.

This multi billion project also involves irrigation that diverts water from Agusan River to be distributed to a system of channels that cut through the city's southern food corridor.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3315/3295331218_16ef46e62d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2276/2047442554_5d36cb8158.jpg?v=0

BOB-bXu

March 2nd, 2009, 03:25 PM

Butuan Infrastructure Icons as highlighted in the banner of Thread 9

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/576/butuanthreadgs1.png

kalbongdad

March 2nd, 2009, 04:01 PM

galing naman whoever are the executive officials of this place must be doing a good job.....sana lahat ng pangarap ninyo ay matupad......meron vision ang mga lider dito.....sana dumami sila.....good job....

venntro

March 3rd, 2009, 01:19 AM

Quezon road to speed up economic growth (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=444977&publicationSubCategoryId=67)
Updated March 03, 2009 12:00 AM

Infanta, Quezon , Philippines – The Marikina-Infanta Road System that would connect the provinces of Quezon and Rizal to Metro Manila in order to spur further economic growth is expected to be completed in December, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

As a recall, President Arroyo ordered in 2006 the construction of the P821.40 million, 109.30 km. Marikina-Infanta Road System under the supervision of DPWH Regional Director Bonifacio Seguit.

Seguit said the Marikina-Infanta bypass road stretches from Sumulong Highway in Rizal and Laguna up to Infanta, Quezon.

During the groundbreaking of the project two years ago, the Chief Executive said that the Marikina-Infanta road project is one of the most important links between the towns of Quezon and Rizal to the National Capital Region (NCR). It is also considered a crucial infrastructure project that would bolster development of the northeastern towns along the Pacific Coast.

The President furthered that the road project would enable the province of Quezon to catch up with other provinces in the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon (Calabarzon) economic zone in terms of economic development. – Michelle Zoleta

BOB-bXu

March 3rd, 2009, 05:37 AM

Butuan City Hall Complex in Doongan (completed)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/2563780753_7aa900c13b.jpg?v=0

scale model of Butuan City Hall Complex
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/edison_lee/ButuanCityHallModel_1.jpg

sushi___

March 3rd, 2009, 07:10 AM

3 big projects in NLAQ Super Region for completion end of 2009 or early 2010 - Yap

http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&sec=reader&rp=3&fi=p090227.htm&no=29&date=02/27/2009

Manila (27 February) -- Three big projects in the Northwest Luzon Growth Quadrangle (NLAQ) Super Region worth billions of pesos, are set for completion by the end of 2009 or early 2010, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.

Speaking to newsmen in Dagupan City on Wednesday night, Yap said these include the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP) in Pangasinan, Halsema Highway from Baguio to Mountain Province and Tabuk-Tinglayan Road in Kalinga.

Yap, who was designated development czar for NLAQ, said slowly, these projects are now being completed.

NLAQ covers the whole of Ilocos Region, Cordillera, Region 2 and part of Region 3.

Yap explained that the Alaminos Airport was not included in the medium-term plan for NLAQ but it remains a part of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He, however, is in quandary if the Alaminos Airport is included in the 2009 budget and if not, he said it will surely be included in the 2010 budget.

But Yap expressed confidence that for year 2009, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has allocated a start-up budget.

He recalled that when he was Presidential Management Staff in 2006, he was the one who included the project in the list of priorities of President Arroyo.

NLAQ is expected to produce food for the other four Super Regions, particularly the Metro Manila Beltway, including Southern China. (PNA)

BOB-bXu

March 3rd, 2009, 04:15 PM

Boardwalk and Riverfront Urban Renewal Project

http://www.butuan.gov.ph/news_clip_image002.jpg

venntro

March 4th, 2009, 01:37 AM

Alternate Boracay airport to begin construction in April (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/151226/Alternate-Boracay-airport-to-begin-construction-in-April)
JUN ARIOLO N. AGUIRRE, GMANews.TV
03/03/2009 | 08:57 PM

BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines - An airport that will serve as an alternate route for Boracay-bound tourists will start construction in April, a local government executive told reporters on Tuesday.

Estimated to reach P5 billion, the airport at Carabao Island will not only serve tourists bound for Boracay, it will also attract visitors to the island itself, San Jose Mayor Filipino Tandog said.

The airport will be built and managed by the Boracay International Airport and Development Corp., a privately-held company. The company’s incorporation has already been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Carabao Island, which is under the jurisdiction of San Jose, Romblon also boasts of its white sand. The area expects a spill over of tourists from Boracay, which is only 30 kilometers away.

A consortium of Korean and Japanese investors has already expressed interest to finance other components of the project in accordance with the provincial tourism masterplan, Tandog said.

“The project has already been endorsed by the Regional Development Council of the MiMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region," Tandog said.

He made this announcement during a meeting he attended with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who held a cabinet meeting at the tourist island this week. - GMANews.TV

venntro

March 4th, 2009, 01:55 AM

San Miguel to enter toll business (http://http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/04/yehey/business/20090304bus2.html)

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter

SAN Miguel Corp. (SMC) plans to venture into tollway business by acquiring the interest of Lopez group’s share in the Tarlac-La Union Toll Expressway (TLUTEx) project, which Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is also eyeing, a government source said.

The source said the SMC has expressed interest to take over MPIC’s role in infusing capital into the consortium to raise P12 billion for the construction the 88-kilometer highway project that would link Metro Manila to northern parts of Luzon.

The same source said that the consortium is still waiting if the local unit of Hong Kong-listed First Pacific Co. Ltd. is still interested in joining the group after they conducted an equity call.

He added that all the members of the consortium have already injected capital into the project except for MPIC.

Last year, the government awarded the contract to construct the highway to a group of contractors called Private Infra Dev. Corp. This is composed of Lopez-led First Balfour, D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI), EEI Corp., C.M. Pancho Construction, R.D. Policarpio

& Co. Inc., D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, J.V. Angeles Construction, J.E. Manalo & Co. Inc., New Kanlaon Construction Inc. and Rockford Development.

Late last year, the Lopez group allowed MPIC to step in the project by contributing funds to the consortium. DMCI and First Balfour each has a 34-percent interest in the consortium while the rest hold 2-percent to 6-percent stakes in the group.

The TLUTEx is estimated to cost P15 billion, including the government’s share of up to P3.7 billion to acquire land and right of way (ROW).

The DMCI’s Jorge Consunji and his team went to the National Economic and Development Authority on Monday to ask the government to advance the counterpart funds to pay for the ROW acquisition.

The company also asked National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) how to tap the P50-billion infrastructure fund created by the government to pump prime the economy.

The highway will be built over a five-year period and will be connected to the National Capital Region through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), which MPIC operates through the Manila North Tollways Corp (MNTC). The company bought MNTC’s parent from two Lopez holding firms, Benpres Holdings Corp. and First Philippine Holdings Corp. last year.

The first leg of the project, which is expected to open to motorists by 2010, will cover 48.7 kilometers and start from Tarlac and end in Carmen, Pangasinan. This will be followed by the 9.5-kilometer Carmen to Urdaneta road in 2011, and the 30.4-kilometer

Urdaneta, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union road by 2013.

jsl_bxu1206

March 4th, 2009, 10:04 AM

any update bob on this project?

Boardwalk and Riverfront Urban Renewal Project

http://www.butuan.gov.ph/news_clip_image002.jpg

BOB-bXu

March 4th, 2009, 03:21 PM

By Pass Highway as it descends from Macapagal Bridge

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_aeWzQFZqw6o/Rzbjo1T6qdI/AAAAAAAABbE/bx3ibPOr5Bg/s912/Phil%20tour%209%20Nov%202007c%20087.jpg

BOB-bXu

March 6th, 2009, 12:27 PM

Macapagal Bridge

http://images.mayetcabrera.multiply.com/image/10/photos/5/1200x1200/21/bridge1.jpg?et=w%2Bxm96l45Q5fhjIFCt%2CNig&nmid=136183263

chris_nigel

March 8th, 2009, 04:51 AM

sana ma preserve nila n maigi yung river underneath the macapagal bridge para d magaya sa pasig river

venntro

March 9th, 2009, 04:01 AM

NEDA lines up infrastructure projects for Japanese assistance (http://http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/09/yehey/business/20090309bus5.html)

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter

THE Philippines has proposed a list of infrastructure projects to be funded under the Japanese yen loan package, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The NEDA and representatives of the Japanese government on Friday discussed the list that may be included in the P34.2-billion financing plan.

These projects are the Logistics and Infrastructure Assistance Facility of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) amounting to P20.1 billion; the Project on Forestland Management of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), P4.5 billion; and Support Program for Agri-Enterprise Development of the Land Bank of the Philippines, P9.6 billion.

The Road Enhancement and Asset Preservation Management Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) amounting to P24.89 billion was also included for future loan assistance.

Norio Matsuda, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), told reporters after the meeting that the resumption of the Japanese loan is in a “full scale.”

The loan package was resumed in 2007 after three years of suspension because of the unpaid value-added tax refund of Japanese contractors.

The yen loan packages are concessional official development assistance (ODA) loans, having long-term payment periods of 30 years with a grace period of 10 years, and with interest rates ranging from 0.75 percent to 2.2 percent a year.

Projects included in the last 27th package were the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project Phase III of the Department of Agrarian Reform amounting to P5.93 billion; Pinatubo Hazard Urgent Mitigation Project Phase III of DPWH, P4.69 billion; Environmental Development Program of DBP, P10.05 billion; and the Supplemental Loan for Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Earlier, the government of Japan granted $100 million in program loans to the Philippines for the Development Policy Support Program II.

The program loan will have a payment period of 30 years with a grace period of 10 years, and an interest rate of 1.40 percent a year.

As of last year, the JICA’s loans to the Philippines amounted to $4.2 billion for 40 projects, making it one of the biggest donors of ODA.

The Philippines’ cumulative ODA loan commitments numbered 115 and reached a combined $9.68 billion. Other donors were the Asian Development Bank with 18 on-going loans amounting to $1.5 billion; World Bank, 22 loans at $1.5 billion; and others, 29 loans at $1.38 billion.

BOB-bXu

March 9th, 2009, 03:44 PM

Butuan Airport

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/958642638aSzVLnh-1.jpg?t=1236606223

bustero

March 10th, 2009, 04:14 PM

looks like the nlee is really moving, fingers crossed!

BOB-bXu

March 10th, 2009, 04:26 PM

Nasipit Port

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Nasipit_port.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/91/232509917_06f90d0546.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3249826380_80c2ab131d.jpg?v=0

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/Image00144.jpg?t=1236694054

http://images.foresterlasam.multiply.com/image/2/photos/152/600x600/14/100-2057.JPG?et=joUy7f84rx%2CRQSkfFB8QAw&nmid=140952033

venntro

March 11th, 2009, 02:09 AM

Clark mulls Pacific Avia Group proposal for new terminal (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447353&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Ding Cervantes Updated March 11, 2009 12:00 AM

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – After a failed bidding for the construction of a modern passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here, the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has announced it is now evaluating Pacific Avia Group, Inc. (PAGI) as possible joint venture (JV) partner in the project that could cost anywhere from P3 billion to P7 billion.

In a statement, CIAC vice president for administration and finance Romeo Dyoco, who chairs the joint venture-selection Committee (JV-SC), said whoever will be CIAC’s partner will “design, finance, construct and operate” the proposed terminal 2 which will increase the passenger capacity of the old but upgraded terminal 1 that was constructed by the Americans when Clark was still a US air force base.

He said PAGI has been accepted by JV-SC “for detailed evaluation and eligibility check” which is expected to be finished by March 13. After passing this requirement, PAGI “will be subjected to a competitive challenge of stage 3” process, it said.

CIAC cited the need to construct a bigger passenger terminal “due to the significant increases in the volume of flights and international passengers during the past three years” and its “mandate” to transform the DMIA into a premiere international gateway of the country.

In May last year, CIAC announced the bidding for the terminal project, soliciting three companies which submitted bid documents. Admiral Energy of the US passed the bidding but later failed to submit proof of its track record in the operation of an international passenger terminal.

CIAC said it consulted with and got the go signal from the Office of Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) to pursue the project through the so-called competitive challenge process under its old JV guidelines.

It noted that last November, it received four unsolicited proposals under such process, inclusing those from PAGI, Philco Aero Consortium, R–II Holdings,Inc. and SNC – Lavalin International, Inc.

PAGI, the only local group among the four, is composed of A.M. Oreta Construction Co., DHL Philippines, DRI Holdings, EGIS AVIA S.A., Pentagon Development Corp., the Bank of Commerce and Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose.

CIAC initially approved the proposal of R – II Holdings, but it was later found to have failed to cope with “minimum non negotiable issues required for the project”.

Last Jan. 8, PAGI submitted a complete proposal for the terminal project and this was received favorably by CIAC, even as a new party, the Eugenio Group, also submitted its proposal.

Last Feb. 27, the JV-SC received another proposal from Al Mal Proposal from the Al Karafi Group.

“For very critical reasons on the substance of their proposals and the contextual conditions and requirements of their proposals both the Eugenio Consortium and the Al Mal were rejected,” CIAC said.

“The CIAC joint venture selection committee (JVSC) evaluated both proposals head to head and item to item, and arrived at the conclusion that the PAGI, proposal met its minimum requirements and is vastly superior to the Eugenio CIAC noted that while the present terminal was upgraded last year, its capacity is limited to only 1.5 million passengers per year.

CIAC said, however, that other facilities have been installed to modernize DMIA. These include radars, runway lights and signages, a second runway, modern aviation security and emergency systems, and terminal carousel and x-ray machines.

Airport officials also said they are eyeing a new terminal that could increase DMIA’s passenger capacity from three to seven million passengers annually.

chris_nigel

March 12th, 2009, 02:17 AM

so much opportunity for Butuan hope to visit that place

venntro

March 12th, 2009, 05:57 AM

Japan commits P30-billlion funding for 3 development projects in RP (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=447628&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Iris C. Gonzales Updated March 12, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Japanese government has committed to help the Philippines with three development projects amounting to roughly P30 billlion, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced yesterday.

The projects covered by the funding are the Project Forestland Management (ProFORM) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources amounting to P4.52 billion; the Support Program for Agri-Enterprise Development (SPAED) of the Land Bank of the Philippines worth P9.6 billion; and the Logistics Infrastructure Assistance Facility amounting to P16 billion.

The government of Japan made the commitment during a recent meeting with NEDA officials on high-level consultations on yen loan assistance.

NEDA said that ProFORM is a 10-year project that aims to rehabilitate degraded economic conditions of affected communities in the three critical river basins in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3) and Western Visayas (Region 6). The project aims to strengthen forestland management and improve the socioeconomic conditions and the quality of life of upland dwellers.

The project also covers survey and mapping and forest land use planning, community organizing and site development. These includes reforestation, agroforestry, silvopasture and enterprise development. Other areas it covers are agroforestry support facilities, policy initiatives, monitoring and evaluation and project management.

Of the total project amount, around P3.56 billion will be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan. The Philippine government will provide counterpart funding of P956.24 million.

The SPAED project, meanwhile, aims to spur economic growth and improve living conditions by providing new job opportunities and increasing the level of investments, particularly in the private sector and to make available short, medium and long term funds to address the credit needs of key players in the agricultural sector. The project will mostly augment the existing fund supply of Landbank to address the credit gaps of three priority sectors related to agriculture.

These include small farmers and fisherfolks, small and medium scale enterprises and anchor firms and agribusiness enterprises. It will also be used for direct lending and conduits, as well as project management and enhancement of information technology and human resources.

For the SPAED project, the Japanese government will provide roughly P7.70 billion. The rest will be the government’s counterpart.

The LINAF project aims to improve infrastructure which directly impact on prices of basic commodities; stimulate economic activity thru sea links between islands and regions; provide greater mobility for commuters, open up new markets for agricultural products and tourism and raise standards of logistics and distribution system to make the country competitive globally. The project covers the provision of Roll-On Roll-Off vessels, roads, packaging transport and distribution facilities, bulk and cold chain and municipal markets.

venntro

March 12th, 2009, 08:02 AM

Group to form watchdog on WB-funded road projects in RP (http://http://www.gmanews.tv/story/152425/Group-to-form-watchdog-on-WB-funded-road-projects-in-RP)
03/12/2009 | 01:45 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) on Thursday said it will form a special body that will keep a watchful eye on road projects funded by the World Bank, which earlier debarred three Filipino firms for purportedly rigging bids to bag contracts worth millions of dollars.

Radio dzBB’s Denver Trinidad quoted TAN executive director Vincent Lazatin as saying that it will form the "Bantay Lansangan" because it has yet to see the government enforce a concrete action to prevent collusion among firms bidding for WB-funded infrastructure projects.

In a press briefing attended by World Bank country director Bert Hofman, Lazatin also said that the government should not blame media for the hype that the scandal caused when it broke out in the previous months.

The Bank on January 15 blacklisted the three Filipino firms, along with four Chinese construction companies after they allegedly colluded in the bidding process for local road projects funded by the multilateral agency. It also suspended the release of $33 million for the projects.

EC de Luna Construction Corp. was barred from bidding for WB Projects while Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp. and CM Pancho Construction Inc. were banned from participating in bidding for four years.

