Nahihilo na ako? Ano ba tuloy ba MRT-4? Ano na nangyari sa extension ng MRT-3? Gagawa pa ba ng separate line from Malabon to North EDSA o idudugtong na lang sa MRT-3? Nakakahilo na talaga

... atsaka anong nangyari na sa MRT8 sta.mesa to angono? :weird:

^^^ yup, pero syempre d naman lahat nakikita ng guard kaya madali kumuha ng pic sa loob.

haha... sa bagay camphone lng naman gamit mo di halata... ako one time mula sa building ng apartment namin nag picture ako sa pureza station tapos gabi yun, eh may flash, nakita ako tinutok ung flash light nya sa kin ako tumakbo na lng... :D

Ang ENT tuloy diba, next year na ang start ng construction? Tsaka yung MRT7 on the bidding process na. Siguro these 3 lines will have a common station in front of SM north Edsa.

Ang ENT tuloy diba, next year na ang start ng construction? Tsaka yung MRT7 on the bidding process na. Siguro these 3 lines will have a common station in front of SM north Edsa.

GMA wants to finish a line within her term so the ENT should be it

Line 7 looks more likely to go ahead than line 4

stephen I think the levin means that similar to other systems like BK and Sing two lines share a platform and people transfer from one line to the other by just going accross it

wala pang balita sa line 8, matagal pa iyan, there's alignment issues with the subway kasi

the lrt system we have will not support double deckers which are almost exclusively found for heavier rail at ground, there is a distinct possiblity that the chinese system at northrail will they may use double deckers as these are common with Diesel Multiple units

Gov’t to subsidize MRT operations by P2.1 B


By MARIO B. CASAYURAN

The government has decided to subsidize by R2.189 billion the 2007 operation of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) on EDSA by maintaining the current maximum R15 fare for the 18-kilometer Manila North-Taft run.


This was revealed by Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Leandro Mendoza at the Senate finance committee hearing chaired by Sen. Franklin M. Drilon yesterday.

Mendoza said the R2.18 billion subsidy for MRT is arrived at by subtracting R1.339 billion in expected fare revenue from its estimated R3.89 billion obligations. He said the subsidy could be released monthly.

The DOTC chief explained that to increase the fare would not benefit commuters as bus companies that charge from a minimum of R10 to R32 in the maximum 18-kilometer route would also increase their fare rates.

The DOTC, one of the top 10 agencies with high budget proposals, is seeking a 2007 R17.5 billion budget, higher than its re-enacted 2005 budget of R14.3 billion.

In a related development, Drilon said his committee is holding Elena Bautista, chairperson of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB), to its promise to reduce by the end of 2006 the current 5,000 buses to 1,800.

Of the 5,000 buses plying the Metro Manila route, some 1,500 buses are considered "colorum" (without franchise), Bautista said. Of these, 599 buses had been apprehended and are at present impounded.

Earlier, the LTFRB had told the Senate that it would strongly suggest to legitimate bus operators to reduce their units or to some operators with few units by operating in the provinces.

Opposition Sen. Alfredo S. Lim did not hide his irritation at Drilon’s questioning of his (Lim’s) mode of seeking answers from Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Joseph Ace Durano. Lim asked details on tourist arrivals way back 20 years ago.

After Lim explained that he never interrupted Drilon’s series of questions during committee hearings and should therefore be accorded the same courtesy, Drilon said Lim wanted to get an overview of tourist arrivals from the Aquino administration to the current Arroyo administration.

http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006101076671.html

$ 1.2-B MRT-7 project ready to go



By BERNIE CAHILES–MAGKILAT

MRT-7 proponent Universal LRT Corp. is all set to go with its $ 1.2-billion intermodal transport system that will serve commuters to and from north of Metro Manila and Bulacan.


Roberto de Ocampo, chair of Universal LRT Corp., said the consortium is just awaiting the final approval for the Swiss Challenge, a required procedure for all unsolicited infrastructure projects under the build-operate-transfer scheme.

ULC, however, is expected to hurdle the Swiss Challenge and implement the project based on its proposal. The challenge is to test whether there are ready takers for the project.

"We are just awaiting for the final approval of the Swiss Challenge," De Ocampo stressed.

The National Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by President Arroyo gave a go-signal for Metro Manila Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) last May to proceed with the Swiss Challenge.

The $ 1.2 billion, mass transit project, is a 22-kilometer elevated track, running from Tala, Novaliches, to North Avenue corner EDSA, passing through Lagro, Fairview, and Commonwealth Avenue before joining MRT Line 3 on North Avenue.

The ULC consortium is not seeking any government guarantee for the project’s financing. The consortium also undertakes that the project is deficit neutral with an internal rate of return of 12 percent.

Other issues that the project faces such as the proponent’s request to reduce the performance bonds requirement to $ 445 million from $ 1.8 billion.

To be able to beat the ULC project proposal, bidders must submit a viable business plan with the lower project cost, a deficit neutral undertaking and an internal rate of return that is lower than 12 percent.

The whole bidding process is expected to be completed in three to four months.

The results of the Swiss Challenge will be forwarded to the National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordinating Committee for final decision.

The original project propopent, the ULC, would have to match the offer of the winning bidder.

ULC investors of the MRT 7 projects include the Sy family of SM Group, Siemens Group, International Finance Corp., Yuchengco Group, George Go Group, China Railway and a Japanese investor.

Aside from the mass transport system, ULC has offered to develop a real estate from which the government is expected to earn $ 2.5 billion on land development. It also proposed that an advance of $ 108 million be made by the government annually for the first 10 years of the concession period, while collecting revenues of $ 4.40 billion during the 25-year period.

Already, the consortium has acquired a 194-hectare lot to be developed into a new town in San Jose, Del Monte, Bulacan.

http://www.mb.com.ph/BSNS2006101276851.html

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9763/dscn2254nb8.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3204/sydneyairportterminal3tx5.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1953/sydneyairportterminal5bx9.jpg
Double decker trains in sydney central train station

CalTrain in the San Francisco bay area dispatches double-decker trains during rush hours.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid216/pa7be1e7077b1ba5f2d3ff0f87264ef7e/ecbc5101.jpg

Here are more pics http://railroadpictures.net/Trains/Caltrain/

These Canadian-made cars won't work in the Philippines; the PNR lines are all narrow-gauge.

THE LRT EXPERIENCE

by Grit. Guts. Gumption.

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9462/train12ty0.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7200/train11rq2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/4004/train5mt2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9858/train7vq5.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8713/train3tg4.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9682/train10dp8.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6116/train1dg2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8365/train9ul2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2484/train2fs6.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9915/train6nq3.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9007/train4ai3.jpg

^^

Di ba bawal kumuha ng pics?! Or sa MRT 1 lang yun?

Bawal nga pero nasa loob na naman kaya walang sisita. Unless may sobrang concerned na pasehero, which is very rare.

Yung sa first four pics MRT yun. YUng 5th to 7th pics LRT 2. YUng 8th to the last pic ay MRT ulit. The 8th pic shows Cubao station. While the last shows the MRT going from Santolan to Cubao (take note of the Ongpauco bldg).

$600-M EXTENSION PROJECT DRAWS 10 FOREIGN, 2 LOCAL FIRMS
12 bidders for LRT South

TWELVE foreign and local firms, including construction firm DM Consunji Inc. and AMA Group Holding Corp. of Amable Aguiluz, have formally expressed interest to bid for the $600-million Line 1 South extension project of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).
LRTA project manager Danilo Tolentino said Monday the 10 foreign firms also submitted their letters of intent in the tender slated within the year.
The foreign firms include four Chinese companies, two from India, one from Singapore, two Spanish firms, and one from Japan.
These are China-Shanghai Foreign Economic Group, China National Technical Corp., China Overseas Northwest Construction; China State Construction Engineering Corp., Indian firms Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Limited and Rights Limited; Norton Rose Corp. of Singapore; and International Business Development Prointec and Isolux Corsan of Spain.
“We received letters of intent from 12 groups. Most of them are engineering-construction firms. We will furnish them any update regarding the project,” said Tolentino.
Tolentino added, “We expect to get approval from Neda within the month. This is one of the priority projects of the Arroyo administration.”
One of the Indian firms is willing to finance the entire project, including civil works, so that it would pay government lesser concession fees, said Tolentino.
“The Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd. wants to finance 100 percent of the project cost. But that proposal is still being reviewed. If one undertakes the entire project then it follows that lesser concession fees will be paid to the government.”
The LRTA is bidding out the financing, design, construction, and installation of a 12-kilometer extension to Bacoor, Cavite, passing through Parañaque and Las Piñas.
Once in place, some 800,000 passengers would be served daily and cut travel time from Bacoor to Monumento in Caloocan City, to less than an hour.
LRTA administrator Mel Robles had said that about $330 million will be provided by the government for civil works and right-of-way acquisition. The remaining amount would be from the private-sector partner.
Also to be bid out are the enhancement works on the integrated system under a build-operate-transfer and related schemes for a proposed 40-year concession period, inclusive of four years of construction.
The government had received an unsolicited offer from SNC Lavalin International Inc. more than five years ago to undertake the extension project, but did not pursue it because the offer was too expensive.
SNC Lavalin had asked the government to repay them $20 million representing their feasibility study and expenses for development plans. The government settled for $10 million and paid $5 million last year.
The Department of Budget and Management has recently released $4 million to settle the balance.

Business Mirror

^^Uy, so many companies are scrambling to get the project. I hope the developers choose the Filipino ones. Or the SPaniards, because we barely feel their presence here, there are so many Chinese and Japanes-made products here in the Philippines, choosing the SPanish firm will be a new endeavor.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in coordination with the Provincial Government of Batangas is looking into the feasibility of reviving and joining the old PNR line with a heavy rail system to close-circuit the rail transport sector service nationwide. Already in the planning stage is the construction of a US $ 1.7 B Southrail Passenger and Container Railway Project to connect Metro Manila and the Southern tagalong provinces and to serve as a mass transportation system for commuters and cargo.The Manila – Calabarzon Express (MCX) is a joint venture project by Ayala Land and the Southrail consortium composed of Philippine National Railways (PNR) and Bases Coversation and Development authority (BCDA) to rehabilitate and improve the commuter and freight operations of the PNR south rail. The first phase of the project will be from Sta. Mesa, Manila to Calamba, Laguna with a spur line to Batangas City, Sta. Cruz and Lucena in Quezon MCX is listed as a Presidential Flagship Project and the NEDA Investment Coordinating Committee has already issued a first pass approval on the project.

^ Wow, so Ayala Land is so active on these rail projects pala :)

i think in the future Manila can reconstruct its MRT/LRT system to become a metro system very modern.. i choose HK and Guangzhou's MRT, they are very modern in nature(stations, trains, technology, architecture, etc...)

they are just gonna choose whatever theyve seen/been to.

Since most of HK's mrt is underground, i dont think that can be a model to our mostly elevated MRT. i was thinking more like Bangkok's. :)

I don't care what it's patterned after, I just want to see the following things:

1. Shared stations where passengers can easily transfer from one line to another. The way the three current lines are designed is a JOKE! In other countries, when two lines cross, they share a common station. In Manila you are required to go back to the STREET before coming back to the adjacent station -- who was the idiot who planned that?

2. If you have ticket machines in the stations, for God's sake, make them work, and have enough of them. The fact that most of the time wasted in Manila's MRT/LRT is not in waiting for the trains or the ride itself, but in PAYING THE FARE at the booths! Ridiculous.

1. Shared stations where passengers can easily transfer from one line to another. The way the three current lines are designed is a JOKE! In other countries, when two lines cross, they share a common station. In Manila you are required to go back to the STREET before coming back to the adjacent station -- who was the idiot who planned that?


You are not alone.
In Kuala Lumpur, its pretty much the same.
Eg.; the Putra and Star lines stations at Masjid Jamek are less than a stone's throw from each other and yet one have to get out of their respective stations to effect a transfer.
There's talks about the government getting the operators to integrate but after years, it remains as just talks.

You are not alone.
In Kuala Lumpur, its pretty much the same.
Eg.; the Putra and Star lines stations at Masjid Jamek are less than a stone's throw from each other and yet one have to get out of their respective stations to effect a transfer.
There's talks about the government getting the operators to integrate but after years, it remains as just talks.

I've been to KL too... I was there in March 2003 and rode the Putra and Star lines (I didn't ride the monorail though). I didn't have a problem transfering between the stations. Yes I went to the Masjid Jamek station but I guess I had some time betwen the trains as I went on a tour of the mosque before taking the underground Star train to KLCC.
But in Manila, since nearly all stations are aerial, you have to cross the street to go to the "transfer" station. I think the KL system is far more organized.

sana in the future maybe in 2015-2020 the gov't would reconstruct all of the existing MRT/LRT lines one at a time, turn them into mostly underground lines w/ some elevated portions, and integrate them. our present elevated system ay hindi bagay para sa integration and interchangeability ng mga existing lines, kasi lahat ng mga MRT/LRT lines natin nagcocross w/ each other, kung gumawa man sila ng common station, masyadong malaki yung station tsaka masisira view ng ibang building surrounding the station...

kung underground lines mas madali ang interchange of lines kahit pacross ang mga lines ng LRT/MRT natin kasi gagawin lang naman is bababa ka ng tren then go down to the next platform serving the other line parang sa Hong Kong. For example, underground na lahat ng LRT/MRT lines dito sa Manila. Nakasakay ka sa Line 3 (EDSA Line) gusto mo pumunta sa Marikina. bababa ka sa cubao station tapos you'll take the escalator going to the platform serving Line 2 then you'll take the train going to Marikina. di ba masa madali yun? :) sana din palitan nila yung mga train ng Line 1 at 3, gawin nilang heay rail.. :)

sana in the future maybe in 2015-2020 the gov't would reconstruct all of the existing MRT/LRT lines one at a time, turn them into mostly underground lines w/ some elevated portions, and integrate them.

I don't think you can build undergroudn lines in a city prone to flooding.

The trains and routes themselves are great. The MRT is a modern miracle: Pasay City to QC in less than 40 minutes?!?!? Incredible! But a lot of common-sense amenities that are usually put into other transit systems don't exist in Manila for some stupid reason.

I don't think you can build undergroudn lines in a city prone to flooding.

