Bidding starts for P6-B LRT-MRT loop project
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Metro&p=49&type=2&sec=26&aid=20071010187
By Rainier Allan Ronda
Thursday, October 11, 2007

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has started the bidding process to get a contractor to undertake the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-Light Rail Transit (LRT) interconnection project worth P6.3 billion.

LRTA administrator Melquiades “Mel” Robles said their bids and awards committee has started issuing eligibility documents to interested contractors willing to bid for the project last Monday.

As of yesterday, Robles said three groups have signified their interest in the project by buying eligibility documents: Leighton Contractors, Inc. (Philippines)-A.M. Oreta & Co. joint venture consortium; Marubeni Corporation; and Asset Builders Corp.

Robles said the LRTA was taking measures to ensure a fair and transparent bidding, such as opening it to the public by posting bids online through their website.

He said there is also a plan to invite representatives from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Philippine Contractors Association and Transparency International to observe the process.

The LRTA started the bidding process after getting the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board’s approval for the project, which involves creating a loop between the MRT rail line at its North Avenue-EDSA end station in Quezon City and the Monumento, Caloocan station of LRT Line 1. The loop will have three stations along EDSA.

Robles expressed confidence that the project can be finished by the target completion on April 2010.

“With the way things are going right now, we are optimistic that construction of the project can finally start by May 2008 so that by May 2010, revenue operations can already be commenced,” he said.

On Nov. 28, 2006, President Arroyo directed Transportation and Communicaitons Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Robles to proceed with the construction of the LRT-MRT loop after thorough evaluation of several construction options.

Last month, the NEDA board approved the feasibility study commissioned by the LRTA, which stated that the extension project will include the construction of three new stations equipped with escalators and elevators.

The LRTA said that with the project, the average daily ridership is set to increase by 66.16 percent or a total of 535,558 passengers from the current average of 322,309 passengers.

Funding for the project will be taken from the debt-paper sale of state-owned National Development Co., amounting to P4.6 billion. The remaining P1.67 billion will be obtained through a General Appropriations Act enacted by Congress.

bakit kaya 2 years ang construction nito?... hmmm.. eh yung MRT from North Ave to Taft Ave took 3.5 years.. with 14 stations... eh yung loop 3 stations lang...hmmmm

It can be , if you factor in things like mobilization and budget it's not exactly very long. They can do it faster but it may also be more expensive as you'll need to deploy more crews on different parts. I only hope they use the technology of the LRT2 rather than the old style prefab long spans they used in mrt3, much more elegant.

^^Yup sana nga ung overhead line ganon ang design sa LRT2 iyong tipong parang magkahiwalay iyong dawang direction. Ang isa pa kasing advantage ng ganong design mas madaling mabubuhay iyong halaman na itatanim nila sa center island kasi masisisnagan siya ng araw. Sa LRT1 namamatay iyong mga halaman sa ilalim ng line.

Pano pala nila i-eextend iyong LRT from monumento? Kasi sa tingin ko di pwedeng idaan iyong line sa may gilid ng monument mismo kasi partially mabloblock iyong monument kung saan pangit naman. Unless sa likod ng Ever Gotesco mall nila ito padadaanin. At san naman ilalagay iyong last station ng LRT sa north sa may open parking lot kaya ng trinoma?

bakit kaya 2 years ang construction nito?... hmmm.. eh yung MRT from North Ave to Taft Ave took 3.5 years.. with 14 stations... eh yung loop 3 stations lang...hmmmm

...or maybe there are ways to shorten the time by using newer innovations in construction technology.

10 new BOT projects worth $2.7B seen to be in place by 2008
By Iris C. Gonzales
Original report at The Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2007101426

Ten new infrastructure projects under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme worth $2.7 billion are projected to be in place by December 2008, according to latest documents from the government’s BOT center.

Projects in the pipeline are in various stages of development, all of which are projected to boost economic growth, investments and employment.

The list showed that there are five projects in the area of transportation that are now in the bidding stage. These include the $122-million Manila International Airport Authority Cargo Terminal project, the $600-million MRT-3 Extention [sic] (Phase 2), the $682 million LRT Line 1 Extension project from Baclaran to Bacoor, the $46-million Panguil Bay Bridge Project and the Tarlac-Rosario-La Union Toll Expressway.

The total costs of these BOT projects in the transport sector amount to $1.450 billion.

Projects under feasibility, meanwhile, include the $184 million Balintingon Multipurpose water project and the Bataan liquefied natural gas pipeline and the Bataan-Manila natural gas pipeline.

The La Mesa Parkway Project, amounting to $162 million, is now undergoing price challenge, the documents showed.

Projects for approval or for price challenge also include the LTR-4 which amounts to $958 million.

The government has been trying boost infrastructure spending as this helps improve the country’s competitiveness.

====

(Was just wondering what area the "$600-million MRT-3 Extention [sic] (Phase 2)" covers?)

LRT 4, san po un tutuloy?

...or maybe there are ways to shorten the time by using newer innovations in construction technology.
hello, the entire thing was constructed all at the same time..doesn't mean na isang station 3 months lang noh...

You need to dig deep holes, place the foundations, contruct the station, the railings, electricworks etc...2 years is just average...

Interesting article. I wonder how accurate.

The thing that struck me is the price challenge from lrt4, does this mean mrt 7 is dead ? Very interesting indeed.

Of course the same project has the mrt 3 extension at 600million$ when in the previous page it's much less so what the heck.

diba ang sabi ng proponents ng MRT7, they put daw provisions for lrt4? that's what i remember dati., i saw it here i think.,

diba ang sabi ng proponents ng MRT7, they put daw provisions for lrt4? that's what i remember dati., i saw it here i think.,


^^ So, if that provision took place, what happens is that the MRT4 and MRT7 would act as if they are only one line.. Ok pa rin.. hope they could start the construction soon...

Interesting article. I wonder how accurate.

The thing that struck me is the price challenge from lrt4, does this mean mrt 7 is dead ? Very interesting indeed.

Of course the same project has the mrt 3 extension at 600million$ when in the previous page it's much less so what the heck.

^^ Please, hope they won't kill the MRT7. That project is of paramount inportance to the bunch of commuter taking the Commonwealth Ave. :ohno:

LRT 4, san po un tutuloy?

^^ LRT4 is from Recto to Commonwealth Ave passing thru Espanya St. and Quezon Ave. while LRT7 will start from MR3 depot to Tala, Bulacan passing thru North Ave. and Commonwealth to Regalado Ave. on thru Tala Depot. Tala will be made accessible by building an expressway from NLEX to nearby Tala, Bulacan. From Circle to Batasan, the two line will be side by side as..

^^ LRT4 is from Recto to Commonwealth Ave passing thru Espanya St. and Quezon Ave. while LRT7 will start from MR3 depot to Tala, Bulacan passing thru North Ave. and Commonwealth to Regalado Ave. on thru Tala Depot. Tala will be made accessible by building an expressway from NLEX to nearby Tala, Bulacan. From Circle to Batasan, the two line will be side by side as..

correction...

MRT7 ends at Tungkong Mangga in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan... where an expressway connecting to NLEX will be built...

Tala is in North Caloocan City.

was able to access Universal LRT's website, i found that the quirino station is quite far from SM Fairview

dahil na-intrigue ako.. pinuntahan ko yung site... heto po yung station map...

http://www.ulc.com.ph

hmmm mukhang malayo layo nga.. since... yung Sacred Heart station is just across Sacred Heart Village and Lagro Subdivision... which is quite near sa SM... so the Quirino station may be in front of Robinson's NOva I guess...

and so.. hindi pala aabot sa kanto ng Tungko ang LRT.. hanggang sa subdivision na ginagawa sa lupa ng Araneta's... na almost sa boundary lang ng SJDM at Caloocan...


http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/index-2.jpg

habol ko na rin yung Real Estate plan nila... not sure kung naload na to..

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/aerial.jpg

the Mall
http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/mall.jpg

residential
http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/residential.jpg

ay... nakiclick pala yung station Map para maguide sa exact location ng stations.... yung Quirino station pala yung nasa entrance ng Lagro subdivision... tapos yung Sacred Heart station naman dun sa isang gate ng Sacred Heart village...

ay.. tapos yung sa tabi ng SM fairview yung MIndanao station...

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Stn1-Sec.jpg

Nice station. This can potentially merge the three lines, MRT 7, MRT 3, and LRT 1 extension occupying the reserve strack. MRT4, if it pushes through can have a spur line that can connect to this terminal as well or since it will have an overlap with MRT7, they can terminate their line in this station. So from Quezon ave, MRT 4 can make a left at west avenue and terminate on north avenue. That way, 4 lines can terminate in one Grand Central Terminal. Looks like SM really has big interests in this project. Thats why in the website, they refer it to SM line. I hope the terminal would have a nice design and SM annex should provide an intermodal transport system.

since 2005 pa yung design above, so baka iniba na nila yung station designs. siguro yung North Avenue Station will be between TriNoMa and The Block. kung ako, if masusunod yung naging dream ko, better kung underground lahat ng MRT lines natin kasi mas efficient ang pagtransfer between different lines, tulad ng HK MTR sobrang efficient ng pagtransfer

^^ that depends though on where underground this can happen. That interchange between SM north edsa and Trinoma is a huge area where you can put a HUGE underground railsystem in. JUST IMAGINE THE GRANDNESS OF IT.

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Stn1-Sec.jpg

Nice station. This can potentially merge the three lines, MRT 7, MRT 3, and LRT 1 extension occupying the reserve strack. MRT4, if it pushes through can have a spur line that can connect to this terminal as well or since it will have an overlap with MRT7, they can terminate their line in this station. So from Quezon ave, MRT 4 can make a left at west avenue and terminate on north avenue. That way, 4 lines can terminate in one Grand Central Terminal. Looks like SM really has big interests in this project. Thats why in the website, they refer it to SM line. I hope the terminal would have a nice design and SM annex should provide an intermodal transport system.

^^ Many thanks, Raktak... This is by far the most appropriate way to interconnect those 3 lines. Transfer can easily be done by the simple island platform. I would suggest an extra track with no platform to the reserve for sidings in case LRT1 would be extended in lieu of MRT3.

^^ MRT7 Future Quezon Memorial Station inside Q.C. Memorial Circle

From http://www.ulc.com.ph Universal LRT Corporation

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Station-2.jpg

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Stn2-Sec.jpg

Which part of the stations will be underground then?

Which part of the stations will be underground then?

^^ In so far for now, only Quezon Memorial Station to be underground. We don't know yet for other stations..

If line 4 pushes through the current proposal of Line 7 will have to be changed, A substantial section of Line 4 and 7 are the same (commonwealth) at least 8 stations. Also I doubt the area can take two lines right now, it's going to be one or the other. That's why I'm curious as to the accuracy of the report.

I'm just dreamin how beautiful it is if North Avenue Stations are underground.
Transferring from the soon-to-be 3 lines. That's just Wow!

The stations can just use the underground of the malls.. Wow but impossible.

sana our MRT companies will merge into one single corporation and hire the MTR Corp. as consultant. magaling talaga MTR Corp pagdating sa MRT/LRT/Subway operations, and how they design their station layouts and how they make interchanges between different lines, so efficient...

If line 4 pushes through the current proposal of Line 7 will have to be changed, A substantial section of Line 4 and 7 are the same (commonwealth) at least 8 stations. Also I doubt the area can take two lines right now, it's going to be one or the other. That's why I'm curious as to the accuracy of the report.


^^ I think there's no problem with that. Engineers knows it very well that a large passengers coming from that area cannot be easily served by 1 line only. Although they will be side by side by at least 8 station, still Line4 goes to Recto and Line7 goes to North Avenue. In many other urbanized places in Asia, they have so many railway lines that at certain points of their line are side by side with another line and pose no problem.

sana our MRT companies will merge into one single corporation and hire the MTR Corp. as consultant. magaling talaga MTR Corp pagdating sa MRT/LRT/Subway operations, and how they design their station layouts and how they make interchanges between different lines, so efficient...

^^ Before I thought Japan is being served only by a JR group of Companies. But I was wrong when get there. I observed that aside from Tokyo Metro, there still a lot of railways owned by a private companies but still they are interconnected to JR and Tokyo Metro Networks. At least the unification of tickets and fares in our LRTs and MRTs can put a temporary relief.

^^ well, the unification of tickets and fares is a start towards the integration of our MRT lines. well sana iniba na ULC ang design ng mga tracks at station nila, considering what i've found out in their website na medyo may pagka MRT 3 ito pagdating sa tracks. may part na at-grade ang mga tracks sa commonwealth, tandang sora-manggahan portion. nakita ko rin na ang don antonio station eh at-grade. pero the trains are the modernized version of Bangkok's skytrain and Subway. and sana gawin nilang touch screen ang mga ticketing machines at may mga plasma screens sa bawat stations displaying adverts and next train arrivals. and sana meron ding mga PSDs at APGs sa mga platforms

^^ well, the unification of tickets and fares is a start towards the integration of our MRT lines. well sana iniba na ULC ang design ng mga tracks at station nila, considering what i've found out in their website na medyo may pagka MRT 3 ito pagdating sa tracks. may part na at-grade ang mga tracks sa commonwealth, tandang sora-manggahan portion. nakita ko rin na ang don antonio station eh at-grade. pero the trains are the modernized version of Bangkok's skytrain and Subway. and sana gawin nilang touch screen ang mga ticketing machines at may mga plasma screens sa bawat stations displaying adverts and next train arrivals. and sana meron ding mga PSDs at APGs sa mga platforms

^^ With regards of the plasma screen, Northrail are going to use it though it's not yet confirmed but a friend says everything is totally modern....

^^ I think there's no problem with that. Engineers knows it very well that a large passengers coming from that area cannot be easily served by 1 line only. Although they will be side by side by at least 8 station, still Line4 goes to Recto and Line7 goes to North Avenue. In many other urbanized places in Asia, they have so many railway lines that at certain points of their line are side by side with another line and pose no problem.

It's ok for them to side by side for a couple of kilometers but in this case from Quezon Memorial to SM Fairview is nearly 10 km, both operators do not want the other line to be on the same route so it will be an either or. Theoretically Mrt 7 was supposed to be aligned elsewhere but in the general area as well, this makes more sense. MRT 7 was aligned this way because of political pressure from some parties whose interests are best served by the MRT 7 consortium following this track.

Great poems of RP, Spain and Latin America now on LRT (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view_article.php?article_id=94832)

MANILA, Philippines -- Passengers of the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 are in for a poetic ride.

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has started putting up posters, in its trains, containing poems written in Spanish and Filipino and decorated with colorful pictures.

“Berso sa Metro (Verse in the Metro),” an innovative campaign, which aims to encourage reading among Filipino commuters, was launched on Tuesday to strengthen the ties between the Philippines and Spain and to pay tribute to some of the best poets from the Philippines, Spain and Latin American countries.

“Not only would this keep the passengers from getting bored, they would actually be learning something while in transit,” Jose Rodriguez, director of Instituto Cervantes de Manila (ICDM), told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

“With almost one million commuters riding the train every day, it provides a great opportunity for the reading campaign to reach as many people as possible,” Rodriguez said.

He called it a “defining moment” in the history of educational campaigns.

The selection of poems include the work of Filipinos led by national hero Jose Rizal, Jesús Balmori, Claro M. Recto, José Palma, Evangelina Guerrero, Pacifico Victoriano and Fernando Maria Guerrero; Spanish poets Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, García Lorca, Antonio Machado, Luis Cernuda, Luis Rosales, Miguel Hernández and Gil de Biedma; and Latin American writers Pablo Neruda and César Vallejo.

“Commuters would now have something to ponder on when they ride the LRT. Reading celebrated poems is a very worthwhile activity to do,” Mel Robles, LRTA administrator, told the Inquirer.

He said that the reading campaign would run for about three months and could be extended depending on the response of the public.

To make things easier for those who do not understand Spanish, a Filipino translation of the poem would be posted alongside the Spanish version.

The campaign is organized by the LRTA, ICDM and the Committee for the Filipino-Spanish Friendship Day.

The ICDM is the cultural arm of the Spanish government that promotes and teaches the Spanish language and culture in the country. It is the largest Spanish teaching organization worldwide, operating in more than 70 countries in four continents.

The LRT Line 1 runs from Baclaran to Monument while Line 2 runs from Santolan to Recto. Both are managed by the LRTA.

There's a part in Fairview where the street is lined up with age-old narra(?) trees. It's a beautiful sight. I hope they won't build the line over it. If they can do it underground, then great. I believe there'll be a lot of more demolition to go along Commonwealth. Good thing they're starting now. The area along Manggahan-Batasan Hills is already being cleaned up.

Sana hindi nila putulin ang mga angsana trees aka Narra !


Basta dapat malaki ang mga tren , kasi yung tren ng MRT parating puno kesa sa LRT 2

may mga narra ba sa island ng Fairview?... though yeah.. it would be nice if they don't cut those trees along that stretch from Fairview Market to Fairview General Hospital.... an underground rail would be better there... since I don't that that portion of the Commonwealth Ave won't be widened...

^^Yeah, that's another thing. That area can't be expanded anymore since big and legitimate establishments line up the area. Lalo na that intersection in front of Fairview Center Mall, all hell shall break loose if two lines would pass through that!

Hindi ba Narra yun?

may mga narra ba sa island ng Fairview?... though yeah.. it would be nice if they don't cut those trees along that stretch from Fairview Market to Fairview General Hospital.... an underground rail would be better there... since I don't that that portion of the Commonwealth Ave won't be widened...

I think i have seen some including acacia trees ( Rain tree) introduced from South America in the 1840's

hehehe... di ko rin sure.. oo nga.. pag inexpand nila yung road dun.. they'll have to demolish part of NCBA, Fairview Center Mall, McDonald's, part of Fairview General Hospital... a lot of banks, commercial establishments and another school...

hehehe... di ko rin sure.. oo nga.. pag inexpand nila yung road dun.. they'll have to demolish part of NCBA, Fairview Center Mall, McDonald's, part of Fairview General Hospital... a lot of banks, commercial establishments and another school...


Ganyan ang progress they demolished everything in the patch , Remember the Old Insular Ice Plant? Hindi ba may kaunti pang natitira noong 1980's pero dinemolished to paved way for the LRT ! ni Madam Imeldific ! Silang tatlong buildings ang mga old structure diyan sa Liwasang Bonifacio area!

mas ok kung underground MRT 7 from North Avenue to Regalado Avenue then it will be elevated before SM Fairview up to the intermodal station in San Jose del Monte.. btw, i've also seen that the mall in the mini city of MRT 7 will be built by SM..