Eduardo de Luna, owner and sole proprietor of EC de Luna, was also permanently banned.

The World Bank also barred China Road and Bridge Corp. from bidding for eight years. China State Construction and China Wu Yi were barred for six years and China Geo-Engineering was barred for five years.

First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and other Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) former and incumbent officials were linked to the mess by witnesses interviewed by the WB.

Mr. Arroyo and those implicated in the controversy have since denied they were involved in the mess. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV

kiretoce

March 13th, 2009, 12:56 PM

Post away folks! :colgate:

Link to Thread 1 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=335443&page=52) in the Archives. :okay:

BOB-bXu

March 13th, 2009, 04:13 PM

so much opportunity for Butuan hope to visit that place

we will be more than glad welcoming you here in Butuan Chris :)

chris_nigel

March 16th, 2009, 02:16 PM

nadaan ako sa indonesia SSC forum dami din nila infra projects d ko lang maintindihan parang naiigit ako..

kaelthas18

March 17th, 2009, 04:34 PM

jsl_bxu1206

March 17th, 2009, 04:43 PM

Upcoming projects

Butuan city Government Training Center, Butuan, Philippines
http://www.rfcemine.com/images/trianing%20center%20bxu.jpg

Butuan city Museum, Butuan city, Philippines (Proposal)
http://www.rfcemine.com/images/New%20Butuan%20Museum.JPG

Butuan city Coliseum, Butuan city, Philippines
http://www.rfcemine.com/images/RFC5.jpg

Source: http://images.google.com.ph/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rfcemine.com/images/New%2520Butuan%2520Museum.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.rfcemine.com/projects.htm&usg=__fjNd90Rx_Gbf1ddEZvLTLodQlDo=&h=664&w=1014&sz=132&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=lLaiuaAE5LRzvM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbutuan%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

BOB-bXu

March 19th, 2009, 04:21 PM

guys, I found a new Butuan website with cool links including SSC ^^

daily photo updates so very active siya....visit daily to keep updated..

here is the web address :

www.butuantoday.tumblr.com

alheaine

March 20th, 2009, 10:15 AM

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/385278251_87e939b6f7.jpg?v=0

Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission
as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909.

There is a presidential mansion, as well as supreme court and legislative offices in Baguio. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'.

The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 ft) in a moist tropical pine forest
conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids.

1940s Baguio

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3175975058_5f52317776_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3176222544_97cdeeedd0_o.jpg

1980s Baguio

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/3037221981_1709856711_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2364/2075478726_3a52e79f6d_b.jpg

Baguio Earthquake

Looking back, it was exactly 4:26 p.m. on Monday, 16 July 1990, that a killer earthquake unexpectedly hit and extensively devastated
the City of Baguio. As reported, the powerful temblor measured 7.7 in the open-ended Richter scale and lasted for 45 seconds.
It was said to be the most destructive earthquakeon record within the Cordillera Region.
There were numerous aftershocks that followed and the strongest, which occured at 3:15 a.m. of July 18, lasted for eight seconds...
and measured 5.3 on the Richer scale.
The five-star Hyatt Terraces Plaza sustained the worst damage when its terraced front collapsed onto the lobby area,
killing about 50 people. The Baguio Park Hotel along Harrison Road was a total wreck.
The luxurious Nevada Hotel which is located right across from the main gate of Camp John Hay was ripped in half by the quake,
leaving a huge gash in the middle of the structure.
The Saint Vincent Catholic Church along Naguilian Road was spared by the strong quake,
however a portion of its retaining wall and parking area was damaged and collapsed to the road below.
The church, which has withstood typhoons, bombings during the 2nd World War,
and other disasters, suffered only minor damage.

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake200.jpghttp://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake100.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake01.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake02.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake03.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake05.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake29.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake22.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake11.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake35.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake10.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake15.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake27.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake38.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/lingayenbay/quake37.jpg

The Philippine Military Academy at Fort Del Pilar was also one of the worst hit portions in the city.
The parade ground mushroomed into a tent city where cadets pitched tents after their barracks was destroyed.
There were many other buildings and familiar landmarks of Baguio which were damaged and classified as hazards.
These included the Skyworld Condominium and Commercial Center along Session Road,
The Royal Inn at Magsaysay Avenue, and the controversial Baguio Hilltop Hotel which was constructed on a hill behind the Baguio Public Market.
Because of the extensive devastation, Baguio City was described to be a virtual "war zone."
Also, it was running low on water, fuel, food, and other miscellaneous basic
necessities to include much-needed medicines for the injured and sick people.

21st Century Baguio

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1196/1460049689_49ddbc4eba.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/3073004357_7c6741be01_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/3073863255_635e504fed_b.jpg?v=0

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1095/3174264478_86fdc5ff67_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/3173432125_01cc820789_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1147/3174265680_ced6abc6d4_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/3173428949_5b94cd5f86_b.jpg

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/23/photos/242/1200x1200/14/-RM14205-copy-1.JPG?et=GgpkF4dIqFWWK%2BlHTOIhAg&nmid=99829607

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/20/photos/242/1200x1200/13/-RM14194-copy-1.JPG?et=1%2CdmQYWgRfmUpBAKpCO02g&nmid=99664001

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/23/photos/242/1200x1200/15/-RM14144-copy-1.JPG?et=5n6etLo%2CizqVS8u5KSUZCw&nmid=101209184
^^
Due to its limited length the runway is restricted to commuter size aircraft. The airport is used primarily by helicopters, turbo-prop and piston
engine aircraft, although on rare occasion light business jets (LBJ) have flown into the airport.

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/38/photos/242/1200x1200/8/-RPM1485-copy-1.JPG?et=VfhOx3%2Cdyie2Vj5keTg4tQ&nmid=73765072

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/44/photos/242/1200x1200/3/7786-1.JPG?et=5cahT6MsObdCWP1pXfbvWw&nmid=71400944

http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/5/photos/126/1200x1200/70/IMGP3911.JPG?et=yU6aPAJQtUYx38zInnJb6Q&nmid=129535584

http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/5/photos/126/1200x1200/55/IMGP3912.JPG?et=kIl9Yt%2C7aRorOaDf7XzEUQ&nmid=129535584

http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/4/photos/126/1200x1200/130/IMGP3915.JPG?et=UTDVo0BXLaq%2C3VQqdaujTQ&nmid=129535584

http://images.dxpsycho427.multiply.com/image/7/photos/30/1200x1200/5/100-1083.JPG?et=9RI8qqYvEzpa1OJgi6hXiw&nmid=135158994

http://images.dxpsycho427.multiply.com/image/5/photos/30/1200x1200/6/100-1084.JPG?et=PHdiJ4BAtla3jvqPwoMX%2Bg&nmid=135158994

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Xmas%20in%20Pinas%202008/DSC02268.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Xmas%20in%20Pinas%202008/DSC02269.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Xmas%20in%20Pinas%202008/DSC02274.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Xmas%20in%20Pinas%202008/DSC02277.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Xmas%20in%20Pinas%202008/DSC02276.jpg

http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/8/photos/126/1200x1200/73/IMGP4094.JPG?et=Ye0OB3YbHuSBA6df5MwQIw&nmid=129535584

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo261/hirolionheart/DSCF1847.jpghttp://www.gmanews.tv/images/topstories/ZZZ_100608_2_b.jpg

http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/7/photos/126/1200x1200/164/IMGP4027.JPG?et=IL%2CUY7U6T%2CzpeOG72iXuTQ&nmid=129535584

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/1835487512_05bd918ab1.jpg?v=1194055625http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2976375621_ce59818765.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3041/2976271537_b2b45a355e.jpg?v=0http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/1093266541_2bb52ad779.jpg?v=0

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/37/photos/242/1200x1200/5/-DSC7779-copy-1.JPG?et=swc6QjyrU%2CH7lttmI%2CwL8Q&nmid=72395143

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3309900509_037bc63c42_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3309898993_18e8e81750_o.jpg

The city of is known for its comparatively mild climate. It is because of this that Baguio is nicknamed the "Summer Capital of the Philippines".
Owing to its high elevation and altitude, temperatures in the city are much lower than the norm for most of the country.
During the year-end holiday months, temperatures regularly average from 13.8 to 23.3 degrees Celsius.
The lowest ever recorded temperature was 6.3 degrees Celsius on January 18, 1961.
This is in contrast to the all-time high of 30.4 degrees Celsius
recorded on March 15, 1988 during the 1988 El Nino season.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2365/2151947714_36242aebc9.jpg?v=0http://farm1.static.flickr.com/23/33117694_bc14d5d7e7.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/3052424862_b138092d59.jpg?v=0http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/3052424900_d4e124c329.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/3051628297_61335bf227.jpg?v=0http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2871717273_a451b723ae.jpg?v=0

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn18/baguiowriter/LaperalbyRichardBalonglong.jpg

http://phil.treasuresoftheinternet.org/pics/people/a/adlaw/baguio/n_98194647_b.jpg

According to the 2007 census, Baguio City has a population of 301,926.
The City of Baguio will be celebrating its Centennial on September 1, 2009. The celebrations will mark
the first 100 years of the Baguio City Charter,
which was authored by former Philippines Supreme Court Justice George A. Malcolm.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3208692589_3153abb712_o.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3208692595_969ba627f5_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3277045468_9a3ab7c0ff_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/Baguio2009.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/3340529959_869de418fb_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3309896463_15c4afcb67_o.jpg

Baguio Twilight
14http://images.icarusrising.multiply.com/image/10/photos/126/1200x1200/52/IMGP4116.JPG?et=YwsK6zvCDiMYrQTTz6IKZQ&nmid=129535584

sairoangel

March 20th, 2009, 12:23 PM

nice pics...

sushi___

March 20th, 2009, 03:17 PM

being from baguio those pics are nostalgic... love it

sairoangel

March 20th, 2009, 05:31 PM

agawed tayun diay bantay...

chris_nigel

March 21st, 2009, 01:47 PM

nice pics sana makapunta ngayong summer

sushi___

March 24th, 2009, 07:05 AM

Moody’s: Gov’t stimulus plan on right track

By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:14:00 03/24/2009

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance

MANILA, Philippines — The government appears to be on the right track, following its decision to spend more on infrastructure to stimulate the economy rather than focusing on tax breaks and basic services, a unit of credit rating agency Moody’s Corp. said.

Moody’s Economy.com’s report on various stimulus packages throughout the Asia-Pacific said the government’s best bets would be projects on building roads, railroads and power transmission grids.

According to the paper, authored by Australia-based economist Tine Olsen, such projects may offer higher returns considering that there is a lack of these crucial facilities in the country relative to others.

Olsen said infrastructure spending, cash payouts and tax cuts dominated stimulus packages in the region.

Infrastructure spending is adequate for most emerging economies because this may create greater growth in the long run, compared to shopping vouchers for consumers, which governments of more advanced economies prefer, she added.

Citing data on World Development indicators, Olsen said infrastructure projects would benefit the Philippines more from road and rail construction than Japan, India, South Korea and Vietnam — all of which have more of these than the Philippines.

Another area with potential is the development of larger and more reliable electric systems that facilitate higher long-run growth.

WD indicators show that the Philippines, India and Hong Kong have some of the highest levels of power systems loss or the amount of electricity lost in distribution.

“The Asia-Pacific region is in a sense luckier than Europe, since it is still emerging and investment in infrastructure will not only stimulate the economy now, but also increase long-run growth,” Olsen said.

“On the other hand, export-oriented Asian economies also have to respond to a sharper downturn in the current business cycle.”

According to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the government is embarking on the first wave of pump-priming this year with P160 billion worth of small infrastructure projects.

The NEDA said the amount would be spent in some 3,000 “shovel-ready” projects in rural areas such as farm-to-market roads, irrigation and other fast-moving, community-based initiatives.

The amount is also part of a P330-billion package that is meant to fund the government’s economic resiliency program aimed at sustaining the economy’s growth despite the worsening effects of a global financial crisis.

The second wave of pump-priming through public construction will start in 2010. This involves large projects such as circumferential roads, toll ways and light rail lines.

Stimulus second wave by 2010? im hoping based on the last paragraph

light rail lines -- LRT South Extension? MRT 7?

circumferential roads -- C6?

toll ways -- North Luzon East Expressway, North Luzon Expressway, South Luzon Expressway Extension

-sharkleman125-

March 26th, 2009, 11:07 AM

hey mr bob_bxu is roble shipping has an available route to nasipit??

venntro

April 7th, 2009, 04:49 AM

GMA advances deadline for P40-billion infrastructure projects (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=455841&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated April 07, 2009 12:00 AM

LUBAO, Pampanga, Philippines – Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Hermogenes Esperon said recently that the deadline for the various projects set by President Arroyo in her past State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs) has been moved forward to December 2009 from the original 2010 target.

These are mostly infrastructure projects nationwide amounting to P40 billion.

In an interview during the celebration of Mrs. Arroyo’s 62nd birthday here Sunday, Esperon said “we have moved the deadline for the projects from 2010 to this December.”

“As PMS head, I am now focusing on SONA commitments including major thoroughfares such as the South Luzon Expressway, the roads connecting to Batangas, and also the road that will connect Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union,” Esperon said.

He said that as early as January, the President had instructed that no less than 60 percent of these projects be bidded out to private contractors within the first quarter of this year.

“So by February, most of the projects were already bidded out,” he said, referring to P20 billion worth of irrigation projects and P6 billion worth of farm-to-market roads.

Esperon, however, also admitted that some projects could still not be completed this year, including the long-delayed Caloocan-to-Clark railway and the modern passenger terminal at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at the Clark Freeport.

“We have added more funds for the railway,” he said, referring to the $317 million additional cost for the $1 billion railway which has been delayed for five years.

But North Luzon Railways Corp. (Northrail) chairman Edgardo Pamintuan said that Mrs. Arroyo has insisted on the completion of the project before her term expires next year.

Sources from the Clark International Airport Corp., meantime, admitted that the new terminal, whose private contractor has yet to be picked, could be finished only in the latter part of next year, past the Arroyo administration. – Ding Cervantes

kalbongdad

April 7th, 2009, 03:55 PM

dapat matapos yun by 2010 para part ng legacy niya....

flip2_0

April 7th, 2009, 07:22 PM

By: Jess V. Antiporda
Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2009-04-04&sec=4&aid=89748

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Maharlika_Highway_map.png/250px-Maharlika_Highway_map.png

THE Depatment of Public Works an Highways (DPWH) adapts the installation of Route Markers and Directional Signs along the 3,512 kilometers UN declared Asian Highway- Route AH26 or the 3,517km Daang Maharlika Highway which starts from Laoag City and ends in Zamboanga City, a project of the United Nations in promoting trade and tourism industry in Asia.

The Asian Highway (AH) Network was conceived by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) for a coordinated development and upgrading of existing regional highways system among member countries.

The Philippines, as one of the 32 member countries of ESCAP, has been assigned the Asian Highway route number AH26 and it is now considered as one of the major route links connecting seaports and cities in the country.

In his Department Order, Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. instructed the DPWH Planning Service to conduct project evaluation while the regional planning and design division will conduct the field survey and submit the exact locations/sites for the said markers. The DPWH regional and district offices will implement the project.

“The installation of these vital signs and markers is in compliance with the Philippines’ commitment to the UN-ESCAP to promote trade, international as well as local tourism, by providing reliable and efficient road information about routes, directions, destinations, and point of interest and enhance cooperation in the development of a harmonized and coordinated regional land transport infrastructure network and in the improvement of the interconnectivity of land transport” Ebdane said.

The standard design and specification of the route markers and directional signs will be based on the DPWH Road Signs and Pavement Markings Manual.

The project will be implemented in two phases. Phase one includes the regions I, II, III, NCR, IV-A and V, while phase 2 includes regions VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, and XIII. The project is scheduled for pilot implementation in Ilocos region this year.

sushi___

April 8th, 2009, 03:00 AM

NEDA pushes Cordillera Roads Improvement Project
By Iris C. Gonzales Updated April 08, 2009 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=456120&publicationSubCategoryId=66

MANILA, Philippines - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is pushing for the Cordillera Roads Improvement Project as part of the government’s Economic Resiliency Plan.

NEDA-CAR director Juan Ngalob said this project will provide a major road network and further integrate and interconnect the region with its neighbors.

“The existing transportation system was oriented towards centers of Regions I and II. Through the CRIP, it is hoped that the different parts of the region become accessible to each other,” he said.

The project involves building a north-south trunkline and an east-west lateral connection from Region I to Region II, passing through the Cordillera. From 2001 to 2008, two components of the project have been completed — the 80-kilometer La Trinidad-Mt. Data section, a World Bank-assisted project costing P1.2 billion and completed in 2005; and the 68-kilometer Baguio-Aritao Road or the Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya road, a Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)-supported project costing P1.56 billion and completed in 2008.

Ongoing components of the project are the 90-kilometer Mt. Data-Bontoc-Banaue Road, costing P1.75 billion and the 98-kilometer Bontoc-Lubuagan-Tabuk Road, which costs P1.37 billion. Both projects are locally funded under the State of the Nation Address-North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (SONA-NLAQ). Another ongoing component is the 32-kilometer JBIC-supported Abatan-Mankayan-Cervantes Road (Benguet-Ilocos Sur Road), costing P506,000. All these projects are expected to be finished this year.