The trains and routes themselves are great. The MRT is a modern miracle: Pasay City to QC in less than 40 minutes?!?!? Incredible! But a lot of common-sense amenities that are usually put into other transit systems don't exist in Manila for some stupid reason.

Bangkok has a underground metro, and Bangkok is more prone to flooding... If Bangkok can do it, why Manila can't? Yes i believe the routes are great but the trains are so small you feel like you're packed in a sardine can...

naku.. I can't decide as I haven't experienced or even seen such metro systems.... but I'd say I liked Singapore's MRT...

Bangkok has a underground metro, and Bangkok is more prone to flooding... If Bangkok can do it, why Manila can't? Yes i believe the routes are great but the trains are so small you feel like you're packed in a sardine can...

The solution is more trains running more often...that would alleviate the overcrowding. But having overcrowded trains is a good sign - it means there is a demand for the system.

they are just gonna choose whatever theyve seen/been to.

Since most of HK's mrt is underground, i dont think that can be a model to our mostly elevated MRT. i was thinking more like Bangkok's. :)

You mean the MTR ;)

I don't care what it's patterned after, I just want to see the following things:

1. Shared stations where passengers can easily transfer from one line to another. The way the three current lines are designed is a JOKE! In other countries, when two lines cross, they share a common station. In Manila you are required to go back to the STREET before coming back to the adjacent station -- who was the idiot who planned that?

2. If you have ticket machines in the stations, for God's sake, make them work, and have enough of them. The fact that most of the time wasted in Manila's MRT/LRT is not in waiting for the trains or the ride itself, but in PAYING THE FARE at the booths! Ridiculous.

One of the reasons for this are, The LRT and MRT are separate companies unless they make an agreement. The only places I know where trains intersect are the ones in Pasay, Cubao and Quiapo. The former two intersect in Edsa.

I definitely agree with the ticketing machines. It's a complete waste of time waiting in line to buy a ticket. The LRT-2 though have ticketing machines but are out of date compared to HK's ticketing system.

Another thing, Manila's metro system should implement a SMART CARD system similar to the Octopus Card that we use in HK.

Last, the LRT-1 is one of the few metro systems in the world without airconditioning especially if it's located in a tropical country. The newer models have airconditioning but the rest don't.

sana nga maging katulad ng HK MTR yung LRT/MRT dito... sobrang naiingit ako sa HK pag nandun ako para bisitahin tito ko at mga pinsan ko.... maganda talaga MTR nila sa totoo lang, better than Shanghai Metro and New York Subway

Singapore's MRT is also nice, especially the Dhoby Gaut Station.

london underground....basically changing between lines is very easy, just go a level up or down... i cannot see this happening if the train line is just like the way mrt is now... =/

All LRT-1 coaches have Air Conditioning. It says on their website that they completed the refurbishing of old LRT trains with Air/con. I should know ive been on one of the refurbished trains.

uhm, kahit man lang yung standards sa LRT-2 ok na. Pero, please they must really do something about the stations! Walking in Cubao from LRT-2 to MRT is not only time consuming but it is also exhausting... Trains should improve the productivity of the workers and employees from nearby provinces and outskirts of MM. But with this kind of system, I think, it has little effect.

uhm, kahit man lang yung standards sa LRT-2 ok na. Pero, please they must really do something about the stations! Walking in Cubao from LRT-2 to MRT is not only time consuming but it is also exhausting... Trains should improve the productivity of the workers and employees from nearby provinces and outskirts of MM. But with this kind of system, I think, it has little effect.

At least you get the exercise ;)

Anonymous baka kailala ko yung pinsan mo :D

Anyway, yes it's very time consuming but isn't that the same thing if you gonna change from Central to The Tung Chung Line in HK's MTR except you be walking underground?

I am happy that Metro Manila has its own metro system but they still need to work out the problems with regards to passenger movement and convenience. For instance, the ticketing systems among the three are entirely different from one another that you have to buy a separate card for each one of them if you are planning to take more than one line in your trip. The incompatible systems require you to queue up for the ticket each time you take a ride on a line. During rush hours, the line can seem endless that you have wasted hefty amounts of time by the moment you got your card and entered into the turnslot.As what Elsong mentioned, transfer between two proximate lines make it seem like your strolling along the park when you are actually rushing to catch another train.

I am happy that Metro Manila has its own metro system but they still need to work out the problems with regards to passenger movement and convenience. For instance, the ticketing systems among the three are entirely different from one another that you have to buy a separate card for each one of them if you are planning to take more than one line in your trip. The incompatible systems require you to queue up for the ticket each time you take a ride on a line. During rush hours, the line can seem endless that you have wasted hefty amounts of time by the moment you got your card and entered into the turnslot.As what Elsong mentioned, transfer between two proximate lines make it seem like your strolling along the park when you are actually rushing to catch another train.

Isn't there an agency that oversees all the rail lines? They should have a universakl fare structure. It's a rail SYSTEM, right? And why were the lines administered by different entities? Typical Philippine governmental waste & corruption...

Isn't there an agency that oversees all the rail lines? They should have a universakl fare structure. It's a rail SYSTEM, right? And why were the lines administered by different entities? Typical Philippine governmental waste & corruption...

I think its the DOTC. However, just like Wanch said, there are two systems currently in MM: MRT which is a government supported private consortium and LRT which is entirely owned by the govt. These lines were built one at a time not incorporating terminal or station expansion in their existing designs. Well, its better that they exist and working than nothing at all. Since nothing can be done to reallign or change the location of the stations due to costs and right of way issues, the only way they should be working out is to improve the ticketing systems. A

@ WANCH

OT: kilala mo si michael adrian castro? siya pinsan ko sa hk

Isn't there an agency that oversees all the rail lines? They should have a universakl fare structure. It's a rail SYSTEM, right? And why were the lines administered by different entities? Typical Philippine governmental waste & corruption...

That's not waste and corruption, that's called having no cash to throw on infra projects. Lines 1 and 2 are administered by the LRTA, while line 3 is administered by the private consortium that built it.

Bear in mind that while a universal fare and ticketing structure is a welcome idea, such infrastructure is expensive, and the revenues from each line aren't even enough to cover operating costs. This is where the private sector comes in. Globe Telecom started offering a service that works similar to octopus cards. Currently, this system is only available on line 3, but if Globe is willing to shell out cash to outfit the other two lines with this facility, then the universal ticketing and fare structure will be solved.

Regarding interconnection, the lines, for their size, are sufficiently interconnected. It would be nice to have better interconnection, but it would bleed money out of the LRT if people didn't have to pay a new fare to get on a different line. Perhaps when the LRT/MRT start criss-crossing the city, interconnection will be more important as ridership will depend on it, unlike today where each of the three lines caters more or less to its own ridership.

What happened to the 3rd generation LRT-1 trains? Any news on them?

\The Manila – Calabarzon Express (MCX) [/SIZE][/B]

Hmm....never heard of it.

What's this about?

I believe the MCX is another term for the commuter rail version of Southrail.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in coordination with the Provincial Government of Batangas is looking into the feasibility of reviving and joining the old PNR line with a heavy rail system to close-circuit the rail transport sector service nationwide. Already in the planning stage is the construction of a US $ 1.7 B Southrail Passenger and Container Railway Project to connect Metro Manila and the Southern tagalong provinces and to serve as a mass transportation system for commuters and cargo.The Manila – Calabarzon Express (MCX) is a joint venture project by Ayala Land and the Southrail consortium composed of Philippine National Railways (PNR) and Bases Coversation and Development authority (BCDA) to rehabilitate and improve the commuter and freight operations of the PNR south rail. The first phase of the project will be from Sta. Mesa, Manila to Calamba, Laguna with a spur line to Batangas City, Sta. Cruz and Lucena in Quezon MCX is listed as a Presidential Flagship Project and the NEDA Investment Coordinating Committee has already issued a first pass approval on the project.

This project is very old quite:ancient: The president was Ramos pa haha.
The TOR for this line is quite diff. now. Before kasi Ayala wanted to route the trains to the lands they acquired in Canlubang to raise it's value, hehe.

I think there is a very big chance that the chinese will construct and FUND the whole rails system to Bicol. The chinese have proposed to providing soft loan for their projects (2 - 3% a year!) up to 3 billion$ every year. Of course it will be tied (meaning their products and companies). But still a good way to fund infrastructure which the president wants to do but does not have the money to do.

MRT-7 draft contract gets DOJ nod
By Lenie Lectura
Reporter

THE draft contract for the biggest infrastructure project yet of the Arroyo administration has been cleared by the Justice department, paving the way for the Transportation department to formally publish soon bid invitations for the construction of a $1.23-billion railway system.

“We reiterate our position that we interpose no objection for the draft TOR [terms of reference],” Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said in a legal opinion addressed to Assistant Secretary Robert Castañares of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The opinion was sought by the DOTC after the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) approved the TOR for the proposed conduct of Swiss challenge for the Metro Rail Transit-7 (MRT-7) project.

The MRT-7 project is a mass rail transit system that will connect the MRT-3 all the way to Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue, Quirino Avenue extension up to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, covering approximately 23 kilometers.

The TOR, among others, secures the right of the original proponent to match the proposal deemed most advantageous to the government.

The DOTC awaits this legal opinion before it publishes an invitation to solicit interest from other parties that would want to match the bid of the project proponent. The invitation should be published for three consecutive weeks, the legal opinion stated.

If there are no challengers, the government will finalize a contract with Universal LRT Corp., a consortium led by EL International Holdings, a member of the EL Group of Companies of Hong Kong.

Other members include Yuchencgo-owned EEI Corp., TCGI Engineers, Tyco-subsidiary Eart Tech, Alstom Phils, Merlin Capital of the Tong family, Siemens and China Railway 18.

The SM Group also owns 60 percent of MRT-7’s real-estate venture and 25 percent of the railway project.

The proponent posted in August a $10-million bid bond. “The bid bond is required by law to ensure that if we are awarded the contract we will sign it,” said Universal LRT managing director Eli Levin.

The signing of the contract is expected to take place sometime in the first quarter of next year. Actual construction, added Levin, is slated in the last quarter of next year, just a few months before the closing of the project’s financial aspect.

Levin said project financing include $300-million equity investment and $900-million debt. Of the $900 million, Levin said $200 million will be in a form of untied loan to finance the civil-works portion of the project.

A number of foreign banks have already expressed interest to facilitate the loan. The remaining $700 million will be sourced from export credit agencies.

“There will be an equity investment coming from people who have interest in the project,” said Levin.

The $300-million equity will be equally shouldered by contractors, lending institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, and real-estate developer.

Levin doubts there are other interested bidders given the magnitude of the investment and the stringent requirements of the government.

“This is a nonstop endeavor. There is work to be done. We have to do it now rather than later so the project will not be delayed,” he said.

Fares for the railway system, designed to decongest the East Avenue and Commonwealth corridor, will be pegged at an average of P27. This will go up every year.

The MRT-7 project has a real-estate component to allow the government to sufficiently recover the subsidy that it would provide.

The consortium had planned to construct 2,500 residential units and 300 office units every year on a 174-hectare area in Bulacan. Universal LRT had also planned to construct a 22-kilometer road and a 20-hectare bus and train depot in the same area.

Under the proposed contract, the government will support the MRT-7 project by making a total of $108 million in advance payments to Universal LRT for 10 years.

Funding, he said, will come from the taxes that will be paid by the township project. The revenue from the property during the 25-year period is expected to reach $4.4 billion.

The Universal LRT will post a $445-million performance bond, which is lower than the $1.9 billion proposed by Neda. It will not exceed the 11.9-percent investment rate of return ceiling set by Neda on the $2.5 billion worth of property that will be constructed in Bulacan.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/eco01.php

OH GOSH, its taking so damn LONG!!!!!!!! so much cha cha buracha before things get off the damn ground

yeah... I was expecting it to start early next year... but.. as long as it goes through the proper process.. and it gets done soon... it's better.. :D

anyways... any of you guys have an idea where specifically in Tungkong Mangga (known more simply as Tungko), San Jose Del Monte is the real estate portion of this consortium where they plan to build the new city?.... today, the big lot of the Aranetas at the border of SJDM and NCR, they have turned it into a new subdivision... Araneta owns a very big parcel of lot there which is adjacent to the Paradise Farms...

P27 fare... why not!

pag nagstart na yung construction ng mrt7(kung mags-start man talaga) sana hindi grumabe yung traffic.. kasi lagi na lang akong late!


...maabutan ko pa kaya yang mrt-7? :D

any plans to link cavite? waht ever happened to the original LRT expansion?

taken from businessmirror.com.. this is new.. anybody heard of this before?

Govt to build railway around Laguna Lake
THE PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES A ROAD NETWORK,
WILL COST $2.4B THROUGH B.O.T. SCHEME

By Max V. de Leon
Reporter

The government announced Thursday its plan to construct a road and railway system around the 220-kilometer Laguna Lake through a $2.4-billion build-operate-transfer (BOT) project.

To be called the Laguna Bay-Rizal Ecological Transport System (Labart), the project will be undertaken by a consortium of foreign and local private and state corporations.

The project was announced Thursday by Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro and Panay Railways chair Ofelia Bulaong.

The main objective of the project is to provide adequate accessibility to the towns and cities surrounding Laguna Lake to Metro Manila’s principal road arteries and railway systems to transform all the provinces in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon and Aurora area into progressive industrial centers.

Bulaong said the project, although unsolicited, has been cleared by the National Economic and Development Authority.

Bulaong did not give specific details on the project because they are still finalizing the terms with the other groups that will undertake Labart along with Panay Railways Corp.

It entails the construction of an integrated road and railway system from Metro Manila to all towns and cities along the shoreline of Laguna de Bay in direct linkage with the proposed LRT-1 Coastal Road extension to Cavite and Philippine National Railway at FTI, Taguig.

The first option that the proponents are now looking at is the “shoreline embankment and causeway road” composed of approximately 150 kms of shoreline embankment road, 30 kms of causeway structure, 25 kms of land-based on-grade road and railway.

Bridges and series of box culverts will cross the route lines, accommodating water vessels’ passage and flow of water from land to prevent flooding.

The second option is the “Laguna de Bay on stilt carriageway for road and railway” that would involve the construction of structures above the lake’s waterline to minimize conflict with agencies and groups protecting the Laguna Lake, and issues on land reclamation, squatters and right of way.