ULC told to post $300-M second bond for MRT7

By Lenie Lectura
Original report at The Business Mirror
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/10182007/headlines08.html

THE Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for railway transportation projects is requiring the Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), the proponent of the Metro Rail Transit project, known as MRT-7, to post another performance guarantee bond that could amount to $300 million.

The project, estimated to cost $1.23 billion, consists of a 23-kilometer rail transit system with 14 stations connected to the MRT-3 North Avenue station in Quezon City, stretching all the way to Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue, Quirino Avenue extension up to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and a 22-km access road component.

The BAC chairman, Transportation Assistant Secretary Elmer Soneja, said in an interview on Wednesday, the project proponent failed to comply with some provisions of the terms of reference (TOR) for the project.

“We are requiring ULC to issue a performance guarantee bond. What they only posted last year was 10 percent of the $1.9-billion performance bond specified in the Neda committee resolution,” said Soneja.

ULC posted around $100 million in bid bond last year. ULC is a consortium comprising Alstom Transportation of France, described as the world’s second-largest transportation system provider; Alstom Signalling of the United States; Redfort Assets Ltd, representing SM Investment Corp. and PentaCapital Management Corp., the Merlin Pacific Capital Inc. group; Earth Tech, a unit of the Tyco International Group of the US; and Engineering Equipment Inc. of the Yuchengcos.

The group submitted an unsolicited proposal to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the MRT Line7 project under a build,-gradual transfer- operate-and-maintain scheme, a variant of the build-transfer-operate contractual arrangement.

MRT7 consultant Mario Marinda said the consortium could only afford to post a bond with an amount equivalent to 10 percent of the project cost estimated at $1.23 billion

The government then opened the project to other interested parties but none could match ULC’s proposal. “This meant that ours was the best offer. No one could post a $1.9-billion bond, not even us. So, we said we could only afford 10 percent of the project cost,” explained Miranda.

Now, government is asking the consortium to put up another bond as a way of ensuring the proponent will commit to making the project viable. Soneja would not say how much more it will require ULC to post.

But Miranda said the proponent was asked to post another bond amounting to $300 million.

“They wrote to us before asking us to revise our unsolicited proposal. They said they need the $1.9-billion performance bond. You don’t change the rules in the middle of the game. Our proposal was subject to a Swiss challenge. In fact, the TOR was based on our proposal. The TOR was prepared by the DOTC in collaboration with us and was approved by majority of the members of the interagency committee whose members include the Neda, Departments of Justice, of Finance, and of Transportation and Communications,” said Miranda.

ULC’s proposed project was up for a Swiss challenge under the BOT law but challengers Sumitomo Corp., World Chi Finance Group and Izumo Contractors failed to submit a better bid.

The result of the failed bid and the BAC’s recommendation were forwarded to Neda. Soneja said that given these, it is now up to the Cabinet-level Investment Coordination Committee whether to give ULC the contract or not.

In its proposal, ULC agreed to make the construction and operation “deficit-neutral.”

Miranda said this is meant to ensure that the government will not bear the risks that may be encountered in the construction of the project.

Under the proposed contract, the government will advance to ULC $130 million for 10 years from the start of the railway construction—$15 million for the 11th until the 15th year, and $10 million for the 16th up to the 18th year.

These advances will return to government coffers after MRT-7 begins operations.

Government revenue will come from development taxes on the railway’s 194-hectare real-estate component, lease of commercial spaces, and fare earnings.

As part of the deficit-neutral clause, ULC agreed to cut its internal rate of return to 11.9 percent from 16.9 percent. The reduced rate of return means ULC will bear the financial losses if passenger volume and consequently revenues drop.

ULC, as operator, will pay real estate taxes to the local government units in areas where the railway will run through.

hmmm... I hope they get the final contract by end of the year so that MRT7 will start construction next year... haayyyy....

and yeah... I hope most of the rail is underground...

nice really nice....however....its has not been given the go signal yet by the cabinet......sana naman tuloy na...maybe....the widening of commonwealth has something to do with it....para pag nag start...nde buhol buhol ang traffic....

Kahit walang construction traffic diyan. Anyway I hope this wil lessen the traffic built up once the MRT 7 is finished

so MRT 7 is going to continue? really? how bout the other lines like LRT 4?
yung loop ba na mag coconnect sa LRT1 and MRT3 ay LRT extension, nde MRT extension?

it seems to be an LRT1 extension...

and MRT4 is still on hold...

sabi by october....makukuha ang go signal....sana nman...excited na ako....it will be a new feather in the philippines' cap.....as you know trains are in again....if you have noticed....most countries in europe are building their bullet trains....dun na rin cguro tayo papunta...in the next 20 yrs

sana they ask the JPEPA stuffs to build us a bullet train din...("j)

sana they ask the JPEPA stuffs to build us a bullet train din...("j)
in 100 years... :lol:

I am interested About LRT-9 The Magenta Line

line 9 or magenta......malabs ata....sa kaharian lang yun ni ina magenta...cguro after gma na yan.....kulang na sa oras at ubos na pera

7 years na c gma sa precidency but until now wla pa rin mga na start na projects sa rail infrastructure, only continuation of the lrt 2 , pero ung lrt 4 , northrail, and other rails are still on hold...hay..

btw, sa loop, sna mrt extension nlng ang ggwin kesa lrt. ang pangt kc kalalabasan sa metro manila map,

ano nga pla ung magenta line?...

sna they start from the least number pataas hindi ung patalon talon ng lines, tulad ng line 1, tpos bgla mrt 3, e wla pa lrt 2, ngaun wla pa lrt 4 may mrt 7 na kagad, wakokok nmn dotc... tska wats the difference sa lrt mrt? db sa speed lng?... dpt metro nlng twag sa mga yan kesa lrt kc pag lrt mostly trams yan sa europe at sa america, Metro 1, 2, 3, 4 nlng sna..wat u think?..haha:cheers:

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q256/photome005/Picksure2331.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q256/photome005/Picksure2332.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q256/photome005/Picksure2333.jpg

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q256/photome005/Picksure2334.jpg

Nice update pics!!:):):)

yay new photos! finally. lols. thanks. i wish they get rid of the old trains and keep the 3G ones, but that would cost a lot of money.. so darn. :(

oo nga bakit LRT ang ieextend hanggang North Ave. ang panget. tsk tsk poor planning talaga. hintayin na lang nila makuha ang buong MRT para puede na nilang iextend un til monumento.

traffic in LRT still the same old stuff. hay.

Ayala owns the Depot, i guess they have a say sa MRT3 kc if extended yung mrt, hindi baba mga tao sa north ave, sa munoz at monumento na agad, mababawasan ng customer ang TriNoma... (just my insight)

yay new photos! finally. lols. thanks. i wish they get rid of the old trains and keep the 3G ones, but that would cost a lot of money.. so darn. :(
i actually hate the new ones. the buzzer (?) seems to be so damn loud and the interior is still old!

^^really , it looks so cool pa naman, I like the way it looks from the outside.

Is the aircon at least cold!

Magkano ba ang isang train anyway? Anyone knows.

at first i dont like the 3G train's design. But with my everyday ride made feel good riding the train. The AC is very cool, has a wider space inside, and the hand bars are typically reachable.

hahaha.. i agree with myx.. the new LRT train's buzzer are too loud..

Senator Alan Ngaw Ngaw Cayetano mentioned the words "MRT/LRT" in today's NBN/ZTE hearing or whatever this silly little exercise he has in ANC just a few minutes ago as I write this post. I didn't really catch what it was about (although its NEDA related) but did someone else saw it and confirm what the bloody hell is he talking about? Its probably nothing but the mere mention of the words "MRT/LRT" coming from such a dangerous individual who is hell bent in preventing progress in our country is kinda disturbing... :eek:

Senator Alan Ngaw Ngaw Cayetano mentioned the words "MRT/LRT" in today's NBN/ZTE hearing or whatever this silly little exercise he has in ANC just a few minutes ago as I write this post. I didn't really catch what it was about (although its NEDA related) but did someone else saw it and confirm what the bloody hell is he talking about? Its probably nothing but the mere mention of the words "MRT/LRT" coming from such a dangerous individual who is hell bent in preventing progress in our country is kinda disturbing... :eek:

i agree with you....he is a loose cannon....young irreverent...irresponsible.......

^^ I can't stand that man

^^

His mouth needs to be sealed forever..
Daig pa nya mga bading pumutak.. :lol:

I bet cayetano hasn't ridden a dilapidated jeepney or train yet.Born with a silverspoon in his mouth,what does he know about daily commuting in Manila.That's why it's easy for him to undermine transport projects of GMA's govt.Hindi nakaranas ng hirap yan Man!!

Somebody should stop Alan Cayentano from doing his ways that block and clog the progress of our nation including the transporation system.

^^

His mouth needs to be sealed forever..
Daig pa nya mga bading pumutak.. :lol:

he will have a dose of his own medicine some day.....

^^really , it looks so cool pa naman, I like the way it looks from the outside.

Is the aircon at least cold!

Magkano ba ang isang train anyway? Anyone knows.

^^ Pinakamura na ang isang milyong dolyar, including taxes, hauling, freight etc...

Alan is not filipino ryt? Hes an american citizen ata. So if ever this country goes down he can always scurry back to uncle sam's arms

ONE MILLION DOLLARS sobrang mura naman iyan. Arent these things like 10 million a piece of something!

Seems to be a lot of Alan Bashing here, don't know the guy but do know his sister and and they're very maka pilipino. That's all I can say , now back to topic everyone. Put up a senator bashing thread in the politics sub forum.

ONE MILLION DOLLARS sobrang mura naman iyan. Arent these things like 10 million a piece of something!

Seems to be a lot of Alan Bashing here, don't know the guy but do know his sister and and they're very maka pilipino. That's all I can say , now back to topic everyone. Put up a senator bashing thread in the politics sub forum.


^^ Yup!!! Oo nga noh!!! medyo mura... I compared the price when Thailand's SRT acquired 5 locomotives and 20 freight trains at a cost of $98m... I hope we can still use our older ones. Sayang din pala because it really cost to much...

Im kind of super interested this MRT7 project. Modern ang design at first in the Philippines to have an interconnected platforms with other LRT'S.

I don't think LRTA plans to get rid of any. I'm curious how much it would be kasi to make a one way feeder circulation line for a cbd, say Ortigas.

More firms bid for LRT-MRT loop project
By Rainier Allan Ronda
Friday, November 2, 2007
PhilStar
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Metro&p=49&type=2&sec=26


As many as 20 foreign and local groups have expressed their intent to participate in the public bidding to be held by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) for the P6.3-billion Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-Light Rail Transit (LRT) interconnection project.

LRTA administrator Melquiades “Mel” Robles expressed satisfaction with the large number of groups wanting to join the bidding.

“We think that it is an indication of a high level of trust by private groups that there will be a level playing field in the bidding process. And we think that their trust is not misplaced,” Robles told The STAR in an interview after he conducted a surprise inspection on the state of security and order at stations of the LRT Lines 1 and 2 yesterday morning.

Robles said the LRTA was taking all available measures to ensure a transparent and fair bidding.

“We really want the most capable entity or joint venture, the best proposal and the best deal for the government,” Robles said.

Among the 20 groups that purchased bid documents are Leighton Contractors, Inc. (Philippines)-A.M. Oreta & Co. joint venture consortium; Marubeni Corp.; Asset Builders Corp.; D. M. Consunji Inc.; Sumitomo Corp.; Romago, Inc.; R-II Builders, Inc.; and Siemens.

It was learned that the 20 groups expressed interest on undertaking one , two or all three of the project’s three packages. Robles said that the bidding process was so far going smoothly.

To ensure transparency during the bidding, Robles earlier raised a plan to invite representatives from civil society groups, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Philippine Contractors Association and Transparency International to observe the process.

The bidding process was started in earnest by the LRTA after it secured the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board’s approval of the project, which involves building three rail stations to connect the MRT rail line at its current North Avenue-EDSA end station in Quezon City to the LRT Line 1’s Monumento, Caloocan station, creating a rail loop between the two rail lines.

On Nov. 28, 2006, President Arroyo directed Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Robles to proceed with the construction of the “LRT-MRT loop” after thorough evaluation of several construction options.

Last month, the NEDA Board approved a techno-feasibility study commissioned by the LRTA. Based on the study, the extension project will include the construction of the Balintawak, Roosevelt and North stations, which will be equipped with escalators and elevators.

LRTA said that with the rail loop project, the average daily ridership is set to increase by 66.16 percent or a total of 535,558 passengers from the current average of 322,309 passengers.

Funding for the project will be taken from the debt-paper sale of state-owned National Development Co. (NDC), amounting to P4.6 billion. The remaining P1.67 billion will be obtained through a General Appropriations Act enacted by Congress.

^^ There are a couple of articles today, one from the Manila Standard and another from the Philippine Daily inquirer that further adds more info than the article posted above. One thing to note though is both the new articles mentioned only TWO new stations, Balintawak and Roosevelt, to be added as oppose to three, the third one being a new North Avenue Terminus Station. Could it be that they perhaps plan to physically link the two lines after all? That the previous articles mentioning the new North Ave terminus station is probably just recycling info from numerous past articles? Hmm...no need to get excited until its absolutely sure but its something to have hope for... :yes:

From Manila Standard...

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business2_nov6_2007

20 firms vie for P6.3-b rail loop project

By Roderick T. dela Cruz

Twenty foreign and local companies are bidding for the right to construct the P6.3-billion Light Rail Transit-Metro Rail Transit interconnection project.

“This is a sign of confidence with the LRTA. There are no any other government offices which received such huge response from bidders,” said Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Mel Robles.

The LRT-MRT interconnection, or loop is a 7.71-kilometer elevated line from Monumento station in Caloocan City of LRT Line-1 to North Avenue of MRT-3 in Quezon City. The project will add two new intermediate stations at Balintawak and Roosevelt, all equipped with escalators and elevators.

Companies expected to attend the pre-bid conference today include past LRT as well as MRT contractors like Sumitomo Corp., Marubeni Corp., Hanjin Heavy Industries and Siemens Inc.

Sumitomo Corp. of Japan undertook the capacity expansion project of LRT Line-1 while Marubeni was the main contractor for the LRT Line-2 construction.

Other bidders are DMCI-EEI First Balfour Consortium, FF Cruz & Co., Leighton Contractors, Foundation Specialist Inc., Cavite Ideal Int’l Construction & Development Corp., Systra Philippines Inc., BES Engineering Corp., Asset Builders Corp. and R-II Builders Inc.

Also in the list are Pacific Concrete Products Inc., Romago Inc., Telefonica Inc., Autre Porte Global Technique Inc., Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp., Genials Trading & Contracting Co. Inc., and China State (Philippines) Construction Engineering Corp.

Robles said LRTA officials would meet the 20 bidders today for the pre-bid conference at the Santolan depot in Pasig.

Also invited to observe the bidding process are the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines, Transparency International, Philippine Contractors Association, Commission on Audit and Office of the Ombudsman.

Robles said the project would be financed by the debt-paper sale of state-owned National Development Co., amounting to P4.6 billion. The balance of P1.67 billion will be obtained through the national budget.

From the Inquirer...

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=99091

^^hi queetz. nawala ka ata?

Fil-Estate says 9-month losses widened to P2.56M
GMA News
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/67607/Fil-Estate-says-9-month-losses-widened-to-P256M

Higher expenses widened the losses of holding company Fil-Estate Corp., a key investor in the Metro Rail Transit-3 project, in the first nine months of the year.

In a report to regulators, Fil-Estate Corp. said losses increased to P2.569 million in January to September of 2007 from P2.141 million in the same period last year.

Expenses also accelerated to P2.570 million from P2.142 million in 2006.

Owing to higher losses, Fil-Estate said its capital deficiency also went up to P1.967 billion from P1.894 billion.

Fil-Estate is among the firms earlier threatened by the Philippine Stock Exchange of delisting owing to capital shortfalls. The PSE required these companies to submit a business or rehabilitation plan to determine if they are still qualified to be traded in the bourse.

Earlier, company officials said the government will soon buy out the build-lease-transfer contract governing the MRT 3.

Robert John Sobrepena, Fil-Estate chairman, said the government is opting to prepay the MRT3 assets instead of paying his company about $1.3 billion to $1.4 billion in 20 years. The prepayment, he said, could save the government about $400 million.

The MRT 3 was built under a BOT agreement, with the private proponent, a group led by the Fil-Estate Corp., to be paid in 25 years about $655 million.

Under the contract, the government committed a 15-percent return on equity to the private investors in the MRT3 project.

Do they have a bid date already for the Loop Connection?

20 firms to bid for P6.27-B
LRT-MRT interconnection (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/11062007/economy04.html)

By Lenie Lectura
Reporter


TWENTY construction companies are bidding for the P6.27-billion railway project, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced Monday.

The 20 interested firms are Sumitomo Corp., Marubeni Corp., Hanjin Heavy Industries, Siemens Inc., DMCI-EEI First Balfour Consortium, FF Cruz & Co., Leighton Contractors, Foundation Specialist Inc., Cavite Ideal Int’l Construction & Development Corp., Systra Phils. Inc., BES Engineering Corp., Asset Builders Corp., R-II Builders Inc., Pacific Concrete Products Inc., Romago Inc., Telefonicka Inck., Autre Porte Global Technique Inc., Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp., Genials Trading & Contracting Co. Inc., and China State (Phils.) Construction Engineering Corp.

Sumitomo Corp. undertook the capacity expansion project of LRT Line 1, while Marubeni was the main contractor for the LRT Line 2 construction.

The winning bidder will undertake the civil works as well as the electro-mechanical components for the railway project, which is envisioned to connect the LRT and the Metro Rail Transit railways.

LRTA administrator Mel Robles said this is the first time for any government bidding process with a high turnout of bidders.

“This is a sign of confidence with the LRTA. There are no any other government offices which received such huge response from bidders,” Robles said.

A prebid conference will be held today. The LRTA has invited members of the civil society like representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Philippine Contractors Association, Transparency International, Commission on Audit and Office of the Ombudsman to observe the process.

The LRT-MRT interconnection is a 7.71-kilometer elevated line from Monumento station of LRT Line 1 to North Avenue of MRT 3, with two new intermediate stations which are Balintawak and Roosevelt and a terminal station at Line 1 North Avenue station, all equipped with escalators and elevators.

Robles said with the project, the average daily ridership is set to increase by 66.16 percent, or a total of 535,558 passengers, from the current average of 322,309 passengers.

Funding of the project will be taken from the debt-paper sale of state-owned National Development Co., amounting to P4.6 billion. The remaining P1.67 billion will be obtained through a General Appropriations Act enacted by Congress.

In November last year, President Arroyo directed Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Robles to proceed with the construction of the LRT-MRT loop after thorough evaluation of several construction options.

Construction of the loop will start early next year and is expected to be operational by 2010.

^^ For the life of me why do they do that???? :gaah:

^^

1. It's a national priority/SONA Highlight
2. 100% Convenience
3. They are supposed to be connected to the first place...

Let us forget the extension of mrt3 because that will never ever happen...:)

^^

1. It's a national priority/SONA Highlight
2. 100% Convenience
3. They are supposed to be connected to the first place...

Let us forget the extension of mrt3 because that will never ever happen...:)


^^ No no no! What I meant was why does one set of news papers say one thing, which is only two stations will be built without mention of the LRT1 terminus North Avenue station, hence implying a seamless connection between MRT3 and LRT1, and another set of news papers specifically say that there will be a terminus station for LRT1 in North Avenue, hence actually walking to transfer from one line or the other? Its very annoying that these media outlets can't get their stories consistent and adds to the confusion and frustration. :ohno:

I don't think they'll connect it while it is under two companies. I remember you told me long time ago they can physically do it despite the different rolling stock... but I think I'm being realistic, and in the Philippines realistic and pessimistic. Or at least with the SRTS. It's not so stron anymore...there's what... 2 more years in GMA's term, and there has nothing that has come out of it, just plans plans plans. LRT2 started under Ramos/Estrada.

^^ Of course that was before the government decided to buy out the MRT3 and back then, the only hope of a possible seamless link is if I were in some future date be extremely wealthy and travel back in time and buy all the lines myself to unite the Metropolis ala Bruce Wayne's dad in the movie, Batman Begins.

I guess the earliest we'll truly find out if there is any chance of a physical link would be in February, which is the deadline for the government to close and finance the deal. So the first indication is probably a press release stating a merger between LRTA and whatever government agency that will takeover MRT3, then perhaps an ammendment to the current plan to physically link shortly after.

Its just so annoying that the news papers can't get their stories consistent since one set is basically ommitting a valuable piece of info. The perception and expectations of those who only read Manila Standard and the Inquirer and those who read only Business Mirror and the Philippine Star will be vastly different.

Deadlock looms for railway project

An official of the original proponent of the 22.11-kilometer Metro Rail Transport (MRT) 7 project Friday warned of a deadlock if the contract is not given to the company. Universal LRT Corp.

In a round table discussion with reporters, Universal LRT Corp. Chief Executive and Managing Director Eli Levin said the project, which would run from North Avenue, Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan would to be "indefinitely delayed" if his firm does not get the contract soon.

Mr. Levin said investors, particularly in the real estate side are losing interest citing the delays in the technical aspects of the contract and the additional demands from the government.

"Investors have no interest to continue, either it would be approved now or we have to fold up, and it would be indefinitely delayed," Mr. Levin said adding, "It is not a question of whether we like the project or not; it is simply financial impossibility."

The $1.23 billion-project is already delayed. According to the project schedule, awarding was initially targeted last October, while the contract signing was set for December.

Among the big names which earlier expressed intent in join the real estate and commercial development aspect of the MRT-7 are Sy-led SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corp.

The Investment Coordination Committee has asked Universal LRT to provide an additional 10% performance bond in the project.

In a September 26 letter to the transportation department, Augusto B. Santos, acting director general of the ICC said without the real estate and commercial development, the unsolicited proposal is not viable.

Because of this, Universal LRT is being required to provide a performance undertaking on top of the 10% performance bond, on its proposed real estate and commercial development tied with its submitted schedule of implementation.

If Universal LRT fails to implement the development as scheduled, the government will not pay the corresponding capacity fees and will forfeit the firm’s performance bonds.

"You cannot deviate materially from the published agreement. To insert an additional performance undertaking will be tantamount to the cancellation of the project," Mr. Levin said.

The Universal LRT head explained that such conditions may risk the firm’s ability to generate funds or loans to support the project, however he noted a compromise may be reached by limiting restrictions to equity returns of strategic investors or those who have stakes on real estate and commercial development.

Previously, an official from the Department of Transportation and Communication said the project would not push through if Universal LRT and the government through NEDA do not agree.

Universal LRT said financial closing for the project would happen 12 months after it secures project approval from the government, Construction of the rail would follow shortly after, the company added. - MGSR/BusinessWorld (http://www.bworldonline.com/)

Aha ayun na nga. So They don't want the undertake the real estate side but would ask the GOP to pay the capacity fee. So there's the trick.

^^ bsta ako, I have a very good feeling ULRT will win the bid and that this Mega Project will be started soon. This is one of the most (bongasiuos in the likelihood of Northrail) modern rail project in the Philippines.

Actually when it comes to train formation, MRT7 is quiet longer as they will introduce 8 car formations, said by a close friend. Any conformation about this? ....

super delay again.., why am i not surprised.

Aha ayun na nga. So They don't want the undertake the real estate side but would ask the GOP to pay the capacity fee. So there's the trick.

bustero, im not getting it. please elaborate for my weak mind. So government that does not want to undertake the real estate project?

Interconnecting MRT
HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
Sunday, November 11, 2007


Government’s move to refinance its obligation to the private consortium which built the EDSA MRT line has generated what we might call a “happy problem”.

The move will result in some $480 million in savings — more than enough to purchase new modern coaches for the EDSA MRT line and to connect this line with the older LRT Line 1 at the Monumento-Caloocan area.

The savings will come from the much cheaper funds that the government can borrow to pay off its obligations. The refinancing option is being tapped at a time that the peso is at one of its strongest levels and when borrowing rates from the international capital market is about eight percent lower than when the EDSA MRT was financed some 10 years ago.

Interestingly, there is news that concerned government agencies are set to undertake the interconnection of the EDSA MRT and LRT Line 1. One such agency is the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) which operates Line 1. The other is the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) itself which operates EDSA MRT through MetroStar general-manager Roberto Lastimoso. There seems to be a debate of sorts as to which agency should undertake the prospective interconnection of the two lines. And that is what is perceived as a “happy problem”.

The prospective interconnection, no matter which agency builds it, will cover the remaining seven- km stretch of EDSA, from North Triangle to Monumento. With an interconnection, commuters will be able to travel by light rail to Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Makati, Manila and Caloocan, speeding up travel to these areas while helping decongest traffic at ground level.

No matter who builds the interconnection, we hope this takes place soon. That would be every EDSA and Taft Avenue commuter’s dream fulfilled.

The last word from Finance Secretary Gary Teves regarding the refinancing option is that the nitty-gritty of the financial arrangements have been ironed out. However, it seems that a few minor technicalities sought by DOTC may be complicating and delaying the transaction.

We hope DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza would be able to complete the details soonest. The government can truly benefit from the weak US dollar and perhaps further raise the levels of the possible savings that will be generated by the refinancing option.

Furthermore, the interconnection of the two existing light rail transit lines can definitely be a major legacy of the current leadership in the transportation sector. As of now, a landmark transportation project still has to be built under the watch of President Arroyo. Here’s one that will truly be useful and relevant to millions of Metro Manila-based commuters.

MRT-7 project gathering dust?

The benefits of an efficient mass transit system are enormous. Reduced travel time, pollution mitigation, employment generation, decongestion of the metropolis, and housing and government revenues in the case of the proposed MRT 7 project, savings on foreign exchange used to buy crude oil - name it.

Hopefully, this much-needed MRT 7 project will soon get government’s go-signal. After all, there is so much opportunity being wasted.

The Cabinet-level Investment Coordinating Council (ICC) is set to tackle on Tuesday the imminent approval of the project after it successfully hurdled the Swiss challenge. The ICC will iron out some concerns on the amount of performance bond that will be paid by project proponent Universal LRT Corporation (ULC) to ensure compliance.

The amount of the bond is the last of the issues that will have to be ironed out before the MRT 7 is approved by President Arroyo. ULC has had hurdled more than seven years of rigorous compliance and scrutiny of government requirements for its implementation.

The ICC-CC in its Sept. 21 meeting recommended that ULC provide in addition to the 10 percent performance bonds of the real estate and commercial development, respectively, a performance undertaking on its proposed real estate and commercial development in accordance with ULC’s submitted schedule of implementation.

ULC has said it is ready to undertake construction of the project after DOTC Secretary Mendoza endorsed last Aug. 23 to the ICC the award of the contract to ULC, a consortium led by EL International Holdings. It is touted as the one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Arroyo administration.

ULC has advised that it is ready to prepare for the final blueprint of the project after no challenger submitted a counter-offer to the proposal in a Swiss Challenge which closed last June 26.

After the final presentation before the ICC, and eventually, approval of the project, a financial closing is expected to be finalized within 12 months. Construction of MRT 7 is expected to commence by end of 2008. ULC is expected to complete the first stage of the project by 2010 and the final operation of the line by 2012.

Real estate giants have joined forces to assure the government of the new town to be constructed alongside the project, which is in accordance with the ICC approved planning to offset government exposure on the transportation project.

MRT 7, the government’s new flagship infrastructure project, addresses the transportation needs of the population of Quezon City, Caloocan North and Bulacan. The rail line starts from SM North Avenue, runs through Commonwealth Avenue up to Quirino Avenue, and terminates at San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. It is considered to be the first intermodal mode of transportation in Asia. A 22-km. highway (access road) will connect the line from San Jose del Monte to North Luzon Expressway at Marilao, Bulacan.

What’s also good about this project is that does not have any direct government guarantee and the proponent assumes the operation and maintenance risk as well as the ridership risk.

It is also deficit neutral for government, which is achieved by ULC’s commitment to develop commercially 194 hectares of land adjacent to the project site, allocating 20 percent of the land or the profits thereof to government to enable it to hedge its support to the project.

It is estimated that total of over $2 billion in foreign and local investment would be poured in for real estate development pump priming of the economy. That means an additional investment opportunity for the country and revenues for the government in terms of taxes. Also, this early, several business process outsourcing firms have signified intentions to establish call center offices in Bulacan once the project starts.

http://philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=200711107

Universal LRT offers compromise
to government over MRT-7 project
(http://businessmirror.com.ph/11122007/economy01.html)
By Lenie Lectura
Reporter


UNIVERSAL LRT Corp. (ULC), a consortium which proposes to undertake the $1.23-billion Metro Rail Transit project, known as MRT-7, has offered the government a compromise, instead of pressing them to provide a performance undertaking on the proposed real-estate and commercial component of the railway project.

ULC chief executive officer and managing director Eli Levin said if the government will insist with its latest demand, then the project proponent and its investors will have no recourse but to fold up.

“At this point in time, all the money was wasted for nothing. Either the government approved it now, or we fold up. Investors will have no interest to continue,” said Levin.

In addition to the ULC’s offered 10-percent performance undertaking bonds on the rail and real-estate component development, amounting to $100 million and $24 million, respectively, the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC)-Cabinet Committee (CC) recommended that ULC provide a performance undertaking on its proposed real-estate and commercial development.

“Failure of ULC to implement such development will result into the government’s nonpayment of the corresponding capacity fees, as well as ULC’s corresponding performance bonds in favor of the government,” said ICC-CC acting director general Augusto Santos.

The 23-kilomter railway project has a real-estate component. Private investors will develop 2-million-square-meter residential space and 900,000-sq-m commercial space, malls and community-development facilities throughout the concession period.

The real-estate developers are prominent and reputable companies that are willing to undertake construction as agreed upon with the ICC-technical working group to generate sufficient income for the government to offset its exposure by way of payment of capacity fees.

Some of them include Sy-led SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corp.

Levin said such condition may jeopardize ULC’s ability to generate the necessary funds or loans to support the implementation of the project. He said all lenders and some investors for the railway project are separate from the real- estate component investors. Therefore, he added, that ULC would have no influence over the development of the real-estate component.

“We are concerned that the proposed linkage between the amortization payments due after completion of the LRT system and the performance undertaking on the real-estate development may unduly curtail, if not jeopardize, our ability to raise the loans and realize the pledges of equity for the rail project,” said Levin.

A possible compromise may be reached by limiting restrictions to equity returns of strategic investors who have stakes on real estate and commercial development.

Levin proposed to Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza in a letter that there could be two performance undertakings: One, for the debt and for minimal equity return corresponding to the portion for international and institutional equity; and another for the balance pertaining to the return on equity of strategic investors.

“The latter undertaking may impose limited conditions referring to the implementation of the undertaking of the real-estate company,” added Levin.

Under the proposed contract, the government will advance to ULC $130 million for 10 years—from the start of the railway construction—$15 million for the 11th until the 15th year, and $10 million for the 16th up to the 18th year. These advances will return to government coffers after MRT-7 begins operations.

Government revenue will come from development taxes on the railway’s 194-hectare real-estate component, lease of commercial spaces and fare earnings.

Levin added that a performance undertaking for the capacity fee or amortization payment was clearly ruled by the Department of Justice to be a mere payment for the gradual transfer of the assets and, therefore, cannot be construed as a direct subsidy.

The project consists of a 23-km rail- transit system with 14 stations that will be connected to the MRT-3 North Avenue station in Quezon City stretching all the way to Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue, Quirino Avenue extension up to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, and a 22-km access road component.

ULC is a consortium comprising Alstom Transportation of France, which is described as the world’s second-largest transportation system provider; Alstom Signalling of the United States; Redfort Assets Ltd., representing SM Investment Corp. and PentaCapital Management Corp.; the Merlin Pacific Capital Inc. group; Earth Tech, a unit of the Tyco International Group of the US; and Engineering Equipment Inc. of the Yuchengo.

^^ Oh just build the damn thing!

bustero, im not getting it. please elaborate for my weak mind. So government that does not want to undertake the real estate project?

Hi Ben.

MRT7 is an unsolicited proposal. The proposal basically states that there will be a ridership of so many people. If this so many people exist then the line will be deficit neutral meaning that it will pay for itself. Currently there are not enough people to support that line but MRT 7 is saying that with the additional 2 million sq.m of housing and 900K sq.m. of new real estate development (about the size of ortigas) there will be enough riders to ride it from the new city they are building. The gov't then is saying since the profitability of MRT7 is based on these projections that it should give some sort of performance bond that the proponents will push through with this otherwise it looks like there will not be enough riders forcing the gov't to pay for Line (which is contrary to MRT7 is saying - that the line will be deficit neutral). MRT7 is now saying that they can not guarantee this because the developers building the real estate component will not guarantee it and that actual owners of the line will not guarantee it either.

BAsically the bottom line is the gov't want's to be sure it will not make any payments for the line since that is how it was sold. If they are to pay for a new line then they should undertake the priority solicited proposal lines like LRT4. Currently we know if the go'vt actually undertook to build this line itself it would be able to do it much cheaper. (mrt3 example). Hence if this is a true BOI unsolicited proposal the proponent must undertake the risk and the gov't should be able to get line for free otherwise the GOP should just build it itself.

I know that many want this line put up but in the end the GOP has to budget it's priorities as to what projects should push through considering what it can afford. As per SONA the GOP is undertaking 4 rail projects including north and south rail plus lrt 6 and mrt3/rt1 link. If the GOP has to pay over and above what has been budget for metro transport because this line is not profitable as planed some other infrastructure project could get affected.

^^ thank you bustero :)

It'd be so great though if they could get this project going. My family is moving out of the commonwealth area due to the horrendous pollution comes from that thoroughfare. Whenever our grandparents come home from Chicago they get respiratory problems.

Hi Ben.

MRT7 is an unsolicited proposal. The proposal basically states that there will be a ridership of so many people. If this so many people exist then the line will be deficit neutral meaning that it will pay for itself. Currently there are not enough people to support that line but MRT 7 is saying that with the additional 2 million sq.m of housing and 900K sq.m. of new real estate development (about the size of ortigas) there will be enough riders to ride it from the new city they are building. The gov't then is saying since the profitability of MRT7 is based on these projections that it should give some sort of performance bond that the proponents will push through with this otherwise it looks like there will not be enough riders forcing the gov't to pay for Line (which is contrary to MRT7 is saying - that the line will be deficit neutral). MRT7 is now saying that they can not guarantee this because the developers building the real estate component will not guarantee it and that actual owners of the line will not guarantee it either.

BAsically the bottom line is the gov't want's to be sure it will not make any payments for the line since that is how it was sold. If they are to pay for a new line then they should undertake the priority solicited proposal lines like LRT4. Currently we know if the go'vt actually undertook to build this line itself it would be able to do it much cheaper. (mrt3 example). Hence if this is a true BOI unsolicited proposal the proponent must undertake the risk and the gov't should be able to get line for free otherwise the GOP should just build it itself.

I know that many want this line put up but in the end the GOP has to budget it's priorities as to what projects should push through considering what it can afford. As per SONA the GOP is undertaking 4 rail projects including north and south rail plus lrt 6 and mrt3/rt1 link. If the GOP has to pay over and above what has been budget for metro transport because this line is not profitable as planed some other infrastructure project could get affected.

Ahhh... Thanks for the enlightening us. I hope the government would focus on those 4 projects first. Before venturing to another one which is like an MRT-3 in the making.

^^ I agree. I for one would rather that they concentrate on ensuring that the MRT3/LRT1 loop is finished first, then concentrate on LRT6. MRT7 would be nice to have but I won't be loosing sleep over it if they don't build it soon because of a crappy deal like MRT3...

Touche'

I would like to have more lines but not have to overpay, if someone wants to build one let them do it at their own risk without Us the taxpayers needing to subsidize it.

It's not as if the gov't has no projects addressing this. 3 totally new lines and heavy refurbishment on southrail is no easy task and a lot of money to boot! If GMA can get this alone done in her administration then that is a huge accomplishment. They should focus on these first so no further delays after all they've financing in place , all the studies etc. plus approvals!

Touche'

I would like to have more lines but not have to overpay, if someone wants to build one let them do it at their own risk without Us the taxpayers needing to subsidize it.

It's not as if the gov't has no projects addressing this. 3 totally new lines and heavy refurbishment on southrail is no easy task and a lot of money to boot! If GMA can get this alone done in her administration then that is a huge accomplishment. They should focus on these first so no further delays after all they've financing in place , all the studies etc. plus approvals!

^^ Oh Yes!!! That's absolute correct analysis..... :okay:

taken from inquirer.net.. how come so many people could see the advantages of this line yet the government seems to be listening to no one.. must be because they dont see themselves riding the MRT now or ever in the future.. they have all those police escorts to get other motorists out of their way thats why they dont feel the daily traffic..

MRT 7 may end Metro traffic problems

By Neal Cruz
Inquirer
Last updated 00:04am (Mla time) 11/14/2007

MANILA, Philippines--COMMONWEALTH AVENUE IN QUEZON CITY is being widened. When finished, it will be the widest street in the Philippines, wider than Edsa, C-5, or even the North and South Luzon expressways. Even so the traffic jams during the morning and afternoon rush hours are bound to become bigger and longer every day as hordes of vehicles from Bulacan and other points north and from Rizal towns east of Metro Manila use Commonwealth to get to their destinations in the south and the west. MacArthur Highway, the only other entryway from the north, is congested.

Also, the design of Commonwealth is faulty. While most of it is going to be very wide, it tapers to a funnel at Philcoa, entering the Quezon Circle. So vehicles pile up at the approach to the Circle and the traffic jam extends all the way back to the Tandang Sora flyover and beyond. So that all that work and money lavished on Commonwealth to lighten traffic are not wasted, the Philcoa area should be widened, the malls pushed back, and public utility vehicles prohibited from loading and unloading there.

There is another way to ease the traffic congestion on Commonwealth: Construct an elevated rail line from Bulacan to the MRT depot on North Edsa, beside the Trinoma and SM malls. That way, passengers will no longer bring their vehicles and simply use the metro rail to get into Metro Manila. With that and the MRT line from North Edsa to Monumento finished, passengers need no longer bring vehicles or ride buses and jeepneys in going from north to south and vice versa through Metro Manila. The interconnected elevated rails can transport them all the way without their feet even touching the street below.

The trouble is that the government is very slow in approving the construction of MRT 7, the line running from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, above Commonwealth Avenue, then under the Quezon Memorial Park and North Avenue to the North Edsa depot that will then connect it to all the other elevated rail lines.

A proposal to do that has been pending for the last seven years. The proponent, Universal LRT Corp. (ULC), the same group behind the LRT 1 and MRT 3 projects, has hurdled all government requirements, including the Swiss challenge, and yet the government is dilly-dallying on the approval of the $1.2-billion MRT 7 project. MRT 7, the first intermodal mode of transportation in Asia, offers an efficient, dependable transportation to millions of residents north of Manila.

ULC will also build a 22-km highway (access road) that will connect the MRT 7 line from San Jose del Monte to NLEX at Marilao, Bulacan.

MRT 7 will service initially 300,000 passenger trips and finally 850,000 passenger trips per day. It will also generate massive employment during and after its construction. What’s more, it would divert buses from Edsa and from NLEX that are now clogging the metropolis. It will be one sure way of solving the traffic problem.

The project will also provide new growth areas north of the metropolis, including employment, housing and new businesses. MRT 7 is the only mass transport system that has a real estate component. A new housing, industrial and business hub will be built by the real estate partner companies of ULC at its depot in Bulacan. There will be malls constructed at regular stations of the rail line.

Aside from the revenues from its operation, MRT 7 will also save dollars for oil imports for power and fuel consumption. As fewer and fewer people use buses, jeepneys and taxis, vehicles on the road will be reduced and this will translate to less gas consumption.

If construction is started next year (if it is approved this year), MRT 7 will be fully operational by 2012. And based on computations, savings on fuel as a result of its operation will be $83 million in the first year alone, computed at $50 a barrel. If the price of oil remains at its present level of $95 a barrel, the saving will be $157 million a year. Fuel savings will increase very year, reaching between $117 million (at $50/barrel) and $223 million (at $95/barrel) every year by 2036.

The Department of Transportation and Communications and the National Economic and Development Authority have endorsed the project as they found it economically viable with its real estate component. The only obstacle to its approval is the additional amount of performance bond that the government is asking ULC to pay. The government wants to increase the 10 percent performance bond of the real estate and commercial developments.

But ULC says such a condition might jeopardize its ability to generate the funds/loans and equity to support the implementation of the project. It, however, offers several proposals as a compromise. One of them is to pledge equity return of strategic investors according to their real estate development achievements.

The MRT 7 project is one of the biggest infrastructure projects (attracting major investments in the country) so far. It does not require any direct government guarantee and assumes operation and maintenance risks. It also has deficit neutrality, which is assured by ULC’s commitment to develop commercially 194 hectares of land adjacent to the project site, and allocate 20 percent of the land or the profits to government.

It is estimated that more than $2 billion in foreign and local investments would be poured into real estate development, thus pump-priming the economy. That means additional investment opportunities for the country and revenues for the government in the form of taxes.

Metro Rail told to pay firm $2.82M (http://businessmirror.com.ph/11152007/headlines011.html)

By Joel R. San Juan
Reporter

THE Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed an order of the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC) directing the Metro Rail Transit Development Corp. (MRTDC) to pay a construction firm the amount of $2.82 million as bonus for the early completion of a multilevel podium structure of the so-called North Triangle Project.

In a 29-page decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., the Court’s Second Division granted the petition filed by local construction firm Filipinas (Pre-Fab Bldg) Systems Inc. (FSI) seeking to nullify the January 6, 2004 ruling of the Court of Appeals. The appellate court had set aside the CIAC’s award of $2.82 million to FSI for technical time extension.

Records showed that MRTDC is the owner of MRT-3 North Triangle Development Project situated at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and North Avenue in Quezon City.

The North Triangle Project (NTP) was part of the Manila North Triangle Project, conceived as a major hub of the light rail transit line system along Edsa from North Triangle area near corner Quezon Avenue and Edsa, and connecting to the Light Rail Transit 1 starting in Pasay City at the intersection of Taft Avenue and Edsa.

Part of the NTP is the construction of a podium structure to serve as the depot and maintenance area for the trains and as the foundation for any commercial development.

MRTDC engaged Parsons International, an international project management firm, and Interpro, a local construction management company (PIJV), to act as the Project Management Team that will supervise and monitor the project.

Working under the project managers appointed by PJIV was David Sampson, who was designated as the area construction manager tasked to monitor the day-to-day activities on the site with the help of other PJIV area engineers.

Six contractors submitted their bids for the construction of a four-level podium facility in the project, which was initially awarded to the lowest bidder, Gammon Phils. Inc. Filipinas Systems, Inc. (FSI) submitted the second-lowest bid.

Subsequently, MRTDC decided to construct Levels One and Two of the project only, with a third level to be constructed on the area above the workshop. GPI submitted another proposal. Accordingly, FSI submitted a letter-proposal proposing to construct the two-level podium facility within 180 days for P879 million. FSI ended up with the project after GPI declined the new terms.
Part of the notice of award/notice to proceed (NOA-NTP) are the provisions stating that FSI would have to pay $100,000 per day of delay based on the six-month period and that the MRTDC would have to pay $30,000 per day of accomplishment.

The MRTDC said the construction period was reckoned on July 14, 1998, to end 180 days on January 14, 1999.

In the course of the construction, several change orders were issued by MRTDC to FSI, which included the realignment or shifting of several columns and the construction of sewerage treatment plant and septic tank, among others.

FSI finished 98.7 percent of the project on April 30, 1999, or 106 days from the original January 14, 1999 deadline. Full completion was achieved on May 17, 1999.

Subsequently, FSI issued a letter to Sampson noting that it is entitled to time extensions. Sampson approved the extension but only for a period of 200 days.

FSI issued several letters to MRTDC asking for payment of additional amounts for owner-caused delays. It claimed that by virtue of the NOA-NTP, for each day MRTDC was delayed in paying FSI’s progress billing, the latter was entitled to a corresponding additional day for the completion of the project.

FSI contended that payment of the progress billings had been delayed for 1,800 days and that adding the previous 200 day extension, the extension period would total 2,000 days.
Taking into account the completion of the project on May 30, 1999 and taking into account the 2,000 day extension, FSI claimed it completed the project 1,894 days ahead of schedule—one that merits an early accomplishment bonus.

MRTDC, however, refused to pay the claims, saying that FSI failed to finish the construction of the project within the 180-day period agreed upon, and that it had already paid FSI the amounts due for work accomplished as well as for interest on delayed payments.

On June 5, 2002,FSI filed with the CIAC a request for adjudication of its claims against MRTDC.

The CIAC, declared that FSI is entitled to a technical time extension of 200 days or until August 2, 1999 as authorized by Sampson.

Thus, the CIAC held that FSI finished the construction of the project on April 30, 1999, or 94 days before the deadline which made the latter entitled to an early accomplishment bonus $2.82 million.

The CIAC did not grant the other claims of the FSI.

In reversing the decision of the CIAC, the appellate court gave credence to the argument of MRTDC that the change orders issued by the project manager is not binding without its consent to modify its contract with FSI.

Since, MRTDC did not authorize the modification of the contract, it is not bound to honor pay for the change orders.

The SC, however, held under Article 20.07 of the General Conditions Contract, change orders can be executed immediately and that contract modification is not a precondition for it The Court also described as absurd the claim of MRTDC that the project manager could order changes in the contract but cannot bind the owner to it.

Hey stephen, what's up? I, like you really want this rail line to be built, but there are certain issues that need to be settled.

i'll just repost Bustero's summarization of the current state of MRT7 because i think its best summarization there is.



taken from inquirer.net.. how come so many people could see the advantages of this line yet the government seems to be listening to no one.. must be because they dont see themselves riding the MRT now or ever in the future.. they have all those police escorts to get other motorists out of their way thats why they dont feel the daily traffic..

MRT 7 may end Metro traffic problems

By Neal Cruz
Inquirer
Last updated 00:04am (Mla time) 11/14/2007

MANILA, Philippines--COMMONWEALTH AVENUE IN QUEZON CITY is being widened. When finished, it will be the widest street in the Philippines, wider than Edsa, C-5, or even the North and South Luzon expressways. Even so the traffic jams during the morning and afternoon rush hours are bound to become bigger and longer every day as hordes of vehicles from Bulacan and other points north and from Rizal towns east of Metro Manila use Commonwealth to get to their destinations in the south and the west. MacArthur Highway, the only other entryway from the north, is congested.



Here is the great bustero's summarization of the situation

Hi Ben.

MRT7 is an unsolicited proposal. The proposal basically states that there will be a ridership of so many people. If this so many people exist then the line will be deficit neutral meaning that it will pay for itself. Currently there are not enough people to support that line but MRT 7 is saying that with the additional 2 million sq.m of housing and 900K sq.m. of new real estate development (about the size of ortigas) there will be enough riders to ride it from the new city they are building. The gov't then is saying since the profitability of MRT7 is based on these projections that it should give some sort of performance bond that the proponents will push through with this otherwise it looks like there will not be enough riders forcing the gov't to pay for Line (which is contrary to MRT7 is saying - that the line will be deficit neutral). MRT7 is now saying that they can not guarantee this because the developers building the real estate component will not guarantee it and that actual owners of the line will not guarantee it either.

BAsically the bottom line is the gov't want's to be sure it will not make any payments for the line since that is how it was sold. If they are to pay for a new line then they should undertake the priority solicited proposal lines like LRT4. Currently we know if the go'vt actually undertook to build this line itself it would be able to do it much cheaper. (mrt3 example). Hence if this is a true BOI unsolicited proposal the proponent must undertake the risk and the gov't should be able to get line for free otherwise the GOP should just build it itself.

I know that many want this line put up but in the end the GOP has to budget it's priorities as to what projects should push through considering what it can afford. As per SONA the GOP is undertaking 4 rail projects including north and south rail plus lrt 6 and mrt3/rt1 link. If the GOP has to pay over and above what has been budget for metro transport because this line is not profitable as planed some other infrastructure project could get affected.


Now, this article by the inquirer complaining that the Government is taking too long in approving MRT7 is completely hypocritical because BOT schemes take a long time to proceed and the BOT scheme is exactly what the inquirer is advocating to be used on all major projects in the country. The northrail and southrail development was not implemented in a BOT scheme so they can proceed at a faster pace and the INQUIRER is treating it a major controversy. I mean what does the inquirer really want?????

I know, i really hate the inquirer. hehehehe

I think what needs to be decided now is whether the government should accept LRT's compromise that the government limit the return of equity on investors (just read about what this all meant and im still not 100% sure of myself) or to just scrap MRT7 and move on to the next best thing, which is LRT4.

Isn't lrt4 the line running down espana???

Now, this article by the inquirer complaining that the Government is taking too long in approving MRT7 is completely hypocritical because BOT schemes take a long time to proceed and the BOT scheme is exactly what the inquirer is advocating to be used on all major projects in the country. The northrail and southrail development was not implemented in a BOT scheme so they can proceed at a faster pace and the INQUIRER is treating it a major controversy. I mean what does the inquirer really want?????


^^ The Inquirer wants to bring down the government by whatever means necessary and in this case, making them look like the bad guys for delaying a badly needed rail transit line. It is the very nature of the Inquirer and they would lie, cheat and steal in order to make that happen. And if they succeed, we all know that only chaos and hardship will follow, which is something they really would like to happen even more.

As the saying goes, "There is no news like bad news"

hey ben.. im doing alright.. thanks for asking.. how bout you?
yeah ive noticed that the inquirer seems to be hitting everything about the government.. as if it could do no right.. i am also very excited with the projects plans for the MRT7 and the northrail but im really disappointed with how slow progress is going.. the studies and planning for all the projects seem to have taken so much time and still they havent agreed on many things.. im just sad at how much of our taxes its costing.. is it too much to see real progress in infrastructure once in a while? hehe..

You're telling stephen, i mean coming from Chicago, where corruption is rampant but A LOT GETS DONE, i really have to build patience regarding infra projects in the Philippines.

It's weird though how a place like Chicago, with SOOOO MUCH CORRUPTION in city hall, can get so much done in terms of infrastructure and city projects, while the Philippines with SOOOOOOO MUCH CORRUPTION struggles to get things done.

If you wanna see progress stephen hop over to the subic-clark-tarlac expressway thread. hahahaha. Northrail and Southrail are going along as well, but at a slower pace.

Im ok by the way! tagal na since i last saw you.

hey ben.. im doing alright.. thanks for asking.. how bout you?
yeah ive noticed that the inquirer seems to be hitting everything about the government.. as if it could do no right.. i am also very excited with the projects plans for the MRT7 and the northrail but im really disappointed with how slow progress is going.. the studies and planning for all the projects seem to have taken so much time and still they havent agreed on many things.. im just sad at how much of our taxes its costing.. is it too much to see real progress in infrastructure once in a while? hehe..

DMCI-First Balfour gets the nod to join MRT-LRT Loop bidding
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW112407/content.php?id=042

The Consunji and Lopez joint venture got the nod from the bids and awards committee (BAC) of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) to join the bidding on the technical development of the project dubbed as the MRT-LRT Loop.

The much delayed rail development will connect the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT) Monumento station in Caloocan and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) North Avenue station in Quezon City.

Yesterday, the BAC formally opened the bidding process by checking the eligibility of the interested parties on the P2 billion-worth Package C or the construction of the electromechanical system of the project.

For Package C, the joint venture of Leighton Construction Philippines, Inc. and M. Oreta Construction Corp. also submitted for eligibility check however, it was disqualified for not furnishing a certified copy of Leighton’s appointment of its chief executive.

BAC Chairman Cesar B. Chavez explained that there are three levels of the bidding process; eligibility, technical and financial.

Since DMCI-First Balfour venture was declared eligible, it can proceed on the technical and financial bidding levels. The LRTA Board will meet on Monday to determine whether to grant the contract on Package C to DMCI-First Balfour joint venture.

An LRTA consultant who requested anonymity said Leighton’s mistake is trivial. "It’s a matter of oversight," he said.

The Leighton-Oreta venture also submitted for eligibility and was also disqualified for the two other packages of the project; Package A, which involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass, and Package B or the construction and modification of stations.

"Everybody was subjected to the same rules and there was no departure," the consultant said, adding that Leighton should have furnished the necessary documents after the eligibility checks done on packages A and B. Mr. Chavez said the strictness of the bidding process from the onset signals to the participants that the agency wants the bidding to be done in the right way.

"We are sending a strong message to them that we’re serious... Hindi kami nagkulang (We did not fall short) of reminding them of the as requirements," Mr. Chavez said adding that the LRTA conducted pre-bidding conferences.

Meanwhile, since none qualified for the actual bidding, Packages A and B is up for re-bidding, which will start on Tuesday.

For the entire project, a total of 20 parties bought bid documents worth 25,000 each, but only a few joined the eligibility check with only five parties in the P2.8-billion Package A and only four parties in the P830-million Package B.

The LRTA Administrator Melquiades A. Robles previously said that the government is planning to award the contract for the 5.4-kilometer link this December.

The MRT-LRT Loop involves the construction of three new stations, one located at the MRT-3 North Avenue end and the other two at Balintawak and Muñoz Market in Quezon City. The development of the P5.9 billion project, which will run for two years, is expected to begin in June next year.

...Package C or the construction of the electromechanical system of the project....Package A, which involves the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass, and Package B or the construction and modification of stations.

Hmm...you do learn something new everyday and this article is very interesting. It shows a glimpse of things to come and it looks like the MRT3 station connected to Trinoma may have some (badly needed) modifications to accomodate the LRT1 extension. Perhaps the tail end of LRT1 (and LRT7) isn't an entirely new Terminus Station but rather a highly modified MRT3 terminus station that allows people to transfer trains more efficiently similar to a proposed LRT7 terminus station shown below?

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Stn1-Sec.jpg

Boy with the interchange and station that looks like a huge project. Anyway I hope the stations actually do work that way rather than the long walkways we have to go through (the mall of course!!!!) in Araneta and Baclaran. This should be the way to do it like in other places.

^^ yep that would be a very big improvement over the so-called interconnections of the LRT1-MRT3 and LRT2-MRT3

http://www.ulc.com.ph/Images/Stn1-Sec.jpg

^^
From left to right...(Northbound || Southbound)
Service road - North Ave. || Edsa Northbound Underpass || Flyover to North Ave. || Edsa Southbound


Wow! This looks fantastic!
Wait, MRT3 ba talaga yan? Dapat yata LRT1 yan, typo yata yan...
Pang LRT sya bagay...diba ayaw na ng mrt mag-extend?

This is awesome! I can't wait!!
OMG! I wanna see this in person!!
This is the first of it's kind in the Philippines!
Just so you know,
i love trains and flyovers/underpass and malls..

:banana::banana::banana:

Grabe ngayon palang
amoy ko na ang
bigat ng trapik pag
sinimulan na yan
:lol::lol::lol:

o.k na rin mrt,kasi sa edsa pa rin naman eh!

i think it says MRT3 P2 (Phase 2?), so that must be the proposed extension of MRT3 to Monumento. Then there will be another lengthy walk through to LRT1. overall, this will be a huge improvement at the northern end of rail transpo.

wow. im so excited. hopefully it comes to fruition.

taken from inquirer.net.. this was from yesterday's paper..

AS I SEE IT
Mendoza’s foot-dragging on MRT-3 takeover

By Neal Cruz
Inquirer
Last updated 01:00am (Mla time) 11/26/2007

MANILA, Philippiones - What if you were given a chance to pay a P1,300 debt with only P800? Would you not grab at the chance? That would mean saving P500, di ba?

That, in effect, is what the Arroyo administration wants to do in buying out the Metro Railways Transit Corp., the consortium that owns and operates the 17-kilometer elevated light rail system along Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay City, with 13 stations and 73 coaches with a capacity of 450,000 passengers daily. By buying out Metro Rail’s $865-million debt now, the government will save approximately $500 million.

The interest on Metro Rail’s debt is at 12.5 percent to 15 percent. With interest rates at present very much lower (approaching 2 percent), the government can borrow now, pay off the debt and save money on interest payments.

Aside from the interest payments, the government shells out at least P6.8 billion every year to subsidize the operations of the rail system. Instead of each passenger paying P60 for the entire distance, the passenger pays only P15. The government pays for the balance of P45. Besides this subsidy, the government also spends another P250 million a month in maintenance fees.

Why? Isn’t the Metro Rail a private corporation that supports itself? Yes, but under the build-operate-transfer contract between the government and the MRT-3 owners, the latter are given an assured rate of return on investment of 15 percent a year. If the net income on operations falls short of this percentage, the government is obliged to pay the difference. The government could not have found an investor to place money for the vital mass transit system if it could not be guaranteed a decent rate of return on its investment.

But due to low fares and high operation costs, MRT-3 has been losing heavily. Consequently, the government has been shelling out huge subsidies amounting to P6.5 billion a year. This is burdensome for the government, especially since it is still in the process of reducing the budget deficit. By owning the Metro Rail, the government would actually be saving lots of money on subsidies.

Furthermore, the government can buy more trains to service the passengers. As can be seen every day, the present number of trains and coaches cannot accommodate the hordes of passengers who want to ride in them. Travel time in the elevated rails is much faster than in the buses on the traffic-choked Edsa below. The purpose of the rail system is really to lessen road traffic which wastes so much imported fuel with rapidly rising prices. But the rails are not able to achieve that because they cannot meet passenger demand. There is no incentive for the operators to buy more trains and coaches. Why invest more when the government pays what it does not earn from passengers fares below the 15-percent guarantee?

But if the government owns the rail system, then it would have an incentive to buy more trains not only to earn more but to service more passengers. The latter, after all, is the primary purpose of government while the primary motive of private companies is profit.

Even better, the government can use the approximately $500-million savings to finance the 7-km Metro Rail extension from North Avenue to Monumento to connect it to the LRT on Rizal Avenue, thus completing the route of the elevated rail system. That is tantamount to having the North Avenue-Monumento extension practically for free, di ba?

But where will the cash-strapped government get the money to pay the $865-million debt? According to Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, five banks have already offered to finance the buyout. This loan will be at a single-digit interest rate, much lower than the present 12.5 to 15 percent. Besides, with the present high exchange rate of the peso to the dollar, the government will save millions now by paying the debt now which is payable in dollars.

The advantages are so good that President Macapagal-Arroyo and the Cabinet have already approved and signed the deal. The only fly in the ointment is Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza under whose wing the MRT-3 is being operated. He refuses to sign but doesn’t say why. He just stonewalls. Maybe he is still gun-shy because of the scrapped ZTE broadband deal. Maybe he has become paranoid because of that. Maybe he is sulking like a spoiled child because the ZTE deal that he signed in China was scrapped.

But this time the government is doing right. This is the reverse of the ZTE deal. In the ZTE deal, we lose tons of money because of the alleged overprice; in the MRT-3 refinancing, we save the people’s money.

And this is no time to be timid. The buyout deal has a Feb. 27, 2008 deadline. And if the dollar regains its strength or the peso falters (which is not remote), the Philippines forfeits the opportunity for cheap funds and will lose billions of pesos. The delay is already costing the taxpayers $5 million daily in unnecessary interest payments. That is not coming from the pockets of Mendoza; that is coming from the pockets of taxpayers.

The news of the proposed takeover has been met with public enthusiasm. At last, the government would be able to improve the rail services. The Light Rail Transit Authority has been announcing that it is bidding out the MRT-3 extension project. But even if a winning bidder is declared, no extension can be done. The MRT-3 consortium still owns the rights to that extension. Unless these rights are bought and paid for, nobody can legally undertake the project. And that will disappoint the public even more.

Mendoza’s foot dragging is jeopardizing the welfare of the people.

Mendoza's foot dragging is basic graft at work.

^^ I thought that too bustero, im like.. "Ok, what is he waiting for? Some dough on the side?" hahaha, i guess we were thinking the same thing

i think someone is paying him to stall, so the government pays more, hence high-commissions... or maybe the article was right, he is in the path of revenge for the lost zte deal

The deal is relatively simple. Value the committed annuities then agree to a discount rate. The operations are straightforward since the GOP just needs to take over a private corp. The hard part is actually over in that the valuation is agreed in principle, that's why the current interjection is viewed by people on the board as ridiculous.

Anyway it seems like the interconnection is indeed to share one track, the major issue in engineering is more how to make the turn in bonifacio circle as it's a right angle near a monument.

Sana matuloy na tong buyout soon. Just by a relatively small investment in mrt3 there can be a doubling of capacity for this line.

wawa naman si mendoza.....u r punching him right and left without the benefit of defending himself......nde naman cguro....baka mabagal n kumilos dahil matanda na....:lol:

^^di magretire na sya, che.

Anyway it seems like the interconnection is indeed to share one track, the major issue in engineering is more how to make the turn in bonifacio circle as it's a right angle near a monument.


Doesn't this photo already show how the LRT1 extension will blend in Bonifacio Circle?

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/queetz9/Miscellaneous/LRText.jpg

I realize the tail end seems much closer to the circle as shown in the satellite picture below...

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/queetz9/Miscellaneous/LRT1.jpg

...but you wouldn't believe the miracles a simple jack hammer plus what the versatility of concrete and steel can do. Perhaps they will simply punch a whole at the side of the tail track with a few adjustments on the rails or even tear down a portion of it and build the extension from there.

If Secretary Mendoza does in fact f*ck up the MRT3 buyout, would it still affect the LRT1 extension? I find the thoughts of him purposely killing the MRT3 buyout or even LRT1 project either through graft or revenge quite disturbing... :eek:

Ew. I didn't know the light rail was so close to Monumento.

Pioneer Woodlands Boni MRT Station and Showroom.

11.24.07

Nice, it looks even better than the current LRT-2 stations, and the stairs are wide!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_9665x.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/?action=view&current=100_9665x.jpg)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_9667x.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/?action=view&current=100_9667x.jpg)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_9668x.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/?action=view&current=100_9668x.jpg)

The current stairs of the MRT Station encroaching the sidewalk, and blocking almost all of it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_9669x.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/?action=view&current=100_9669x.jpg)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/100_9670x.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/thomasian/?action=view&current=100_9670x.jpg)

oic.. so that is pioneer woodlands lot... the pioneer area has been growing a lot.. i hope the other side of pasig river in that area will be developed as well... palafox and associates spearheads the redevelopment of that area in guadalupe station..

going back, love the mrt.. i think i need to take a photo of how sardine-ish it is every morning or rush hour for that matter... actually, even after the bombings, ridership did not decline...

wow, dami na palang nangyari sa part na yan. is this a RLC initiative to increase density sa area ng Rob Pioneer? Then this will be worth the investment. They might be planning to build some structures jan sa area na yan ng Pioneer in the future. Or me proposed na di ba? A residential complex. Pero wait, it's not an RLC project.

(edit: Empire East's Pioneer Woodlands it is)

this will be a good news for workers at Cybergate. the old staircase is not so safe pagdating ng gabi.

Doesn't this photo already show how the LRT1 extension will blend in Bonifacio Circle?

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/queetz9/Miscellaneous/LRText.jpg

I realize the tail end seems much closer to the circle as shown in the satellite picture below...

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n122/queetz9/Miscellaneous/LRT1.jpg

...but you wouldn't believe the miracles a simple jack hammer plus what the versatility of concrete and steel can do. Perhaps they will simply punch a whole at the side of the tail track with a few adjustments on the rails or even tear down a portion of it and build the extension from there.

If Secretary Mendoza does in fact f*ck up the MRT3 buyout, would it still affect the LRT1 extension? I find the thoughts of him purposely killing the MRT3 buyout or even LRT1 project either through graft or revenge quite disturbing... :eek:

That should be the last thing done, first let's get the whole of EDSA having a MRT/LRT track.

Paalala sa mga pasahero... Safety Reminders lang po... Ugaliin po nating
humawak sa mga saftey handrails, at iwasang sandalan ang magkabilang
pintuan ng tren. Huwag po nating gagalawin ang anumang emergency devices na matatagpuan sa ibabaw ng mga pintuan ng tren. Mahigpit pong ipinagbabawal ang pagkain, pag-inom, at paninigarilyo sa loob ng tren,
istasyon at mga terminal. pakidouble-check lang po ang ating mga gamit, lalung lalo na po ang mga bag, cellphone, at wallet, at pakiingatan po natin ang magnetic card na gagamitin natin sa paglabas ng istaston. Maraming
salamat sa inyong pag-tangkilik sa LRT.

^^araneta-center cubao, paparating na sa araneta center cubao station. :lol:

I have a question.

Is the extension of LRT1 will connect to the MRT3 that a train in LRT1 can go to the railtracks of MRT3 or the MetroStar Express can go to the railtracks of LRT1??

Neither. Passengers would have to disembark the train and transfer to the other line.

Nakakairita yung mga stairs ng MRT.. sobrang sinakop na yung sidewalk. Badtrip ako sa ganun.

Benjie Telleron - AHN News Writer
Madrid, Spain (AHN) - Philippine Ambassador to Spain Joseph D. Bernardo on Sunday announced the Spanish government is planning to invest some $340 million in railway system and wind and power venture in the Philippines. Spain is currently extending soft loan to Manila in shipping and power industry.

In a statement sent to Manila, Bernardo said Madrid is interested in extending a financial assistance package for the construction of 96 steel bridges, construction of 70 modular roll on-roll of ports across the country, improvement of solar energy production in central and southern Philippines and a loan assistance facility to the Aboitiz Group and the Spanich company Socoin for a power project in southern Philippines.

He said, "At present, the Spanish government is also interested in financing projects through soft loans in the following areas: renewable energy particularly wind and solar power and transport especially train and LRT (Light Rail Transit)."

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is on a four-day state visit to Spain, her second since 2002.

Spain and the Philippines share many common cultures as Madrid occupied the Philippines for at least 333 years from the 15th century until the end of the 19th century.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009335868

taken from abs-cbnnews.com..

LRTA re-bids P6.3-B rail loop project

By RAINIER ALLAN RONDA

The Philippine Star

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) will hold a re-bidding for all three packages of the P6.3 billion Metro Rail Transit-Light Rail Transit (MRT-LRT) loop project.

LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles said the LRTA board of directors decided to hold a re-bid after no bidder was able to pre-qualify for Packages A and B and with only one pre-qualified bidder for Package C.

"We’ve already had the bidding details published. We could hold the pre-qualification by next week," Robles told The STAR in a phone interview.

Package A involves the construction of the foundation and viaduct; Package B involves the construction of the three stations; and Package C involves the electro-mechanical components of the rail line extension project.

Nine companies participated in the pre-qualification of bidders held by the LRTA for the MRT-LRT loop project, which will connect LRT Line 1’s Monumento, Caloocan City station to the MRT’s North Avenue station by adding three more stations.

The joint venture group of construction firms D. M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) and First Balfour was the only one pre-qualified by the bids committee last Nov. 21 to 23.

LRTA bids committee chairman Cesar Chavez said about five groups that submitted eligibility documents for Packages A and B were all declared "failed" due to their failure to submit requisite documents.

For package C, the joint venture groups of DMCI-First Balfour and Leighton Construction-A.M. Oreta Construction submitted eligibility documents. Of the two, DMCI-First Balfour was the only one declared to have submitted all requisite documents.

The LRTA said it strictly followed the non-discretionary pass or fail criteria provided by Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Law in the pre-qualification process for the MRT-LRT loop project.

Allegedly among the bidders for Packages A and B were F.F. Cruz and Filsytems; DMCI-First Balfour; Leighton-A.M. Oreta; Hanjin and Foundation Specialist; and the Cavite Ideal Construction Group.

To ensure a transparent and fair bidding, the LRTA had observers from the Office of the Ombudsman, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines watch the whole process.

The LRTA timetable sets the completion of the project by April 2010.

Tagal naman nito , pre qua pa lang. Bukas ng final bids sa April pa!

until walang 3 eligible bidders declare lang sila ng declare ng failed bidding.

until walang 3 eligible bidders declare lang sila ng declare ng failed bidding.

yup...the third time that it fails that is the only time that the can have it negotiated.....i have been a member of a bidding committee and believe me you will find it frustrating.....

Neither. Passengers would have to disembark the train and transfer to the other line.

Sana ginawa nalang nilang dere-deretso. para pagdating sa north avenue, di na kelangan mag-transfer station, hussle yun pag-ganun. At sana bilhin na lang ng LRTA ang MRT3 para pede mangyari yun.:):)

Tagal naman nito , pre qua pa lang. Bukas ng final bids sa April pa!

ganun tlaga ata ang systema. If we do it the NBN way, which would be faster, we'd have another parade in the senate.

Those bidders really know how to work the system. Imagine eligibility documents palang ang kailangan, hindi pa nila maiproduce ng maayos, syempre magkakaroon ng failed bidding. Those required are really basic documents that every serious bidder can easily produce. Tapos heto sila at nag bibid na kulang-kulang ang mga dokumento. Hay naku, parang nakaka-amoy ako ng failed ng failed na bidding tapos dadaanin sa compromise agreement which ends up more costly than it originally is! Or it can be postponed indefinitely like most infra projects!!!

hay! buhay!!!

^^Yup baka makalusot kasi idinadaan na lang sa mga lagay-lagay dahil kurakot naman ang ating gobyerno!
:ohno: :ohno: :ohno:

Well, based on my own personal experience comparing dealing with the government both in the Philippines and Canada, the process here is really really slow if you do it the proper way. Its just way too much red tape and paperwork so you can't really help it if you would do the occassional "lagay" just to speed up things. Not sure why you need to go line up for hours in the BIR office just to fill out a form to apply for a tax ID, then come back the following week just to get your number, then to come back again to get your ID when you can do that all in one day in Canada. I won't even describe the horror of getting a driver's license...:ohno:

However, the timeline, requirements and bidding procedure for the LRT1 extension is actually at par or even pretty fast compared to some of the mass transit projects in other countries. I know for a fact that in Canada, it can take at least 30 years to build a simply extension wherein 27 years of it is studies, studies, and nothing but studies, 2 years for the bidding, and 1 year for the actual construction. And that's assuming the parliamentary government favours the project which in most cases, do not. In the US, its even worse since it has to be put on a vote (and in some cases like the Seattle Monorail, several votes only to be shot down in the final vote) to find ways to fund the project (since in the US, its usually the local government, not the state or Feds that pay for such things).

^^ Look at Chicago, i love Chicago trains, i love the historic feeling, the grit and urbanity of the system, but the whole thing needs some MAJOR REHAB!!!!!!! Prices are going up, way up, and the trains/busses are becoming shitty... What is Chicago doing about it? Nothing, they say maybe in 2016, IF, only IF we get the 2016 OLYMPICS!

Hai, can the government fund this extension all on its own???????????

Paalala sa mga pasahero... Safety Reminders lang po... Ugaliin po nating
humawak sa mga saftey handrails, at iwasang sandalan ang magkabilang
pintuan ng tren. Huwag po nating gagalawin ang anumang emergency devices na matatagpuan sa ibabaw ng mga pintuan ng tren. Mahigpit pong ipinagbabawal ang pagkain, pag-inom, at paninigarilyo sa loob ng tren,
istasyon at mga terminal. pakidouble-check lang po ang ating mga gamit, lalung lalo na po ang mga bag, cellphone, at wallet, at pakiingatan po natin ang magnetic card na gagamitin natin sa paglabas ng istaston. Maraming
salamat sa inyong pag-tangkilik sa LRT.

biglang sinasabi yan pag super jampacked na yung train..

biglang sinasabi yan pag super jampacked na yung train..

buti pa nga lrt1 and 2...umg mrt...parang iskwater ang mga istasyon....siguro taga iskwater mga station managers nila....nde alam kung ano ang maganda....mga clue less.....nde rin cguro nagbabasa....kaya nde alam kung ano ang hitsura ng mga station ng tren sa ibang bansa...

MRT-LRT ‘loop’ packages pre-qualification process scheduled on Dec. 19-21
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW120607/content.php?id=053

THE PRE-QUALIFICATION processes for the remaining components of the P6.3-billion rail linkage project, dubbed the MRT-LRT Loop have been set for Dec. 19-21.

The "loop" will connect Light Rail Transit Line 1’s Monumento, Caloocan City station to the Metro Rail Transit’s North Avenue station by adding three more stations.

The pre-qualification level, which involves checking prospective bidders’ eligibility, is on Dec. 19 for the 2.733-kilometer (km) A1 segment, followed a day after by the 2.744-km A2 component.

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) decided to divide Package A, or construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass, into segments A1 and A2 due to the entire package’s total cost of P2.8 billion.

Eligibility checks on interested bidders for Package B — involving construction or alteration of stations — are set on Dec. 21.

Parties interested in components A1, A2 and B have until five o’clock this afternoon to purchase bid documents.

As of last Wednesday six parties had bought bid documents, namely:

Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd.;
Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp.;
FF Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc.;
DMCI-C.M. Pancho-First Balfour;
Leighton Construction Philippines, Inc.-A.M. Oreta Construction Corp.; and
Foundation Specialist.

LRTA will conduct a pre-qualification conference next Tuesday wherein auction process and rules will be discussed.

Last month, the bidding process for a segment of the 7.71-km elevated rail "loop" project started with just one party qualifying. DMCI-First Balfour joint venture qualified for Package C, which involves construction of the project’s electromechanical system.

buti pa nga lrt1 and 2...umg mrt...parang iskwater ang mga istasyon....siguro taga iskwater mga station managers nila....nde alam kung ano ang maganda....mga clue less.....nde rin cguro nagbabasa....kaya nde alam kung ano ang hitsura ng mga station ng tren sa ibang bansa...

at hindi marunong magschedule ng trains kaya laging napupuno yung mga stations, nasisira agad yung trains kase overcrowded..

^^ i agree. kaya pangit na ang itsura kasi super crowded talaga.. but you can't help it really, people choose to ride the mrt kahit crowded compared sa bus that would take 2 hours to travel from qc to makati..

kaya nakakainis ung complain ng complain sa kasikipan ng train sa mrt.. everyone is inconvenienced its just a matter of putting it into a positive light, all the riders just want to go from point a to point b the soonest. kung ayaw nilang masikip, magtaxi na lang sila.. pweh.. hehe.. na-irate naman ako.. nagvent lang.

at hindi marunong magschedule ng trains kaya laging napupuno yung mga stations, nasisira agad yung trains kase overcrowded..

Plus the pasaway people that always force themselves into the trains even though the door is closing, which greatly contributes to train arrival delays. There's this one instance when I rode the MRT where the operator of the train got really pissed off due to the frequent reopening of the doors due to passengers still entering.

Some of the words he said were:

"Sa mga papasok na pasahero, next train na lang po kayo, pakiusap lang po, TAGALOG na po ito!"
"Wag niyo pong pigilan ang pagsara ng pinto! Pag pinigil nyo pa po ulit PALALABASIN namin lahat ng pasahero ng tren!"
"Madalas po masira yung tren, at yung pintuan ang laging nasisira. Sino po may kasalanan nun? Tao din po!"

^^hindi ko alam, pero minsan kasi kasalanan din nung mrt. Tingnan niyo na lang ah, unang station pa lang puno ng yung tren. Paano pa kaya sasakay yung nasa ibang station kung sa una pa lang eh pinupuno na nila? Hindi nila iniisip na may sasakay pang ibang tao sa ibang station. Eh alam mo naman maghintay ng maghintay yung mga tao na may dumating na bagong tren diba?

^^Tama ka dun, kulang na kulang kasi ang tren ng mrt. So halimbawa sasakay ka sa Magallanes station pupunta ka ng ayala, pag dating ng tren galing ng taft station na last station sa south hindi kana kagad makakasakay sa sobrang jam pack na ng tren. Kung hindi ka makikipag tulakan at siksikan walang mangyayari sayo mamumuti na ang mata mo sa pag hihintay di ka pa nakaksakay. Iyong mga tao kasi na asa loob na ng tren hindi sila wiling na pumasok sa gitna ng tren na may space pa kahit papano, so kelangan talaga itulak mo sila minsan kung hindi mo madaan sa p@k!usap kasi ayaw talaga umuusog. Ayaw nila pumasok sa gitna kasi pag sila na lalabas mahihirapan naman sila so deadlock talaga, kaya madalas my pikunan sa tren.

^^ oo nga.. kaya dapat talaga, each station may fresh train na darating. i know sa kamuning at quezon ave station may pinapadala sila na train na duon una magsasakay...

There'd be no problems with overcrowded trains here in Pinas if Filipinos were more orderly, respectful, and considerate.

Come to think of it, rush hours in Manila are nothing compared to rush hours in Tokyo. MRT-3 trains are nowhere as jam-packed as the commuter and subway trains in Central Tokyo during rush hours. Heck, trains in Tokyo get so crowded that "people-packers" are needed to push people into trains.

If people who are close to the train doors but aren't planning/going to get off at the next station only make way for people actually getting off at that, particular, station by going outside the train in orderly-lined fashion until everyone who were planning/going to get off at that, particular station could get out of the train then the hassles of the overburdened and overcrowded transit-system would be lessened.

Meanwhile, riders getting on/going in the train should continue the line made by the people who made way for the people who are actually getting off at that, particular, station.

They should do one of two things:

1) raise the fare so it's comparable to other transport's value

2) add trains , it's already over loaded

reports say line 3 is deteriorating rapidly, let's not get it to where line 1 was in a few years back where it stopped working!

Don't think this is here, yet.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=KCDkoG3Y6po

^^Tama ka dun, kulang na kulang kasi ang tren ng mrt. So halimbawa sasakay ka sa Magallanes station pupunta ka ng ayala, pag dating ng tren galing ng taft station na last station sa south hindi kana kagad makakasakay sa sobrang jam pack na ng tren. Kung hindi ka makikipag tulakan at siksikan walang mangyayari sayo mamumuti na ang mata mo sa pag hihintay di ka pa nakaksakay. Iyong mga tao kasi na asa loob na ng tren hindi sila wiling na pumasok sa gitna ng tren na may space pa kahit papano, so kelangan talaga itulak mo sila minsan kung hindi mo madaan sa p@k!usap kasi ayaw talaga umuusog. Ayaw nila pumasok sa gitna kasi pag sila na lalabas mahihirapan naman sila so deadlock talaga, kaya madalas my pikunan sa tren.

Buti na lang payat ako, I've successfully squeezed myself into the train many times before when it almost seems like no one will fit inside. :D Haha, inggit lang nung mga nauna na sa pila pero di makasakay kasi naman kasya! :colgate:

^^kanina ok lang masiksik sa loob ng mrt. may cute guy kasi sa likod ko. oh dear, I can feel the "chills"

Don't think this is here, yet.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=KCDkoG3Y6po

malabo na yang MRT-7, hindi kasi budget-neutral. kailangan pa ng sandamakmak na subsidies (at least 7 figures in Pesos).

plano ata nila gawing organized bus system, parang incomplete BRT system (fyi, TransMilenio (http://www.transmilenio.gov.co/transmilenio/eng_whatis.htm) in Bogota, Colombia is considered the most ideal.)

^^ I think it's headed for this too...

HK has The Octopus, Singapore has EZ-Link, London has Oyster and so on. Should the Philippines get a smart card system especially when paying for the fare for the LRT/MRT or any public transit? Especially in cities such as Manila or Cebu

^^I think we tried it once. A Php250 ticket that could allow you to use all the 3 lines. But it was scrapped. I just don't know why.

it should.. and include the buses, jeeps.. but i think that all of that is wishful thinking for now.. and for a long time..

it could be possible if there is an existing mass transport system in place, sa manila MRT and LRT lang, it would have been better kung kasama ang bus, which I doubt since any changes affecting the livelihood of bus drivers, strike and protest na naman ang aabutin....sa Cebu, they will implement BRT system sometime next year, no definite schedule yet though.....it would really be convenient for passengers and it would instill discipline since buses will just stop at bus stations/stops....

If public transport here is integrated then this can happen...I remember using my octupus card in MTR and citybus and was very convenient since this eliminates buying ticket at the machines. I think even saw one person in Wellcome paying with his Octupus card

d daw pedeng ma-transfer sa dyep, traysikel, tapos pedicab kaya no to smart card
yes to success na lang

If public transport here is integrated then this can happen...I remember using my octupus card in MTR and citybus and was very convenient since this eliminates buying ticket at the machines. I think even saw one person in Wellcome paying with his Octupus card

The Octopus Card can be used in several chains such as 7-11, Mc Donalds, Park N Shop and more.

As for the Manila, I think this card system is better off in metro systems such as LRT/MRT. Until now and with the exception of LRT-2, people still have to line up to buy ticket which I find inconvenient and outdated.

^^ what pati sa pakkai,mc do at 7-11?,thats great...I'll use my octupus for that next time :okay:...can it also be used on airport express?

Isn't there a smart metropass and a globe g-pass? They use the same scanners. I'm not so sure when those scanners are gonna be available in the LRT systems, but I saw similar scanners in the Pasig River ferry stations.

Btw, as convenient as octopus cards are, unlike the Shanghai Transportation card, they can't be used in cabs :( then again, cabs in HK are ridiculously expensive compared to Shanghai anyway.

for Oyster in London, there is a partnership going on with Barclays Bank which enables you to use the card to both underground trains (tube), above ground, buses and can be used to pay purchases in shops, so if you are wandering around the city, you don't have to bring cash with you.

Most of the establishments in our country already accept debit cards..

Maybe LRT/MRT should devise a system that accepts credit/debit cards.


..

^^ what pati sa pakkai,mc do at 7-11?,thats great...I'll use my octupus for that next time :okay:...can it also be used on airport express?


I think almost all establishments in HK uses Octopus already pretty much like a debit card.. I might be mistaken though.. hehehe..

Airport Express: of course it is used. It is part of the MTR system. It is also used for car parks. It is also used by some schools for checking attendance of students because the cards have numbers. When a student gets to school, he or she uses the card to get in, and the parents are notified right away that their children have actually arrived in school!

I agree, we need a smart card that will allow us to use LRT and MRT conviniently, lalo na ngayon na gagawin na and MRT to connect sa LRT 1 sa Caloocan.

sana sa cellphone na lang ilagay at i-tap na lang sa gate para convenient

we dont have the technology for this... well not yet.

The high costs of inaction and delay
FILIPINO WORLD VIEW By Roberto R. Romulo
Friday, December 14, 2007
PhilStar
http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2007121359

One of the glaring weaknesses of governance in our country is the bureaucratic tendency to strictness in dealing with little matters, and to laxity and obliviousness to rules when tackling larger issues. Our bureaucrats exhaust themselves debating the price of paper clips, and then get blindsided on the costs of high-ticket projects like roads, airports and communication networks.

Examples of this proclivity to penny-wise, pound-foolish governance are legion. One of the most distressing, because the case is glaring at us now, is the case of the MRT3 system and our government’s efforts to improve its financing arrangement.

The MRT3 system on EDSA is, by all measures, one of the country’s most successful private infrastructure projects. The system was financed, designed, built, equipped, tested and commissioned by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC), and it was delivered to the Republic on time and on budget in 2000 pursuant to the terms of a Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) Agreement. Since then, MRT3 has become an integral part of Metro Manila’s public transport system, reducing traffic along EDSA and operating at beyond capacity with a ridership in excess of 450,000 people on weekdays.

One problem that has dogged the project, however, was its financing arrangement. MRT3 was contracted and built during a time of financial weakness for the Philippine economy, when everything was very expensive and credit was hard to come by. MRT3 financing is costly in comparison to the government’s many options today.

To illustrate, the long-bond annual yield in 2000 hit a high of 15-percent yield to maturity; a number similar to the full, long-term net economic return committed to MRTC equity investors. A 15-percent equity return seems expensive today, but at the onset of the new century that was reasonable and fair considering that long bonds then traded at similar yield, and that equity in the MRTC was funded and expended before debt financial closing, with investors thus assuming great risk.

MRTC and the Philippine Government are in broad agreement that the obligations under the BLT Agreement are full faith and credit sovereign obligations of the Republic. Our government’s direct, sovereign obligation to MRTC is a defined stream of equity rentals (Equity Rental Payments or ERP) defined in Annex Table 2 Annex A-1 of the BLT Agreement which total $2.40 billion from Aug. 14, 2000 to Jan. 14, 2025.

The remaining ERP schedule from Dec. 15, 2007 to Jan. 12, 2025 totals $2.21billion.

The value of the remaining ERP liability today is $1.30 billion which the present value of the remaining ERP obligation at the Republic’s cost of funds, which is 6.14 percent annually.

With all the fiscal improvements of the Philippines today, however, this is certainly a very expensive financial obligation for the nation. This is why serious effort has been made to try to improve upon the financial arrangement for the MRT3.

As things stand, the government has three alternatives before it: (1) To properly service its obligations despite its inconvenient costliness; (2) To willfully breach its direct sovereign obligation; or (3) To negotiate a refinancing and settlement with MRTC.

Option 1 — the silent and proper servicing of its direct, sovereign obligation — may be an acceptable way forward. The ERP obligation represents about one percent of the Republics debt obligation, and the government clearly has the
financial capability to service this. However, this option is
unconscionable if an option for refinancing is available whereby the government can achieve significant savings.

Option 2 — discontinuing service — is inappropriate and unwise for the government to adopt toward one percent of its direct, sovereign obligations, when it can clearly service 99 percent of its other debt obligations in a proper and timely manner. Poor service or breach of a direct, sovereign obligation due to inconvenient high cost is unbecoming of a country in good standing like the Philippines, and it threatens the rule of law, the validity of legal agreements, and the social contract of fulfilling clear obligations.

Option 3 — negotiating a refinancing — is by far the wisest course for the government to adopt. It has been clear for several years now to many government officials, including the technocrats at the Department of Finance, that if an opportunity arises to refinance the ERP obligation at a level that yields significant savings to the Republic, it would be the ideal resolution to the ERP obligations. Fortunately, this opportunity has now arisen with the improving finances and economic outlook of the economy. Early this year, a formal effort was launched to arrive at mutually acceptable terms for refinancing the ERP obligations.

A negotiated settlement was arrived at in principle between the DOF and MRTC last Aug. 27, 2007. But then came a crushing obstacle. The understanding in principle has not been finalized because of the non-acceptance of economic issues by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). The DOTC has been exhibiting undue concern over the size of the refinancing and misplaced fear of scrutiny over economics. As a consequence, it has frozen the agreement in mid-transaction.

While hopes are still high that a solution will be reached eventually, the DOTC’s freezing of the ball has costs. The freeze has caused a 107-day delay since Aug. 27. The Republic has been paying excess interest, which is interest cost beyond refinancing costs of $120,000 per day. Furthermore, the 107-day delay has caused the MRTC and the government to miss the capital markets financing window before mid-December, when the capital markets are practically closed to transactions. This has caused an additional structural delay of at least 40 more days. The total of 147 days delay to date has already cost the government $17.64 million.

More important, the freeze threatens the availability of the refinancing option itself. I understand that the refinancing discussions were at levels that provided the government with present value savings of $450 million in comparison to present value of specific performance. If the MRTC has no
avenue to negotiate a refinancing transaction with the Philippines, its only recourse is to resolve disputes that may arise out of the ERP obligation through arbitration in Singapore as provided for in the BLT Agreement. It should be clear that the only foreseeable outcome in arbitration is enforced specific performance of a valid contract by the government. Enforced specific performance would ensure that the government cure its arrears and settle related costs, and observe in full the payments schedule of the remaining ERP obligation. Even if no other damages are awarded to the MRTC group, this will leave the government with a liability value today amounting to at least $1.35 billion, including arrears and interest thereon. This is $450 million more than what a proper refinancing may cost today. That is the economic cost of indecision, lack of understanding and fear: $17.64 million to date and maybe an eventual $450million if the DOTC continues to fail in understanding the repercussions of inaction.

I respectfully suggest that the top guys at DOTC carefully review this matter. There is too much at stake here for us to allow bureaucratic rigidity or timidity to carry the day on this one. Precious taxpayers’ money well into the future is on the line. Sound governance may fall victim in the process. While we understand that the DOTC was burned some in the much-publicized controversy over the ZTE broadband project, inaction on the MRT3 refinancing agreement is not the proper course to adopt. The department must act in the interests of the nation and our people, including those yet to be born.

^^ This really showcases that too much democracy is the stumbling block/hurdle by which our country never really took-off, economically, relative to our neighbouring ASEAN countries. :ohno: :no:

^^

The technology is already there.. I think it's the "money" that we don't have to fully implement it, hehehe..

Airport Express: of course it is used. It is part of the MTR system. It is also used for car parks. It is also used by some schools for checking attendance of students because the cards have numbers. When a student gets to school, he or she uses the card to get in, and the parents are notified right away that their children have actually arrived in school!

Whoa thats cool,next time I'll use Octupus Card for that as well. Before I use to buy separate Airport Express Ticket card and Octupus card because I thought Octupus can't be used on Airport Express:ohno:....

I remember the last time I visited HKG there's this news in South China morning Post that there was a thief who got caught because he uses his victim's Octupus card and the police was able to track him down....if it happens here surely many thieves in Manila will be caught:lol:

It's probably a matter of time. And i think the platform may be the cellphones'.

I'm not sure how too much democracy is the issue here. The article above is directed specifically to DOTC head honchos and their inaction due to fear or...?

Yes, I think I get your drift. Don't know if anyone can explain why the Dept of Transportation and Communication seems to constantly swing between reckless haste on one hand, and endless vacillating on the other. Is there a catch somewhere? How is it that, in spite of all that's happened, the DOTC head seems immune from it all?

MRT Experience:

Everytime I take MRT, I buy stored value tickets. Kaso the next time I use it, expired na pala. Sa sobrang tagal. Then last Sunday, I thought of taking MRT again, just for fun! So there I went. To MRT Magallanes northbound. Pumila sa isang window. Medyo mga 10 tao ang pila on each window. Only to find out that stored value ticket is on the other window. The lady simply said sa kabilang window ang pila. Then the guy behind me suddenly stormed to the window without me finishing my transaction. :ohno: The lady on counter did not even made the initiative to - let's say ask the guy from other windown to give her a 100 peso ticket. That simple. Yes, I made a mistake, but little consideration is all it takes. What if the queue was mile-long? So I ended up buying single journey ticket. Disgusted, I left the window right away...but never showed any disrespect to anybody. Then I realized I gave her 100 bucks. Haha...bumalik tuloy ako. Dapat talaga palitan na ng automatic dispenser ang manpower. Saves a lot of money and time. I had better experience with LRT2 people.

I already have Smart Card and Smart Bro, tinapon ko na nga iba ko Smart Card eh....:banana:

MRT Experience:

I had better experience with LRT2 people.

The beauty of the LRT2 is that you don't have to deal with people :D

MRT Experience:

Everytime I take MRT, I buy stored value tickets. Kaso the next time I use it, expired na pala. Sa sobrang tagal. Then last Sunday, I thought of taking MRT again, just for fun! So there I went. To MRT Magallanes northbound. Pumila sa isang window. Medyo mga 10 tao ang pila on each window. Only to find out that stored value ticket is on the other window. The lady simply said sa kabilang window ang pila. Then the guy behind me suddenly stormed to the window without me finishing my transaction. :ohno: The lady on counter did not even made the initiative to - let's say ask the guy from other windown to give her a 100 peso ticket. That simple. Yes, I made a mistake, but little consideration is all it takes. What if the queue was mile-long? So I ended up buying single journey ticket. Disgusted, I left the window right away...but never showed any disrespect to anybody. Then I realized I gave her 100 bucks. Haha...bumalik tuloy ako. Dapat talaga palitan na ng automatic dispenser ang manpower. Saves a lot of money and time. I had better experience with LRT2 people.

hay naku ang dami kong reklamo sa mrt na yan. Malas ko nga lang wala nang ibang "mabilis" na way para pumunta ng Q Ave.

ito mga reklamo ko:
1. SIKIP!
2. Although the idea of keeping one coach for women is laudable and noble but the effect seems to be very difficult for me. I mean, it's so so unfair. I am not a straight male but heck, do I have a choice? You have one coach half full while ours was like a can of sardines. And to add insult to injury, there are always these silly women who would still opt to ride in "our" coach when theirs is not that full.
3. The platforms esp in Ayala are very narrow. Just one step and you'll fall off the tracks. And not to mention that Ayala is one of the busiest stations.
4. The concourse area is very small! You don't know where they would put those kilometer long queues.
5. arrghgh the stupid passengers who don't know how to insert those freakin' tickets to those machines (what do you call them, anyway?)
6. I've noticed that the train would already be full even if it just came from the first station.
7. and do I have to mention the restrooms?
8. I almost forgot the silly "security" measure of using sticks to detect bombs. yeah right
9. the steaming elevator and the always out of order escalator
10. the thousand step stairs.

hay naku ang dami kong reklamo sa mrt na yan. Malas ko nga lang wala nang ibang "mabilis" na way para pumunta ng Q Ave.

ito mga reklamo ko:
1. SIKIP!
2. Although the idea of keeping one coach for the women is laudable and noble but the effect seems to be very difficult for me. I mean, it's so so unfair. I am not a straight male but heck, do I have a choice? You have one coach half full while ours was like a can of sardines. And to add insult to injury, there are always these silly women who would still opt to ride in "our" coach when theirs is not that full.
3. The platforms esp in Ayala are very narrow. Just one step and you'll fall off the tracks. And not to mention that Ayala is one of the busiest stations.
4. The concourse area is very small! You don't know where they would put those kilometer long queues.
5. arrghgh the stupid passengers who don't know how to insert those freakin' tickets to those machines (what do you call them, anyway?)
6. I've noticed that the train would already be full even if it just came from the first station.
7. and do I have to mention the restrooms?

'Kaw pa lang ang guy na nagreklamo tungkol sa restrooms nila. Bakit XP? Nakaupo ka ba pagnagpee? :D

^^it is not even decent.

'Kaw pa lang ang guy na nagreklamo tungkol sa restrooms nila. Bakit XP? Nakaupo ka ba pagnagpee? :D

Dapat may harang yong mga urinals kasi kapag naka-slacks ka dapat malayo ka sa urinal para hindi tatalsik sa pants mo ang problema may mga lalake na sadyang malilikot ang mata :nuts:

MY OBSERVATION IS THAT DOTC AND OTHER AGENCIES IS TO BLAME FOR THE DELAYS DUE TO UNDER THE TABLE NEGOTATIONS WHO AND HOW MUCH WILL BE THEIR SHARE AND KICKBACKS ON THIS BILLION PROJECT....:banana:

pinaka disaster iyong platform ng boni station kasi iyong hagdan halos sagad na sa platform kunti na lang madadaanan mo kaya kunting tisod lang deretso kana sa riles.

Dapat may harang yong mga urinals kasi kapag naka-slacks ka dapat malayo ka sa urinal para hindi tatalsik sa pants mo ang problema may mga lalake na sadyang malilikot ang mata :nuts:

Totoo, kaya hindi ako gumagamit ng urinal kasi it's either ako yung masilipan or ako ay mapagbintangan na naninilip. Mahirap na. Pero kahit naman may cubicle, grabe, nakakamatay sa baho. Nililinis ba nila yung restrooms? May nakikita naman akong janitor pero ang dumi pa rin.

^^ This really showcases that too much democracy is the stumbling block/hurdle by which our country never really took-off, economically, relative to our neighbouring ASEAN countries. :ohno: :no:

there's no such thing as too much democracy only disguising inefficiency as due process.

:lol:...nakakatuwa kayo

there's no such thing as too much democracy only disguising inefficiency as due process.

I agree. Democracy is not the culprit.

nakakatuwa naman ang LRT2., may contest ata every station, pagandahan ng xmas decorations, using cheap materials., the best ang V.Mapa Station., :)

http://i15.tinypic.com/82kdzle.jpg
-the PAO (passenger assistance office) v.mapa

^^

yes.. I think the Philippines should take advantage of the existing debit cards in our country..

For example the Phil. Government can partner with Smart Telecom to make all government transaction available through Smart Money (i.e. paying at government offices like LTO, post office, applying for a passport, remitancces,etc.).. Once fully established for a year or two, they can then extend it to the MRT/LRT, buses, etc.

The new "Smart Money Card" can also double as a national ID.. It may contain some information like your SSS account, driver's license, past criminal records, bank transactions, etc..

Basta everything will now be controlled by a single chip


...

First time ko makasakay ng LRT2 kahapon. Ang ganda! World class! :okay: Sana ganun na lang lahat.

Two new groups joining prequalification for MRT-LRT loop

THE PREQUALIFICATION stage for the P6.3-billion rail linkage project, called MRT-LRT Loop, kicks off today with two new groups.

The prequalification process, which involves checking the eligibility of prospective bidders, starts with the 2.733-kilometer (km) segment of Package A1, or the construction of a viaduct and pedestrian overpass.

As of yesterday, seven parties submitted bid documents including newcomers Ciriaco-China joint venture and Phesco, Inc.

The other participants are Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co., Ltd.; Cavite Ideal International Construction and Development Corp.; DMCI Holdings, Inc.; F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc.; Leighton Construction Philippines, Inc.-A.M. Oreta Construction Corp.; and Foundation Specialist.

The prequalification process for the 2.744-km A2 component will follow tomorrow, and Package B involving the construction or alteration of stations was set for Friday.

The MRT-LRT Loop will connect the Light Rail Transit Line 1’s Monumento, Caloocan City station with the Metro Rail Transit’s North Avenue station by the construction of three new stations.

The prequalification level for Packages A1, A2 and B was rescheduled since no bidder was declared eligible last month.

The DMCI-First Balfour joint venture passed the eligibility check for the P2-billion Package C or the construction of the electromechanical system of the project.

The bids and awards committee of the Light Rail Transit Authority is expected to decide if the contract for Package C will be awarded to the Consunji-Lopez joint venture. — MGSR

Guys. Have you noticed why subways are not practical in Metro Manila like
those at Hongkong..Singapore..London..New York?
Your ideas are welcome... Start your comments...Posts... Thanks...:banana:

^^ Well, for one...it's far more expensive to build subways than elevated-rail viaducts.

Another reason, is the tendency for subways to be flooded during really heavy downpours during our rainy months which is very common in Metro Manila. Kuala Lumpur and Singapore also have those really heavy downpours during their rainy months (which happen to fall on the same months as our rainy months). But, the advantage of these cities is that they have Storm Water-Drainage Tunnel Systems, just like Tokyo's G-Cans Project, which, unfortunately, Metro Manila doesn't have. :)

What is the Tokyo G-Cans Project?
Here is the link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894169961@N01/sets/72157594197258304/

Subways can be done even in Manila.It will take a lot of money though,because of the engineering costs.It might not even make money as with all mass transports in the world.But if the people in Manila benefit from it,like people being more productive because they can do more work,can have a better quality of life because they could go home to their families earlier.Then it's a worthwile and stupendous project.Can the Filipino politician be able to see the unforseen benefits of a mass transport system like this?,even if they don't earn money from it.Can pressure groups in Manila do something about our backward transport system and realize that our SEA neighbors have left us behind in terms of a better mass transport system?It's still all up to us,filipinos.http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4520/londondayout080907055zo4.jpghttp://

What is the Tokyo G-Cans Project?
Here is the link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894169961@N01/sets/72157594197258304/

This was featured in Discovery Channel before. Ang galing talaga.

mas low-density ang lrt sa mrt.. and mas maayos at 'di nagtutulakan ang mga tao.. but LRT should rehabilitate their lines.. medyo nakakatakot kasi nagsway-sway yung train when it pass by some i-think-sira-na tracks... also, the station is dirty and needs intense cleansing.. but the lrt trains are more comfy than that of mrt imho..

they should also find a way to rehabilitate the buildings that the lrt lines pass by... its a sight for sore eyes when you see the dilapidated buildings.. the chinese filipino community should also fund the rehabilitation of their cemetery.. the whole place is a mess.. if well-maintained, the place has potential to become beautiful once again... at least after these, the view in your lrt ride would be quite alright..

^^ Well, NYC subway trains sway a lot more than the LRT ones in Manila while running especially at full speed. It feels like it's going to derail or something. Also, the elevated stations of MTA transit systems are not only dilapidated - they sway too as the train approaches while your ears are at mercy from the annoying screeches it makes.

You want all the grit of the mass transit systems? Try NYC subway system once again where you can even see the rodents playing hide and seek below the platform you are standing on as you wait for the next train to arrive.

mas low-density ang lrt sa mrt.. and mas maayos at 'di nagtutulakan ang mga tao.. but LRT should rehabilitate their lines.. medyo nakakatakot kasi nagsway-sway yung train when it pass by some i-think-sira-na tracks... also, the station is dirty and needs intense cleansing.. but the lrt trains are more comfy than that of mrt imho..

they should also find a way to rehabilitate the buildings that the lrt lines pass by... its a sight for sore eyes when you see the dilapidated buildings.. the chinese filipino community should also fund the rehabilitation of their cemetery.. the whole place is a mess.. if well-maintained, the place has potential to become beautiful once again... at least after these, the view in your lrt ride would be quite alright..

do you sway left or right?

left and right eh.. nakakagulat since today was my first time riding the lrt from monumento to blumentrit..

^^gr8

Only Consunji-Lopez venture to bid for rail project segment
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW122007/content.php?id=044

THE JOINT venture of the Consunji and Lopez families will be the lone participant in the bidding for a 2.733-kilometer (km) stretch of the commuter railway that will link the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) and the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1).

The D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) and First Balfour, Inc. venture was the only party qualified, as the Leighton Construction Philippines, Inc.-A.M. Oreta Construction Corp. and F.F. Cruz and Co., Inc.-Filipinas Systems, Inc. joint ventures were disqualified.

The disqualified bidders have not paid taxes, Bids and Awards Committee Chairman Cesar B. Chavez toldBusinessWorld.

The Consunji-Lopez tie-up will likely get the contract even if it is the sole bidder, the official said. Doing otherwise will delay the project, he said.

"There’s a strong chance that it will be given to DMCI-First Balfour this time... The [Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Board] can no longer declare a failure in my opinion because this is the second pre-qualification level," Mr. Chavez said. But the board still has the last say, he added.

The Consunji-Lopez venture will bid for segment A-1 of the project’s Package A, which involves the construction of a viaduct and a pedestrian overpass. Package A was divided into A1 and A2 because the total cost of P2.8 billion for the entire package is too much for a single entity to shoulder.

Earlier yesterday, representatives of the Leighton-Oreta and F.F. Cruz-Filipinas joint ventures said they were confident that they would be able pass the eligibility check after submitting the needed documents.

Last month, the LRTA held the pre-qualification phase for the P6.3-billion rail link project, but none qualified for Packages A and B. Package B involves the construction and alteration of existing train stations. DMCI-First Balfour qualified for Package C or the installation of cables and other electromechanical works.

But the LRTA declared Package C a failed bid for "lack of competition." In response, DMCI-First Balfour filed a motion for reconsideration, which it later withdrew to avoid delaying the project.

Hernando T. Cabrera, LRTA corporate secretary, said Packages A and B are more important to meet the May 2010 target completion. "The cables can’t be installed without the infrastructure," he said.

Mr. Cabrera said interested parties have until Dec. 28 to purchase bid documents for Package C in time for the Jan. 15 deadline of the eligibility requirements.

Today, the LRTA will examine bidders for Package A2. Package B follows tomorrow.

The MRT3-LRT1 link involves three new stations to connect the LRT1 Monumento station in Caloocan and the MRT3 North Avenue station in Quezon City.

left and right eh.. nakakagulat since today was my first time riding the lrt from monumento to blumentrit..

You mean you swing both ways! :D Welcome to the community... hehehe. Lilinawin mo kasi ang mga sinasabi mo eh! :lolo:

You mean you swing both ways! :D Welcome to the community... hehehe. Lilinawin mo kasi ang mga sinasabi mo eh! :lolo:

Hmmm, are you guys in the wrong thread or something? :lol:

ha anong nangyari sa sinabi ko, naiba ang meaning... hala naman thomasian...

hndi... ung lrt.. it sways from left to right.. parang it shakes from left to right intermittently along the tracks.. parang may sira ung ibang part na ng tracks kaya medyo umaalog.. weird.. they shoud fix that...

http://philstar.com/index.php?Business&p=49&type=2&sec=27&aid=2007122212


Dashed hopes?
HIDDEN AGENDA By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
Sunday, December 23, 2007

Would there be no Christmas gift coming from Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza for the millions of daily commuters using EDSA’s MRT Line?

More than a month ago, this column called attention to the looming disappointment on the part of EDSA commuters in the wake of talks that Mendoza is not about to support President Arroyo’s bid for a major infrastructure legacy along the country’s busiest thoroughfare.

It will be recalled that Finance Secretary Gary Teves had announced earlier that the government intends to refinance some P1.3 billion in obligations from the consortium that built the EDSA MRT line 3. The announcement generated enthusiasm and hope among EDSA commuters.

This was because the refinancing scheme is expected to generate some $485 million in savings which we all hope could be used fund the improvement of the current service, buy more trains and connect EDSA MRT with the oldest LRT line running along Rizal Avenue.

The refinancing scheme would have been a testament to the soundness of the economic fundamentals of the country. We are sure the President mulled the refinancing in the wake of the unprecedented strength of the peso.

The government has been prepaying several dollar-denominated obligations due to the display of peso power. It was hoped that the EDSA MRT obligation would benefit from the positive economic climate.

Is this hope about to be dashed?

Again, we reiterate our hope that the talks that Mendoza is not keen on the refinancing scheme would prove inaccurate. To dash the hope for a better EDSA MRT would definitely sour up the Christmas mood for millions who traverse this thoroughfare.

And if the good Secretary’s advisers are not keen on pleasing the commuter sector, they might at least consider the financial benefits that the refinancing plan could give the Arroyo administration.

But not acting on the opportunities is not merely to lose the benefits. It will also mean incurring costs that are burdensome to us all. It is public knowledge that delay in the consummation of the refinancing of the project translates into $5 million in unnecessary monthly interest payments. That is charged to our account as the Filipino people.

The delay or the junking of the refinancing plan could also result in the forfeiture of the opportunities created by the strong peso and the weak dollar. The government can now borrow the pesos to pay off with less local currency the $865 million of reduced dollar obligations at three percent per annum. Compare that to the 16 to 17 percent per annum at which we are currently paying off the full obligation – in precious US dollars.

If the dollar regains its strength or if the peso falters – which are not remote possibilities – then the country forfeits the opportunity for cheap funds. We take all the blow for this.

Then, there is the specter of costly and protracted litigations that could ensue in the wake of reports that the government is already in default as far as its payment obligations to the private consortium are concerned. Given the track record of the country in lawsuits involving private parties, the Philippines could end up losing not just the opportunity for lower-cost refinancing, but also its good credit standing.

We will all be big losers if the government gets locked up in a possible lawsuit arising from payment defaults.

But the biggest loser here will be the President herself. With the possible demise of the refinancing plan, she could lose this one single opportunity to do something good and right for her country. She risks disappointing the millions of EDSA commuters big time. There is already much expectation that the improvement and extension will come soon.

In fact, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has been announcing that it is bidding out the EDSA MRT extension project. That would only aggravate the public disappointment. The government knows that even if a winning bidder is declared, no extension project could be done. The EDSA MRT consortium still owns the rights to that extension.

Just recently, the LRTA again announced that two new groups have joined the pre-qualification for the MRT-LRT loop project. News items like this merely compound the looming disappointment.

Unless the refinancing plan is completed, nobody can legally undertake the project.

Can the public still hope for a Christmas gift from Mendoza?

It is the Christmas season. During this time of the year, hope is strongest. As strong perhaps as the dashing Philippine peso.

And we hope this strength is not put to waste by killing the plan for a better EDSA MRT.

Few takers for P6.3-B rail loop project – LRTA
By Rainier Allan Ronda
Sunday, December 23, 2007

Only four groups joined the pre-qualification process for the bidding for the P6.3 billion Light Rail Transit-Metro Rail Transit (LRT-MRT) loop project, according to Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) officials.

LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles said though there was a dearth of contractors that pre-qualified for the bidding, they are satisfied that they conducted a fair and transparent process that ensured the LRTA was knowledgeable about the status of the companies that wanted to participate in the project.

He told The STAR that the few joint venture groups that were pre-qualified only had to submit a complete set of documents in a checklist issued by the LRTA bids and awards committee.

“Many did not submit the required documents,” Robles said.

Only three out of eight groups that bought eligibility documents submitted their bids for the LRT-MRT loop project’s Package A1 last Wednesday. They are D.M. Consunji (DMCI)-First Balfour joint venture; FF Cruz-Filipinas joint venture; and Leighton-A.M. Oreta Construction. Of the three, only DMCI-First Balfour was pre-qualified.

For Package A2, DMCI-First Balfour and Cavite Ideal construction with F.F. Cruz-Filipinas joint venture were pre-qualified. The Leighton-A.M. Oreta joint venture submitted documents but was not pre-qualified.

The F.F. Cruz group has expressed its intention to file a motion for reconsideration.

In last Friday’s pre-qualification for Package B, Robles said DMCI-First Balfour was again pre-qualified along with F.F. Cruz-Filipinas group.

Robles said they were scheduled to hold the pre-qualification for Package C in January. The pre-qualification process conducted this week is the second one conducted by LRTA after the first process failed to get a single pre-qualified bidder for Packages A and B and only one pre-qualified group, DMCI-First Balfour, for Package C last November.

Robles said that the LRTA will recommend the acceptance of the results of the second round of pre-qualification despite having only one pre-qualified bidder for Package A1.

“It would be unfair to these groups if we hold another pre-qualification when they have done their best to prepare for the process so they can pass it,” he said.

The project’s Package A involves the foundation and viaduct construction component and Package B involves the station construction. Package C involves the electro-mechanical components of the rail line extension project.

Cesar Chavez, LRTA bids committee chairman, said they strictly followed the non-discretionary pass or fail criteria provided by Republic Act 9184 or the government procurement law in the pre-qualification process for the MRT-LRT loop project.

The LRTA also made sure to have observers from the Office of the Ombudsman, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines watch the whole process.

The LRTA timetable for the LRT-LRT loop project, connecting LRT Line 1 at its Monumento Avenue end-station in Caloocan City with the MRT at its end station in North Avenue, Quezon City through the construction of three stations along EDSA, sets the completion of the project by April 2010.

http://philstar.com/index.php?Metro&p=49&type=2&sec=26&aid=20071222138




a few days na lang mag 2008 na pero hanggang ngayon bidding pa din. tsktsl!!!:bash:

I told you dear SSC fanatics, Mr. L.Mendoza & Company are the culprit and
should be blame for this delay and mess. Abangan natin ang susunod na
kabanata...right Mr. Kire toce?? :banana:

Sorry I am not so familiar with the players here. But I understand that the same department was responsible for the broadband fiasco, and some other projects that fell through. Does anyone have a history of Mr Mendoza's performance? Maybe a few more guys would appreciate that.

http://www.news.ops.gov.ph/mendoza_DOTC.htm

He's all been into Police and Military positions before landing as DOTC Secretary, now I doubt if he's really suited for the job.

lrt2 is still the best i gotta say. i like their coaches, the stations, very clean and tidy. not like mrt.... my my my. :ohno:

lrt2 is still the best i gotta say. i like their coaches, the stations, very clean and tidy. not like mrt.... my my my. :ohno:

yup you are right.....people running the mrt3....are clueless on what they are supposed to do.....take the case of those smart metropass centers....in ayala station....how the hell did they allow it to be built in an space that is already cramped.....these people are simply brain dead....have you been to ayala station during peak hours?...it is a bit of hell on earth....and that is not to exagerate....:bash:

Speaking of which, for something so huge, the Smart MetroPass booths sure are useless. They better release their access card as soon as possible.

what are the smart metropass booths, are these the smart version of the gcard rfid payment system?

I just hope they synchronize all this to pay for the whole transport system and others.

Yes, that's what they plan on doing, and they might have plans on integrating it into other modes of transportation. We need more information from them about this though.

Since the cards aren't operational yet, the booths just function as "informational kiosks" that take quite a lot of space.

http://www.metropasscards.com/

Light rail southern line works begin ’08, onstream by 2010
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW122607/content.php?id=072

THE LIGHT RAIL Transit Line-1 (LRT Line-1) South Extension project will begin early next year, a Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) official said.

The LRTA is projecting to operate phase 1 from Baclaran to Dr. Santos Ave., Parañaque City in April 2010, while phase 2 from Dr. Santos to Niyog, Bacoor, Cavite will be operational by July 2011.

In an interview last week, LRTA Deputy Administrator Cesar B. Chavez said they are only waiting for the $68-million right-of-way (ROW) acquisition budget before proceeding with the project.

"We got the NEDA [National Economic and Development Authority] and Cabinet approval already. We’re just waiting for the ROW funding," Mr. Chavez told BusinessWorld.

The ROW fund, which is part of the $260 million to be provided by the government, will finance land acquisition and the relocation of informal settlers within the perimeter of the 11.7-kilometer project.

Last June, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the LRTA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the ROW acquisition.

The LRTA expects to receive the ROW funding early January; it was supposed to be given earlier this month but the fund release was overtaken by the holiday break.

The Department of Budget and Management could not be reached for comment on the fund release.

Mr. Chavez said road clearing and squatter relocation will follow immediately after the fund is released.

Meanwhile, the competitive tender or bidding will be launched in February.

"Potential bidders would undergo the usual pre-qualification bidding," Mr. Chavez said, adding that in this stage, eligibilities of potential bidders are checked before they can join the actual financial and technical bidding processes for the $683-million project.

Awarding, construction

If the bidding goes as scheduled, Mr. Chavez said the contract will be awarded in April and the construction will begin in July.

Of the project amount, $260 million will come from the government, $30 million from the LRTA, and $393 million from the private sector.

In a related development, Mr. Chavez said the World Bank has renewed its interest in financing a portion of the government share as some representatives from the group were present in the bidding of the LRT North Extension.

"We’re not in the liberty to discuss it right now," said a bank’s representative, who declined to be identified.

Mr. Chavez said: "They’re observing how the bidding is being conducted, hopefully we can convince them [to grant the loan]."

According to the project’s implementation schedule, the LRTA is targeting to seal the World Bank loan approval in May 2008.

Previously, the International Finance Corp. (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector investment arm, expressed interest in funding the project soon as the government replaces the terminated SNC-Lavalin International, Inc. (SLII).

An IFC study noted that the South Extension project as proposed by the French-Canadian engineering and construction firm was initially overpriced at $823 million.

The South Extension project will be implemented through the contract-add-operate scheme under the Build-Operate-Transfer Law.

A 40-year concession agreement will be signed between the LRTA and the winning bidder, wherein the integrated system would be operated and maintained by the private sector.

NEDA approves $3.3-B MRT-7 project

By Doris C. Bongcac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:39:00 12/28/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The government Thursday gave the green light to the long-delayed Metro Rail Transit Phase 7 (MRT-7) build-operate-transfer (BOT) project, making it the single biggest infrastructure undertaking of the Arroyo administration.

The approval was given by the board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) after the project proponent agreed to put up more than $300 million as a performance bond -- a constant sore point between the private sector consortium and the Department of Finance.

“The project was finally approved and we want this to start as soon as possible,” Economic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director General Augusto Santos said in a telephone interview.

The entire undertaking will cost at least $3.3 billion -- a price tag that includes the rail and road components, as well as commercial and real estate development around the route of the rail system.

The main proponent, Universal LRT Corp., brings together the resources of the SM Group of Companies, Megawold Corp. and Israeli businessman Eli Levin. International Finance Corp., the private funding arm of the World Bank, has also shown interest in funding the enterprise either through a soft loan or an equity investment, Santos said.

The scheme calls for a 20-kilometer light rail system integrated with a 20-kilometer highway that will link the North Triangle area in Quezon City with San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan province.

“So all in all, this will be a 40-kilometer project and will come at no cost to the government (since it would be funded through the BOT scheme),” Santos explained.

The rail and road network is expected to cost as much as $1.3 billion, while the commercial and residential developments that are expected to rise along the route would cost another $2 billion.

Santos said the breakthrough came after ULC agreed to put up a 10-percent performance bond for the rail and road project component, plus another 10-percent bond for the property development side.

The finance department had long insisted on the bond, saying it was necessary to protect the government’s interests in case the consortium failed to implement the contract fully.

The amount required for the bond has come down significantly from the $450 million being quoted by finance officials in recent years.

“So they have now agreed to put up a bond of more than $300 million,” Santos said.

The NEDA chief cautioned, however, that the project still faced important hurdles ahead since the final implementation would only start after a BOT contract has been hammered out between the consortium and the government.

“The devil is in the details, so we will have to see how the contract will turn out,” he said, adding that the primary negotiator for the government side would be the finance department, which has long looked askance at the project.

^^oh... so it was approved. I was surprised. Now, where is bustero? What do you think will happen now?

The NEDA chief cautioned, however, that the project still faced important hurdles ahead since the final implementation would only start after a BOT contract has been hammered out between the consortium and the government.
“The devil is in the details, so we will have to see how the contract will turn out,” he said, adding that the primary negotiator for the government side would be the finance department, which has long looked askance at the project.
December 26th, 2007 10:57 AM


oh my!!...how many more months or years of waiting :nuts:

am just here, let's see . this is another Press Release so let's find out if they actually come out with some sort of actual contract, as the guy said the devil is in the details and if the finance department and not the DOTC will negotiate it then it will be harder for them (the consortium) to get some sort of government guarrantee if that's what they're truly after. actualy sounds a little like Neda washing it's hands to another department.

Gov’t set to OK MRT-7 contract
Business World
http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW122807/content.php?id=001

THE GOVERNMENT HAS DROPPED DEMANDS for additional guarantees from the proponent of the Metro Rail Transport-7 (MRT-7) project, paving the way for construction of the long-overdue line.

Rail Projects are expected to ease congestion in the metropolis. "We can now move forward, but it will depend on them (proponent Universal LRT Corp.) if they are going to accept our proposal," a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) source said.

NEDA Acting Director-General Augusto B. Santos, in a letter to Transportation Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza, said a NEDA-Cabinet meeting yesterday had agreed not require any additional guarantees apart from ULC’s original unsolicited proposal.

"May we request the DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) to facilitate written confirmation from ULC [of] such acceptance. Upon receipt of such ... the ICC (Investment Coordination Committee), on behalf of the NEDA-Cabinet, is prepared to confirm the proposed award of the subject project and its Concession Agreement to the ULC," Mr. Santos wrote.

ULC Chief Executive and Managing Director Eli Levin said his firm had accepted the proposal, and added that a contract could be finalized in a couple of days.

"They are not requiring any other bonds and we have accepted their conditions," Mr. Levin told BusinessWorld.

ULC’S unsolicited proposal includes a 10% performance guarantee on the rail and road system investment and a 10% three-year rolling performance bond on the scheduled real-estate and commercial development.

"Apart from requiring ULC 10% on rail plus 10% on real estate, they would provide a performance undertaking," the NEDA source said.

Compared with a performance bond, a performance undertaking does not have any financial equivalent. It is a legal instrument that gives the government a guarantee the proponent will finish the project.

The contractual undertaking allows the government to withhold portions of the capacity fee payments if the proponent is unable to fulfill its commitment.

The NEDA-Cabinet meeting proposal also stipulates that the government will have "step-in rights" anytime if the proponent fails to implement the real estate and commercial development portion of the project.

Construction of the rail and road component should begin in 2009, Mr. Levin said, while the real estate and commercial development to follow a year after.

He said ULC is also finalizing the participation of real estate developers. Among the big names currently in talks with ULC, he said, are Sy-led SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corp.

Officials from these firms were not immediately available for comment.

The proposed 23-kilometer rail project will run from North Avenue/EDSA in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, and includes a 22-kilometer access road stretching from the North Luzon Expressway Bocaue Exit to San Jose del Monte.

ULC submitted its original proposal in August 2002, and since then the offer has undergone 15 revisions upon the request of the government.

The firm agreed to a Swiss challenge earlier this year but despite initial interest from other groups, no new offers were submitted, prompting the government to again reevaluate ULC’s offer.

Finally, good news again in the Philippines.....optimism works

yep! sana lang eh.. Hindi nanaman bigyan ng issue (kuno) ng ibang politicians. :(

pero good news yan! :D

am just here, let's see . this is another Press Release so let's find out if they actually come out with some sort of actual contract, as the guy said the devil is in the details and if the finance department and not the DOTC will negotiate it then it will be harder for them (the consortium) to get some sort of government guarrantee if that's what they're truly after. actualy sounds a little like Neda washing it's hands to another department.

Christ almighty! It seems that this LRT7 saga just keeps on going and going and going. Same with the MRT3 buyout, which is another major hurdle if its not done soon. Kinda disturbing seeing those Philippine Star editorials keep on implying that the fate of LRT1 seems to be pending on the MRT3 buyout. Why oh why can't we just have the MRT/LRT network simply get built without any hassle or dassle is beyond me. Its not that expensive or complicated compared to the other projects that seem to go on without a hitch in this country and yet it matters so much to so many people and the economic benefits alone through the increase of efficiency in the movement of people will bring so much more back.

In the words of those in Canada who are equally frustrated with their own LRT projects not getting built because of delays due to "studies" by politicians who just don't care...

JUST BUILD IT ALREADY!!!!

woooohoooooo...at long last......approve na......based on the inquirer business report...today........give it four years to build...and by 2012....travelling to sjdm city of bulacan....will be a breeze....good for us.... i read somewhere that it will make the philippines 2nd to thailand in terms of railway mileage......good for us.....:banana:

NEDA approves $3.3-B MRT-7 project

By Doris C. Bongcac
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:39:00 12/28/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The government Thursday gave the green light to the long-delayed Metro Rail Transit Phase 7 (MRT-7) build-operate-transfer (BOT) project, making it the single biggest infrastructure undertaking of the Arroyo administration.
.


Ayos! Happy new year to us! :okay:

That's good. Will they be using new generation rail cars? Also, will they be using ticketing machines instead of those outdated wait in line to buy a ticket counters? Hopefully

very happy to hear this. sana matuloy na nga! and please...no more counters. exaperating for those on queue and those issuing the ticket.

very happy to hear this. sana matuloy na nga! and please...no more counters. exaperating for those on queue and those issuing the ticket.

waiting in line to buy a ticket is old fashioned and it wouldn't be a good idea for implementing a new metro line.

Thank god LRT-2 have ticketing machines even it they are old.

MRT-7 should use something like this.

http://guir.berkeley.edu/courses/SummerHCI02/projects/hkmtr.jpg

Also hope they won't use light rail cars. Instead use heavy rail full metro kinda like LRT-2

what is the route for mrt7?

Finally! Next time BRT naman ang gawin sa metro manila.

News from BusinessWorld 28-Dec-2007

Gov’t set to OK MRT-7 contract
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DROPPED DEMANDS for additional guarantees from the proponent of the Metro Rail Transport-7 (MRT-7) project, paving the way for construction of the long-overdue line.


Rail Projects are expected to ease congestion in the metropolis. — Norman P. Aquino "We can now move forward, but it will depend on them (proponent Universal LRT Corp.) if they are going to accept our proposal," a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) source said.

NEDA Acting Director-General Augusto B. Santos, in a letter to Transportation Secretary Leandro R. Mendoza, said a NEDA-Cabinet meeting yesterday had agreed not require any additional guarantees apart from ULC’s original unsolicited proposal.

"May we request the DoTC (Department of Transportation and Communication) to facilitate written confirmation from ULC [of] such acceptance. Upon receipt of such ... the ICC (Investment Coordination Committee), on behalf of the NEDA-Cabinet, is prepared to confirm the proposed award of the subject project and its Concession Agreement to the ULC," Mr. Santos wrote.

ULC Chief Executive and Managing Director Eli Levin said his firm had accepted the proposal, and added that a contract could be finalized in a couple of days.

"They are not requiring any other bonds and we have accepted their conditions," Mr. Levin told BusinessWorld.

ULC’S unsolicited proposal includes a 10% performance guarantee on the rail and road system investment and a 10% three-year rolling performance bond on the scheduled real-estate and commercial development.

"Apart from requiring ULC 10% on rail plus 10% on real estate, they would provide a performance undertaking," the NEDA source said.

Compared with a performance bond, a performance undertaking does not have any financial equivalent. It is a legal instrument that gives the government a guarantee the proponent will finish the project.

The contractual undertaking allows the government to withhold portions of the capacity fee payments if the proponent is unable to fulfill its commitment.

The NEDA-Cabinet meeting proposal also stipulates that the government will have "step-in rights" anytime if the proponent fails to implement the real estate and commercial development portion of the project.

Construction of the rail and road component should begin in 2009, Mr. Levin said, while the real estate and commercial development to follow a year after.

He said ULC is also finalizing the participation of real estate developers. Among the big names currently in talks with ULC, he said, are Sy-led SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and Andrew Tan’s Megaworld Corp.

Officials from these firms were not immediately available for comment.

The proposed 23-kilometer rail project will run from North Avenue/EDSA in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, and includes a 22-kilometer access road stretching from the North Luzon Expressway Bocaue Exit to San Jose del Monte.

ULC submitted its original proposal in August 2002, and since then the offer has undergone 15 revisions upon the request of the government.

The firm agreed to a Swiss challenge earlier this year but despite initial interest from other groups, no new offers were submitted, prompting the government to again reevaluate ULC’s offer. — Marian Grace C. Ramos


...It is a long wait before construction starts...and if ULC agrees with the
gov't proposal...Anyway, it is better to Wait than Nothing....:banana:

In the words of those in Canada who are equally frustrated with their own LRT projects not getting built because of delays due to "studies" by politicians who just don't care...

JUST BUILD IT ALREADY!!!!

Lol...how did you know that?...are you a Canadian??
Its true, Toronto is also trying to build a rail-link between the airport and downtown but the government just doesn't seem to see it as a priority, probably its because of money they are not willing to spend. Its a different case in the Philippines though, this project will come at no cost, financially, to the government since it will be funded using the BOT scheme. There is no losing with this project, it will create jobs, cut commute times, lessen traffic on roads, improve the environment...everybody wins!...

and by the way, the way we really say it over here is JUST BUILD IT ALREADY EH!!!:D

wow.. good news.. happy new year talaga..

is there any diagram or illustrations of how all these lines will be linked in the future?

http://www.urbanrail.net/as/mani/manila-map.gif

mrt-7 will traverse commonwealth right? it will connect to the north ave station of mrt3, will traverse north ave, eliptical then finally commonwealth? tama ba? so the mrt3 and lrt loop will bifurcate? how about the lrt-2?

If we have yellow for LRT 1, Purple for LRT 2 and Blue for MRT, what would be the color of MRT 7?

green.

white

Have anyone of you seen the original plan of LRT line 5? Any changes of this line yet? B/c it supposed to go from NAIA to Clark.

Hers the link & the illustration:
http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr16/pdf/f38_razon.pdf

It doesn't seem like it is an LRT. Line 5 seems to be the Northrail-Southrail, with the spur to Bonifacio.

It doesn't seem like it is an LRT. Line 5 seems to be the Northrail-Southrail, with the spur to Bonifacio.

^^ Korek!!!! This is actually the extension of Northrail to Fort Bonifacio called Northrail Phase 3. This will directly connect Subic Bay Freeport and DMIA to Fort Bonifacio. Things are not yet confirmed whether they will built it underground or elevated.

Phase 3 will involved dual narrowgauged track heavy railroad system capable of handling all type of trains including passengers, freight, container and other purposes. This line will also complete the heavy railway loop inside Metro Manila from Caloocan to Ortigas to Fort Bonifacio to Future Grand Central Terminal at FTI then by PNR from FTI to Manila and back to Caloocan using the old PNR Tracks...

Okay, so we have line 1-3 existing. Line 5 will be North Rail, and line 7 route is from North Ave to San Jose del Monte. Where is line 4 and 6?