The other components of the project to be programmed are the Cagayan-Apayao-Ilocos Norte Road (Tuao-Kabugao-San Nicolas Road), whose feasibility study has been completed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), while the Abra-Kalinga Road and the Cervantes-Sabangan Road components will be re-submitted to the NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee for foreign assistance.

kalbongdad

April 8th, 2009, 07:17 AM

stanleymalls

April 9th, 2009, 05:37 PM

^^ Nice! Mas lalo pang mapagbubuklod ang lahat ng ating 7107 isla sa bansa!

Go Philippines!

frustratedarchitect

April 11th, 2009, 09:28 AM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3328488443_b37aa6688f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3328491421_12e5b1b07a_b.jpg

This isnt the Baguio Daniel Burnham preceived a hundred years ago.:)

Ecija

April 11th, 2009, 03:21 PM

nice pics.....although meron akong napansin...mas marami na ang mga bahay kesa trees lalo na dun sa may mga squatters as in buong bundok natabunan na ng mga bahay.....if they don't watch out this place will go to the dogs....if you have noticed madalas nasa news ang baguio ngayon...dahil sa rumble ng mga lasing sa gabi.....sa session road pa....ano kaya ginagawa ng mga pulis dun...NATUTULOG......what a waste...hindi na ako atat na umakyat ng baguio coz everytime akong umaakyat nadidisappoint ako papangit ng papangit ang baguio....after a few more years baka ang magandang lugar na lang dyan ay ang john hay...

Nakakalungkot nga isipin na ang Baguio ay unti-unting nagiging biktima ng uncontrolled development. Sana magkaroon sila ng urban planning na mangangalaga sa likas na ganda at yaman ng Baguio. Sana hindi dumating yung time na kailanganin pa ng city government na magkaroon ng programa na "Buhayin ang Baguio".

richard24

April 11th, 2009, 03:44 PM

i miss baguio. i should have taken an entrance exam at BCF. :( sana tumakbo tito ko sa baguio for 2010. sasabihin ko sa kanya lahat ng concerns na andito.

RonnieR

April 12th, 2009, 03:43 AM

In the Inquirer Special Feature today, April 12:

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) has unveiled the five projects:

1. NLEX Segment 8.1 - to connect Mindanao Avenue in QC to NLEX, cutting travel time from Tandang Sora to Valenzuela from 32 to 8 minutes.
2. NLEX Segment 9, to connect NLEX to MacArthur Highway
3. NLEX Segment 10, combined with Segment 9, will reduce travel time from MacArthur Highway to Port Area to only 10 minutes.
4. NLEX-SLEX Skyway connector will be built over rail tracks between C3 in Caloocan and Buendia in Makati, travel time from Balintaway to Buendia to just 16 minutes,
5. Stage 2 of Skyway, will cut travel time from Buendia to Alabang to only 15 minutes.

MPTC said that once these projects are are completed, will integrate the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressways, NLEX and Skyway into a single expressway network. This network would have a total length of 226 kilometers and would bring the Philippines at par with major Asian countries in terms of seamless expressways systems.
:)

garzland

April 12th, 2009, 08:06 AM

^^A good news indeed! What is the time frame for this?

bartstrife99

April 12th, 2009, 09:00 AM

[QUOTE=flip2_0;34807754]By: Jess V. Antiporda
Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php?issue=2009-04-04&sec=4&aid=89748

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Maharlika_Highway_map.png/250px-Maharlika_Highway_map.png

Ganda nito ah vision ko dito ay Luzviminda National Expressway at Railway system pang 1st World Project sana mag katotoo kahit 10 years yung duration ng project :banana::banana:

adgaps

April 12th, 2009, 10:59 AM

yey! magiging world-class na ang expressway natin... hehe... :banana::banana:

garzland

April 13th, 2009, 12:23 AM

Completion of NLEX Segment 8.1 to make Valenzuela economically more vibrant (http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Cities_And_Towns_23/Completion_of_NLEX_Segment_8_1_to_make_Valenzuela_economically_more_vibrant.shtml)

MANILA, April 13 (PNA) — The Valenzuela local government announced that the speedy completion of the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Segment 8.1 will greatly aid in economically developing the city.

”Once completed, NLEX Segment 8.1 will become an important route to and from Valenzuela City. This project will truly support the aim of the city to be a vibrant center of commerce and industry in the north of the National Capital Region," said Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian.

NLEX Segment 8.1, which has a construction cost of P2.1 billion, is a 2.7-kilometer roadway linking Mindanao Ave. in Quezon City to the NLEX main gateway in Valenzuela City.

This project will have 2x2 lanes, a two-way service road and a clover leaf interchange north of Balintawak toll plaza.

Segment 8.1 is part of the NLEX Phase 2 project which consists of four toll road projects with an aggregate length of 22.48 kilometers that will provide access to the NLEX main from all four directions —north, east, west and south- and substantially ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Government involvement in both Phase I and 2 is extensive, largely in right-of–way (ROW) acquisition and resettlement of affected informal settlers.

For Segment 8.1, these required allocations of P907 million to acquire 347 individual lots, and an additional P600 million for resettlement purposes.

Gatchalian also lauded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s decision to fast track the program as this indicates the national government’s commitment in building and developing infrastructure at par with the Philippine’s other Southeast Asia neighbors.

NLEX Segment 8.1 is part of Mrs. Arroyo’s program to decongest Metro Manila.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MNTC), formerly First Philippine Infrastructure Inc., earlier announced it is speeding up the construction of the Northern (NLEX) Segment 8.1.

MNTC added that with Leighton Contractors (Philippines), Inc. as civil works contractor, Segment 8.1 is expected to be completed on or before April 30, 2010.

Its financing was secured through a seven-year loan facility extended by the Philippine National Bank (PNB) as arranged by the PNB Capital and Investments Corp.

MNTC added Segment 8.1 will also have a toll collection system similar to that of NLEX, along with other vital service amenities such as traffic management and communication, median lighting, lane markings, signage, emergency call boxes and lay by—all fully integrated with the NLEX mainline at no additional toll fees to motorists.
Egis Projects Philippines will supply the equipment for the project. (PNA)

sushi___

April 13th, 2009, 07:53 AM

GMA: Complete Halsema repair by end of 2009

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20090412-198961/GMA-Complete-Halsema-repair-by-end-of-2009

By Delmar Cariño
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 23:12:00 04/12/2009

Filed Under: Civil & Public Services, Infrastructure, Road Transport, Economy and Business and Finance

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the completion this year of repair of the vital Halsema Highway, which links Benguet, Mountain Province, and Ifugao, to avoid further delay in the growth of Northern Luzon as an agriculture and business hub.

During a lunch with reporters here on Maundy Thursday, Arroyo said the project’s job and income opportunities had prompted her to order the Department of Public Works and Highways to fast-track its completion by December.

No reason for delay

“I could see no reason the project would be further delayed. I was told there were problems on the acquisition of road right of way but we could always expropriate,” she said.

“There are no new roads being constructed. They are the same routes that needed to be repaired,” she said.

The Halsema Highway stretches from La Trinidad, Benguet to Banaue, Ifugao through Mt. Province.

The repair of the La Trinidad to Mt. Data section in Bauko, Mt. Province (84 kilometers) has already been finished, but work on the Mt. Data to Bontoc, Mt. Province (50.49 km) and Bontoc to Banaue, Ifugao (44.8 km) sections is still ongoing.

The President was supposed to inspect the Bontoc-Banaue section on April 8, but the visit was cancelled following Thursday’s helicopter crash in Tinoc, Ifugao, which killed members of her advance team.

To shorten program

In March, Roy Manao, DPWH director in the Cordillera, told Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Presidential Management Staff chief, that he had ordered the project’s contractors to shorten their program of work from 450 to 300 days to beat the deadline set by the chief executive.

But Ifugao’s Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB) said the project had spawned illegal quarrying within Sumigar, an area near Mt. Polis, a critical watershed. It asked Arroyo to stop the quarrying which, it said, has seriously threatened the rainforests.

The board, headed by Governor Teodoro Baguilat Jr., accused the contractors of extracting sand and gravel from Sumigar instead of Bagabag town in Nueva Vizcaya as stated in the program of work.

Earlier, Esperon asked the DPWH, provincial officials, contractors, and Sumigar residents to meet and discuss possible solutions to the problem.

The Halsema Highway also connects Baguio City to Ifugao through the Baguio-Aritao (Nueva Vizcaya) Road.

Arroyo said the road repair's completion would boost local economy through a higher level of economic integration and becoming “the tourism circumferential road of the Cordillera.”

She cited the project as a priority in her 2006 State of the Nation Address, in which she created the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle super region

MatudNilaBaby

April 14th, 2009, 10:22 PM

^^ Nice! Mas lalo pang mapagbubuklod ang lahat ng ating 7107 isla sa bansa!

Go Philippines!

please take a look at the map. region 6 and 7 are not even part of it. who do you think you are dpwh?

habagatcentral1

April 14th, 2009, 11:55 PM

^^ Hmmm..I think if that would be the basis of making roads, why make roads with much RoRo ferry stations as compared to few? Sounds practical isn't it?

And besides, the current Western Strong Republic Nautical Highway that the Arroyo Administration initiated still needs to repair their roads from Manila to Zamboanga via Mindoro, Panay, Negros and Zamboanga; Central Strong Republic thru Cebu and Masbate.

I think that illustration on the map is a legacy of the Pan-Philippine Highway or Maharlika Highway which is already an existing highway system since the Marcos era. And besides, does being not included in the said highway would leave the regions mentioned to neglect of progress? I don't think so. ;)

All they can do now is to improve SNRH to its most tip-top shape and not just asphalt patching or asphalt that usually has a 4-year life duration, IMHO....:lol:

RonnieR

April 15th, 2009, 07:13 AM

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

BPO to hire 500,000 workers
in Mindanao, government says

The government sees a robust Philippine economy despite the global financial crisis, as housing, food, tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) industries “remain to be resilient,” a Palace official said Tuesday.

Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd, quoting Socioeconomic planning Secretary Ralph Recto, said the BPO industry will hire 500,000 jobs in Mindanao to mitigate rampant layoffs.

Recto made his presentation during the Cabinet meeting in Fort Bonifacio Tuesday.

Bello noted the April 5 report of Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, which showed the tapering off of job losses as 14,000 displaced employees affected by the global layoffs were hired back.

Other signs of economic resilience include the expansion plans of giant food manufacturers and the continued “double-digit growth” of shopping malls, he said.

“Tourism has not been seriously affected. Tourist traffic in the first quarter of 2009 went up based on the data from airlines and other transport players,” Bello said.

Meanwhile, he said President Gloria Arroyo on Tuesday ins*tructed the Department of Public Works and Highways to check whether the construction of Luzon Avenue and C5 road is being implemented 24/7.

“The completion of the project will improve the traffic flow in Metro Manila and solve the problem of unemployment,” Bello added.

Sixty percent of the announced infrastructure projects this year will be offered for bidding during the first semester as farm-to-market roads and irrigation projects must reach 60 percent completion according to annual targets, he said.
--Danielle Clara P. Dandan With Angelo S. Samonte

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/april/15/yehey/metro/20090415met4.html

bledzoe

April 15th, 2009, 05:45 PM

Butuan sceneries are breathtaking!

bustero

April 16th, 2009, 09:57 AM

^^500,000 BPO jobs in Mindanao! Where the heck did he get those figures!

kalbongdad

April 16th, 2009, 02:05 PM

nice project.....sana matupad....mukhang meron vision ang mga lider nyo dyan...galing......

adgaps

April 20th, 2009, 12:03 PM

^^ in those 500,000 people to be hired, only around 100, 000 or less will be actually hired... because of mismatches...

sushi___

April 21st, 2009, 08:11 AM

Baguio Streetcar Proposal

http://www.i-baguio.com/baguio-streetcar-proposal/

March 21, 2009 by lisa
Filed under attractions & landmarks, travel & transportation

3 Comments

Rumors of a tram, train or streetcar line in downtown Baguio City have been floated around for a decade now. The first “serious” plan we heard was in the late 1990s coming rom the Camp John Hay developer, Bob Sobrepena who wanted to connect Camp John Hay to Session Road. That would have been a Loakan-Session line that passes through Upper Session Road and reaches the Baguio City Market and goes back up again.

The idea for a tram mimics the cable car lines of downtown San Francisco that has about four cable car lines crossing the city and honestly, this would be a most charming addition to the Summer Capital of the Philippines. I have long imagined such an attraction going down Session Road.

Such a proposal here again, this time coming from a most unlikely place — Spain.
The Proposed Route

The Philippines ambassador to Spain, Joseph Delano Bernardo, who happens to be a Baguio resident, has gotten a Spanish engineering firm to make a proposal to the city government for a railway that will “run on Session Road, Gov. Pack Road and the Government Center area where the Supreme Court, Baguio Convention Center and a University of the Philippines campus are situated, and will return to the central business district through Harrison Road, where Burnham Park can be accessed.”

Now, I feel all that route will be good ONLY if cars will no longer be allowed pass through Session Road and jeepneys no longer allowed to pass Harrison Road. Otherwise, the train will just add to the confusion that is the city center and be a mere tourist attraction and not necessarily help clean our air.

How will it serve to minimize traffic and pollution in the city center when all else remains the same?

So I feel that proposed route may not necessarily serve the city well because folks are coming from the far reaches of the City of Pines. Although a fine tourist attraction, I am afraid it will be a taxpayers expense that will merely benefit Henry Sy and SM Prime Holdings if the insidious plans of giving him the Baguio Convention Center pushes through.
Make the tram useful, not merely decorative

I feel that if we were to undertake a “clean air” eco-friendly transportation system, why don’t we have trains crossing the city, bringing everyone from end to end? I propose at least two major routes:

1. Loakan (EPZA) to La Trinidad passing through Session Road, Baguio City Market, Magsaysay until it reaches the La Trinidad Capitol.

Alternatively we can have a Mines View-La Trinidad Route.

2. Naguilian to Kennon - passing through Abanao, Harrison, Governor Pack and ending at the BGH Rotonda

These two lines pass through the city center where people get on and off and so that jeepneys will no longer use the streets in the CBD as depots and waiting stations.

For example, the notorious Trancoville jeepneys (that my sources say number about 1,000) will no longer have pass a circuitous route going southward passing Harrison, go eastward passing through the Cathedral till it gets to Rimando when Trancoville is on the northern side of the city? The jeepneys should be made to confine themselves to that area. Folks who get off from the tram line can hop on to their jeepneys that will bring them to their final destination and be confined to specific areas only.

My proposal will stop jeepneys from crossing the city center because we will already have the trains for that purpose. Honestly, this inefficient “isang sakay” system is actually the reason the city center is congested and polluted because 8,000 jeepneys GO to and STAY at the city center instead of merely passing through. Besides, our “system” is one ride only to the city center, not across town, which it should be.

Baguio should “open up” if it truly wants a Metro Baguio. Don’t put everything just in the city center (i.e. the tram) for that where all this “trouble” of congestion, pollution and crime lies.
Promises, promises

Finally, this is one of those projects, although most charming, that “is left to be seen.” I have heard Mayor Bautista saying the fake pine tree atop Session Road will be replaced with water fountains, or that there may be snow in Baguio, in cooperation with Koreans who wanted to bring in snow machines. But none of these have come to pass.

All I have seen is a contract for Php60 MILLION for the hauling of our garbage to Tarlac for a few months last year. And an ugly, unnecessary, expensive, totally frivolous and capricious Domogan-Vergara flyover.

edly

April 21st, 2009, 03:38 PM

arnolds

April 23rd, 2009, 06:05 AM

Obscure firms fly high, bag huge DPWH deals
http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=3550

Maxxclip

April 24th, 2009, 06:40 AM

magandang pakinggan na mabilis na umuunlad ang Baguio at kilala na bilang "Summer Capital of The Philippines" subalit nakakalungkot isipin na gayun din kabilis makalbo ang dating mga luntiang bundok na siyang dahilan kung bakit nananatiling malamig ang klima sa lugar.

nawa'y isa-alang-alang ng mga taga-Baguio ang pagpapanatili ng dati nitong ganda:)

bustero

April 24th, 2009, 10:06 AM

yeah read the article , disturbing indeed

it seems like the choice for progress is that we accept inate corruption and get some things done or not accept corruption and perhaps get nothing done at all...

sloanesquare

April 24th, 2009, 10:26 AM

some friends just spent last week in Baguio.
They said the cooler weather was great.
They also commented on piles and piles of rotting smelly garbage piled up.

ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE OUTDONE OURSELVES....PROUD NA PROUD ...

i suppose the mayor did not notice the sights and smells.

When you have a place that has such a natural advantage and you destroy it is it any wonder that everything nice is the Philippines is by membership only.

venntro

May 5th, 2009, 02:53 AM

San Miguel Corp. eyes control of Tarlac-La Union road project (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=464292&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña Updated May 05, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Food and beverage giant San Miguel Corp. is looking to acquire a controlling interest in the P15-billion Tarlac-La Union Expressway project, an official of one of the project proponents said.