The proponents listed 15 main components for the Labart: the C-5/FTI to Lower Bicutan, Taguig-Calamba segment, Calamba to Bay segment, Bay to Caliraya segment, South Bay segment, Jala-Jala mountain segment, Jala-Jala to Pililia segment, Pililia to Mangahan segment, Mangahan to Lower Bicutan C6, Talim Island Spur Line, Caliraya to Mauban segment, PNR railway rehabilitation, a proposed railway, Rizal container port and Mauban international port.

The derivative components will be side projects on pollution control, water supply, flood control and land development.

The project will strategically provide a direct fast transport system to Makati and Pasig, the country’s premier financial centers, and the expanding Global City in Taguig.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport will also just be minutes away through the C5 road.

^^^^^^^^^ THAT IS A DAMN GOOD PROJECT IF IT EVER GOES THROUGH!!!!!!!!

I hope this isn't all bells no cattle talk, damn it i hate that

wow.. seems like a big project!

i just hope that this would not be just a "show off" by gov. lazaro for the 2007 elections... knowing that vice gov. olivarez has plans to run against her.

this has been proposed a long time ago. even the laguna de bay coastal highway, hasn't materialized yet. haaayyyy. i've talked to gov. lazaro and it seems that she's the kind of person, rather politician who has too many promises but too little of those promises have materialized.

pwede na pala sa lahat nang stations to ngayon..

problema lang dito.. minsan hindi nag re register.. nakalabas ka na.. wala pang text.. tapos after ilang hours.. i text ka na nag expire ka na sa loob.. ang laki nang bawas.. happened to me twice na.. wala naman magawa yung nasa booth..

=========
Globe bares G-Pass ticketing for MRT
By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
The Philippine Star 11/17/2006

Ayala-owned Globe Telecom has introduced a quick way of paying for mass rail transit (MRT) trips using an experimental ticketing service dubbed G-Pass.

The alternative electronic chip system currently on trial at all 13 MRT stations – from North Ave. in Quezon City up to Taft Ave. in Manila – was developed by Globe together with Hypercash Payment Systems, Inc. in an attempt to make riding the MRT easier for the public.

Under the agreement, Globe will provide the G-Pass chips and mobile interface while Hypercash will put up the reloading booths and card reader terminals as well as handle all negotiations with MRT management.

Instead of carrying cash or falling in line to buy MRT tokens, G-Pass users only need to tap the pre-loaded chip on the G-Pass reader located on the turnstile to enter and exit the station. The fare, which includes a minimal service fee of only two percent per ride, will be debited from the chip upon exit.

"In a market that is maturing as what we have today, it is important that we try our best to find a value proposition that fits into consideration the needs of the different segments of our very wide range of customers. That’s why we came up with G-Pass. We strongly believe that G-Pass is an innovation that will be highly appreciated by our subscribers who frequently ride the MRT because of the convenience that it will give them," according to Rizza Maniego-Eala, head of Globe M-commerce business development.

The G-Pass chip has an initial load of P50 and is available for only P100 at all MRT booths as well as at 11 Globe business centers in SM North, Metropoint, Gateway, Glorietta, SM Makati, Shangri-La, Robinsons Galleria, SM Megamall, Robinsons Pioneer, Alimall, and Quezon Avenue. Charges are at regular MRT fares plus two-percent transaction fee.

The load credit has no expiration period although the chip itself will expire three years from first use. Incidentally, G-Pass daily balance cannot exceed more than P2,000 at any time.

Moreover, if the G-PASS balance is less than P16, the holder will not be allowed to enter the station. On the other hand, if the user is able to enter the station but the G-PASS load is not enough to cover the fare and transaction fee such as in the case of a round trip, any unpaid balance will be deducted on the next reload.

MRT-7 draft contract gets DOJ nod
By Lenie Lectura
Reporter

THE draft contract for the biggest infrastructure project yet of the Arroyo administration has been cleared by the Justice department, paving the way for the Transportation department to formally publish soon bid invitations for the construction of a $1.23-billion railway system.

“We reiterate our position that we interpose no objection for the draft TOR [terms of reference],” Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said in a legal opinion addressed to Assistant Secretary Robert Castañares of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The opinion was sought by the DOTC after the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) approved the TOR for the proposed conduct of Swiss challenge for the Metro Rail Transit-7 (MRT-7) project.

The MRT-7 project is a mass rail transit system that will connect the MRT-3 all the way to Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue, Quirino Avenue extension up to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, covering approximately 23 kilometers.

The TOR, among others, secures the right of the original proponent to match the proposal deemed most advantageous to the government.

The DOTC awaits this legal opinion before it publishes an invitation to solicit interest from other parties that would want to match the bid of the project proponent. The invitation should be published for three consecutive weeks, the legal opinion stated.

If there are no challengers, the government will finalize a contract with Universal LRT Corp., a consortium led by EL International Holdings, a member of the EL Group of Companies of Hong Kong.

Other members include Yuchencgo-owned EEI Corp., TCGI Engineers, Tyco-subsidiary Eart Tech, Alstom Phils, Merlin Capital of the Tong family, Siemens and China Railway 18.

The SM Group also owns 60 percent of MRT-7’s real-estate venture and 25 percent of the railway project.

The proponent posted in August a $10-million bid bond. “The bid bond is required by law to ensure that if we are awarded the contract we will sign it,” said Universal LRT managing director Eli Levin.

The signing of the contract is expected to take place sometime in the first quarter of next year. Actual construction, added Levin, is slated in the last quarter of next year, just a few months before the closing of the project’s financial aspect.

Levin said project financing include $300-million equity investment and $900-million debt. Of the $900 million, Levin said $200 million will be in a form of untied loan to finance the civil-works portion of the project.

A number of foreign banks have already expressed interest to facilitate the loan. The remaining $700 million will be sourced from export credit agencies.

“There will be an equity investment coming from people who have interest in the project,” said Levin.

The $300-million equity will be equally shouldered by contractors, lending institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, and real-estate developer.

Levin doubts there are other interested bidders given the magnitude of the investment and the stringent requirements of the government.

“This is a nonstop endeavor. There is work to be done. We have to do it now rather than later so the project will not be delayed,” he said.

Fares for the railway system, designed to decongest the East Avenue and Commonwealth corridor, will be pegged at an average of P27. This will go up every year.

The MRT-7 project has a real-estate component to allow the government to sufficiently recover the subsidy that it would provide.

The consortium had planned to construct 2,500 residential units and 300 office units every year on a 174-hectare area in Bulacan. Universal LRT had also planned to construct a 22-kilometer road and a 20-hectare bus and train depot in the same area.

Under the proposed contract, the government will support the MRT-7 project by making a total of $108 million in advance payments to Universal LRT for 10 years.

Funding, he said, will come from the taxes that will be paid by the township project. The revenue from the property during the 25-year period is expected to reach $4.4 billion.

The Universal LRT will post a $445-million performance bond, which is lower than the $1.9 billion proposed by Neda. It will not exceed the 11.9-percent investment rate of return ceiling set by Neda on the $2.5 billion worth of property that will be constructed in Bulacan.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/eco01.php



Apparently there's something verywrong with this project. The bottom line is that it will not get DOF approval in the ICC as they believe it's overpriced , very bad economics and illegal. As an unsolicited proposal the crux is they should not get a ROP guarantee but this is a basic requirement for their project to push through. Also this route is not part of the Governments priorities as stated in her SONA and Medium Term Development Plan. The Sec of Finance has actually offered to resign if the the Pres wants to put this through in it's current form. So either GMA changes TEves and looks for a fall guy to sign off on this or they change the rules so the people in DOF need not sign it.

hey bustero, can you flesh out what's illegal and wrong about it cause im too stupid to figure it out. Its too bad really, this line would be so good for the people of bulacan and quezon city. Commonwealth is so polluted and this would be a great project

hey bustero, can you flesh out what's illegal and wrong about it cause im too stupid to figure it out. Its too bad really, this line would be so good for the people of bulacan and quezon city. Commonwealth is so polluted and this would be a great project

OK
Most if not all railway projects are actually very poor economic investments taken from single picture analysis of what it can earn and how much it costs to put it up and run it. It is in the social dimension and how it impacts on the socio-economic environment that the overall true benefits of a project like this will accrue. i.e. a road will never earn money but the speed by which a farmer brings his vegetables to town allows him a higher price hence giving him greater value. Add this all up to each and every person enjoying this benefit and you get a better picture of the economic impact of the road or in this case a train.

Now a project like this of course will benefit the people in that area but contrary to public statements of the consortium it will most probably lose money. For example the stated commercial office space they had projected for their cbd actually exceeded makati cbd! I.e. there are very questionable assumptions for it being a good project from a purely financial return point of view. This would not be a problem if this was a purely government project or if it was purely a private project which did not require A GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE for their return. At that point the private entity would just take the risk.

MRT7 is an Unsolicited BOT proposal. In other words it is not a priority project earmarked by the government as opposed to other lines. The prioritization of the lines are quite clear as can be seen from the medium term development plan of the administration and her sona. It outlines very clearly which lines are the most important. i.e. line 1 extension, mrt3 extension others. These are actually termed as Solicited proposals which the government is automatically willing to give a ROP guarantee. Line 7 is clearly not in the list and hence not allowed to be given the said guarantee. It may be that in the future it will be a priority project with the same considerations but not now. The fact that an unsolicited BOT proposal is asking for a ROP guarantee is against the law and hence this a major issue.

The repurcussions of this are many. For example, Line 7 would be more expensive if it was built via BOT rather than by the GOP, the GOP has access to very low interest infrastructure type financing (as can be seen by JIca or Chinese Rail loans), any financing lined up by the private sector will be more expensive. etc. etc. Why would the government let a private group build this then. Ostensibly so that the line is basically built immediately so that the people do not have to wait for a long time. But people who question the deal ask if the need is there why are the economics of the project so bad. UNLESS the demand numbers have been fudged up. Ironically Line 4 actually enjoys precedence over line 7 but line 7 has most line of 4's route now. Should the government pick a line to serve this area they should look at line 4 - first another legal point .

If the government was to make this a priority project and made it a policy decision to subsidize it then that would be a very different opinion. Unfortunately that would be contrary to the balanced budget policy of spending only what we can collect and the fact remains that several other more important projects have a higher priority on that money rather than line 7.

We all know the Republic needs to spend a lot of money on infrastructure to develop the nation. In the end certain priorities become very clear and it's up to the administration to balance this. GMA has already made it quite crystal clear what she wants to accomplish in her term and this is not one of them apparently. To continue with it the way the Line 7 consortium wants to do it, would run counter to the administrations own policy and priorities.

well... in my opinion.. this will be of the best interest of the people north of Manila... and a big number of the workers of the metro reside there...

ah, i c your point bustero

but i leave around the area and i can attest to the benefits this would bring to the area. Im not a picky balikbayan that takes the car anywhere i go, i like to commute with the rest of the population and i can tell you straight up, the NEED IS THERE!!!!

Personaly, I think there are a lot of workers that live further North that goes to Makati, Ortigas, and Mandaluyong that would benefit in this project especialy the people in the Commonwealth-Diliman-Fairview area. I have my own personal examples: the parents of my two friends who lives in the commonwealth area and one in an area in San Jose Del Monte(or somewhere in Bulacan... basta sabi niya malapit diyan) who have go to Ortigas though sadly, some of them are too far from the north Ave station... I think this would really greatly help them, IMHO...

well.. I live in North Caloocan which is the northernmost city of the metro.. we are near the border of Meycauayan and SJDM.. and many of our residents in our subdivision works in either Makati or Ortigas and even in Binondo... and count in the college students who are studying in the University Belt...

North Caloocan is the mainly residential and some industrial.... our only main connection to the center of the metro is via the traffic congested Quirinio Hiway in Novaliches or the Commonwealth Ave...

jamaicus, just a bit off the subject, bakit ka saddened?

jamaicus, just a bit off the subject, bakit ka saddened?

I meant that nakakahinayan na magpapakahirap pa sa traffic papuntang makati using EDSA ang mga northern workers kung pwede pala gawin itong project ito na pwedeng makatulong sa mga workers further North....

ah, i c i c

i totally agree with you, i think one must never undersestimate how much positive change an efficient public transportation system can affect an ordinary citizen

well.. I live in North Caloocan which is the northernmost city of the metro.. we are near the border of Meycauayan and SJDM.. and many of our residents in our subdivision works in either Makati or Ortigas and even in Binondo... and count in the college students who are studying in the University Belt...

North Caloocan is the mainly residential and some industrial.... our only main connection to the center of the metro is via the traffic congested Quirinio Hiway in Novaliches or the Commonwealth Ave...

kaya tayo excited sa MRT 7... pero sana before MRT7, i-extend na nila ung Commonwealth up to Quirino Highway (as seen sa google earth) para hindi over congested ang regalado highway from all the commuters up north.

It's also needed down south..

kaya tayo excited sa MRT 7... pero sana before MRT7, i-extend na nila ung Commonwealth up to Quirino Highway (as seen sa google earth) para hindi over congested ang regalado highway from all the commuters up north.


I agree with that... Commonwealth should have ended on Quirino Highway near Zabarte Road.. or at that intersection... though I think they have lost in getting the right-of-way on the proposed connection back in the 90's which is where a religious group's land is right now..

pau are you referring to disney land castle-ish iglesia ni cristo church on commonwealth?

^^medyo malayo pa iyon

Actually what i wrote is not neccesarily my opinion, just the elucidation of a friend who just quit after a couple years in gov't. He's very accomplished and quite rich and just wanted to help out for a few years and was with DOF.

Neither he nor I question the actual need for a line up north! The question really is a matter of legality and priority.

Considering the GOP's limited budget, prioritization has to take place and according to the GMA, with regards to her SONA and Medium Term Development Plan, (see relevant portion of her SONA below), it's quite clear, mrt3 and lrt1 extension, and north/south rail. This is something the GOP and this administration is clearly commited too and HAS PROVIDED THE BUDGET FOR in their representations to Congress.

It does not mean that Line4, 7 and 8 will not be done. BUt if it will be it must be done on a merchant basis purely on it's own merits by the private sector. Hence at this point it is unsolicited , not requested by the GOP, and hence by PRESENT LAW CANNOT BE PROVIDED A GOP GUARANTEE. This is clearly illegal at this point. If the Line 7 developers are true and sincere they can already have the project as is but not with a government guarantee.