Isidro Consunji, president of DMCI Holdings Inc., said San Miguel has started its 60-day due diligence study on the project. “They are looking to acquire 51 percent,” he said.

The project is being undertaken by a consortium of local private contractors called Private Infra Development Corp. (PIDC), in which DMCI owns a 34-percent stake.

The operate-build-transfer (BoT) project involves the construction of an 88.5-kilometer, four-lane expressway from La Paz in Tarlac to Rosario in La Union.

Tarlac is a critical crossroad for the project as it completes the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and North Luzon Expressway loops.

Construction is scheduled to begin this year and is targeted for completion in 2012. Once completed, travel time from Manila to Baguio will be reduced from six to three hours with a safe speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The project’s first section is set for completion and operation by 2010 while full tollway operations is expected by 2013.

Aside from DMCI, other members of the consortium include the Lopez-led First Balfour, EEI Corp., C.M. Pancho Construction, R.D. Policarpio & Co. Inc., D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, J.V. Angeles Construction, J.E. Manalo & Co. Inc., New Kanlaon Construction Inc. and Rockford Development.

First Balfour has a 34-percent interest in the consortium while the rest hold between two to six percent interest.

mason28viz

May 18th, 2009, 06:37 AM

LA CIUDAD DE BAGUIO

7X_mga5iWH4

Metro Baguio (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, and Tuba - BLIST) will be a HUGE METROPOLITAN in 10-20 years time.

Masyadong maraming development ngayon sa buong Metro Baguio.

Sabi ng Instructor ko, by the END OF THIS CENTURY, Baguio, will look like HONG KONG. Kulang kasi ang Land Area sa dumaraming tao kaya ang mga buildings mas tumataas. Kahit idecentralized ang mga facilities sa Central Business District to other neighboring districts, ganun pa rin - hndi nababawasan ang tao; Lalo pang dumarami.

sushi___

May 20th, 2009, 10:42 AM

Once elected, Fernando mulls an engineering-based country
By Johna Baylon Updated May 20, 2009 04:21 PM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...CategoryId=200

MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando intends to run an engineering-based country if he is elected as president in May 2010.

"The country needs engineering-based solutions," said Fernando, who was a guest at the 21st Induction Ceremony of the Confederation of Filipino Consultants Inc. this afternoon in Greenhills, San Juan City.

Fernando said a developing country like the Philippines needs to develop infrastructures such as roads and bridges in order to progress. While streets and sidewalks need to be cleared to improve traffic, he said people must also respect public property.

"If you want to change people's social behavior, you need to change his social environment," he said.

Claiming credit for the achievements of the MMDA, which under his leadership improved traffic infrastructures in Metro Manila, Fernando said the country "needs an engineer as president."

He added that he would provide more job opportunities for engineers when he becomes president.

View previous articles from this author.

frustratedarchitect

May 21st, 2009, 06:38 AM

^^ I kind of agree with you.Pag I combine mo ang population ng Baguio, La Trinidad, Tuba, Itogon and Sablan, hindi pa lalagpas ng 450,000 pero napaka urbanized na, what more kung madadagdagan pa ng tao, considering na limited lang ang land area ng Baguio, there's no way but up. Madami nang proposals for high rise buildings in and out of Baguio. Kailangan madaliin ang improvement ng infra ng Baguio para maaccomodate yung rapid growth.

greenshields

May 23rd, 2009, 02:17 AM

Or maybe try to assess din if Baguio still has the carrying capacity for high density development. Perhaps the sprawl will be better. Whichever should be the subject of careful assessment. Di pa naman too late for the City but it is definitely going towards disaster in as far as urban development is concerned with its current trajectory.

frustratedarchitect

May 24th, 2009, 09:49 AM

Overdevelopment and poor governance was a poor mix in Baguio.

Anyway, one of them foot bridges in Baguio

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3559000540_9b34ea9470.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/3558190167_c664ccd9c1.jpg?v=0

frustratedarchitect

June 15th, 2009, 01:47 AM

frustratedarchitect

June 21st, 2009, 12:29 PM

http://i41.tinypic.com/t4vf3b.jpg
Photo credit: andy atsaka (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gabriel93/)

Dakpa ang akong tiil

July 1st, 2009, 09:42 AM

dpat i'prioritize ang infra esp in the city proper areas...
ayos ang upcoming projects nyo ha!
i lyk the museum

frustratedarchitect

July 3rd, 2009, 11:08 AM

BENGUET GENERAL HOSPITAL , La Trinidad: Designed by Japanese Architect Soheii Kitakka

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/3684161560_f575443cfa.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2635/3683342239_f46eb28f73.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3684145384_90b757463a.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3684144784_127ea1f6eb.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2447/3683337391_eac0df771b.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3684148794_8b12bd6af0.jpg?v=0

It is energy efficient with its use of solar panels

spearhead

July 16th, 2009, 06:35 PM

Philippine infrastructure rated world’s second-worst
By: Ben Arnold O. de Vera | Manila Times
14 July 2009 | 9:41 AM

Print this article Email to a friend Digg this Add to del.icio.us

The Philippines scored the second worst in terms of infrastructure in this year’s World Competitiveness Yearbook, according to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center, the local partner of Switzerland-based Institute of Management Development.

Out of 57 countries surveyed, the Philippines ranked 56th.

Overall, the country ranked 43rd, or two notches down from last year, and was the lowest among 11 Asia-Pacific nations included in the survey.

The World Competitiveness Yearbook measured a country’s performance on four “competitiveness factors,” namely economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.

“Infrastructure is extremely critical. Urgent action is needed and failure to do so will pull down our performance in the other [competitiveness] factors as well,” Felipe Alfonso, AIM interim president, said.

Ma. Lourdes Sereno, AIM Policy Center executive director, said the country must not only invest in basic infrastructure, but also in technological, scientific and social—health and education—infrastructure.

The survey noted that the Philippines’ rankings in the areas of water transportation, energy infrastructure and future energy supply have worsened. The country also has a poor performance in scientific infrastructure, and is in the bottom rung in the education sector. The country is ranked last in basic infrastructure.

Sereno said the government should create and track an infrastructure development plan, which will include not only hard infrastructure but also energy, education and scientific infrastructure.

As expected. Despite of all these projects, the philippines didn't even have a reliable recycling plant, modern garbage collection management system and landfills, no large and modern airports, and the worst our mass transit system sucks!

Even with the BF's Pink crusade in placed around MM, there are other bigger challenges ahead of these government officials to tackle such as those hanging street wires, clogged waterways, SQUATTERS along the pasig river, efficient water supplies, and those other homeless people who have no proper place to live.

But in fairness, we could just wait and see if these existing projects can propell us in the next survey.

brightblade

July 17th, 2009, 04:53 PM

now how could we improve our ranking with thee xisting budget deficit?

la_ciudadista

July 18th, 2009, 06:24 AM

now how could we improve our ranking with thee xisting budget deficit?

cut corruption and there will be more money for more and quality infrastructure nationwide.

earlat

July 18th, 2009, 11:57 AM

^^ :ohno: CORRUPTION is the big problem.. :ohno:

spearhead

July 20th, 2009, 06:31 AM

While it's almost impossible to neutralize corruption, yes it can be reduced. But then, the philippines should now pursue some seriousness in investing more to their tourism industry like more promotions ooutside asia & europe. Because it is one of the most effective immediate solution of collecting more returns or revenues from this investments to boost our national budget, compared to relying too much from mining, export of manpower, and even manufacturing. This will fasten our developments in infrastructure by using tourism revenues while discouraging corruptions in the government.

RonnieR

July 21st, 2009, 06:13 AM

can't find the thread for this.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=488532&publicationSubCategoryId=66

San Miguel eyes stake in P15-billion toll road project
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña Updated July 21, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has entered into a non-binding agreement to acquire a substantial stake in Private Infrastructure Development Corp. (PIDC), which won a government concession to build and operate the P15-billion Tarlac-La Union expressway project.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday, San Miguel said the parties agreed to execute and finalize a definitive agreement which shall be subject to government approval.

San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said the move is part of a strategy to diversify from the group’s core beer brewing business. “This is in line with our diversification plans and we’re happy to be a catalyst for the infrastructure needs of the country,”he said.

“The North to Central Luzon stretch is a potentially dynamic industrial corridor and the proposed expressway will make it easier and more cost effective to move goods and people from one point of Luzon to another. As a food and beverage conglomerate with one of the most developed distribution networks in the country, we have a strong interest in making it happen,” Ang said.

The 88.5-kilometer toll road project will extend from La Paz, Tarlac to Rosario, La Union, providing a seamless land link between Manila and the Northern Philippines. Once completed, it is estimated that the expressway will cut by half the travel time from Manila to Baguio.

San Miguel earlier confirmed it was in talks with DMCI Holdings Inc. to explore potential participation in the Tarlac-La Union expressway project. DMCI has a 34-percent equity in PIDC.

DMCI Holdings president Isidro Consunji earlier said San Miguel was eyeing a 49 percent stake in PIDC with an option to increase its holdings to 51 percent.

The Lopez Group’s First Balfour Inc. also owns a 34-percent interest in PIDC. However, it assigned its option to participate in the project to Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MMC) following the sale of its stake in the operation of the North Luzon Expressway, the same road that will be extended to La Union.

MPIC was earlier reported to be not too keen on participating in the Tarlac-La Union expressway as it cited initial studies showing that the project would only be viable if it was extended only up to Gerona from Capas in Tarlac.

Aside from DMCI and First Balfour, other PIDC shareholders include construction firms EEI Corp., R.D. Policarpio and Co. Inc., D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc., J.V. Angeles Construction, J.E. Manalo and Co. Inc., New Kanlaon Construction Inc. and Rockford Development.

Construction of the Tarlac-La Union expressway began in September last year and is slated for completion in 2012. Once completed, travel time from Manila to Baguio will be reduced from six to three hours with a safe speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The project’s first phase is set for completion and operation by 2010 while full tollway operations by 2013.:cheers:

BergenScooterPatrol

July 21st, 2009, 02:39 PM

Construction of the Tarlac-La Union expressway began in September last year and is slated for completion in 2012. Once completed, travel time from Manila to Baguio will be reduced from six to three hours with a safe speed of 80 kilometers per hour. The project’s first phase is set for completion and operation by 2010 while full tollway operations by 2013.:cheers:

im sure no one is going to drive there at just 80 kph, unless there's a heavy traffic

allan_dude

July 23rd, 2009, 04:16 PM

San Miguel identifies Japanese partners for Laiban dam

CHERYL M. ARCIBAL, GMANews.TV
07/23/2009 | 08:26 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Two Japanese companies were identified by San Miguel Corp. as its partners in its unsolicited proposal for the Laiban Dam project, considered to be Metro Manila's future main source of water.

Ramon S. Ang, San Miguel president, told reporters that Toyota Tsusho Corp. would be its financial partner, while Orix Corp. will help the conglomerate with the project’s technical aspects.

Toyota Tsusho, listed in the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges, is the sole trading company of the Toyota Group. It was originally established to provide consumer financing for Toyota Automobiles.

Meanwhile, Orix is an integrated financial services group based in Tokyo.

It is listed in the Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and New York bourses.

It has been providing value-added products and services to both corporate and retail customers.

With operations in 26 countries, including the Philippines and regions worldwide, Orix's activities include leasing, corporate finance, real estate-related finance and development, life insurance, and investment and retail banking.

In 2007, Orix has partnered with Federal Land, the real estate developer of the Metrobank group, to put up the P4-billion “Grand Midori Makati" on Legaspi Street.

San Miguel, through subsidiary San Miguel Bulk Water Co. Inc., has submitted an unsolicited proposal for the estimated $1-billion Laiban Dam project.

After announcing that it had agreed to join a consortium that would build the 88-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway Project, Ang said the company, through its tollway vehicle Private Infrastructure Development Corp., is looking at two other tollways to develop.

These are the Nueva Ecija to Cagayan Valley tollways and La Union to Laoag.

Ang said San Miguel will be acquiring at least 51-percent stake in PIDC.

Companies belonging to the PIDC include D. M. Consunji, First Balfour, Inc., R.D. Policarpio & Co., Inc., D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc., C.M. Pancho Construction, Inc., EEI Corporation, J.E. Manalo & Co., Inc., J.V. Angeles Construction Corp., New Kanlaon Construction, Inc.

“Next we will look for other opportunity with the Consunji group to look for more tollways," Ang said at the sidelines of San Miguel's annual shareholders' meeting.

San Miguel's interests include stakes in the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the Philippines’ largest electricity distributor; Petron, the Philippines’ largest oil company, and Liberty Telecom.

Meanwhile, despite its foray outside its original food and beverage business, San Miguel chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. said the company will retain its core business “under his watch."

“San Miguel will not be out of its core business as long as I'm chairman of San Miguel, or at least, not under my watch," said Cojuangco.

He also said the company will remain “competitive" in the food and beverage industry and will always consider the Philippines as its main growth area amid its international beer operations.

“We will be more competitive than before, that's our belief, anyway. We've always believed in the future of our country. This is our only home," Cojuangco said.

In a separate interview, however, Ang said he could not determine how big in the company's investment mix would remain in the food business.

“We could not say, especially if there are good opportunities available," Ang added.

During the same meeting, San Miguel stockholders voted in favor of an Exchange Offer to convert 1.104-billion common shares to series 1 preferred shares, which are non-voting.

The preferred shares, priced at P75 each, have a fixed dividend of eight percent per annum.

The conversion gave alternative to “more conservative" investors who may have a different risk profile, Cojuangco said.

Ang added that the converted common shares will now be part of the unissued stock of San Miguel, which could be sold in the future for the company’s capital raising needs. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168078/San-Miguel-identifies-Japanese-partners-for-Laiban-dam

oreca

July 26th, 2009, 05:54 PM

^^ :ohno: CORRUPTION is the big problem.. :ohno:

corruption is synonymous to "Philippine Government" :lol:

adgaps

July 28th, 2009, 01:19 PM

im sure no one is going to drive there at just 80 kph, unless there's a heavy traffic

^^ that's because it's an expressway...

and an expressway is meant to be traffic-free...

kaya hindi lang 80kph ang tinatakbo ng mga sasakyan... :)

ISwitch

July 30th, 2009, 02:19 PM

I see. Is it really planned to be built inside Burnham Park? I wouldn't be surprised if people would oppose that plan. Couldn't they think of another place?

Aside from that, aren't there any plans to use buses instead of jeepneys? That would surely lessen the congestion in major roads.I think it is much better if they have monorails...or mrt...why aren't they considering those options?

le Reine

July 31st, 2009, 03:35 PM

^^that's not feasible at this time. Baguio's population including tourists going there are not enough demand for an LRT. Monorails, on the other hand, are much much more expensive.

pthfndr19

August 8th, 2009, 08:33 PM

RP's tallest bridge opens in S. Leyte

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 08/08/2009 6:14 PM

Bridge will also be used for 'semi-bungee jumping'

MANILA - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will inaugurate on Sunday (August 10) the "country's tallest bridge--the 85-meter tall Agas-Agas Bridge" located in barangay Kahupian in the municipality of Sogod, Southern Leyte.

In a statement, the Office of the Press Secretary said "the P1.024 -billion bridge project is part of the Daang Maharlika Highway espoused in the President's Super Regions economic development plan priority infrastructure program."

"The bridge was constructed to serve as a permanent solution to the natural movements of loose soil aggregates, or landslides, in this mountainous area during rainy days reportedly due to a fault line that hinder traffic when the highway is blocked, sometimes resulting in loss of lives and properties," the OPS said on Saturday.

"Considered an engineering masterpiece, the Agas-Agas bridge would provide a safe connection from the Daang Maharlika to Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, like the ones existing in Matnog, Sorsogon, Allen, Samar, and the Liloan Ferry Terminal, in Southern Leyte connecting all the way to Surigao," the OPS added.

The project, which started construction in 2006, was undertaken by the Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd.. It is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency under the second phase of the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway Rehabilitation Project.

The OPS said the bridge "is considered as one of the vital road networks in Eastern Visayas that will boost tourism and the economy of the region."

Bungee jumping

President Arroyo, the OPS said, will also witness the "launching of the Agas-Agas Bridge as an extreme sports destination due to its 'uncanny height' which is ideal for semi-bungee jumping, zip line rapelling and downhill skate boarding."

The bridge has view deck, parking area, rest house, bridge bituminous concrete surface course and bridge electrical provision.

"Because it is considered as one of the engineering feats in the country, the Agas-Agas Bridge has the potential to become one of the tourist spots in Eastern Visayas," the DPWH said.

The OPS said the bridge's "viewing deck in the middle of the bridge will allow motorists to better appreciate the view of the surrounding mountainous areas and forests."

as of 08/08/2009 6:18 PM

azntxn

August 14th, 2009, 05:11 PM

vestige

August 15th, 2009, 07:22 AM

It's not the corruption that's hampering infrastructure development, the government just has too much wasteful social programs (which I don't like because it's enabling peoples' laziness and lack of motivation for upward mobility) like that $1 billion rice subsidy!!! i think we're expecting too much from a government that has very limited revenue but too much liability

^^

I agree definitely!!!