I think realisitically we'll see the projects mentioned above finished or mostly done by the end of her term. It's quite possible that line 7 be prioritized in 3 to 4 years time, at that point their request a GOP guarantee would be easier to grant. Mind you Line 4 and line 8 are just as important depending on your point of view and where you live so remains to be seen.

Relevant portion of her SONA w regards transport infra
http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=15725
--SONA GMA July 2006Upang ibsan ang pagod ng mga empleyadong namamasahe sa trapiko sa Kalakhang Maynila, mangangapital tayo sa mga expressway at tren.
We will have a continuous highway from Clark to Metro Manila to Batangas Port. TapoƒVs na iyong expressway mula Clark hanggang Maynila.. Sa ngayon wala nang isang oras ang biyahe mula Clark hanggang Monumento. Ngayon iiwasan natin ang trapiko mula Monumento, dahil idudugtong natin ang North Expressway sa C-5. Tutulong si Sonny Belmonte sa right-of-way. Ang C-5 naman ay konektado na sa South Luzon Expressway. Ang South Luzon Expressway ay pinapalapad naman hanggang Calamba. Sa Agosto, pahahabain ito hanggang Batangas. We will also build the Coastal Road to Bacoor, which has become urban under Jesse Castillo.

Pagdurugtungin natin ang MRT at LRT mula Monumento hanggang North EDSA upang mabuo ang biyahe paikot sa Kamaynilaan, at maibsan ang trapik. We will construct the Northrail to Clark and the Southrail to Lucena and on to Bicol, and upgrade the link between them. We will also extend the LRT to Bacoor. Sa pagbilis ng biyahe patungo at palabaas ng Metro Manila, makakatira ang manggagawa sa mas mura at maaliwalas na lalawigan.

Maayos na ang kapaligiran sa riles ng tren sa South Superhighway. Masaya ang mga pamilyang hinatid namin ni Vice President Noli de Castro sa kanilang bago at permanenteng relokasyon. Teddy Boy Locsin said it hadn't been done before, and couldn't be done at all. Well, Teddy?
Ngayon gagawin ito sa Maynila, si Lito Atienza ang bahala.

We thank China for agreeing to fund these housing needs. Huwaran ng ating programang pabahay para sa mahihirap ang mga proyekto ng Iglesia ni Kristo at Gawad Kalinga. -- GMA, SONA July 2006

pau are you referring to disney land castle-ish iglesia ni cristo church on commonwealth?

nope.. I'm speaking of the church of the Jehova's witness (if I'm not mistaken)... it was called something like 'tower of God'.... this church is on the north-end of Commonwealth where it should have connected to Quirino Highway in Novaliches...

The Sec of Finance has actually offered to resign if the the Pres wants to put this through in it's current form.

Uhh, I don't believe this is true. Do you have a source to back this up?

DOTC to rush MRT 7 construction
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=57002
The Department of Transportation and Communications will fast track the construction of the $1.2-billion Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 7 running from Bulacan to Fairview in Quezon City.

The Philippine News Agency reported Tuesday that the proposed 20-kilometer MRT 7 will run from EDSA to Marilao, Bulacan. It will pass through EDSA-Quezon Avenue, Philcoa and University of the Philippines in Diliman, Batasang Pambansa, Fairview and La Mesa Dam in Quezon City.

DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza cited the viability and importance of the railway project that will serve more than a million commuters once the line is completed.

"The railway will provide a more efficient and safer alternative mode of transportation for people and goods," Mendoza said.

The development of MRT 7 is in support of President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address and her agenda to modernize the mass transport systems in the country.

The project was proposed by a consortium of local and foreign groups to former finance chief Roberto de Ocampo.

The proponent firms are El International Holdings of Hong Kong's El Group of Companies, the Yuchengco family's EEI Corp. and TCGI Engineers.

Other members of the consortium are US firm Tyco International Co. Ltd., through the local unit Earth Tech and Alstom of France, represented by Alstom Philippines.

Malls, meanwhile, will be constructed along the stretch of MRT 7 as the majority owners of tycoon Henry Sy's SM Prime Holdings Inc. plan to put them up in one of the four stations of the rail system.

The vital part of the project is the establishment of a rail-bus transfer hub in Novaliches that will connect MRT 3 and eventually Line 1.

A 40-kilometer highway will also connect the line from San Jose del Monte to North Luzon Expressway and Marilao.

Text back your reaction to this article usin

i thought that this project was deficit neutral or whatever. Meaning the government will not subsidize it.

Four stations? Bulacan to Fairview? Is this being built in phases? Parang umikli kasi eh.

medyo madaming errors ung article...

GMA's SONA included infrastructure projects and the upgrading of transport networks. She might had skipped mentioning ALL the trains/railways project but it doesn't mean that the ones unmentioned are less of a priority.
As you know, the SONA needs to be brief and concise. You have to fit not only the future plans and projects but also the current situation into a one-hour speech.
It is childish to reason out that MRT-7 is not a priority because it's not specified in the SONA. MRT-7 is a transport network therefore it is an implied priority.
Plus GMA had to specifically mention the connection between MRT and LRT because the opposition has been using it as a loophole to criticize the government.

************
I smell something fishy with regards to the article below. If you put the puzzle into place, it seems that the underling mentioned is the one spreading false information on transport network and infrastructure project to discredit the government. Looks like a Drilon fraternity brod.


The enemy within
SPYBIZ By S.A. Maguire
The Philippine Star 11/23/2006
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200611230710.htm

The head of an agency attached to the DOTC better beware of an underling who has been trying to undermine his authority by messing up vital administration programs, Spybiz informants disclosed. One of the priority programs outlined by the President in her previous SONA included infrastructure projects and the upgrading of transport networks. While the agency’s engineering group is trying hard to meet deadlines, this underling allegedly finds ways to delay the implementation of these projects by posing objections and citing operational defects. As a result, the agency’s batting average on implementation has been dismally low. Insiders said the underling campaigned for another presidential bet in the last elections and had been telling a number of contractors that the post was his for the taking once his bet made it to Malacañang. Well, no such luck, for his candidate lost, so now he is stuck as an ageing subordinate. Nevertheless, he seems to have made it his lifelong mission to derail administration goals of bringing progress and development to the countryside by engaging in delaying tactics to make sure that his agency falls short of its commitments. Unless the agency honcho gets wise to the antics of the underling, flagship projects will continue to be derailed, along with it GMA’s SONA commitments.

More articles: http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200611230710.htm

Uhh, I don't believe this is true. Do you have a source to back this up?

Nope, this kind of thing is ussually not quoted in papers. Take it with a grain of salt as we don't know one another.

i thought that this project was deficit neutral or whatever. Meaning the government will not subsidize it.

It's not, there's a lot of pr in newspaper articles, specially for something like this, I've even seen the consortium say out specificlly they are not requring a government guarantee and term the it something else. Bascially a de facto subsidy.

GMA's SONA included infrastructure projects and the upgrading of transport networks. She might had skipped mentioning ALL the trains/railways project but it doesn't mean that the ones unmentioned are less of a priority.
As you know, the SONA needs to be brief and concise. You have to fit not only the future plans and projects but also the current situation into a one-hour speech.
It is childish to reason out that MRT-7 is not a priority because it's not specified in the SONA. MRT-7 is a transport network therefore it is an implied priority.
Plus GMA had to specifically mention the connection between MRT and LRT because the opposition has been using it as a loophole to criticize the government.

************
I smell something fishy with regards to the article below. If you put the puzzle into place, it seems that the underling mentioned is the one spreading false information on transport network and infrastructure project to discredit the government. Looks like a Drilon fraternity brod.



It's not only in the SONA but in the Medium term development plan , which I also mentioned, that it specifically excludes the other projects. The MTDP is basic the specific plan specially for laying out it's priorities so that line agencies and departments are guided by what needs to get accomplished. It forms the very basis for a long term planning and eventually budgeting.

With regards to project opposition to the project , it's in the DOF and not the DOTC.

hmmmm, i need to have proof of this mistake in paper and delivered by a major news source, a credible one at that. Not that im denying anything you've said in the above bustero, but you know, everyone needs to make informed decisions. It would be sad though if this were the case because all along everyone thought that mrt7 was above board and ready to go.

^^that's fine, you'll need to go dig it up separately, just pointing out one point of view.

What happened to the 3rd generation LRT-1 trains? Any news on them?

Since nobody answered my question, might as well answer it myself. :)

Look who just arrived in town.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0138.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0141.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0144.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0145.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0146.jpg

OMG!!!!!!!!!! something they said actually came about!!!!!!! It's a miracle

Thanks so much mithril cloud. All of us were just really in the dark regarding the new train cars. So are the new trains operational now? Are they being used? I hope they get some new ones or used ones for MRT. Its so damn crowded all the damn time.

^^ They're just doing test runs on the train as of now. I was surprised when I saw the train without passengers and the door never opened at all. Maybe they'll open it to the public by next week or two.

is the train destination already dot-matrix on the new lrt trains just like hong kong's MTR and KCR? i hope these trains also have advance passenger information systems and digital voice annoucements

OMG!!!!!!!! sasakay ako diyan next week!!!!!! i swear... i wanna see it with my own eyes... they even look more modern than the trains at line 2. as anonymous_filipino said, ung destination label ng trains, dot matrix na... unlike sa line 2 hindi pa... although line 2 trains look bigger...

^^

Line 2 trains are bigger :D

Great to see the new trains here! To think that the MRT was actually gonna acquire second-hand austrian trains when the other line is modernizing quickly.

how exciting after waiting for so long at last new trains for Line 1. I think we had pix of these being made or inspected many months back, great to actually have them here!

Now what about MRT3 when will they get additional trains! This should be a priority as it's getting harder and harder to board the train in one go, specially with the silly women only cars.

MRT7 Rumor Mill:

the Jacinto Steel warehouse at Quirino Highway (in front of SM Fairview) is now demolished. rumor has it that the said strip of land is bought by an undidentified entity for the right of way of the MRT7 line.

in a recent article, SM announced that they have set funds for the expansion of 3 malls including the one in Fairview... given that henry sy is backing up MRT7, could it be related or just a coincidence? Only time will tell.

Asan na ba yung mga old cars from Austria for MRT3?? Crowded na kahit di rush hour dun, at naluluma na yung mga trains kase sinisira mismo ng mga pasahero when boarding the coaches. Kulang din sa handrails, walang mahawakan yung mga tao, at ang init init, sira na yung aircon at may hot steaming air blowing inside the coaches, can you imagine that???

MRT7 Rumor Mill:

the Jacinto Steel warehouse at Quirino Highway (in front of SM Fairview) is now demolished. rumor has it that the said strip of land is bought by an undidentified entity for the right of way of the MRT7 line.

in a recent article, SM announced that they have set funds for the expansion of 3 malls including the one in Fairview... given that henry sy is backing up MRT7, could it be related or just a coincidence? Only time will tell.


Jacinto Steel has long been a blockade there... I don't think that MRT7 will use that route, but if it does it's fine...

anyways... the plan with the Jacinto Steel lot is that Regalado Avenue will pass thru it to reach Sta. Maria, Bulacan... that was an old project and with Jacinto Steel moving at last, Regalado can now get extended to be an alternate route of Bulakenyo's from the traffic congested Quirino Hi-way...

OMG!!!!!!!! sasakay ako diyan next week!!!!!! i swear... i wanna see it with my own eyes... they even look more modern than the trains at line 2. as anonymous_filipino said, ung destination label ng trains, dot matrix na... unlike sa line 2 hindi pa... although line 2 trains look bigger...

i think tong mga bagong lrt 1 trains na ang pinakamodern sa lahat ng mga tren dito sa pinas.... kulang na lang talaga sa line 1 eh i-reconstruct lahat ng mga stations nila at at i-separate ang concourse level at platform level at magkaroon ng mga automated ticketing machines....

i think tong mga bagong lrt 1 trains na ang pinakamodern sa lahat ng mga tren dito sa pinas.... kulang na lang talaga sa line 1 eh i-reconstruct lahat ng mga stations nila at at i-separate ang concourse level at platform level at magkaroon ng mga automated ticketing machines....

agree! nakaka-confuse kasi minsan....
you have to cross the street para lang pumunta sa kabilang platform...

I dread riding LRT 1 when I have to go to makati because its very hard to catch a ride. kailangan talaga todo siksikan. I have no problem like this pag LRT 2 or MRT ang sakay ko

^^^ Depende sa oras. Pag rush hour talaga, expected na siksikan saka mahirap sumakay.

The new trains looks nice. I wanna ride them too! Ilan yung new trains?

Dunno, only one train runs at the line as of now for testing, although it causes "traffic". From what i've observed today, marami pa rin siyang nalolokong pasahero na gustong sumakay. :lol:

OMG that train looks awesome. I wonder how they will be compared to Line 2... I'd love to see internal shots and a review from passengers!

LRT, MRT linkup given to LRTA

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200612016302.htm

The Philippine Star 12/01/2006

The Light Rail Transit Authority, which manages the LRT passenger trains, has been given the task of connecting Metro Manila?s three commuter railways, LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles announced yesterday.

When completed, the railways will form a complete loop around the metropolis.

LRT Line 1 runs north to south from Caloocan City to Pasay City, while Line 3 runs from east to west from Quezon City to Divisoria, Manila. The MRT runs north to south along EDSA, from Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, where the LRT Line 1 has a station.

"The project would cost about P6 billion," said Robles. Bidding for the project will begin in January. The LRTA submitted its proposal for the linkup in 2003 and was approved by Malaca?ang only yesterday. The Department of Transportation and Communications made a similar proposal but the task was eventually given to the LRTA. ? Sandy Araneta

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 | TRANSPORTATION


Government agencies in charge of the mass loop railway transit system assured the public today that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s pet project would be completed before the end of her term in 2010.

Philippine National Railways (PNR) president and general manager Jose Zarasola, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) administrator Melquiades Robles, and North Rail project head Dennis Jugueta made the assurance during a press briefing at the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacanang this afternoon.

In a power point presentation, Jugueta said the construction of the US$503-million North Rail Phase 1, Section 1 (Caloocan to Malolos) project has already started this year and would be completed in 2008.

Under this section of the project, the double track (railroads) will be constructed in the 32.2-kilometer route from Caloocan to Malolos. The system would be powered by new locomotives/rolling stock (trains).

On the North Rail-South Rail Linkage (South Manila Commuter Railway Project), Zarasola said the PNR would revitalize the existing railroads from Caloocan to Alabang (Phase1) and Alabang to Calamba (Phase 2)

The 34-kilometer Phase 1 project will cost US$ 50.42 million and the 27-kilometer Phase 2 project, US$80.23 million. The construction of Phase 1 would start in April 2007 and would be completed in April 2008. Phase 2 will start in 2007 up to 2009.

With regard to the LRT Line 1 Southern Extension from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite, the LRTA will construct fully elevated guideway with eight stations and featuring 20 brand new light rail vehicles.

Robles said the LRT Line 1 Southern Extension has two phases, namely, the completion and integration of existing LRT 1 line from Monumento to Dr. Santos Station and the full integration of the system from Monumento to Bacoor.

The Southern Extension is an 11.7- kilometer route costing US$683 million. Phase 1 will be constructed from 2008 to 2010 while Phase 2 will follow thereafter up to 2011.

During the briefing, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza announced that aside from the three projects, the national government would also connect LRT 1 and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 by extending LRT 1 in Monumento to MRT 3 in North Avenue along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Quezon City.

The MRT/LRT loop entails the construction of three additional stations--in Balintawak, Munoz and the interface station in North Avenue. The project will cost P6 billion and will be started in 2007 up to 2010.

The completion of the 5.4-kilometer route linking LRT 1 and MRT 3 will definitely help ease the traffic congestion particularly along EDSA from Monumento in Caloocan up to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, Mendoza said.

He added that there is no problem in funding of these projects because the national government has several private partners to finance the administration?s infrastructure priority projects

SOURCE: http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=16659

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 | TRANSPORTATION


Train commuters can expect a "reinvigorated" Philippine National Railways (PNR) service within the next 18 months, PNR president and general manager Jose Zarasola said today.

Zarasola told members of the media covering Malacanang that the PNR rehabilitation program is based on a "holistic approach" that entails the acquisition of new trains, strengthening of railway tracks, improvement of stations, putting up of modern communications and signaling systems, relocation of squatters, and reorganization of the PNR.

"We hope to present a reinvigorated PNR within the next 18 months after the inauguration of the first phase of the Northrail-Southrail linkage project," Zarasola said.

He said the rehabilitation of the Manila-based railway system is part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo?s commitment to improve PNR?s service and provide the commuting public an alternative and efficient mode of transport in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

Zarasola said improving PNR?s service would also complement the intra-city rail system being provided by the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT).

"This is something that the President has insisted on doing," he said.

In her first State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) in 2001, the President cited the upgrading and rehabilitation of the PNR line from Alabang to Calamba, Laguna as among the priority programs of her administration.

Zarasola said the rehabilitation of the railway system would provide an efficient mode of transport to an estimated 200,000 passengers daily aside from providing interconnection service to the Northrail in Caloocan City going to Malolos, Bulacan.

"There have been many railway projects in the past but none has been pre-directed towards doing a holistic rehabilitation," Zarasola said.

He pointed out that thousands of families along the railway tracks have been relocated to give way to the full implementation of the rehabilitation scheme.

The PNR is also in the middle of a major reorganization program that will lead to the retirement of more than 1,000 employees. The retiring employees will receive the benefits due them, the PNR chief said.

At the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-Cabinet meeting last Tuesday in Malacanang, Zarasola said the President gave the go-signal for the launch of the 2nd Phase of the Northrail-Southrail linkage project connecting Alabang to Calamba.

The NEDA Board also approved Phase 1 of the Southrail project from Calamba to Lucena City, he said.

Zarasola said that the implementation of the PNR rehabilitation program marks the start of the long distance train services that would link Metro Manila to the Bicol region up to Matnog, Sorsogon.

The Manila-Bicol line will eventually link Luzon to the roll-on roll-off (RORO) Strong Republic Nautical Highway system, he said.

SOURCE: http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=16657

During the briefing, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza announced that aside from the three projects, the national government would also connect LRT 1 and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 by extending LRT 1 in Monumento to MRT 3 in North Avenue along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Quezon City.

The MRT/LRT loop entails the construction of three additional stations--in Balintawak, Munoz and the interface station in North Avenue. The project will cost P6 billion and will be started in 2007 up to 2010.




Wow. That's quite a development. The original plans called for the extension of MRT3 towards Caloocan, presumably undertaken by the the MRT folk. Instead, the contract was shifted to the LRTA. Good for government for taking it on itself. This is one of the rare cases in the Philippines where a public corporation runs things better than the private corporation.

^^Interesting developments indeed.

Apparently good things have been said about Cortes the LRTA administrator. A man who is able to channel the strenghts of Filipinos in Public sector and make it work!

The changes are in recognition that most private sector led BOT type rail based infrastructure projects have turned out to be more expensive for the republic than was initially envisioned.

It would be quite an achievement for this administration to finish all these projects indeed. These are not flashy new lines but the increase in their capacity and usefulness is indeed most welcome and quite needed.

Someone link this with the northrail southrail thread as well.

completely agree bustero, MM would be a much more pleasant place to live with these infrastructures.

i hope someday they will also extend MRT south bound to Asia City adding 2 stations (edsa-roxas blvd and mall of asia).:cheers:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2006 | TRANSPORTATION

During the briefing, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza announced that aside from the three projects, the national government would also connect LRT 1 and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 by extending LRT 1 in Monumento to MRT 3 in North Avenue along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Quezon City.

The MRT/LRT loop entails the construction of three additional stations--in Balintawak, Munoz and the interface station in North Avenue. The project will cost P6 billion and will be started in 2007 up to 2010.

The completion of the 5.4-kilometer route linking LRT 1 and MRT 3 will definitely help ease the traffic congestion particularly along EDSA from Monumento in Caloocan up to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, Mendoza said.

He added that there is no problem in funding of these projects because the national government has several private partners to finance the administration?s infrastructure priority projects

SOURCE: http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=16659

Does this mean that God awful stand alone ENT is dead???? :happy:

What is ENT?

Enormous Notorious Train?

^^ Look at the first page of this particular thread. In a nutshell, it is one of the most ghastly idiotic rail proposals that has ever hit the shores of the Philippines: a $400 million completely stand alone rail system (with its own maintenance depot and incompatible trains) to bridge the MRT/LRT gap between North Ave and Monumento as oppose to simply extending either the MRT3 to Monumento or LRT1 to North Avenue... :gaah:

What is ENT?

Enormous Notorious Train?

Edsa North Transit

Does this mean that God awful stand alone ENT is dead???? :happy:

Hehe nabuhayan si Pareng Wally.

Yes actually it really makes more sense this way. Too bad actually the best would have been extending the mrt but this MRT consortium was being obstructive and basically wanted more money, while LRTA is on a roll with some good management. They're very confident of the plan to keep extending the lines (to the north, to the south and even from their depot!), as basically same org , same trains with extra length in the line lang. I do hope their proposal to add a short line to serve Naia 1,2,3 from the depot would be taken up.

Good that they have this plan, but I wonder if they have yet tackled the actual Bonifacio Monument... Will there be an underground portion? Will the monument be moved? Will the right of way be moved from EDSA in this portion? Speculation continues.

bat di ba? pinagdudugtong dugtong yung mga train sa tin, tuloy pinalalakad pa ko ng malayo para makapunta lang sa carriedo mula dun sa ending ng lrt ng recto

Enormous Notorious Train?

:hilarious the things you come up with...

it would be very interesting to see LRT1 extended... pano yun? liliko sha papuntang edsa? tama si bustero.., the best option would have been for MRT3 to be extended... kaso hindi pwede.
pero i'm glad that things are finally on its tracks...


i'm very optimistic about this project, since LRTA is behind it... :)

An official report that Edsa North Transit (ENT) has been cancelled.


Railway link project dropped
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=58200
President Arroyo has abandoned a project that will link all Metro Manila railways, an official of the Light Rail Transit Authority told The Manila Times.

In a telephone interview, Danilo Tolentino, LRTA project manager, said the board of the National Economic and Development Authority, which the President chairs, last Tuesday decided to cancel the $550M EDSA North Transit. The project was supposed to be implemented under the build-operate-transfer law.

In September the NEDA Board approved the project designed to link the railways by 2010. Investors from Korea, Japan, China, Europe and the Philippines had obtained prequalification documents to fund the project.

The ENT project was supposed to run up to 9.34 kilometers, with 11 stations that will traverse from Agham Road in Quezon City to Tugatog in Malabon. It was estimated to serve 300,000 passengers daily by its first year in operation, before rising to 650,000 by 2020.

In lieu of the ENT, the government plans to construct the LRTA North Extension project that will run from North Avenue in Quezon City to LRT Line 1 in Monumento, Tolentino said.

He said a consultant is still looking into the cost of the LRT 1 North extension project.

"The government may fund the project through budget appropriation or official development assistance," the LRTA official said.

Another source told The Times that the implementation of the project was transferred to LRTA from the Department of Transportations and Communication.

Tolentino confirmed that the LRTA would be the implementing agency.

The source said Mrs. Arroyo became impatient with the DOTC because of the slow movement of key projects under the agency.

"President Arroyo is worried [about] the major projects that she announced during her State of the Nation address. That is why she decided to transfer the implementation of the project to LRTA," the source said.

Darwin Amojelar

^ That's good news. Wally will be happy. But really, this makes a whole lot more sense to extend existing rail lines rather than construct an independent LRT line to link two others.

^^ WHOAH!! YES YES!!! I AM VERY HAPPY INDEED! SWEET!!! THERE IS A GOD AND HE IS INDEED WATCHING OVER THE WELL BEING OF METRO MANILA'S PEOPLE! THIS IS THE BEST NEWS I'VE EVER HEARD THE PAST FEW MONTHS! WHOO HOOO! :happy:

Oh, btw, I'm moving to the Philippines in December 12 for good.... ;)

^ Congratulations. May you continue the fight against future enormous notorious trains from your location in Metro Manila.

Its nice to see Filipinos with so much passion for their surroundings such as Wally.

i really like the news that the LRTA would be the one in charge of overseeing the interconnection of the various railways.. i think alot of people have glowing remarks of the LRTA.. hopefully they do a great job and that it is on time! :)

yeah.. I'm glad LRTA will be handling it unlike MRT3 which is badly maintained in my opinion...

regarding the Bonifacio monument... I believe there were talks before that the monument will be moved to Tala in North Caloocan but due to high contention with it I think that the local government would prefer any rail transit that will get past it should go under the monument instead...

Very good news indeed. LRTA has proven to be a reliable operator/developer of mass transit lines, so im glad they will handle the extention.:okay:

Welcome back (to Manila) Wally. By sheer force of his ranting yata na patiklop ang ENT!

I think they'll use the current station in front of the Monumento plaza mall as the station for the area and just have the line snake around one quarter of the monument (from rizal ave north turning east to Edsa South) then voila. I think there shoule be space for this , without obsructing the view of Ka Andres.

Now the next good news that easily within reach is new sets of trains for MRT3 at sobrang kulang na ng space! I'm tired of eating someone elses hair and getting poked around:poke: with god know who or what!:gaah: !!! Sana we hear whatever happened to those vienese trains, wala na ba talaga ito.

Those Vienese trains are incompatible.

Trains are too low and because of that, the doors would be blocked and won't open

lahat na ba ng train sa LRT1 ganyan na? i must try it soon! :D

@ewh1 - tsk tsk.. thats bad news if its true.. i really hope that the trains would be upgraded.. and do any of you think that the stations themselves could be expanded? kc pag rush hour sobrang sikip.. well, maybe if the trains are upgraded and the waiting time was cut in half the stations wouldnt be as crowded.. but until then, couldnt the MRT administration think of a better way to handle the volume of passengers? *sigh*

Going back to the new LRT trains, a guard said that they'll be usable by January next year.

that's great mithril

@ bustero, i know what you mean about the crowded mrt3. I was being felt up the last time i was on the train. It was so crowded and this guys just started rubbing himself on my behind. AAAAAAAAahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! i had to squeeze myself towards the exit.

There's this time when I rode the train at rush hour. The train left Taft station with plenty of room left, but when it opened its doors at Magallanes.. STAMPEDE! The train was jampacked in a split second. Then when I was squeezing myself at the exit at Ayala station, I don't know if i'm going to be squashed by the doors or by the people forcing themselves in. :bash:

baahhh! MRT 3! di ko makakalimutan! nasa loob na ako, natulak pa ako papalabas sabay nasaraduhan ng pinto! buwisit yung nanunulak! sana masolusyonan na talaga yan!

wawa naman yung couches... :lol:

baahhh! MRT 3! di ko makakalimutan! nasa loob na ako, natulak pa ako papalabas sabay nasaraduhan ng pinto! buwisit yung nanunulak! sana masolusyonan na talaga yan!

Haha, ako din dati matapos kong palampasin siguro mga tatlong tren kasi puno na, nung nakasakay ako pagdating sa next station natulak ako palabas nung mga tao na lumabas ng tren tapos nagsiksikan na yung mga taong papasok at hindi na ako makasiksik pabalik, kaininis, ako pa tuloy ang nawalan ng pwesto. Pero ayos din ang MRT pag sobra-sobrang siksikan kasi may nakasabay ako dati na "mandurukot", pero hindi siya yung nakakainis na mandurukot, nakakatuwa kasi iba ang "dinudukot" niya sakin. :naughty: :D

^^so natuwa kana naman sa krimen na ginawa nya?lol :lol:

MRT trains are too noisy now, ang sakit sa tenga. Laspag na laspag na ang mga tren.

ewh
the last piece of information we had about it was that malabong ayusing ang vienese trains but that the austrian gov't was going to give us a grant to study either how it could be done (to refurbish) or what other solutions (new trains i suppose) could be looked at.

One problem with mrt3 kasi is that it's not so easy to put in more trains as i dont' think the private company will want to put in more money without asking for more concessions from the government and the government just can't put in the improvements they like without mrt companies approval.

marami pa rin akong nakikitang mga babae sa 2nd and 3rd coaches. kaya mas lalong sumisikip.. sana naman may mga guard na mag assist.

^^so natuwa kana naman sa krimen na ginawa nya?lol :lol:

Sino ba namang hindi matutuwa doon, aber? :D

taken from abs-cbnnews.com..

Proponents line up for LRT 1 extension project

By DARWIN AMOJELAR, The Manila Times Reporter

Fifteen foreign and local companies submitted proposals to fund the construction of the planned Manila Light Rail Transit Line 1 south extension project, documents from the Light Rail Transit Authority showed.

Costing about $683 million, the Manila LRT 1 south extension, a priority project of the Arroyo administration, will run southward to the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas and the neighboring municipalities of Bacoor, Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite province.

The investors who submitted intentions include the China BFECO Group, China National Technical I & E Corp., China Overseas Northwest Construction Engineering Co. Ltd., PJI Corp. of Japan, International Business Development of Japan, AMA Group Holdings Corp. and Achivesta, a consortium of Japan-Filipino investors.

Companies that expressed intensions include the Isolux Corban of Spain; Rites Ltd. of India; Infrastructure Leasing and Network Services Ltd. of India; DM Consunji Inc., Sumitomo Corp; China State Construction Engineering Corp. and China Railway South Group Co Ltd. Overseas Engineering Co. of China.

The winning bidder will fund the design construction and installation, as well as integration of the extension with the existing line. It would also be in charge of the integrated operation and maintenance of the entire line and provision of enhancement works on the integrated system.

The LRT Line 1 south extension project will have a 40-year concession period inclusive of four years of construction.

Earlier, the International Finance Corp. said it is willing to lend $100 million to $150 million to the winning bidder.

The extension is expected to serve 800,000 passengers a day and cut travel time from Bacoor, Cavite, to Monumento, Caloocan City, to less than an hour.

At present, the LRTA is in discussions with Public Estate Authority for the possible transfer or donation of properties owned by PEA to LRTA for use in the project.

The LRTA also requested the city appraisal committee of Las Piñas and the municipality of Bacoor to convene for the purpose of determining the current values of the affected land, buildings and improvements owned by various owners that will be affected by the project.

@ewh1 - tsk tsk.. thats bad news if its true.. i really hope that the trains would be upgraded.. and do any of you think that the stations themselves could be expanded? kc pag rush hour sobrang sikip.. well, maybe if the trains are upgraded and the waiting time was cut in half the stations wouldnt be as crowded.. but until then, couldnt the MRT administration think of a better way to handle the volume of passengers? *sigh*

increase the fares?

taken from abs-cbnnews.com..

Proponents line up for LRT 1 extension project

By DARWIN AMOJELAR, The Manila Times Reporter

Fifteen foreign and local companies submitted proposals to fund the construction of the planned Manila Light Rail Transit Line 1 south extension project, documents from the Light Rail Transit Authority showed.

Costing about $683 million, the Manila LRT 1 south extension, a priority project of the Arroyo administration, will run southward to the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas and the neighboring municipalities of Bacoor, Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite province.

The investors who submitted intentions include the China BFECO Group, China National Technical I & E Corp., China Overseas Northwest Construction Engineering Co. Ltd., PJI Corp. of Japan, International Business Development of Japan, AMA Group Holdings Corp. and Achivesta, a consortium of Japan-Filipino investors.

Companies that expressed intensions include the Isolux Corban of Spain; Rites Ltd. of India; Infrastructure Leasing and Network Services Ltd. of India; DM Consunji Inc., Sumitomo Corp; China State Construction Engineering Corp. and China Railway South Group Co Ltd. Overseas Engineering Co. of China.

The winning bidder will fund the design construction and installation, as well as integration of the extension with the existing line. It would also be in charge of the integrated operation and maintenance of the entire line and provision of enhancement works on the integrated system.

The LRT Line 1 south extension project will have a 40-year concession period inclusive of four years of construction.

Earlier, the International Finance Corp. said it is willing to lend $100 million to $150 million to the winning bidder.

The extension is expected to serve 800,000 passengers a day and cut travel time from Bacoor, Cavite, to Monumento, Caloocan City, to less than an hour.

At present, the LRTA is in discussions with Public Estate Authority for the possible transfer or donation of properties owned by PEA to LRTA for use in the project.

The LRTA also requested the city appraisal committee of Las Piñas and the municipality of Bacoor to convene for the purpose of determining the current values of the affected land, buildings and improvements owned by various owners that will be affected by the project.

So it's official... LRT 1 will be the one extended and not MRT 3...

wala lang... LRT2

http://i11.tinypic.com/46z8i7k.jpg

matindi talaga sa MRT pag rush hour... lalo na sa ayala station.. pag talagang punong puno na.. hindi nagpapasok sa loob.. tapos hinto din ang bentahan nang ticket.. halos ganyan parati lalo na pag fridady mga 6pm to 7pm.. grabe ang haba nang pila.. tapos pag nakapasok ka sa loob.. hindi ka na makababa as flatform sa dami nang tao.. .nightmare talaga..

Bakit kasi ganon ang design ng MRT ang sikip tapos ung tren putol2, sana ganon sa LRT2 ginawa nila. Halos magkasabayan lang naman ung dalawa nadelay lang natapos ung LRT2.

let's just hope stations of the future lines including the extensions will be patterned after the LRT2. Terrrible talaga ang MRT, the flatform and ticket booths are on the same level kaya masikip... :ohno:

napakawalang common sense yung designer ng ticket booths sa MRT stations, at panu hindi hahaba ang pila e 3 cashier windows lang ang open??? aber!! Ayala & Cubao stations ang pinakamatindi sa lahat ng stations sa laki ng volume, hindi pinapasok yung excess passengers dahil yung mga nasa platform hindi pa nakakasakay... kulang nalang sumampa sila sa bubong nung train

and nga pala, kaya ganyan ang mrt kase tinipid siya, in other words, hindi nasunod ang original design at masterplan, kaya palpak na naman...

So it's official... LRT 1 will be the one extended and not MRT 3...


The project listed in that article is actually different from the one that MRT3 could have been the operator of. The article is about LRT1 south extension-- different from north extension (Monumento-Edsa), which was originally planned for MRT3.

So the future of LRT1 will be Dasmarinas, Cavite to North EDSA. That's one long rail line!

My question is that in the article, they say that whoever wins the BOT contract for the southern extension will also operate the whole of LRT1? It seems so according to the article. What will happen when LRT1 is extended to EDSA? Will the firm that builds the Monumento to EDSA extension not be part of the BOT?

matindi talaga sa MRT pag rush hour... lalo na sa ayala station.. pag talagang punong puno na.. hindi nagpapasok sa loob.. tapos hinto din ang bentahan nang ticket.. halos ganyan parati lalo na pag fridady mga 6pm to 7pm.. grabe ang haba nang pila.. tapos pag nakapasok ka sa loob.. hindi ka na makababa as flatform sa dami nang tao.. .nightmare talaga..

Ever noticed the lay-out of ticket booths/counters in MRT and LRT1 stations with respect to the turnstile gates? They had it all wrong! Ang mga pila sa ticket counters have the tendency to obstruct the queue of people going through the turnstile gates kaya nagkakagulo. Lalo na sa MRT Ayala, North EDSA, Magallanes and Taft stations. Minsan di mo alam kung saan ang pila ng bibili pa lang ng tickets at ang pila ng mga papasok na. Proximity of ticket counters and entry gates should have been considered in the station lay-out.

Bakit kasi d itry ng mrt na maglagay ng ticket booth sa SM Makati at sa Farmers Plaza kahit tuwing rush hour lang.. At least pag dating nila ng flatform pasok na kaagad. :)

O kaya magprovide sila ng 2 way card, para pag bumili ka sa umaga pwede mo pa din gamitin un sa hapon pag uwi. Given na within the same day mo gagamitin ung ticket at dun ka papasok kung saan ka nag exit na station nung umaga. Para ung d maka afford ng store value cards at d naman araw2 sumasakay ng MRT my option dba.:)

The Light Rail Transit Authority’s (LRTA) planned addition of trains in line with its capacity expansion (CAPEX) project will raise the passenger capacity of its Line 1 system to about half a million per day.

In a press conference yesterday, LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said the project aims to increase the passenger capacity of LRT Line 1 from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Robles said this should reduce passenger waiting time for trains to arrive at the platforms from the current five minutes to only three minutes.

"Currently we are transporting an average of 350,000 to 375,000 passengers in a day. But with the CAPEX project we are seeing an increase of about half a million passengers per day. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the Metro Manila area," said Robles.

Yesterday, Robles, together with Masayuki Hasegawa, LRTA project consultant, and Evangeline Razon, project manager of CAPEX of LRTA, presented to the media two of the 12 four-car trains, dubbed 3-G (Third Generation) trains, that would be deployed in LRT Line 1 starting on Dec. 11.

Monumento to Baclaran passengers will now experience relative ease and comfort on board a new set of 3-G trains, following the completion of the CAPEX project of the LRTA.

matindi talaga sa MRT pag rush hour... lalo na sa ayala station.. pag talagang punong puno na.. hindi nagpapasok sa loob.. tapos hinto din ang bentahan nang ticket.. halos ganyan parati lalo na pag fridady mga 6pm to 7pm.. grabe ang haba nang pila.. tapos pag nakapasok ka sa loob.. hindi ka na makababa as flatform sa dami nang tao.. .nightmare talaga..

haha!!! grabe yan talaga, sobrang haba pa ng pila sa ayala!!! minsan umaabot na sa dulo!!!...

The Light Rail Transit Authority’s (LRTA) planned addition of trains in line with its capacity expansion (CAPEX) project will raise the passenger capacity of its Line 1 system to about half a million per day.

In a press conference yesterday, LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said the project aims to increase the passenger capacity of LRT Line 1 from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Robles said this should reduce passenger waiting time for trains to arrive at the platforms from the current five minutes to only three minutes.

"Currently we are transporting an average of 350,000 to 375,000 passengers in a day. But with the CAPEX project we are seeing an increase of about half a million passengers per day. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the Metro Manila area," said Robles.

Yesterday, Robles, together with Masayuki Hasegawa, LRTA project consultant, and Evangeline Razon, project manager of CAPEX of LRTA, presented to the media two of the 12 four-car trains, dubbed 3-G (Third Generation) trains, that would be deployed in LRT Line 1 starting on Dec. 11.

Monumento to Baclaran passengers will now experience relative ease and comfort on board a new set of 3-G trains, following the completion of the CAPEX project of the LRTA.

Great, so we will be able to experience the 3G trains by next week then. :)

napakawalang common sense yung designer ng ticket booths sa MRT stations, at panu hindi hahaba ang pila e 3 cashier windows lang ang open??? aber!! Ayala & Cubao stations ang pinakamatindi sa lahat ng stations sa laki ng volume, hindi pinapasok yung excess passengers dahil yung mga nasa platform hindi pa nakakasakay... kulang nalang sumampa sila sa bubong nung train

and nga pala, kaya ganyan ang mrt kase tinipid siya, in other words, hindi nasunod ang original design at masterplan, kaya palpak na naman...

kasalanan lahat ni Erap 'toh!!

Diba the construction of MRT3 started even before Estrada's time?

^^yup, kay president ramos nagstart un.

ei, we need a new thread... over 500 posts na.. :)

The Metro Manila MRT/LRT Thread VI

1Metro Manila MRT/LRT Lines I (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=96027)
2Metro Manila MRT/LRT Lines II (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=193651)
3Metro Manila MRT/LRT Lines III (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=290046)
4Metro Manila MRT/LRT Lines IV (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=337196)
5Metro Manila MRT/LRT Lines V (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=337192)


Welcome to the new thread.

Some exciting new news from the end of last thread.

New Gen 3 LRT1 rolling stock. Ooooh, how futuristic!!! :llama:

Since nobody answered my question, might as well answer it myself. :)

Look who just arrived in town.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0138.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0141.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0144.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0145.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0146.jpg

New Thread HERE!!!!

Part VI!!!!!!!! (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=10782559)

:lock: :lock: :lock: :cucumber:

More exciting news from the old thread.

Proponents lining up for LRT Line 1 South Extension.

taken from abs-cbnnews.com..

Proponents line up for LRT 1 extension project

By DARWIN AMOJELAR, The Manila Times Reporter

Fifteen foreign and local companies submitted proposals to fund the construction of the planned Manila Light Rail Transit Line 1 south extension project, documents from the Light Rail Transit Authority showed.

Costing about $683 million, the Manila LRT 1 south extension, a priority project of the Arroyo administration, will run southward to the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas and the neighboring municipalities of Bacoor, Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite province.

The investors who submitted intentions include the China BFECO Group, China National Technical I & E Corp., China Overseas Northwest Construction Engineering Co. Ltd., PJI Corp. of Japan, International Business Development of Japan, AMA Group Holdings Corp. and Achivesta, a consortium of Japan-Filipino investors.

Companies that expressed intensions include the Isolux Corban of Spain; Rites Ltd. of India; Infrastructure Leasing and Network Services Ltd. of India; DM Consunji Inc., Sumitomo Corp; China State Construction Engineering Corp. and China Railway South Group Co Ltd. Overseas Engineering Co. of China.

The winning bidder will fund the design construction and installation, as well as integration of the extension with the existing line. It would also be in charge of the integrated operation and maintenance of the entire line and provision of enhancement works on the integrated system.

The LRT Line 1 south extension project will have a 40-year concession period inclusive of four years of construction.

Earlier, the International Finance Corp. said it is willing to lend $100 million to $150 million to the winning bidder.

The extension is expected to serve 800,000 passengers a day and cut travel time from Bacoor, Cavite, to Monumento, Caloocan City, to less than an hour.

At present, the LRTA is in discussions with Public Estate Authority for the possible transfer or donation of properties owned by PEA to LRTA for use in the project.

The LRTA also requested the city appraisal committee of Las Piñas and the municipality of Bacoor to convene for the purpose of determining the current values of the affected land, buildings and improvements owned by various owners that will be affected by the project.

And finally, the last of the big news from the end of the old thread.

No ENT. LRT Line 1 to be extended from Monumento to North EDSA. MRT's ineptness keeps it out of the deal.

An official report that Edsa North Transit (ENT) has been cancelled.


Railway link project dropped
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=58200
President Arroyo has abandoned a project that will link all Metro Manila railways, an official of the Light Rail Transit Authority told The Manila Times.

In a telephone interview, Danilo Tolentino, LRTA project manager, said the board of the National Economic and Development Authority, which the President chairs, last Tuesday decided to cancel the $550M EDSA North Transit. The project was supposed to be implemented under the build-operate-transfer law.

In September the NEDA Board approved the project designed to link the railways by 2010. Investors from Korea, Japan, China, Europe and the Philippines had obtained prequalification documents to fund the project.

The ENT project was supposed to run up to 9.34 kilometers, with 11 stations that will traverse from Agham Road in Quezon City to Tugatog in Malabon. It was estimated to serve 300,000 passengers daily by its first year in operation, before rising to 650,000 by 2020.

In lieu of the ENT, the government plans to construct the LRTA North Extension project that will run from North Avenue in Quezon City to LRT Line 1 in Monumento, Tolentino said.

He said a consultant is still looking into the cost of the LRT 1 North extension project.

"The government may fund the project through budget appropriation or official development assistance," the LRTA official said.

Another source told The Times that the implementation of the project was transferred to LRTA from the Department of Transportations and Communication.

Tolentino confirmed that the LRTA would be the implementing agency.

The source said Mrs. Arroyo became impatient with the DOTC because of the slow movement of key projects under the agency.

"President Arroyo is worried [about] the major projects that she announced during her State of the Nation address. That is why she decided to transfer the implementation of the project to LRTA," the source said.

Darwin Amojelar

PGMA set to welcome visiting Japanese PM in Malacanang Saturday
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2006 | FOREIGN RELATIONS


President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will officially welcome in Malacanang on Saturday morning Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who will be arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City tonight for his first official visit to the country from Dec. 8-10.

The visit of Abe, accompanied by his wife, Madame Akie Abe, will further strengthen the close relations between the Philippines and Japan which are celebrating this year the 50th anniversary of the normalization of their diplomatic ties following the Second World War.

His first official visit to the Philippines coincides with the holding of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu on Dec. 10-14. Japan is among ASEAN’s six dialogue partners.

After the arrival honors for Prime Minister Abe and his wife at Malacanang grounds, President Arroyo and the Japanese leader will have their meeting at the Music Room of the Palace. It will be followed by an expanded bilateral meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room.

During Abe’s visit, the two countries will sign several documents, including an Exchange of Notes for Japan’s Economic Cooperation, Japan-Philippines Taxation treaties, Joint Statement, and Introduction of Japan’s Contribution to Mindanao Peace Process.

In the expanded bilateral meeting, President Arroyo and Prime Minister Abe are expected to discuss Japan’s contribution to the Mindanao Peace Process, particularly its participation in the International Monitoring Team, continued cooperation in disaster preparedness and mitigation, and the resumption of yen loan development projects.

After the talks, the two leaders will motor to the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) compound along Aurora Blvd. in Pasay City for the inaugural run ceremony of the 3rd Generation (3G) trains and launching of the LRT Line 1 Capacity Expansion Project II.

The objective of the project is to increase the capacity of LRT Line 1 from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000, enabling it to catch up and absorb the projected increase in passengers demand brought about by the interconnection of Line 2 and Line 1 at Doroteo Jose Station in Manila, Line 3 to Line 1 at EDSA Station and the Line 1 Extension to Cavite.

On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Abe will proceed to Cebu to attend the summit of the ASEAN leaders and their dialogue partners.

SOURCE: http://www.gov.ph/news/?i=16710

From the article posted about the southern extention to Cavite

The winning bidder will fund the design construction and installation, as well as integration of the extension with the existing line. It would also be in charge of the integrated operation and maintenance of the entire line and provision of enhancement works on the integrated system.

I asked this question earlier and I wonder if people knew the answer or if people can speculate with me. So the winning bidder for the Cavite extension will eventually operate the whole LRT1 for 40 years? How would that affect LRTA's administration of the system and what about the extension from Monumento to EDSA? What if the winner for that project is a separate company? Who will operate what?

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1579/fp120906a6f5099eq1.jpg
from Manila Standard Today

they're a bit narrower than LTR2's ryt?

i don't know. they do look narrower on that picture but that's because of the angle of the photo. and the front part adds to that "narrowness".

definitely narrower... mas mas manipis ata talaga ung line1...

but who knows..? i may be wrong... maybe by next week or january sasakay ako ng LRT1... i hope i have the chance to ride these new babies., :) sana rin makakuha ako ng pix inside so i can share it here... :)

Faster, cozy trains start LRT run Monday



By JC BELLO RUIZ

Third Generation (3G) trains – air conditioned, faster and capable of carrying more passengers – will start serving the Light Rail Transit’s Line 1 (LRT 1) from Monumento in Caloocan City to Baclaran in Pasay City and vice versa on Monday.


Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Melquiades Robles said the new service will be inaugurated today by President Arroyo and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan before the first two of the 12 state-of-the-art trains start their public runs.

Despite, the convenience that will be brought by the modern trains to LRT 1 passengers, Robles ruled out a fare increase on the railway system because of its economic implications.

All the 12 four-car trains – for as total of 48 coaches – will be fully available on the LRT 1 route by March next year.

The trains are called 3G, Robles said, because they make up the third batch of modern trains procured by the LRTA since it started operations in the 1980s. They are made up of modern coaches with built-in air-conditioning and computerized signaling systems.

Each four-car 3G train costs 803,500,640 yen representing the cost of manufacturing, freight, insurance and spares. The procurement of the 3G trains is part of the 26-billion yen Capacity Expansion Project (CAPEX) of the LRTA.

The CAPEX is in line with the Strong Republic Transit System program of President Arroyo to decongest Metro Manila and provide a seamless and convenient mass transportation system for the citizenry.

Robles said the project aims to increase the passenger capacity of LRT 1 (Monumento-Baclaran) from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000 passengers per hour per direction and reduce the waiting time for trains to arrive at the platforms from the current five minutes to only three minutes.

Robles said 1G (first generation) trains have a capacity of 18,000 passengers per hour per direction while 2G (second generation) trains have a capacity of 20,000 passengers per hour per direction.

During peak hours, the 3G trains are expected to cut waiting time of passengers from the current 2.5 to three minutes to less than two minutes, Robles said.

The 12 four-car trains will supplement the 63 Belgian 1G trains and 28 Japanese 2G four-car trains of the LRT 1. The 1G trains were originally 64 all-in-all but one train was destroyed during the Rizal Day bombing in 2000.

"Currently we are transporting an average of 350,000 to 375,000 passengers in a day but with the CAPEX project, we are seeing an increase of about half a million passengers per day. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the Metro Manila area," Robles said.

Aside from the acquisition of the 3G trains, the CAPEX project also includes major renovations at the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) and Doroteo Jose stations such as the provision of escalators and elevators and a cross-over bridge at the Doroteo Jose station which is to link to the LRT Line 2 system at C.M. Recto to allow the convenient transfer of passengers between platforms without exposing them to safety risks at the street level.

Improvements in other stations are also being undertaken to resolve the perennial queue of passengers at the tickets booths, gates and access ways.

At the depot area, a modern Operations Control Center with modern equipment was also constructed to centralize control of the operations.

The renovations in the two stations as well as the improvements undertaken in other stations will be completed on March 2007, the LRTA said.

The CAPEX project is the first phase in the implementation of the government’s long term goal of closing the loop among the Metro Manila rail networks.

In line with this goal, LRTA said the acquisition of the 3G trains will enable LRTA to expand and extend its operation to SM North EDSA in the North, which is expected to be completed by May 2010.

The other project being undertaken by the LRTA is in the Line 1 South Extension Project extending to Bacoor, Cavite.

Meanwhile, Robles showed reporters the state-of-the-art washing area of LRT trains.

He said, the "first and only one of its kind washing area in the country" is specifically constructed to ensure that all trains of the LRTA are clean and tidied-up before, during, and after the operation hours.

http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006120981941.html

Faster, cozy trains start LRT run Monday



By JC BELLO RUIZ

Third Generation (3G) trains – air conditioned, faster and capable of carrying more passengers – will start serving the Light Rail Transit’s Line 1 (LRT 1) from Monumento in Caloocan City to Baclaran in Pasay City and vice versa on Monday.


Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Melquiades Robles said the new service will be inaugurated today by President Arroyo and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan before the first two of the 12 state-of-the-art trains start their public runs.

Despite, the convenience that will be brought by the modern trains to LRT 1 passengers, Robles ruled out a fare increase on the railway system because of its economic implications.

All the 12 four-car trains – for as total of 48 coaches – will be fully available on the LRT 1 route by March next year.

The trains are called 3G, Robles said, because they make up the third batch of modern trains procured by the LRTA since it started operations in the 1980s. They are made up of modern coaches with built-in air-conditioning and computerized signaling systems.

Each four-car 3G train costs 803,500,640 yen representing the cost of manufacturing, freight, insurance and spares. The procurement of the 3G trains is part of the 26-billion yen Capacity Expansion Project (CAPEX) of the LRTA.

The CAPEX is in line with the Strong Republic Transit System program of President Arroyo to decongest Metro Manila and provide a seamless and convenient mass transportation system for the citizenry.

Robles said the project aims to increase the passenger capacity of LRT 1 (Monumento-Baclaran) from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000 passengers per hour per direction and reduce the waiting time for trains to arrive at the platforms from the current five minutes to only three minutes.

Robles said 1G (first generation) trains have a capacity of 18,000 passengers per hour per direction while 2G (second generation) trains have a capacity of 20,000 passengers per hour per direction.

During peak hours, the 3G trains are expected to cut waiting time of passengers from the current 2.5 to three minutes to less than two minutes, Robles said.

The 12 four-car trains will supplement the 63 Belgian 1G trains and 28 Japanese 2G four-car trains of the LRT 1. The 1G trains were originally 64 all-in-all but one train was destroyed during the Rizal Day bombing in 2000.

"Currently we are transporting an average of 350,000 to 375,000 passengers in a day but with the CAPEX project, we are seeing an increase of about half a million passengers per day. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the Metro Manila area," Robles said.

Aside from the acquisition of the 3G trains, the CAPEX project also includes major renovations at the EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) and Doroteo Jose stations such as the provision of escalators and elevators and a cross-over bridge at the Doroteo Jose station which is to link to the LRT Line 2 system at C.M. Recto to allow the convenient transfer of passengers between platforms without exposing them to safety risks at the street level.

Improvements in other stations are also being undertaken to resolve the perennial queue of passengers at the tickets booths, gates and access ways.

At the depot area, a modern Operations Control Center with modern equipment was also constructed to centralize control of the operations.

The renovations in the two stations as well as the improvements undertaken in other stations will be completed on March 2007, the LRTA said.

The CAPEX project is the first phase in the implementation of the government’s long term goal of closing the loop among the Metro Manila rail networks.

In line with this goal, LRTA said the acquisition of the 3G trains will enable LRTA to expand and extend its operation to SM North EDSA in the North, which is expected to be completed by May 2010.

The other project being undertaken by the LRTA is in the Line 1 South Extension Project extending to Bacoor, Cavite.

Meanwhile, Robles showed reporters the state-of-the-art washing area of LRT trains.

He said, the "first and only one of its kind washing area in the country" is specifically constructed to ensure that all trains of the LRTA are clean and tidied-up before, during, and after the operation hours.

http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006120981941.html

will the LRT's north extension connect to the tip of MRT track in north Edsa? Like you would be able to travel from Manila-Caloocan-QC-Makati w/o transfering train for trains of these 2 lines would be sharing track then?

most probably, you have to transfer trains...
but i'm pretty sure the stations are connected... just like other interconnections in the system... D.jose-Recto, Edsa-Taft, Cubao-Cubao

i see.. they have different management. but that idea would be more efficient. Imagine, making a complete round taft-taft w/o transfering train.

^^^ You cant merge the tracks since magkaiba yung dalawa in terms of track setups and dimensions. Connecting stations alng siguro. Anyway, if the LRT 1 track would ran pass Bonifacio Monument to EDSA, sira ang view nung monument.

cant they adopt the original plan of ENT w/c is to go underground?

maybe they have to destroy muna monumento station... they can make monumento station underground... lilitaw nalang siya sa may edsa na... :) para hindi maharangan ang monumento.. :)

^^^ Thats a good idea actually. Pag nagunderground yung part na yun...di na magmumukhang chaotic at puwede pa ayusin ang paligid.

diba meh news dati na they're planning to make that area the "grand central" lalo na coz of the LRT loop and the northrail station?
dapat lang na gandahan nila ung area.,.. make it lively and vibrant... ngayon kasi medyo chaotic, gloomy and sleepy. not to mention creepy.

From the article posted about the southern extention to Cavite


I asked this question earlier and I wonder if people knew the answer or if people can speculate with me. So the winning bidder for the Cavite extension will eventually operate the whole LRT1 for 40 years? How would that affect LRTA's administration of the system and what about the extension from Monumento to EDSA? What if the winner for that project is a separate company? Who will operate what?

From the article it looks like the bidder will be running everything. I believe though that administratively it's stillunder lrta, meaning they'll have oversight on costs and basic management decisions. The winner could be awarded an Operation and maintenance contract, this would be much more limited in scope and LRTA would still be in charge of overall management, specially on the finances.

To my understanding the gauges of all lrt/mrt lines are similar, eventually the managment for all these lines fall under the lrta and commonality would be important. This is specified for in the TOR of the bids.

:ohno:Mas maganda kung underground ang LRT line 1 extension para hindi ma-obstruct ang Monumento ni Andres Bonifacio

That would be ideal. Realistically, though, I feel that this undergrounding is financially impossible-- at least for the whole length. If anything gawin nilang parallel to EDSA sa may monumento, tapos pag medyo malayo na pwede na nilang pa-daan sa EDSA yung riles.

:ohno:Mas maganda kung underground ang LRT line 1 extension para hindi ma-obstruct ang Monumento ni Andres Bonifacio


Sa tingin ko mahirap underground kasi masikip masyado ung Rizal avenue, maliban nalang kung ibaling nila papuntang gilid ng Rizal ave before monumento station at doon sila mag aquire ng right of way for the underground. Kaso super dense na yang part na yan ng monumento kaya mahihirap at magastos.

para magawa nilang underground ang monumento station they still have to destroy the old station and some meters of the old line... they also have to eat up some nearby buildings... which is magastos...

just like what they did with katipunan station ng LRT2... then lumiko siya sa marcos highway.. kaya it ate up ung entrance nung isang subdivision doon....

pero kung open underground lang din gagawin nila kagaya ng mrt(makati area), buti pang overhead nlng.

Pero siguro pwede rin i adopt yung "milan's way of tunneling" para di masyado maapektohan yung mga structures beside the road.. Maghuhukay on both sides of the road..Sabay buhos ng semento(will serve as the tunnel's wall).. sesementuhin uli yung kalsada(tunnel's ceiling), then alwas yung lupa sa ilalim. bale nasa ilalim talaga ng road yung tunnel..

^^Milan's way? Manila's way is cheapskate and unclassy, thanks to our politics.

Its still possible to go underground, genius engineering lang yan, capable naman mga pinoys dyan eh. Dapat nga yung MRT ginawa na alng underground.

3G Trains?

Its still possible to go underground, genius engineering lang yan, capable naman mga pinoys dyan eh. Dapat nga yung MRT ginawa na alng underground.

correct.. Maluag pa sana ang EDSA..

3rd Generation trains.

yung mga train ng LRT2 2G lang yun right? Ano bang iba sa 3G?

Its still possible to go underground, genius engineering lang yan, capable naman mga pinoys dyan eh. Dapat nga yung MRT ginawa na alng underground.

Tinipid kasi ung MRT. Tsaka hindi kasi pantay2 ung elavation ng mismong edsa kaya mahirap sha iunderground lahat. At marami na din kasing nag eexist na under pass roads along edsa kaya mas magpapahirap un kung underground ang MRT.

I think kaya tinawag na 3G yung mga bagong trains ng LRT 1 dahil pangatlong train model siya na gagamitin. 1st G yung boxy, 2nd G yung mga gray. Parang newer version nga lang ng 2nd G yung 3G eh.

at mas disente tingnan yung 2G imo.

yung mga train ng LRT2 2G lang yun right? Ano bang iba sa 3G?

1st gen palang...

1st Generation (1G) (1984)
Manufacturer: ACEC (Belgium)
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0025-1.jpg
2nd Generation (2G) (1999)
Manufacturer: Adtranz (South Korea)
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0024.jpg
3rd Generation (3G) (2006)
Manufacturer: Kinki Sharyo (Japan)
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0145.jpg

I recall those 2G trains when new really felt solid compared to the 1G trains. I also liked the way they sound-- like a space ship. :lol:

Nice pictures!

Those 3G's look good. Now, if they could only update the tracks and stations, ganda sana tingnan.

matagal din nila napakinabangan yung 1 G na train from Belgium almost 15 years bago nila napalitan ng 2G

Napapakinabangan pa rin naman until now, the trains are not that bad pa nga actaully. Mas malamig pa nga aircon nung 1G compared dun sa 2G eh :lol:

Some of those AC units are newer than the 2Gs. If I recall they only finished retrofitting AC units on those 1G trains in 2000. Imagine being stuck in them when they were still using electric fans?! I used to ride those everyday!

matagal din nila napakinabangan yung 1 G na train from Belgium almost 15 years bago nila napalitan ng 2G

They're still in active service. :)

Napapakinabangan pa rin naman until now, the trains are not that bad pa nga actaully. Mas malamig pa nga aircon nung 1G compared dun sa 2G eh :lol:

Haha, yep. Minsan kasi mahina aircon ng 2G kaya binubuksan yung bintana sa taas. Yung 1G naman walang problema. :lol:

Some of those AC units are newer than the 2Gs. If I recall they only finished retrofitting AC units on those 1G trains in 2000. Imagine being stuck in them when they were still using electric fans?! I used to ride those everyday!

I see.Pero damn! Electric fans dati? :lol: My goodness. Ano yun...sauna kalalabasan nyan sa loob :lol:

Ngayon, pagsakay sa LRT, parang sardinas na sa lata.
Dati, pagsakay sa LRT, parang sardinas na niluto!

^^^:lol: Im hoping to ride the new trains within this week.

I see.Pero damn! Electric fans dati? :lol: My goodness. Ano yun...sauna kalalabasan nyan sa loob :lol:

At least your getting a steam bath included as an incidental package along with the ride. :lol:

Oo nga no... Magugustuhan siguro ni Aaron ang LRT noon. Full package steam bath, sauna and massage.

i wish all the lrt stations design should be patterned with that recto santolan
route they are well designed and look expensive

Anyone here who've tried the 3Gs? It was open this morning but was again closed in the afternoon. =_=

Panong open this morning pero close sa afternoon? Pinagamit na sa public pero limited run pa din?

That LRT 1 stations are not that bad, I like how the roof looks on the inside, ayusin lang sana yung mga ticket booths, turnstiles saka yung flooring. Lahat gawing bago hehe

I think so. Nung umaga nakita ko may laman tapos nakalagay na yung destination dun sa taas ng bintana. Kaso nung hapon naging "SCHOOL" ulit tapos hindi nanaman nagpapasok. :ohno:

sana within this week masakyan ko na ung 3g trains...

ung mga LRT1 stations sana lagyan nila ng access papunta sa kabilang platform... nakakaasar kung tatawid ka nanaman ng kalsada.

some night shots of the Guadalupe MRT bridge last night...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Makati/DSC00916.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Makati/DSC00911.jpg

Napapakinabangan pa rin naman until now, the trains are not that bad pa nga actaully. Mas malamig pa nga aircon nung 1G compared dun sa 2G eh :lol:

Amen. Grabe minsan naranasan ko from Monumento to Vito Cruz na walang aircon, siksikan at mainit. Paglabas ko basang basa ako para akong nabasa ng tubig at mas malamig pa sa labas. Karamihan ng 1G trains ayos pa din yung aircon. Yung 2G, bulok. Pati yung flooring nasisira na. Eh samantalang yung 1G na 20 years in service na hindi pa din nasisira. Mas malamig pa. :lol:

Nagagamit na daw yung 3G. Since when pa? Sabi kasi ng batchmate ko na bumababa din sa Vito Cruz eh nasakyan na daw nya.

Napapakinabangan pa rin naman until now, the trains are not that bad pa nga actaully. Mas malamig pa nga aircon nung 1G compared dun sa 2G eh :lol:

Correct, parang humidifier hindi aircon yung nasa 2G. Parang moist yung air na lumalabas.

some night shots of the Guadalupe MRT bridge last night...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Makati/DSC00916.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/pau_p1/Makati/DSC00911.jpg


Nice pictures , Thanks for sharing those pictures with us!

very surprised ang ganda pala ng LRT line 2(?) the stations are clean

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jafhoy3/DSC00261.jpg

very surprised ang ganda pala ng LRT line 2(?) the stations are clean

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jafhoy3/DSC00261.jpg
Pureza to ah..^^

i hope they pattern to that the stations of the upcoming lines/extensions.

haha... :) ang pinakamamahal kong pureza station... :)
kapiling ko, araw, hapon... hehehehehe...

coke, you're at the westbound platform?

-----------
tracks from pureza to vmapa...
http://i12.tinypic.com/4cm4q54.jpg



hagdan going down the tracks... :) :) wala ung guard eh... hehehe... nakapag-salamin pa kami dun sa malaking mirror... :)
http://i11.tinypic.com/2pt124o.jpg

i took those pix kahapon...

-------------------
btw, lahat ng LRT stations, meron nang xmas decor... pinakamaganda ung sa santolan... :)

and since the start of the xmas season, they've been playing xmas song inside the trains and the stations... pero since this week (or was it last week,?) they've also been playing the ASEAN SUMMIT theme song! paulit-ulit nga lang... mejo memorize na namin... hehehehe...

i think pureza to vmapa yan richard.. hayan yung shell oh...^^

Pureza to ah..^^

i hope they pattern to that the stations of the upcoming lines/extensions.


I prefer the platform to be in the middle (parang sa Boni Station) kasi mas madali makalipat ng train just in case nakatulog ka at lumagpas sa bababaan mo... heheh :lol:

ung mga LRT1 stations sana lagyan nila ng access papunta sa kabilang platform... nakakaasar kung tatawid ka nanaman ng kalsada.

Nakakairita un kapag papunta akong SM MoA pero ang napupuntahan kong platform ung papuntang Monumento.:lol: Sana gaya ng LRT1 ang MRT, aakyat ka na lang o kaya nasa tabi mo na mismo ung kabila, okay na.:)

very surprised ang ganda pala ng LRT line 2(?) the stations are clean

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jafhoy3/DSC00261.jpg

Never tried LRT2. Sana ma-try ko. Mukha siyang MRT3, in fairview.:D

i think pureza to vmapa yan richard.. hayan yung shell oh...^^

yep... nagkamali lang ng lumabas sa isip ko... hehehe... :lol: pasenxa mejo slow ako... :)

ung papuntang legarda merong electronic billboard ng mercury eh..

@amras... roundtipping is illegal... :lol: as long as you dont get caught.. :) hahaha...

Kwento ko lang, once kasi nasa Manila ako. Pauwi na ako kasi tapos na meet namin ni ano.:D Tapos papunta na akong EDSA Taft tapos punta ako Gil Puyat, at nasa MRT3 Ayala Station ako nun. Eh di ba ung platform nun pareho nung sa Boni Station? Ung nasa gitna? Ayun. Nalito ako. Imbes na Southbound ako, napunta akong Northbound. Doble-doble tuloy pamasahe ko.:lol: Pero nakauwi naman ako ng maayos.:) Ako pa?:D

^^ isang station lang sa line 2 ang sa gitna ang platform... santolan lang. ayoko nun kasi open siya... pag umuulan, sobrang chaotic. and wet.

^^ Mali kasi siguro ung roofing kaya ganun. Ung sa MRT3 naman, maayos.

kapantay lang ung roof sa platform... kaya wet look ang mga studyanteng naka uniform pag umuulan... :naughty: hahahaha... :lol:

and not to mention the train delays during heavy rains... minsan magugulat kami nasa kabilang platform pala kami sasakay... (santolan to ah..) hehehe.... minsan waiting time sa LRT2 kapag normal mga 5-8mins... pag abnormal, 15mins., pero sobrang minsan lang yun.

^^:lol: Loko ka rin pala, Richard.:lol:

Anyway, bakit pala walang bato ung riles ng MRT3 pero ung LRT1 meron?

meron din ang MRT3.. Sa may cubao na part..

ancient na ung LRT1 eh... kaya pag nakasakay ka dun feeling mo you're driving on a dirt road... i think parts of line3 have gravels beneath the tracks din...
sa LRT2 wala talaga..

Eh bakit meron an LRT3 tapos ang LRT2 wala? That confused me more.:?

meron din ang MRT3.. Sa may cubao na part..

Meron ba? Wala ah.

Meron ba? Wala ah.

Parang meron yata...sa crossing ng line 2 and 3 sa may cubao, kita pag nasa line2 ka..

Eh bakit meron an LRT3 tapos ang LRT2 wala? That confused me more.:?

MRT3 opened earlier than LRT2... kaya ata ganun ung numbers is because it is ordered by their planning... not by their completion...

Parang meron yata...sa crossing ng line 2 and 3 sa may cubao, kita pag nasa line2 ka..

usually pag nasa on-grade part siya ng line... may gravel...

not 100% sure though.

MRT3 opened earlier than LRT2... kaya ata ganun ung numbers is because it is ordered by their planning... not by their completion...

Hinde. Ang sinasabi ko ung LRT3 and LRT2, not MRT3.

huh?may lrt3 ba?^^

walang LRT3... san un?

LRT1
LRT2
MRT3
which do you mean?



(if i'm not mistaken, the names, LRT and MRT ay nag-iba lang dahil sa iba ang operators nila...)
the numbers are ordered according to when they were planned... not by completion...

uhu..hindi under sa LRTA ang MRT3..

bakit daw walang gravel ang lrt2 e ang mrt3 meron naman... ^^

kase, hitech ang lrt2..:lol:

ang tanong ko naman... bakit may gravel ung line1 at line3? para san ba un?

siguro para malakaran ng mga pasahero pag halimbawang tumirik ang tren.. kasi malalim yata yung pinaka floor ng viaduct vs the riles.. E diba sa line 2 wala, kasi sa gitna maglalakad ang mga pasahero..
Not sure..

^^ Nalito na ako sa inyo.:lol:

@Lew: Hindi rin kasi mababa lang naman un eh. Kung walang gravel, siguro abot lang sa ankle ung riles.

siguro para malakaran ng mga pasahero pag halimbawang tumirik ang tren.. kasi malalim yata yung pinaka floor ng viaduct vs the riles.. E diba sa line 2 wala, kasi sa gitna maglalakad ang mga pasahero..
Not sure..


nangyari na un sa friend nung barkada ko... nandun sila nung may yero sa ibabaw ng tren..( na news un...) panic daw lahat kasi may sumabog at biglang tumigil... umusok pa sa loob... parang terror attack... nilakad nila the rest of the way... the train is heading towards katips from santolan then... not sure though kung nilakad nila papuntang katips or santolan...

According to wiki, track ballasts (yung mga bato) are used to facilitate drainage of water, and to create an even running surface. It also serves to hold the track in place as the trains roll by.

@richard..haha...sana lang walang makuryente sa mga ganyan..

According to wiki, track ballasts (yung mga bato) are used to facilitate drainage of water, and to create an even running surface. It also serves to hold the track in place as the trains roll by.

nice research...that answers all our ? here..

^^ Ang taray mo, Kuya. Hehe. So mali pala ung sa MRT3 kasi wala silang gravel?

^^ Ang taray mo, Kuya. Hehe. So mali pala ung sa MRT3 kasi wala silang gravel?

meron nga daw po sabi ni richard...

^^ Walang gravel ang MRT3. Ilang beses na rin akong nakasakay dun kaya alam kong wala. Ako nga ung nagtanong kung bakit ang LRT1 meron tapos ang MRT3 wala, di ba?

basta ako may nakita...:lol:

^^ Naduling ka lang. Walang gravel sa MRT3.:tongue4:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j74/ryucloud/IMG_0029.jpg

Nope, meron talaga. Although there are some parts of the MRT track that doesn't have ballast, like the part over the Osmeña Highway before reaching Magallanes.

Ah ganun? Ako pala ung naduling.:tongue4::lol: Akala ko wala kasi wala naman akong nakikitang gravel sa mga stations eh. Hehe