But if the government doesn't give people short change(like rice subsidy, etc.) the opposition will surely grapple the government and say things like; "with this increasing prices, why can't we get help from the gov." and of course the people will react...so on and so forth, then another politician comes in, giving bags of rice with poster, etc., then the people will praise him and then the story recycles itself. Those who speak of "anti ism" rhetoric always wins, they got elected...etc., the same result and the cycle moves on and on.

The only way this country will ever progress is if people becomes politically mature, not always blaming the government for their lifestyle(having numerous children and then having no job...oh please...). If we lessen our reactive-rally driven, theocratic politics, then their is definitely hope for a better infrastructure.

Nothing is being done because, as soon as a project starts, someone will say "foul" and an investigation goes on, suspended project, wasted money, etc. If we just let the government do their job while we do ours, then everything will be fine.

What I don't understand is, why the heck the senators have pork-barrel funds when they don't use it for infrastructure or any livelihood projects? They don't represent any district...why the need for those funds? err...:ohno::ohno::ohno::ohno:

Franz-Bxu

August 21st, 2009, 05:57 AM

Butuan Priority Arterial All-Weather Roads System

These roads are meant to penetrate the city's most outlying barangays, with emphasis on the city's vast southern territory.

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/ButuanMap.jpg?t=1250761616

light blue : Butuan-Las Nieves-Bayugan-Esperanza Road (Butuan-Bukidnon Highway) ONGOING U/C

orange : Butuan-Masao Port Road (Libertad-Ambago-Masao-Lumbocan) ONGOING U/C

navy blue : Bonbon-Nongnong Road ONGOING U/C

baby blue : Butuan By Pass Road (phase 1 completed), (phase 2 : Bancasi-Bonbon and Lemon-Antongalon sections) ONGOING U/C

pink : Lemon-Maguinda Road BIDDED

violet : Butuan-Tandag Road (Pianing section) PROPOSED

red : existing all weather roads

green : gravel,macadam,asphalt roads

Franz-Bxu

August 21st, 2009, 02:49 PM

BUTUAN-BANCASI AIRPORT TOTAL MODERNIZATION PROGRAM
The Department of Transportation and Communication and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

a. EXTENSION OF RUNWAY
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php10,000,000 CY 2007 GAA
Project Status: COMPLETED, 30 April 2008

b. IMPROVEMENT OF NAVIGATIONAL FACILITIES
Implementing Agency: CAAP
Project Cost: Php102,040,000 CY 2007 GAA
Project Status: COMPLETED, 28 August 2008

c. RUNWAY EXTENSION, WIDENING OF RUNWAY AND RESEALING OF JOINTS
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php50,000,000 CY 2006 GAA
Project Status: COMPLETED, 27 September 2008

d. SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF CAROUSEL CONVEYOR
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php5,000,000 CY 2006 GAA realignment from LADP
Project Status: COMPLETED, 26 July 2008

e. ASPHALT OVERLAY OF RUNWAY, EXTENSION OF RUNWAY PAVEMENT AND
COMPLETION OF SHOULDER GRADE CORRECTION
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php135,000,000 CY 2008 GAA
Project Status: ON-GOING*
Timetable: Orig Oct 2008-Sep 2009
Rev 14 Sep 2008-28 Oct 2009

* - Actual accomplishment is 68.67% as against the target of 67.47%, ahead of schedule by 1.20%

f. COMPLETION OF ASPHALT OVERLAY OF RUNWAY, SLOPE PROTECTION FOR RUNWAY EXTENSION, CONSTRUCTION OF PEDESTRIAN GATE AND IMPROVEMENT OF TERMINAL BUILDING
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php165,500,000 CY 2008 & CY 2009
GOP including Php9,000,000 under CY 2008 (rehab of
Terminal Bldg.)
Project Status: ON-GOING
Timetable: 01 Apr-31 Dec 2009
Rev. Jun 2009-Dec 2009

For issuance of Notice of Award (NOA)

g. ANF (PROVISION OF MET INSTRUMENT)
Implementing Agency: DOTC
Project Cost: Php5,000,000 CY 2009 GOP CAAP
Project Status: ???
Timetable: Sep 2009-Dec 2009

Note: Advertised on 25 April 2009. Opening of bids scheduled on 10 June, 2009

h. UPGRADING/REHABILITATION OF ALS
Implementing Agency: CAAP
Project Cost: Php30,000,000 CY 2009 GOP CAAP
Project Status: ???
Timetable: Sep 2009-Dec 2009

Note: Advertised on 25 April 2009. Opening of bids scheduled on 10 June, 2009

i. ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS)
Implementing Agency: CAAP
Project Cost: Php70,000,000 CY 2009 GOP CAAP
Project Status: ???
Timetable: Sep 2009-Dec 2009

Note: Requested to be realigned to purchase of DVOR by CAAP

j. SITE DEVELOPMENT
Implementing Agency: CAAP
Project Cost: Php15,000,000 CY 2009 GOP CAAP
Project Status: ???

Note: Approved POW forwarded to DOTC last 11 March 2009 for appropriate action.

k. SITE ACQUISITION
Implementing Agency: CAAP
Project Cost: Php5,000,000 CY 2009 GOP CAAP
Project Status: ???

Note: Approved POW forwarded to DOTC last 11 March 2009 for appropriate action.

c6josh

August 24th, 2009, 08:13 AM

now how could we improve our ranking with thee xisting budget deficit?

I agree with you...with the existing budget deficit the only way is to asked more money from the creditors and it will just keep on going and going.

elnunal

August 26th, 2009, 12:26 PM

BOB-bXu

August 27th, 2009, 04:56 AM

sprouting in Butuan City ^^

http://images01.olx.com.ph/ui/2/72/30/16447230_1.jpg

BOB-bXu

August 27th, 2009, 04:57 AM

rising in Butuan City ^^

http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/gujalex/Theme_Picture.jpg

greenshields

August 28th, 2009, 03:10 AM

A tram like what they plan to have in Baguio doesn't make sense. It won't have the capacity of a regular public transport and it will eat up what is already very limited road space.

elnunal

August 28th, 2009, 10:03 AM

A tram like what they plan to have in Baguio doesn't make sense. It won't have the capacity of a regular public transport and it will eat up what is already very limited road space.

Pero makakatulong naman iyan para mabawasan ang traffic ah. Dapat bawasan nila yung mga jeep o tuluyan nang tanggalin sa Session Road

greenshields

August 28th, 2009, 10:14 AM

From the plans I saw last June, it is practically a tourist ride with only 2 trams going around the city core including Burnham Park. It won't address traffic because it won't be servicing a route that is used by commuters. It doesn't have the capacity because the proposed tram will be like what they have in San Francisco meaning it won't have enough seats or standing space for passengers. It will just become a novelty ride that people (both residents and visitors) will eventually curse for worsening traffic rather than addressing it.

c6josh

August 28th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Gov’t sets P211-billion for infra projects
By GENALYN KABILING
August 28, 2009, 6:29pm

The Arroyo government has set aside P211 billion to rush the completion of infrastructure projects next year under the proposed 2010 national budget.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said the 2010 infrastructure budget proposal is lower than this year’s outlay because many of the roads, bridges, airports and other projects are now on their completion stage.

Of the infrastructure resources, Andaya said the national government will spend P134 billion, local governments will pour P53.1 billion, and government corporations with P24 billion. The government’s infrastructure spending will be on top of the transportation and other infra investments made by private groups with some provided with government guarantees.

Andaya said the inauguration of these infrastructure projects, most of them outlined in her State of the Nation Address in previous years, will be the President’s "farewell tour."

He also explained that a lower 2010 infrastructure budget would give the next administration “wider infra room to choose what projects to pursue.”

“But this doesn’t mean that we are slowing down; on the contrary we are sprinting to the finish line. The last months will be characterized by frenetic construction to the point that the President will be spending her last days in office inaugurating projects. That will be her farewell tour,“ he said .

Of the 149 so-called “SONA projects” of the President Arroyo, 39 projects have been completed; 67 are ongoing, and 43 are undergoing project design and civil works.

Andaya said the Arroyo administration’s infrastructure record “should be viewed in its entirety, not just on the final lap.”

“This government has constructed 95,337 new classrooms, and built or improved 47,409 kilometers of roads. By whatever yardstick, that is an excellent record,” he said.

On the part of the national government, Andaya said bulk of the infrastructure projects will be implemented by Department of Public Works and Highways with P86.5 billion.

The agency will spend P72 billion mostly to complete road and bridges and another P6.2 billion for seawalls and flood control projects.

The Department of Transportation and Communications will also be given P3.2 billion to complete some airports and P6.4 billion more to expand rail lines. Andaya said P1.6 billion will go to Cagayan de Oro’s new airport in Laguidingan town, and P748 million to extend the LRT line to Cavite.

elnunal

August 29th, 2009, 02:46 AM

greenshields

August 30th, 2009, 02:25 PM

It would really be nice if Baguio City will have an environment friendly public transport system. The current proposal is not like that because it is proposed more for tourism than for public transport. Hopefully, the city is able to find a viable solution to its traffic woes. :)

c6josh

September 1st, 2009, 07:21 AM

Sana matuloy yung paglagay nila ng tram tram sa Baguio parang ito:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Adelaide_Flexity.jpg

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adelaide_Flexity.jpg

kung matutuloy ang tram sa Baguio magiging katulad din sya nang San Francisco...cool:)

kadayao

September 2nd, 2009, 12:55 PM

hey mr bob_bxu is roble shipping has an available route to nasipit??

sir - we dont have roble in nasipit... passenger vessels plying the nasipit route are Cebu Ferries/SuperFerry... BTW, cebuferries will be replacing m/v our lady of carmel with a newer and bigger vessel effective sept 3 (out of Cebu)... the new vessel is m/v cebu ferry 2.

"K"

c6josh

September 4th, 2009, 10:51 AM

Consunji firm to buy more shares in highway consortium

GMANews.TV - Friday, September 4

Consunji-led DMCI Holdings Inc. will be subscribing more shares in a consortium tasked to construct a road network connecting two major Philippine highways to the northernmost Luzon provinces.

DMCI told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday that its board approved its subscription of about 1.45-million shares of Private Infra Dev Corp. out of the consortium's increase in authorized capital stock of P3.5 billion.

The company also will allow the investment in the company of diversifying conglomerate San Miguel Corp., through Rapid Thoroughfares Inc., in PIDC. Through Rapid Thoroughfare's acquisition of 35-percent equity interest in PIDC, San Miguel is set to become the consortium's single largest shareholder.

Rapid Thoroughfares also has the option to increase its equity interest to 51 percent of PIDC, a consortium of construction companies behind the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway Project.

San Miguel has earlier disclosed that its subsidiary Rapid Thoroughfares signed a subscription agreement for a 35-percent stake in PIDC.

The 88-kilometer road that will connect North Luzon Expressway and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to provinces in Northern Luzon is estimated to have a construction cost of P15 billion.

Originally, PIDC, which is capitalized at P1-billion, was a consortium led by DM Consunji Inc., and Lopez-led First Philippine Infrastructure Group. Formed in 2007, the consortium plans to secure big-ticket government infrastructure projects.

However, late last year, First Infrastructure was acquired by Metro Pacific Investments Corp., the local unit of Hong Kong-listed First Pacific Co. Ltd., from the Lopez family as part of its strategy to venture into heavy industries.

San Miguel has also been aggressive in its bid to diversify from its core food business. It is planning to acquire control of Petron Corp., the country’s largest oil refiner, and is among the major shareholders of Manila Electric Co., the Philippines’ largest power distributor.

It has also partnered with a Qatari firm for its venture into the telecommunications business. San Miguel has also formed a subsidiary that submitted an unsolicited proposal for the P48-billion development of the Laiban Dam project.

PIDC has planned to start the construction of the project this year and complete the road in five years.

The expressway development will be constructed in two phases. The first phase covers a road from Tarlac to Carmen, Pangasinan, while the second phase covers the stretch from Pangasinan to La Union. GMANews.TV

kenken94

September 20th, 2009, 05:03 AM

Bridge linking Cebu to Dumaguete eyed
By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
September 19, 2009, 5:52pm

DUMAGUETE CITY – A plan linking all the provinces in Central Visayas through by a bridge has been revived during the Annual General Assembly of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 last Friday in this city.

Cebu City South District Rep. Antonio Cuenco, who attended the gathering in Dumaguete City said a bridge connecting Cebu and Negros Oriental would be the best way to improve the two island’s transport links and spur economic growth.

The proposed Cebu-Negros bridge is timely as authorities are gearing up for the feasibility study of the Cebu-Bohol Friendship Bridge which has already gained funding approval by the South Korean government.

“Cebu to Dumaguete is near. I propose that we put up a bridge linking the two islands as part of our project proposal to the national government,” said Cuenco.

This is not the first time that plans to link the Visayas islands have been discussed. The building of a bridge link between Barangay Bato, Samboan in Cebu and Tampi Wharf in Amlan town, Negros Oriental had already been proposed during the time of then Cebu Governor and Regional Development Council (RDC) Chair Emilio Osmeña. But Negros Oriental Gov. Emilio Macias II said while the plan was laudible, there are some factors that have to be addressed before such bridge can be constructed.

For one, Macias said, the sea current in Tanon Strait between Barangay Bato, Samboan in Cebu to Barangay Tampi in the town of Amlan, Negros Oriental is very strong and a Japanese contractor earlier invited to study the project said it was difficult to build a bridge over the area.

Also, the plan has not taken off due to the high cost — P7 billion at that time — involved in constructing the bridge.

Earlier, in the second RDC meeting held in Bohol, Gov. Enrico Aumentado sought the assistance of Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. with documentary requirements after the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) assured him that South Korea will fund the feasibility study on a bridge linking Cebu and Bohol.

Aumentado said the anchors of the bridge will be in Getafe town in Bohol and the municipality of Cordova in Cebu.

Passing through shallow waters between the two provinces, the bridge is estimated to be 18 kilometers long.

The Bohol-Cebu Multi-Access Friendship Bridge (BCMAFB) already has the endorsements of the Bohol Provincial Development Council (PDC) and the Central Visayas Regional Development Council and will need to be approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.:cheers:

BOB-bXu

September 25th, 2009, 02:25 PM

Butuan-Davao Highway (Bayugan section)

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/RIMG0159090924.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/RIMG0136090924.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j97/boybleauxx/RIMG0146090924.jpg

bacolodchamp

September 26th, 2009, 04:24 AM

^^great infra projects in store for butuan...hope to be there in the near future.

bigeagle198

September 28th, 2009, 01:32 PM

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/23/photos/242/1200x1200/15/-RM14144-copy-1.JPG?et=5n6etLo%2CizqVS8u5KSUZCw&nmid=101209184

Loakan Airport

Hi,

I visited Baguio at the end of January this year. My plan was to take a backflight to Manila. But no more flights! Baguio is such a nice city. To take a view on it, you have to reach it. In the moment you can reach Baguio only by Bus.
7 hours from Olongapo and 6 hours to Manila is really a lot. I dont know what was more hurting? A life concert from Air supply or Rambo or Chuck Norris. Killing, killing or horryfying music. That were the alternative while our bus ridings. And there were a lot of kids inside.

Nice greetings

Bigeagle198 from germany

ruralvillage

October 17th, 2009, 09:38 PM

40 priority infrastructure projects finished — Palace (http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW101709/content.php?id=074)
Business World (http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW101709/content.php?id=074)

Over 40 priority infrastructure projects worth P88.48 billion have been completed as of the end of September, Malacanang yesterday said.

Presidential management staff director-general Hermogenes C. Esperon, Jr. said in a report that these infrastructure projects are among the 154 priority projects committed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Among the big-ticket items that have been completed are the P21-billion Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in Zambales, Tarlac; the P8-billion Subic Bay Port Development Project at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City; the P8.7-billion New Iloilo Airport Development Project; the P7.4-billion Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project project in Nueva Ecija; the P2.5-billion Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) 2, which connects Lipa City to Batangas City; and the P199.5-million EDSA Rehabilitation Project.

Mr. Esperon heads the government’s Pro-Performance Team, which oversees the implementation of SONA projects.

He stressed these projects have also helped pump up the economy through the emergency employment program of the government.

"The Pro-Performance Team’s intensified monitoring, on-site inspection and evaluation have hastened the completion of many of the President’s priority programs and projects and pushed civil works and pre-construction, ensuring and spurring more economic opportunities in many parts of the country," he said.

Of the SONA priority projects, 69 are undergoing civil works and 42 are in the pre-construction stage, Mr. Esperon said.

"We will expedite the construction and implementation of the remaining projects, particularly those with right-of-way-issues, through closer coordination and consensus-building efforts with concerned agencies and project partners," he said.

He added that a round-the-clock working scheme has also been adopted for projects with slow civil works. — Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo

mr.suroy

October 18th, 2009, 04:38 AM

just invent teleport pods at everycorner.. :banana:

mwg12a

October 18th, 2009, 05:48 AM

Hi,

I visited Baguio at the end of January this year. My plan was to take a backflight to Manila. But no more flights! Baguio is such a nice city. To take a view on it, you have to reach it. In the moment you can reach Baguio only by Bus.
7 hours from Olongapo and 6 hours to Manila is really a lot. I dont know what was more hurting? A life concert from Air supply or Rambo or Chuck Norris. Killing, killing or horryfying music. That were the alternative while our bus ridings. And there were a lot of kids inside.

Nice greetings

Bigeagle198 from germany

I'm sure it's very disappointing for you that there is no air service to Baguio, the weather in this mountain city/province is very unpredictable that flight can get cancelled at a very last minute once a thick fog engulf the airport or the city itself. While it is such a hassle to take 4 to 6 hours bus ride from Manila, it's probably safer for you to go to.

pi_malejana

October 18th, 2009, 08:40 AM

I'm sure it's very disappointing for you that there is no air service to Baguio, the weather in this mountain city/province is very unpredictable that flight can get cancelled at a very last minute once a thick fog engulf the airport or the city itself. While it is such a hassle to take 4 to 6 hours bus ride from Manila, it's probably safer for you to go to.

i agree.. and besides, there are a few deluxe buses servicing Baguio-Manila route, one of them is VLI...:D

:cheers:

Bahay_Kubo

October 18th, 2009, 02:43 PM

Retro

October 19th, 2009, 02:57 PM

P20-b Parañaque tunnel pushed
The Manila Standard Today - Oct. 19, 2009

A marine construction engineer is reviving his proposal to build a twin-purpose tunnel instead of a spillway in Parañaque City to drain excess water from Laguna de Bay down Manila Bay.

Daniel Bautista, operations chief of Northbay Constructions Services Inc., said the project, called Smart (Storm Weather Management and Road Tunnel), has been presented in the mid-’80s when his father used to be a consultant of the Department of Public Works and Highways under then minister Jesus Hipolito.

“Even before, they have seen the possible effects of storm water overflowing from the lake ,” he said in a statement.

Resembling a huge pipe, the cross section would show two levels of three-lane roads with the bottom section for waterflow.

Today, the Pasig River remains as the main drainage for the Laguna basin which includes low-lying sections along waterways that are prone to inundation, the most destructive of which was the Sept. 26 flashflood due to storm Ondoy.

According to Bautista, Northbay, based in Navotas City, has been involved in various projects such as the fishport, dredging of the river ferry landing in Guadalupe, Makati City, the flood control along Estero de Sunog Apog in Tondo, Manila, power barges, and submarine pipeline laying.

He said the tunnel project has been presented to agencies concerned with solving the destructive floodings in Metro Manila.

“Laguna Lake Development Authority has already seen the project and says it is doable but P20 billion might as well be used to clean the lake. [LLDA chief] Ed Manda says P20 billion is too expensive,” Bautista noted, reckoning that the project is worth the cost in saving lives and property.

The Public Works secretary has scrapped the spillway proposal of Architect Felino Palafox Jr., resigned to maintenance dredging of Pasig River.

On the ground, a counterpart of the Manggahan Floodway along with the Napindan floodgates would have a bigger price tag.

“It would call for the demolition of all existing establishments along Sucat Road. It would probably be three or four times more expensive than the cost of the tunnel, considering you need to pay the right of way to all residents and businesses. If you even include the economic disruption it can cause, the government will have to spend six times more.”

In pushing the Parañaque tunnel through Dr. A. Santos Avenue, formerly Sucat Road, Bautista said storm Ondoy’s downpour brought excessive water from surrounding regions to the lake causing it to go over the brim.

He cited siltation as worsening the already impaired capacity of the waterway system to serve as an efficient draining mechanism.

“The tunnel’s route is the shortest way from Laguna Lake to Manila Bay. And unlike the open floodway, there will be no siltation because it is enclosed.” Ferdinand Fabella

ferny123

October 20th, 2009, 12:06 PM

i hope they build more railways

Arvor

October 20th, 2009, 07:13 PM

What about the state of foreign land ownerhsip laws ? , If it were to become easier for foreign companies and investors to acquire land and property for various business purposes then it would have some substantial impact in the countries industrializing and modernisation aswell as increasing FDI , whatever happens you can't take land with you ... .

Otherwise i hope they rapidly expand the highways to Luzon's northern coast down the Cagayan river valley to Appari creating ring bypass highways around the numerous small towns and cities on the way , and creating a new major metropolitan city on the northern coast , focusing on tourism and transport ( airport and ferry / conainter shipping ) i know that they have a small freeport going on there and that there are plans for a small international airport , the Phillipines should finally link to the Asian highway system by establishing in partnership with Taiwan direct vehicle ferry links to southern Taiwan , and something similar with Hong Kong aswell as direct vehicle ferry links to Vietnam from Manila and Subic .

Parallel to this expanding the railway and creating new stations in each of those towns and cities along the way , and if there's still some change left canalising the river for river barge transport ( i know some level of dredging or canalising is being carried out in certain stretches ) .

kratos1211

November 4th, 2009, 01:38 AM

A bridge too far?
Business World
Not So Fast By -- Tito F. Hermoso

Fixing highway infrastructure that was damaged by the recent storms is a must, and an immediate one at that. The agricultural, commercial and tourism economies of Regions 1, 2 and the northern part of Region 3 are all dependent on being able to cross the Bued River Bridge.

This bridge on Highway 3 is a long one that spans the Bued River from the banks of Sison in Northern Pangasinan and Rosario in Southern La Union. The Bued River drains the mountain valley that Kennon Road skirts on one’s way up to Baguio City. Rushing storm water caused the collapse of two spans so traffic headed for Baguio via Rosario, La Union will have to take a 42-kilometer detour via provincial roads from Binalonan, Pangasinan to Damortiz, La Union, adding another 60 to 90 minutes to any journey to the north. And to think the 12 kilometers of Highway 3 from Binalonan to Sison is one of the most eroded parts of the old Highway 3 route to the North.

This is not the first time the Bued River Bridge has become impassable. It once lost a span or two in the aftermath of the 1990 earthquake that devastated Baguio. When funds finally materialized, the DPWH was able to quickly deploy a pair of bailey bridges, similar to the Mabey-Johnson aluminum ones that the department can assemble in a few days. This allowed cargo traffic to make it to Baguio and the Mountain Province, helping in the region’s recovery, while a more permanent bridge was constructed. The concrete foundations for those temporary bridges are still on the river bed.

During the initial days after typhoon Pepeng’s wrath, citizens and government officials were expecting a speedy restoration of transport links, specifically the felled Bued bridge. Hopes were high that recent DPWH print advertisements promoting the expansive road building program of the department during the tenure of former Secretary Ebdane were an indication of some kind of prioritization for their heavily devastated communities. So far, plans for temporary relief have not been announced to the chagrin of our citizens in the north.

Moving forward, the massive flooding on the plains of Tarlac, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija -- caused by the record rainfall and the necessary release of stored water from both the San Roque and Pantabangan dams -- should now inputed into the plans of the three new expressways passing through the large tri-province flood-prone area.

The washing out of sections of the La Paz, Tarlac to Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija national road should serve as a warning to planners of the Nueva Ecija East Expressway Spur that is to connect the end of SCTEx Tarlac to the new Pacific Port in Dingalan Bay. But since this is a BCDA project with Japan Bank for International Cooperation financing, hopefully, all these new data will be incorporated in the planning and additional financing for this vital new expressway.

Moving north, the other expressway that is being planned starts from the end of the SCTEx in Tarlac, going northeastward through Nueva Ecija and connecting to the Cagayan Valley Road. This expressway will improve travel time from Cagayan Valley by providing a safer alternative truck route to the Maharlika-Doña Remedios Trinidad highways. The proposal, if pushed by the BCDA and financed by JBIC, can provide a spur highway that will serve as another crossing over the Bued River, northeast of Highway 3 and into Rosario, leading to Baguio, Benguet and Region 1 north of La Union.

Lastly, the present alignment of the TPLEx (Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union-Expressway) that was inherited from the original BCDA plans for the SCTEx passes through most of the farmland of the towns submerged by the extraordinary amount of floodwaters generated.

The TPLEx is supposed to cross the Bued River on a new path southwest of the fallen Highway 3 bridge, connecting straight into the Rosario-Pugo road leading to the Aspiras-Palispis Highway a.k.a. Marcos Highway. Now that this a project of San Miguel’s Rapid Thorougfares, Inc. and PIDCo, it will not have access to the generous financing and low interest rates of JBIC. The TPLEx project’s initial funding will only take it to Gerona, Tarlac and only as a single carriageway two-lane highway. Groundbreaking prior to the DPWH acquisition of right-of-way in Tarlac by Mr. Ebdane was announced last April but was postponed to September.

All the recent flooding should provide a clear picture as early as now that viaducts are needed for many of the farmlands, which will surely raise the cost of financing. But if the project is packaged attractively like the SCTEx, it will not be hard to attract financing with JBIC-like soft terms. Meantime, community leaders all the way up North to the Bangui wind energy farm and Pagudpud are crying for the restoration of passage through the Bued River between Pangasinan and La Union, even for just light vehicles, at the soonest possible time.

kalbongdad

November 4th, 2009, 08:50 AM

the tunnel idea is a great idea but expensive.....that is the same solution that malaysia did for their flooding problems...they have constructed a tunnel the upper part is a highway the bottom part is waterway.....na solve nila ang dalawang problema...flooding and traffice.....imagine that yung mga solutions natin na noon pa naisip ng mga pinoy nagawa na sa ibang bansa pero dito sa atin hindi magawa kahit tayo ang nakapag-isip ng idea....ganito din ang nangyari sa india yung bago nilang mrt na hanging ang coach sa beams ....noon pa naisip ng pinoy yun...pero india ang gumawa ng actual na mrt na nakasabit ang coach sa rail....sayang talaga ang galing ng pinoy...

frustratedarchitect

November 5th, 2009, 01:48 PM

Yeah saddly. Areas outside of Baguio should be used to diffuse overcrowding

julzandrew

November 5th, 2009, 02:36 PM

i agree frustratedarchitect

x12y12

November 6th, 2009, 01:46 AM

P22-billion needed for safe relocation
By RIO ROSE RIBAYA
November 5, 2009, 5:05pm
At least P22 billion is need annually to ensure a kind of relocation site that is both safe to informal settlers and the environment.

This was bared by 350 local leaders who said that mere eviction of informal settlers along major floodways in the country would not be enough.

Leading provincial government officials and national disaster mitigators nationwide, Albay Governor Joey Salceda explained that the ongoing eviction of squatters and the demolition of illegal structures along major floodways like Napindan and Manggahan as well as Laguna Lake will not be enough.

In an interview after organizing the National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, Salceda said the national government has to put much effort in carefully planning the relocation of residents evicted along major floodways to ensure it would not aggravate incidents of flashfloods and landslides.

“We need an average of 36 percent of the annual GDP (Gross Domestic Product), which means that we need at least P22 billion a year of the GDP of P7.4 trillion during a normal year.

The number one priority of this would be for relocation and reconstruction,” Salceda told the Manila Bulletin.

On Wednesday, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) begun demolishing illegal structures in Laguna de Bay, which received too much rainfall that aggravated flashfloods in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan during the onslaught of tropical storm “Ondoy” last September 26.

Romeo Momo, undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, ordered the demolition of some 2,070 families squatting along the stretch of Maggahan Floodway and the Napindan Channel for faster floodwater.

Authorities have been contemplating to relocate the residents in nearby provinces like Bulacan, Rizal, and Laguna.

“It would be wrong to just kick them out and relocate them to places with less population but near mountain slopes or near the coasts that could also expose them and more people in other places to graver dangers and threats of national disasters,” he added.

Salceda, who initiated the country's first adaptation efforts to climate change, noted the importance of proper relocation, which could prevent another devastating flood to inundate most parts of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces in Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon.

He added that the start-up fund will enable provincial leaders to initially adapt with the adverse effects of climate change like the “unusually strong and erratic typhoons” like Ondoy, typhoons “Pepeng,” “Quedan,” and Ramil as well as tropical storm “Santi” last October.

Salceda explained that the government allotted a funding that is equal to an average of 31 percent of the country's annual GDP that will match and compensate the damages incurred during disasters usually triggered by the onslaught of typhoons and storms from 1994 to 2008.

x12y12

November 6th, 2009, 01:50 AM

We need to create 1 more dam in central luzon to compensate on the overcapacity of the existing dams. In that way we hit 2 birds in 1 stone. The new dam can be use for irrigation as well as to create new source of power generation

x12y12

November 9th, 2009, 03:04 AM

Corruption costs developing states $20-40B annually
DOHA -- Corruption costs developing nations $20-40 billion each year, while emerging markets and financial centers are increasingly havens for stolen assets, a top World Bank official said on Saturday.

Managing director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said "concerted global action" by both developed and developing states was needed to stem the flow of illicit funds and urged governments to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

"There’s an estimate that $20-40 billion a year, in terms of corruptly stolen assets, leaves developing countries to go to developed countries each year," Ms. Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, told Reuters ahead of an anti-corruption conference in the Qatari capital.

"Now increasingly, we find that emerging market countries [and] financial centres are also harbors for this money."

The World Bank official said the pledge by the Group of 20 nations (G20), meeting this weekend in Scotland, to help prevent illicit outflows of capital and seek the return of stolen assets to developing countries, was a welcome first step.

"Now what we need to do is move to action," she said. "Developed countries that have these assets have to implement the UNCAC convention and send these assets back, and developing countries need to make the move to request the assistance from developed countries."

Adopting the UN convention would provide a framework to fight corruption, she said, and help overcome thorny legal hurdles in different jurisdictions.

"So if countries really want to do it, they can because they can waive all those legal requirements, freeze the assets, seize them and send them back," she said.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said she hoped the UN convention "will not be a nice plan that would gather dust"

x12y12

November 9th, 2009, 03:16 AM

Congress wants 2010 budget OK’d before Christmas break
CONGRESS RESUMES sessions today after a three-week break, with Senate and House leaders promising approval of the P1.541-trillion 2010 national budget before the Christmas break for signing into law by the President.

Speaker Prospero C. Nograles said the House would not allow a re-enacted 2009 budget next year, claiming he and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile are pushing for a pre-Christmas break ratification of the General Annual Appropriations Bill.

"We cannot have a re-enacted budget. Both me and the Senate President will ensure ratification of the bill before the Christmas break," he said in a text message at the weekend.

Mr. Enrile was not immediately available to confirm the statement, but Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chairman of the finance committee, yesterday said the Senate remains "on target" for a congressional approval of the budget before the Christmas break.

"We will ratify the budget before the break ... We will finish it and we are definitely on track," he said.

Concerns that Congress might fail to pass a new budget before the Christmas break stemmed from frequent break, with the next one set for Nov. 20-30 for the filing of certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections, and Dec. 19-Jan. 17 for the holiday break. Congress would effectively only have less than a month to approve the budget.

The budget has been re-enacted six times since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo held office in 2001. Two years -- 2001 and 2002 -- were after she took over from deposed president Joseph E. Estrada, while the rest -- 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 -- were during her regular term despite certifications for urgent approval issued by the Office of the President on the proposals.

Meanwhile, House appropriations committee chairman and Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua said they would approve the budget on third and final reading today.

"We have got things ironed out already. There are no major contentions to the budget allocations and I expect that when we resume we will discuss small agency realignment. The changes would not be substantial so we can get it passed [today]," he said in a telephone interview yesterday, adding that the bill would be transmitted to the Senate tomorrow.

For his part, Mr. Angara said his committee would report the bill for plenary debate on Dec. 3.

Under the 2010 budget, the social service sector will have the lion’s share at P479.9 billion or 31.1%, of which P235 billion will go to education and manpower, including P172.8 billion for the Education department and P101 billion for social security and welfare.

Economic services, which cover agriculture and the environment, communications, roads, bridges and other transportation services will receive P356.5 billion or 23.1%. Defense and general public services have proposed shares of P73.6 billion and P275.1 billion or 4.8% and 17.9% of the budget, respectively.

Debt service interest payments will get P340.8 billion or 22.1%, while net lending is at P15 billion or 1%. In terms of expense class, the budget is as follows: P494 billion or 32.1% to personal services; P864 billion or 56.1% to maintenance and other operating expenses; and P183 billion or 11.9% to capital outlays and net lending.

P30-B rehabilitation fund

In a related development, although Mr. Angara has proposed a P30-billion realignment in the budget proposal for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure and the farm sector from the impact of tropical storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) and typhoon Pepeng (Parma) on Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, the finance committee has yet to identify specific agencies from where the cuts would come from, the committee chairman said himself.

For his part, Mr. Cua said: "The Senate has not yet communicated this with us. What we can do is to pass the budget, wait for the Senate to pass it too, then discuss this proposal during the bicameral conference committee meeting so that things will move faster."

In Malacañang, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary B. Olivar discounted the possibility of asking Congress to convene a special session during the holiday break to approve the budget, calling it "purely speculative."

"If the President feels a special session is needed, then she will immediately call for that," he said in a phone interview yesterday.

Revenue-enhancement bills

In a related development, the Finance department renewed its call for Congress to pass revenue-enhancement measures, citing the need to bankroll rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of storms.

"The need for revenues has increased because of the impact of the storms… We hope [lawmakers] will pass the revenue measures," Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said last Friday. "We need the money for rehabilitation and rebuilding."

He said they will continue to push for the passage of the bill that restructures the taxes on alcohol and tobacco, the measure that streamlines fiscal incentives, and the simplified net income taxation scheme (SNITS).

The bill restructuring alcohol and tobacco taxes, which is expected to generate P20 billion, is languishing at the House ways and means committee level.

The rationalization of fiscal incentives and SNITS, expected to bring in P10 billion and P11.76 billion, respectively, have been approved on final reading by the House and are awaiting Senate committee approval.

But Antique Rep. Exequiel B. Javier, who has shunned the new revenue measures in past comments, reiterated his position in a phone interview yesterday: "How can we impose taxes. It’s hard to collect taxes especially now that we are experiencing economic slowdown. I have yet to consult with my members in the committee but initially we are noncommittal."

Senate leaders were not available for comment.

Some lawmakers had previously admitted difficulty in passing tax bills during a looming election period and once the campaign starts.

The campaign for national candidates (president, vice-president, senators, party-list groups) are on Feb. 9 to May 8, while the campaign for local candidates (congressmen and local government officials) starts a month later. Election day is May 10.

Other measures

Aside from the 2010 budget, Mr. Nograles said the House will pass on third reading the Magna Carta for the poor, tax information exchange bill and electricity rate reduction bills.

Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, Right of Reply bill, a measure seeking compensation to human rights victims during the Marcos regime, reproductive health bill, amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Law, and a bill instituting reforms in land administration, will be passed on second reading, he added.

kalbongdad

November 10th, 2009, 02:58 AM

i hope they build more railways

me 2

higen

November 10th, 2009, 04:35 PM

higen

November 10th, 2009, 05:04 PM

double post.

Mods, appologies. If you may...

x12y12

November 11th, 2009, 04:51 AM

China bewails delay in $503-M rail project

By Michaela P. Del Callar

11/11/2009

China’s envoy to the Philippines said yesterday the prolonged delay in the construction of the controversial $503-million Northrail project will cost the government and the Chinese contractor more money.

The Northrail project aims to rehabilitate the old Philippine National Railway’s north line, an estimated 80.2-kilometer railroad project that will link Metro Manila to Clark Field in Pampanga.

“We really very much like to see the construction will move and finish it soonest possible time because the longer it takes the more cost it will take,” Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao told a media forum in Manila. “I want to see smooth development of the project.”

The Chinese ambassador stressed the importance of the immediate resumption of construction, saying the immediate completion of the North Rail will be very good for the Philippines and the people living in Metro Manila as it would ease the capital’s traffic woes.

He also said that China will not abandon the project amid questions on its legalities.

Liu also defended the Chinese contractor of the project, the China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. Group (CNMEG), saying it has a very good track record in terms of developing the most advanced railway systems in China.

“They are a very strong company in China and the best railway contractor in China. They have the expertise and the know-how,” Liu said.

The government can not proceed with the construction of the railway due to a pending case in the Supreme Court, seeking for the annulment of the multimillion-dollar contract.

During a December 2003 state visit to China, President Arroyo signed a memorandum of agreement between the North Luzon Railways Corp. and the CNMEG.

On Feb. 26, 2004 a buyer credit loan agreement was made between the Export-Import Bank of China and the government, to fund the Northrail project. The bank agreed to lend $400 million of the total $503 million, the remainder to be funded by the government.

| More

x12y12

November 14th, 2009, 05:03 AM

time to attract more investments...for renewable energy to reduce carbon footprint in the country..

Alcantara-led firm bares hydro-power plant prospects in Sarangani
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- On top of its 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant, an Alcantara-led company announced here on Friday it will construct a mini hydro-power plant.

In a statement, Conal Holdings Corp. said the planned hydropower plant is in response to popular clamor of tapping renewable sources for power generation.

Joseph C. Nocos, Conal Holdings vice-president, said they are on the late stages of completing a feasibility study for a three-tiered 17-megawatt (MW) hydro-power plant along Siguel River.

The river serves as boundary between this city and Maasim, a town in Sarangani where Conal Holdings plans to build the $450-million coal power plant.

Conal Holding bared its plan to put up a hydro-power plant following World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) call for the company to stop its coal plant project. WWF was the latest to condemn the firm’s coal plant project, which is also being opposed by Greenpeace, the local Catholic Church and other local organizations.

Conal is also looking into the possibility of building a hydro-power plant along Kalaong River in Maitum town, also in Sarangani province, Mr. Nocos revealed. Citing the company’s initial study, he added the Kalaong River could generate as much as 30-MW of electricity.

Currently, Conal Holdings is developing a 40-MW hydro power project along Bago River and another 12-MW hydro power plant along Carol-an River, both in Negros Occidental.

Conal Holdings is 60% owned by Alsons Corp. and the rest by the Electricity Generating Public Co., Thailand’s biggest power producer. -- Romer S. Sarmiento

x12y12

November 14th, 2009, 05:12 AM

P3-B road projects near completion
By MICK BASA
November 13, 2009, 5:25pm
DAVAO CITY – The P3-billion major infrastructure rehabilitation projects in this region are slated to reach completion by December, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) XI bared Friday.

In a phone interview, DPWH public relations officer Agustin Dacumos reported two of President Arroyo’s promises in her 2007’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) would come to life as the rehabilitation of Talaingod-Bukidnon and Manay-Boston roads are now 95.43 percent complete.

In a statement, DPWH XI Director Osop Ali said the 58-kilometer Talaingod-Bukidnon road would connect Davao del Norte’s Talaingod municipality with Bukidnon’s San Fernando town. On the other hand, the 84-kilometer Manay-Boston road is part of the Surigao del Sur coastal road program.

The Talaingod-Bukidnon road is also intended to become an alternate route to Davao City via Calinan, Bukidnon and Agusan province to divert traffic from those routes that may be closed due to landslides or major repairs, Ali said

ruralvillage

November 16th, 2009, 10:14 PM

Infra buildup unhampered by rain, says Public Works (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=/2009/november/16/nation3.isx&d=/2009/november/16)
Manila Standard (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=/2009/november/16/nation3.isx&d=/2009/november/16)
by Joel E. Zurbano

Despite the bad weather that prevailed in the country over the past three months, the Public Works Department says it has managed to accomplish 61.19 percent of its target projects for 2009 with an estimated cost of P74.2 billion.

Public Works Secretary Victor Domingo said the department was on track in implementing its infrastructure program. The department would ask for authority to do advance procurement or front-load release of funds to ensure that the projects were completed on schedule, Domingo said.

The infrastructure program is meant to decongest urban centers, enhance access to tourist spots, ease the flow of people and cargo inter-island through the nautical highway and control flood in certain areas, Domingo said.

Senior Undersecretary Manuel Bonoan said the agency was also on track to deliver the 23 projects worth P56.3 billion as President Gloria Arroyo promised in her last State-of-the-Nation Address to make the country competitive abroad.

Among the priority projects are Palawan road; Zamboanga West Coast; Tarlac-Nueva Ecija, Aurora Dingalan Port Road; Surigao-Davao and Eastern Samar.

The El Nido-Bataraza-Rio Tuba Road project in the main island of Palawan that cost P8.16 billion project is meant to spur tourism and trade.

The Zamboanga West Coast Road which includes the rehabilitation of 175.7 kilometers of road with a total cost of P3.9 billion is important to local tourism industry in Zamboanga Peninsula.

The Tarlac-Nueva Ecija- Aurora-Dingalan Port Road, which is 120.65 km long, will be linked to Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and through Dingalan Port is envisioned to promote trans-Asia shipment with neighboring countries in the Pacific Coast.

The Bacuag Claver Section of the Surigao-Davao Coastal Road, a 40-km road, costs P661.069 million.

ruralvillage

November 30th, 2009, 10:23 PM

Construction sector bullish on growth prospects (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=/2009/november/30/business2.isx&d=/2009/november/30)
Manila Standard (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=/2009/november/30/business2.isx&d=/2009/november/30)
by Elaine R. Alanguilan

The construction industry is optimistic about its growth prospects amid sustained activities brought by the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng, as well as election spending next year.

“We grew 6 to 7 percent last year. We are looking at the same growth this year. It may just be single-digit growth but considering the likes of Singapore, whose industry contracted by 27 percent, we already did very well,” said Anthony Fernandez, president of the Philippine Constructors Association. Fernandez is president and chief operating officer of First Balfour Inc.

The construction industry did not suffer much from the financial crisis that gripped most global economies.

“Next year, election spending should help boost construction activity in infrastructure. With the financial crisis, we also saw remittances from Filipinos overseas going up and a large portion of these remittances go to house construction as well as commercial development,” said Fernandez.

He also said that there were opportunities for the construction industry in government’s reconstruction efforts.

“There is opportunity in reconstruction but these efforts must be sustainable and go beyond the current administration. A lot needs to be done. Waterways should be cleared first and then informal settlers must be relocated,” said Fernandez.

He said the industry players had met with businessman Manuel Pangilinan, who heads the private-public task force on reconstruction.

“It was a very good meeting between the construction players and Pangilinan. The foundation that he heads is doing a lot now on recovery,” said Fernandez.

He noted a shift in construction spending, with government now accounting for a larger portion of construction activity compared with the private sector.

“Previous to 2008, leading construction is the private sector with 60 percent and government accounting for only about 40 percent of construction activities. With the crisis in 2008, the government has taken the lead and now accounts for 60 percent of construction activities,” said Fernandez.

frustratedarchitect

December 4th, 2009, 03:47 PM

HELLO PEOPLE, I JUST MOVED OUT OF BAGUIO, IM IN ARIZONA NOW. I WONT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP with the posting but keep em coming. I'll be feeling homesick and all.. ThankS!
__________________

freightrunner

December 6th, 2009, 07:40 PM

^^Welcome to the US kabagis. Good luck to you and your Cardinals.:) I assure you your first six months is the toughest. Miss mo pati kagalit mo :lol:.

frustratedarchitect

December 9th, 2009, 12:50 PM

Haha.Pati kaaway ko namimiss ko. Totoo. Sobrang war shock ako pagdating ko dito. Hopefully makapag adjust. Medyo nalilito pa ako sa lahat, kahit pagpunta sa supermarket at banko napaka daunting nung una.:) Thanks for your welcome kabagis.

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 12:06 AM

goodness! ganyan na ba ang Baguio ngayon? :ohno:

Indeed. Congested na.

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 12:19 AM

^^^^
Agree!

I hope to see this place soo especially the famous Siargao tourist area...:)

jpdm

December 16th, 2009, 12:20 AM

sprouting in Butuan City ^^

http://images01.olx.com.ph/ui/2/72/30/16447230_1.jpg

rising in Butuan City ^^

http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/gujalex/Theme_Picture.jpg

Nice!

These are great Pinoy real estate developers:)

frustratedarchitect

December 16th, 2009, 09:16 AM

Indeed. Congested na.

And it's predicted that it's going to be more and more crowded as people continue to migrate to the city

bluers_butuan

December 26th, 2009, 04:53 PM

naku, isang malaking chika lang yan! taga BXU ako noh! maganda lang tingnan pero subukan mong tumira, mapapamura ka, everything was disorganized! baba ng salary, masasabi kong mahirap ang buhay, PERO one thing is for sure, MASAYANG MASAYA pa din kami dito, alam ko naman na all over the philippines nararamdaman ang kahirapan. masaya pa din. MADIAO KADIAO!

NOVO ECIJANO

December 28th, 2009, 10:35 AM

ang ganda...ng highway malinis at green. sana laging ganyan.

higen

December 28th, 2009, 05:55 PM

Butuan City Hall Complex in Doongan (completed)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/2563780753_7aa900c13b.jpg?v=0

^^Greetings BOB, whose the mayor of butuan btw?

zandro888

December 30th, 2009, 11:34 PM

Any plans from the goverment regarding this? Last time I went here, its traffic already, unlike before. What will happen to Baguio ten years from now if Goverment wount act soon?

hakz2007

January 9th, 2010, 04:01 AM

PGMA builds more roads, bridges than 3 presidents (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100108.htm&no=68&r=&y=&mo=)

Manila (8 January) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has built more roads and bridges in her nine-year tenure than her three predecessors did in their 14 years in office.

From 2001 up to the present, 47,773 kilometers of roads and 289,955 meters of bridges, costing P226 billion, has been built by the current administration compared to the 34,327 kilometers of roads and 274,742 kilometers of bridges constructed under three previous presidents, Corazon C. Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, and Joseph E. Estrada, who served from 1986 to 2001.

Secretary Victor Domingo of the Secretary of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) made the revelation in reaction to suggestions that the President has lavished projects on Pampanga, her home province, to the detriment of other areas of the country.

According to Domingo, Pampanga could be developed as a government center and as a viable alternative to heavily congested Metro Manila.

"There is a 20-hectare government property in Floridablanca that could be an ideal area for that plan," he said.

The Secretary shared an observation by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar, who said that Pampanga is a growth area that must be fully developed.

The surge in infrastructure spending last year, Olivar said, was "further enhanced when the government adopted a stimulus spending program designed to shield the national economy from the global economic meltdown."

Olivar explained that the infrastructure projects in Pampanga such as the flood control facilities, the Porac access road, the Lubao bypass road and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway are vital to the development of Central and Northern Luzon.

He pointed out that Pampanga is part of the President's super region's logistic hub, featuring the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark and the nearby Subic Bay Freeport in Olongapo City.

The Palace official also stressed that the government's level of infrastructure spending varies from one part of the country to another, depending on factors such as infrastructure gap, requirement of investments and demographic growth, adding that other growth areas including Davao were being similarly developed.

"In fact, we are sure that there were other districts, not just Pampanga, where infrastructure spending last year exceeded the P450 million level that critics claim as a benchmark for favoritism," Olivar said.

"The charge by a senatorial candidate in the Opposition about alleged favoritism in infrastructure spending in the President's home district can only be described, charitably, as a creative and selective presentation of the facts," the spokesperson added.

julzandrew

January 9th, 2010, 04:32 AM

if we will compare the Philippines to Thailand and Malaysia, we should build more railways and expressways

Bricken Ridge

January 9th, 2010, 07:31 AM

MindanaWorld

By Joji Ilagan-Bian
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:11:00 01/08/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Infrastructure, Government

TO CELEBRATE THE START OF a new year, I would like to highlight the significant events in Mindanao that brought “good tidings” to the island.

MEDA bill

The Senate has recently approved the bill creating the Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) as the permanent agency that will integrate the island’s socio-economic development.

The campaign to create the first Mindanao Development Authority (MDA) dates back to 1960.

Senate Bill 3496 or the MEDA Bill is seen to integrate and harmonize peace and development efforts in Mindanao.

It has also been pushed in view of the need for Mindanao to catch up with the mainstream national development. Once implemented, the bill will help bring greater economic growth to Mindanao, especially with better integration with the east Asean region.

Without the necessary socio-economic infrastructure and policy support which can be hastened by having a permanent development mechanism, Mindanao will not prosper.

Given its vast potential and strategic geographical location, Mindanao can now move toward the fulfillment of its vision for its people. It’s time!

North-South Mindanao Expressway

Companies based in Mindanao have long been pushing for the establishment of a main corridor that would enable greater mobility of goods and people from northern to southern Mindanao.

The idea would be like the Davao-Cagayan expressway, which would connect Northern and Southern Mindanao, two big economic centers in the region, that will propel Mindanao’s socio-economic development.

The proposal was presented to the government during the first Mindanao Logistics Conference with the theme: “Southern-Northern Mindanao Logictics Corridor: Key to Fast Track its Economic Development” last Nov. 25 to 26 in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

Mindanao is yet to have an integrated logistics and transportation plan. The plan should figure significantly with the recent infrastructure boost in Mindanao, wherein major infrastructure projects were recently built like the Mindanao Container Terminal, along with the expansion of seaports and airports, and improvement of national roads.

“It is high time for Mindanao to have something like a logistics corridor given that infrastructure development in Mindanao is being fast-tracked, and most especially since MEDCo is now currently formulating the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan,” said Trade Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana, chair of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo).

Bahay_Kubo

January 10th, 2010, 06:08 PM

Baguio City Council approves 'irregular' Athletic Bowl deal
NIKKA CORSINO, GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/181203/baguio-city-council-approves-irregular-athletic-bowl-deal)
01/10/2010 | 04:30 PM

Baguio City’s athletic bowl, home to the city’s athletes and early morning joggers, as well as host to the Panagbenga celebrations and other major tourism drawers, will be leased by the local government for a measly P1.43 per square meter to an unknown company.

The seven-hectare prime property — the size of seven football fields — is being managed by the city government of Baguio, and is going to be rented out for P100,000 a month to a “group of investors" that remains unidentified up to now, documents posted by blogger Lisa Araneta on her web site showed.

Community newspapers in Baguio have picked up the story and a couple of Facebook groups have been set up condemning the "hasty approval" of the deal and criticizing the mayor's unpopular decisions in the past. A group of lawyers from the city are also reportedly seeking reconsideration of the contract before the council.

Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr. on behalf of the local government, and a certain An Ho Yul representing the unknown group of investors, have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the development project. But the mayor, in his weekly briefing on Friday, claimed the deal was just a proposal and was not yet final.

“As of today, we do not know what company the city has signed a deal with to develop the Athletic Bowl," Jose Molintas, appointed member of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the United Nations Human Rights Council, told GMANews.TV in a phone interview. Molintas is also the Liberal Party’s candidate for mayor in Baguio City.

Under the deal, signed last December 10 and approved by the council 11 days later, the unknown company will develop the decrepit Athletic Bowl for 25 years for a monthly lease of P100,000, with a 10% increase after five years. This will bring the maximum monthly rent the company will have to pay in the 25th year to only P140,000.

The address of the supposed Korean representative was handwritten on the face of the memorandum of understanding as "20 Calla Lily Drive Navy Base Baguio City."

The Baguio Chronicle claimed to have gone to the address and confirmed that a Korean named An Ho Yul was renting the orange-colored two-storey residential unit.

"A Korean lady, who claimed she was the wife of the alleged investors' representative, said her husband was away on a trip to Korea and would be back next week," the blog site wrote.

The MOA does not say when the project will start, although the Build Operate Lease (BOL) scheme — a spin-off of the Built Operate Transfer (BOT) scheme of developing government infrastructure by private firms — provides for a 25-year lease.

Under the plan, the investors will build a hotel, a driving range, and a bus terminal. Critics have noted that the local government was giving away an Olympic-sized swimming pool that is now part of the prime property to the developer.

They also noted that the proposed project was unsolicited and thus could not be awarded unilaterally by the mayor through a negotiated bid. Bautista was not immediately available for comment.

Council blessing

The city council approved the MOA via Resolution 515 last December 21, 11 days after the signing. “That’s a record," Molintas said, adding that in the past, councilors used to thoroughly investigate the proposals being forwarded to them. Molintas is a former Baguio City councilor.

Thirteen out of the 15 councilors signed the resolution. The document showed, however, that one of the absentee councilors had given “prior notice." The other absentee councilor is the chairman on the committee on Burnham Park Management, overseer of matters pertaining to the park, including the athletic bowl.

Almost all the councilors are seeking reelection or have relatives seeking public office in the upcoming elections.

Molintas said the operation and management of the Athletic Bowl rests with the city, but the the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) continues to own it.

The management, administration, and maintenance of the park was transferred from the PTA to the city government via Executive Order 224 issued by former President Fidel V. Ramos on February 10, 1995.

Thirteen years later, on January 10, 2008, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued Executive Order 695 “devolving fully Burnham Park to the city of Baguio."

Control and development

The 2008 order turns over “control and further development" of the park — aside from the power to manage and operate under the 1995 directive — from the PTA to the city government.

Teodoro Hernandez, head of the PTA's legal department, confirmed that ownership of Burnham Park remains with the PTA.

He also said that their office had not received a copy of the MOA signed by the parties, let alone a request for permission to enter into such contract.

Molintas added that only Congress can turn over properties such as the Athletic Bowl to the city government. Bautista could not be reached for comment.

“We do not object any development in the city, but it should follow a development plan. This (the lease deal) clearly lacks planning," Molintas said.

He added that since the identity of the company remained undisclosed, its capacity to develop the property and sustain these developments is questionable. — NPA/HGS, GMANews.TV

b_two

January 11th, 2010, 01:33 PM

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/23/photos/242/1200x1200/18/RM14225-copy-1.JPG?et=6oTjHvdX7%2C19lMJ4ggyBkw&nmid=102939605

During the time of Daniel Burnham, everything in Baguio was planned and well calculated. But in the last 40 years, rapid development resulted in rapid deterioration of its environment. Baguio has a density of 5,000 people per square kilometer, compared to manila's 40,000.

Photo by Ric Manuiquis (Ricmanuiquis.multiply.com)

baka ito ang naging inspiration ng mga namahala sa baguio city:

FAVELA DO BRAZIL

http://www.jointsoftime.org/additional/images/rarely/favelas.jpg

http://eliacin.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/providencia_workinprogress_jr.jpg

http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/8143/33770/f/171232-Rocinha-Favela-0.jpg

http://www.viajar.de/media/rio/r_favela2.jpg

greenshields

January 12th, 2010, 03:12 AM

Looks like it...also reminds me of paintings by Baldemor.

kalbongdad

January 13th, 2010, 01:03 AM

mga igorot din ang sisira sa kapwa nila igorots.....imagine not taking into consideration the absorptive capacity of the city....sige lang ng sige ang mga iskwaters.....it would take siguro nature to devastate the landscape bago ayusin ulit ang pangit ng city of baguio...

kratos1211

January 13th, 2010, 01:56 AM

hindi ang igorot ang majority ng squatter. Mga galing lowland ang tawag nila, karamihan from tarlac, pangasinan, la union ang mga squatter.

Bahay_Kubo

January 13th, 2010, 10:17 AM

dapat ma-control ang urbanization ng Baguio. based on the aerial photo posted by frustratedarchitect, hindi maganda yung nangyayari ngayon na out-of-control na ang urbanization ng Baguio.

sairoangel

January 14th, 2010, 04:28 PM

mas majority na yung mga taga baba kesa yung taga-baguio talaga..
maglakad ka nga sa session ansikip ng pedestrian..

superpilyoako

January 14th, 2010, 11:28 PM

i'm not sure about this one.

but the next term will be a good term in infrastructure projects for PI with our 3 presidentiables.

1. Villar (maasive housing projects)
2. Gordon (massive trasnportation like extensive rail network and other infra project) but he also promised to lessen the government spending so I'm not sure which is which
3. Teodoro (he wants the PI to have what HK and Malaysia have, so expect super big projects that are far better from what we have right now)

diz

January 15th, 2010, 01:07 AM

Teodoro eyes bridges, tunnels between islands to replace Roros

Source: BusinessMirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/20887-teodoro-eyes-bridges-tunnels-between-islands-to-replace-roros.html)

LAKAS-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro on Wednesday said it is time to upgrade the country’s infrastructure network under a national development plan that will interconnect the main islands through a modern network of bridges or tunnels.

“We are still trapped in the time of Roros [roll-on, roll-off ferries]. It is time we seriously consider linking the country through bridges and tunnels between the islands,” Teodoro said.

“Hong Kong has it. Malaysia has it. Why should not the Philippines?” Teodoro said in stressing a modern transportation infrastructure.

Teodoro pointed to the spate of maritime accidents involving wooden-hulled passenger vessels that killed scores during the Christmas holidays as proof that public transport in the Philippines is long-overdue for an overhaul.

Tunnels or bridges could be built initially to link Bohol and Cebu, as well as areas of Southern Leyte, Teodoro said.

In his platform of government, Teodoro envisions, among other things, building a modern national road infrastructure and communications network to hasten economic development and strengthen government efforts to fight rural and urban poverty.

At the same time, Teodoro affirmed his stand to provide local governments more funds for disaster control and management.

This can be realized by amending the law to allow the local governments to utilize more than 5 percent of their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for that purpose, said Teodoro, former defense secretary and chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

Funds for disaster management by the local governments are pegged at 5 percent of the IRA, a figure Teodoro considers too small for adequate disaster response and control by the local governments.

Sounds like Eisenhower. I would highly consider this candidate.

lochinvar

January 15th, 2010, 02:20 AM

Took a long time before the Eisenhower project reached its optimum. For the Philippines, to interconnect all the islands would entails a humongous amount of money, presumably all loans. We could end up like Greece, bankrupt. For the time being, strict enforcement of rules should be adhered to, further training of officers and men while at the same time encouraging shipping companies to avail themselves of more modern, up-to-date ships to minimize if not eradicate these accidents.

edly

January 16th, 2010, 06:02 AM

if we will compare the Philippines to Thailand and Malaysia, we should build more railways and expressways

Our country still has a long long way to run. What is important is that we are moving rather than stagnant. Hopefully the next President will double or triple the effort to fast track all of these important infrastructures.

lochinvar

January 16th, 2010, 08:18 PM

"if we will compare the Philippines to Thailand and Malaysia."

Thailand and Malaysia are different from the Philippines landwise. The former are almost continguous landmass while the latter is an archipelago. We can only go with the combinations of rails, expressways and ro-ros. We can connect a few but to bridge all the big islands would entail massive amounts of cash.

Bootkin

January 18th, 2010, 08:00 AM

I see. Is it really planned to be built inside Burnham Park? I wouldn't be surprised if people would oppose that plan. Couldn't they think of another place?

Aside from that, aren't there any plans to use buses instead of jeepneys? That would surely lessen the congestion in major roads.

I think Baguio City government should learn from Queenstown in New Zealand. They built the car park under the street level, particularly the park near the lake shoreline.

brownislander

January 18th, 2010, 08:43 AM

They should rather look on other problems of the country first...

brownislander

January 18th, 2010, 08:45 AM

Baguio is still beautiful kahit na overcrowded ;-)

frustratedarchitect

January 18th, 2010, 06:30 PM

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/19/photos/1907/1200x1200/1/RM14270-1-1.JPG?et=7%2B5zKzfj9qmkFs5Y50Zafg&nmid=307145556

http://images.ricmaniquis.multiply.com/image/20/photos/242/1200x1200/22/RM14248-copy-1.JPG?et=C84J6h%2CL7FBdE5FhkgB2mw&nmid=114059368

Baguio really needs to expand. Its only occupying about 57 square kilometers in the middles of the mountains, just about the size of Kalookan, but it has golf courses, flower farms, a city center,l malls, a forest reserve, a watershed, 8 universities, one hundred twenty nine barangays, a military academy, an airport, dozens of Parks a PEZA industrial zone and 300 thousand people jostling within that limted amount of space.

I miss baguio though, its not like any city in the world.

kilabot

January 18th, 2010, 09:29 PM

my .02 (coming from someone who hasn't lived in baguo for the past 27 years!) on the garbage and traffic concerns of the city and how to reduce such.

1. STRICT implementation of taxicab/jeetney franchise limits and maybe adapting an odd/even license plate number coding vs. the present one. odd numbers on certain days and even on the rest...that should cut 50% of the vehicles in baguio...if not possible, set a perimeter where such coding practice can be enforced...say trancoville, bokawkan, legarda, south drive, brookside and back to trancoville? set areas strictly for loading and unloading passengers regardless of whether this are private or public and enforce stiffer fines! the practice will eliminate "temporary double parking" in busy downtown streets which is a major cause of traffic especially at magsaysay, abanao, harrison and session road areas.

2. encourage recycling by setting FINES to those that disobey-ala san francisco. recycable items should be placed in a recycable bins and non-recycable in another. set-up a collection method that will allow recycables to be transported to a "processing" plant on a regular basis and later SOLD to china or ??? a garbage refuse site should be built and equipped with incinerators/boilers or whatever equipment necessary to process waste into renewable energy perhaps?

easy for me to say...i am totally aware that it will cost the city millions if not billions but it has to start somewhere...! with all the revenue from big businesses setting up shop in the city plus all the tourist revenue...siguro naman pwede...?

brownislander

January 19th, 2010, 04:47 AM

Pwedeng-pwede talaga yang mga ideas mo.

jpdm

January 23rd, 2010, 02:41 AM

jpdm

January 23rd, 2010, 02:42 AM

jpdm

January 23rd, 2010, 02:43 AM

jpdm

January 23rd, 2010, 02:45 AM

baka ito ang naging inspiration ng mga namahala sa baguio city:

FAVELA DO BRAZIL

http://www.jointsoftime.org/additional/images/rarely/favelas.jpg

http://eliacin.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/providencia_workinprogress_jr.jpg

http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/8143/33770/f/171232-Rocinha-Favela-0.jpg

http://www.viajar.de/media/rio/r_favela2.jpg

A disaster waiting to destroy Baguio....

jpdm

January 23rd, 2010, 02:47 AM

dapat ma-control ang urbanization ng Baguio. based on the aerial photo posted by frustratedarchitect, hindi maganda yung nangyayari ngayon na out-of-control na ang urbanization ng Baguio.

Agree. The key word is controlled urbanization...those squatters should be relocated or a low rise housing project should be initiated by the LGU and clear those hills with houses and replace them with trees...

kalbongdad

January 23rd, 2010, 02:48 PM

yung mga local officials ng bagyo inaasa na lang yan siguro sa kalikasan....siguro maghihintay na lang sila na gumuho ang mga yan...para malinis...:lol: what can you expect from those people mga walang vision....every time na umaakyat ako sa baguio...and its often...nakakainis makita ang mga bundok na puno ng iskwaters...at ang city na nagdi deteriorate...:bash: ni wala ka nang makita na masyadong puno sa ciudad...

NOVO ECIJANO

January 23rd, 2010, 10:46 PM

frustratedarchitect

January 29th, 2010, 09:29 AM

There is overdevelopment in the city's core and no planning at all at the fringes. The BLIST thing is all talk again is it?

greenshields

January 29th, 2010, 09:41 AM

BLIST probably exists only in paper.

frustratedarchitect

January 29th, 2010, 09:47 AM

yep. So far, there's no coordination among the BLIST members, no proper move at all when the only things it would take are common sense and some will power which sadly them people in the city hall seems to be lacking. Baguio is doomed to be something like an awful fungus like sprawl in the middle of the cordilleras.

jpdm

January 30th, 2010, 03:21 AM

I miss the old Bagiuo City...

Hopefully, the national government compels the Bagiuo City LGU to bring back the old beauty and charm of the city...

jpdm

January 30th, 2010, 03:28 AM

^^^^^^^^

Love the concept!:cheers::cheers:

okidok

January 30th, 2010, 03:53 AM

[newbie here] :)
Don't wanna quote the whole post of diz and will only cite this about Gibo Teodoro's plan:
'“We are still trapped in the time of Roros [roll-on, roll-off ferries]. It is time we seriously consider linking the country through bridges and tunnels between the islands,” Teodoro said.
“Hong Kong has it. Malaysia has it. Why should not the Philippines?” Teodoro said in stressing a modern transportation infrastructure.
Teodoro pointed to the spate of maritime accidents involving wooden-hulled passenger vessels that killed scores during the Christmas holidays as proof that public transport in the Philippines is long-overdue for an overhaul.'

If the problem is maritime safety and use of wooden-hulled RORO vessels, then why not address the problem by focusing on safety standards rather than costly infrastructure replacement? A lot of maritime safety problems can already be solved through the strict application of standards, like those in SOLAS and GMDSS where the Philippines is a signatory to. A lot can also be solved by having a "culture of safety" in our travels, as well as in everything we Filipinos do.

We should also not speak derisively of ROROs, as in "being trapped in the time of ROROs" is a bad thing. RORO technology has underwent some modernization of its own. Developed countries also use ROROs, like Norway which has many fjords. ROROs are fit for archipelagic countries like ours. Bridges and tunnels to connect islands should only be done when the traffic clearly indicates it is economically beneficial and cost-benefit justified to build those, like in the connection between Manhattan and New Jersey. My apologies to Gibo fans, but Gibo's take on modernization and connecting islands hints on taking out a lot of foreign loans and indiscriminately pursuing big infrastructure projects when he gets elected. Big money...
:cheers1:

jpdm

January 30th, 2010, 04:08 AM

[newbie here] :)
Don't wanna quote the whole post of diz and will only cite this about Gibo Teodoro's plan:
'“We are still trapped in the time of Roros [roll-on, roll-off ferries]. It is time we seriously consider linking the country through bridges and tunnels between the islands,” Teodoro said.
“Hong Kong has it. Malaysia has it. Why should not the Philippines?” Teodoro said in stressing a modern transportation infrastructure.
Teodoro pointed to the spate of maritime accidents involving wooden-hulled passenger vessels that killed scores during the Christmas holidays as proof that public transport in the Philippines is long-overdue for an overhaul.'

This is pure day dreaming.

I think Malaysia and Hongkong are far different geographically from us. They are not archipelagos compared to us. The cost of building bridges or tunnels between major islands in the Philippines will be humongous.

Imagine the gap between Batangas and Mindoro, Sorsogon and Leyte-Samar,
Dinagat and Surigao...

It is more feasible and realistic to interconnect our islands with brand new, modern, fast and efficient ROROS.

If the problem is maritime safety and use of wooden-hulled RORO vessels, then why not address the problem by focusing on safety standards rather than costly infrastructure replacement? A lot of maritime safety problems can already be solved through the strict application of standards, like those in SOLAS and GMDSS where the Philippines is a signatory to. A lot can also be solved by having a "culture of safety" in our travels, as well as in everything we Filipinos do.

:cheers1:We should also not speak derisively of ROROs, as in "being trapped in the time of ROROs" is a bad thing. RORO technology has underwent some modernization of its own. Developed countries also use ROROs, like Norway which has many fjords. ROROs are fit for archipelagic countries like ours. Bridges and tunnels to connect islands should only be done when the traffic clearly indicates it is economically beneficial and cost-benefit justified to build those, like in the connection between Manhattan and New Jersey. My apologies to Gibo fans, but Gibo's take on modernization and connecting islands hints on taking out a lot of foreign loans and indiscriminately pursuing big infrastructure projects when he gets elected. Big money...

Very true.:cheers: