Metro Manila LRT and MRT Lines - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 6

apiong

May 26th, 2005, 07:16 AM

http://money.inq7.net/topstories/view_topstories.php?yyyy=2005&mon=05&dd=26&file=7

DoTC seeks dialogue with JBIC exec
Posted: 3:15 AM | May 26, 2005

Inquirer News Service

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THE Department of Transportation and Communications will put on hold a plan to lodge a formal protest against the country representative of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JIBC) in the Philippines, Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said.

The department said last week that it would formally protest against JBIC country representative Osamu Murata with the Japanese embassy in Manila and at the JBIC headquarters in Tokyo "for his inappropriate behavior."

Mendoza said he would hold a dialogue with Murata before resorting to any drastic action.

The JBIC, the country's largest soft loan creditor and donor, finances about 60 percent of foreign-assisted projects in the Philippines.

The DoTC has accused Murata of "belligerent behavior" and complicity with irregularities related to the P31.5-billion Line 2 project of the Light Rail Transit Authority, which is now under congressional investigation.

Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Roberto Castañares, who wrote a strongly worded letter to Murata on May 11, later denied accusing Murata of any irregularity. He also denied saying he wanted Murata declared persona non grata. He also said he did not seek Murata's replacement.

"While we complain of his harsh treatment of DoTC, we would rather solve the matter in a professional manner," Castañares said in a letter to the Inquirer, reacting to a May 18 story, which was attributed to him.

In his letter to Murata, Castañares asked about "a grand conspiracy to cover up irregularities, his deafening silence and apparent tolerance on irregularities committed by Japanese contractors."

He also criticized Murata for "shouting at and scolding" Undersecretary Guiling Mamondiong "for not endorsing the capex project," referring to an P11-billion capacity expansion of the LRT Line 1.

Mamondiong also wrote to the Inquirer to deny being scolded by Murata. He said he and Murata had "a heated argument."

"This happened sometime in March when Mr. Murata, at the top of his voice, called from Japan, waking up Mamondiong who answered his call and then accused him of delaying the implementation of the project," he said in the letter.

Mamondiong said he became upset and also "raised my voice to stress my point." Clarissa Batino, with INQ7.net

http://money.inq7.net/topstories/view_topstories.php?yyyy=2005&mon=05&dd=18&file=2

DoTC accuses JBIC exec of irregularity
Posted: 0:31 AM | May 18, 2005

Clarissa S. Batino
Inquirer News Service

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THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) has accused the Philippine representative of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation of inappropriate behavior and complicity in the alleged overpricing of the P31.5-billion Line 2 overhead train project of the Light Rail Transit Authority, a department official said.

The DoTC will file a diplomatic protest against Osamu Murata, chief representative of JBIC, the country's largest soft-loan creditor and donor, financing about 60 percent of foreign-assisted projects, Transportation and Communication Assistant Secretary Robert Castañares said in an interview.

Castañares also said Murata should be declared persona non grata and should be replaced by the JBIC as its representative in the Philippines.

"I believe that we have had enough of your bullying and constant threat of canceling our loan if we fail to follow your wishes," said Castañares, quoting his own letter to Murata dated May 11. "Please consider this letter as a formal protest against your belligerent behavior."

Murata strongly denied he was involved in any irregularity.

"The DoTC lacks the understanding on how the JIBC operates," Murata said in an interview.

Castañares said that in the next few days the DoTC would lodge a formal protest with the Japanese embassy and the JBIC governor at his head office in Japan.

He said the department was not hitting the JBIC as an institution but only its country representative.

Congress is looking at the overpricing of some of the components of the Line 2 project of the Light Rail Transit Authority and irregularities on the selection of contractors. This is why, said Castañares, the DoTC is carefully evaluating other variation orders related to Line 2.

Castañares said 160 variation orders had been booked as early as 2003 but were never submitted to the DoTC for approval.

The Line 2 runs from Santolan Road in Pasig City to Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila.

There are 160 variations or changes to the original design of Line 2 worth P500 million that Murata was pushing for but which the DoTC did not approve after sensing supposed irregularities.

Castañares in his letter asked Murata whether "there was a grand conspiracy to cover up the irregularities in the remaining variation orders."

He said the DoTC had been circumspect in approving projects, especially those deemed not really crucial, to help ease the government's funding problem.

"Most of the variation orders are unjustifiable," said the DoTC assistant secretary. "The government is, in effect, being made to pay for the inefficiency, incompetence and negligence of certain people."

Murata said he would answer the DoTC's letter point by point.

"I have not read the letter carefully," he said, adding he had been in Cebu City monitoring a project. "We need to check the facts first then we would reply to the letter."

Castañares claimed that Murata had engaged in inappropriate behavior by trying to discredit Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

Castañares also accused Murata of displaying hostile behavior toward DoTC Undersecretary Guiling Mamondiong.

In his May 11 letter, copies of which he furnished the Japanese ambassador and ranking Philippine officials, Castañares claimed that Murata had been trying to malign Mendoza by writing letters to several lawmakers, implying that the secretary was an incapable official.

Castañares also claimed that Murata called up Undersecretary Mamondiong at his residence at about 11 p.m. and "ordered his [Mamondiong's] wife to wake him up ... [Mamondiong was] shouted at and scolded for not endorsing the capex project."

The capital expenditure project is the P11-billion, JBIC-funded capacity expansion of the Line 1 of the Light Rail Transit, which the DoTC had suspended for lack of budget.

Murata denied badmouthing Mendoza or any DoTC official. He also said he called up Mamondiong on his mobile phone at 10 p.m. about two months ago. "I even expressed my apologies for calling very late at night. I didn't shout at him," he said.

Castañares said the DoTC was curious about Murata's "deafening silence and apparent tolerance on irregularities committed by Japanese contractors" related to the Line 2 controversies.

Murata said it was the obligation of the DoTC to report to the JBIC any irregularity in a JIBC-funded project.

"It is the executing agency that must inform the JBIC of such irregularities," Murata said. "Up to now, we have not received any official information on these alleged anomalies. The JBIC is taking a strong stand against bribery and corruption." With INQ7.net

queetz@home

May 26th, 2005, 08:00 AM

absent-minded

May 27th, 2005, 03:32 AM

I actually like the way they are waiting to get this issue cleared up before they start on the capex project for LRT-1. the old line really does need this upgrade, but if it's going to be corrupted and everything's gonna end up in shambles, they might as well not do it. the Philippine gov't isn't getting this money free... it's a loan the country has to pay back and as such no one wants half the amount to be going out to corrupt officials from Japan or the Philippines or wherever. the JBIC should answer to these allegations and not try to shut up the DOTC officials, as they seem to be doing, just because they, being the creditors, have the power to do so... I'm not saying I believe the JBIC is wrong or that the DOTC is right. all I care is that they either get this settled so that things can be done right or cancel the project entirely so as the country doesn't waste any more money on another NAIA-3.

ryanr

June 5th, 2005, 06:10 AM

LRT, MRT brace for 1 M passengers
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 06/05/2005

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and the Metro Rail Transit Authority (MRTA) are finalizing preparations for the start of the new school year as they expect to accommodate almost a million passengers for the opening of classes tomorrow.

Both heads of the two rail systems said they have been preparing security and safety precautions as well as making plans to address expected and unexpected problems that may take place during the opening of classes and the days to follow.

In a phone interview yesterday, LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said they expects 500,000 passengers to take both Lines 1 and 2 of LRT when schools start tomorrow.

Robles said that while there would be no extension in the schedule of operations of the LRT trains (5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.), the LRTA would maximize the use of the trains.

The LRTA chief will be making rounds of the stations starting at 5 a.m. tomorrow inspecting Line 1 and Line 2 of the LRT to make sure the coaches are safe, secure and problem-free.

He earlier instructed LRTA civil security officer, retired Navy commander Ernesto Garzon, to come up with an action plan for the train operations.

Robles said more passengers would mean more potential incidents of theft, accidents, and chaos.

"This is why, as an agency that deals directly with providing a vital service to our people, the LRTA has to be prepared for any eventuality. The action plan has been disseminated to all our drivers, security guards, ticket tellers and even janitors. Relevant parts of the action plan are released to the public because we also want the general riding public to do their share in making their ride safe and secure," he said.

Robles has ordered security personnel to be more vigilant and alert at the busy stations of EDSA, Gil Puyat, Monumento, Carriedo, Blumentritt, 5th Avenue, and D. Jose on Line 1; and Recto, Legarda, V. Mapa, Cubao, Katipunan, and Santolan on Line 2.

He directed that more "skip trains," which would bypass terminals, be prepared for deployment to busy stations during the rush hour and emergency situations.

Robles said the cleaning crew has been told not only to keep their assigned work areas clean, but also to report any untoward incident and unusual behavior of certain persons to security personnel.

He said LRTA’s security personnel and guards have been trained in crowd control during loading and unloading as well as guiding passengers in case of breakdowns and delays.

Robles said increased visibility from the rail police as provided by PNP-Regional Action Unit would be a deterrent against criminals. They would also be available to assist passengers should the need arise, he said.

Robles said an significant increase in train passengers should be expected, especially when the fare increase for passenger jeepneys and buses are implemented.

For his part, MRTA administrator Assistant Secretary Roberto Lastimoso said they are expecting an estimated 420,000 persons riding the MRT trains from morning till evening.

Among the preparations made this year was putting up a special lane for the disabled, pregnant women and senior citizens at the North Avenue teminal.

Lastimoso also said that by the first week of June, more ticket issuing machines would be installed at busy MRT stations, including North Avenue, Cubao, Shaw Boulevard, Ayala and Pasay, so commuters can enter the stations faster.

This is also the reason why rates have been adjusted, doing away with the 50 centavos from the old fares.

Lastimoso explained that the machines had been calibrated to take in only one peso, five peso and 10 peso coins as well as paper bills, and not 25 centavo coins.

He said during peak season, the MRTA runs 21 "three-car trains," or a total of 63 cars for the entire day.

There is an interval of three minutes per train that arrives at each station.

During the off-peak season, the MRTA only uses 18 three-car trains, or 54 cars per day.

Lastimoso said MRTA engineers are constantly monitoring trains and doing maintenance work on the trains and tracks.

Lastimoso said the MRTA also added security for this year’s school opening.

He said they will be deploying at each MRT stations two security guards from private agencies, three K-9 units and one policeman at the inspection booth.

stephencua

June 7th, 2005, 03:59 AM

taken from inq7.net.. (this was a longer column, i only took the parts that would be of interest to our forum)

Goad governance
Posted: 2:48 AM | Jun. 07, 2005

Conrado R. Banal III
Inquirer News Service

TO PUMP up the spirit in business, apparently as a counter to surveys showing her sagging rating, Gloriaetta is going on an investment promo tour of Asia.

I think that the business sector really likes such a trip more than all the photo-op out-of-town trips she has been busy with lately.

Despite the bad news on her rating, we are gaining a little momentum in the economy. Investors are still interested in this country.

For instance, a group cannot wait to invest some $1.2 billion in the railway and highway system, under the Metro Rail Transit 7 project.

The group is known as the Universal LRT Corp., or ULC, and they are in the final stage of the long (very, very long?) process of getting government approval.

Word is out that the National Economic and Development Authority is going to the next -- and final -- stage of a Swiss challenge.

Now that has nothing to do with secret bank accounts or chocolates or wristwatches. In the "Swiss challenge," you have to beat the offer of ULC to the government to steal the railway-highway project from ULC.

But nobody really knows if the practice came from Switzerland.

* * *

ANYWAY, such is the news that can boost confidence in business. Gloriaetta has declared that, from now on, she would pay attention to infrastructure. This is always good for the economy.

That railway project, for instance, runs from North Avenue in Quezon City, all the way to San Jose del Monte town in the province of Bulacan, just north of Manila. Then, a 40-kilometer highway links the railway to the North Expressway at Marilao town in Bulacan.

That's like opening up thousands of hectares of idle raw land to development. And it is the beauty of infrastructure. Roads and airports and piers and railways always have this ability to generate a lot of other businesses.

From what I gathered, the ULC project itself has a real estate component, worth about $500 million, to develop San Jose del Monte into a new urban center.

And all that, mind you, without any cost to the government!

* * *

LIKE other railway ventures abroad, this one by ULC is actually a real estate play, more than a transport venture.

You see, railways hardly make money anywhere in the world. The proponents just make up for the loss in the railway venture, by linking it to property development.

Real estate development is the biggest reason behind ULC's position that Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7) can run without any subsidy from the government.

Whether or not the railway business goes well, the ULC has the real estate venture to rely on for the revenues to pay off the entire project.

And here is the good news to the guys down here in my barangay: the MRT-7 railway-highway project will absorb a lot of traffic from the EDSA highway.

There ... no more ugly pink wire fences!

Mango

June 22nd, 2005, 01:53 AM

Taken from manilatimes.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Govt to subsidize new train line for a decade

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Researcher

THE government will subsidize for 10 years passenger fares for the planned line 7 of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT 7), according to a document obtained by The Manila Times.

The subsidy will reach $1.25 billion, the document showed.

The government will no longer pay “capacity fees” annually for 25 years as provided in the original proposal for the MRT 7 project.

“Instead, the government will be obligated to shoulder the regulatory fare support averaging $113.82 million for the first 10 years of project operation or a total of $1.252 billion,” the document said.

The “regulatory fare support” is the difference between the economic fare and the actual fare multiplied by the actual ridership.

The economic fare is the rate, which, if implemented on the projected ridership will render the MRT 7 project viable.

However, this economic fare is too high, prompting the proponent, Universal LRT Corp. Ltd. (ULC), to seek an “actual fare” which is based on the average imposed by Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1, LRT 2 and MRT 3.

“Hence the difference between the economic fare and actual fare will in effect be ‘guaranteed’ by government through a performance undertaking,” the document explained.

Based on its financial runs presented in a June 9 meeting, the ULC proposed an actual fare for MRT 7 of P20 each passenger and an economic fare of P80.56.

This means that the government will shoulder some P60.56 a passenger.

In the same document, Jonathan Uy, director of the NEDA Public Investment Staff was quoted as saying during a June 14 meeting that the actual fare was set at low levels, thus raising the amount of “regulatory fare support” the government will have to assume.

Uy said this would become an issue since there was no fare sensitivity analysis done for such proposal.

Manuel A. Reyes, a representative of the ULC, was quoted as saying the actual fare was derived from the averages fares being imposed by LRT 1 and 2 and MRT 3.

Reyes said it is unfair if MRT 7 will be imposing a higher fare than what the others require, adding it is the government’s responsibility to impose the proper fare for all lines.

The same document said that during the first 10 years, the government will have no share in farebox revenues.

The ULC projected that revenues from transfer ridership will amount to between $6.4 million and $12.2 million, while advertising revenues will reach from $1.20 million to $1.60 million. Income on land share is expected to reach $4.4 million to $11.6 million, while land development revenues are seen amounting to between $31 million and $168 million.

The proposal comes at a time when the government is hard-pressed wiping its budget deficit by 2010. It also runs counter to a government policy of extending no financial subsidy similar to what operators of existing light transits enjoy.

MRT 7 will cost $1.2 billion, and will have a 22-kilometer elevated track running from Tala in Novaliches to North Avenue corner EDSA passing through Lagro, Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue before joining MRT Line 3 in North Avenue.

The project is intended to serve commuters to and from the north of Metro Manila, including Novaliches, Fairview, Caloocan and Bulacan, and involves the construction of a 17-km asphalt private road at the Marilao Exit of the North Luzon Expressway that would terminate at the intermodal terminal in Tala.

bustero

June 22nd, 2005, 04:23 AM

Naku this looks like it's going to get stuck in controversy. May subsidy kasi. Hope it gets thru!

Mango

June 22nd, 2005, 05:01 AM

^Yeah, it's one of those news you read with a **sigh**....

renell

June 22nd, 2005, 08:46 AM

well... i'm trying to be positive, and for me there's no controversy until there is one:D and i don't read anything yet.

absent-minded

June 23rd, 2005, 01:18 AM

well... i'm trying to be positive, and for me there's no controversy until there is one:D and i don't read anything yet.

ahahahaha!!

I read the article yesterday but I don't get the technical stuff it tries to explain. it doesn't sound too good though. I hope this isn't going to get in the way of the development of MRT-7.

btw, I wonder if MRT-7 is going to be like the crappy MRT-3 or the nice MRT-2 megatren. I hope it's the latter but it's supposedly the same developer of the MRT-3 so you never know. can't wait to see plans from ULC...

dancethingy

June 23rd, 2005, 12:45 PM

Hi Guys, my name is Ben and I just recently moved to the Philippines from Chicago. I'm here till i decide its time to go back to sweet home Chicago. I decided to move back because I want to get to know my country of origin.
Im currently in Quezon City near UP Diliman. Thinking of getting second degree. As you all know Chicago is one the best places in the world for Public Trans. (well kinda) so naturally i'm one who is very fond of public trans.
Please don't get mad, but could someone summarize to me all the MRT/LRT projects going on around the country. I mean i see MRT3, then MRT2, and now MRT7, i'm kinda confused. Where are all these projects in terms of their development. I hope to Holy Heaven that they all get built. I think good public trans can solve so much of the countries trans problems. It would be so GREAT for them to put a station at tandang sora, please let it happen.

pau_p1

June 24th, 2005, 03:14 AM

LRT1, LRT2 and MRT3 are all operational. LRT1 runs from Caloocan to Paranaque via Avenida Rizal and Taft Avenue. LRT2 which is newest runs from Pasig to Manila via Aurora Blvd, Magsaysay Avenue, Legarda and Recto Blvd. MRT3 runs from Quezon City to Pasay via EDSA.

MRT7 is still in the drawing boards and hopefully it will get built in the next months. This will run from Caloocan North to Quezon City via Commonwealth Ave and North Ave. there used to be a list of stations from a city map and it appears that there would be a station in Tandang Sora or in Luzon...also I think there would be some link from the Tandang Sora station to the LRT2 in Pasig....

bustero

June 24th, 2005, 05:06 AM

Hi Ben,
You can go to the lrta.gov.ph and pnr.gov.ph sites. The main root site gov.ph will lead you too them to if you press on the transportation link on the side.

These should give you a good overview.

If you want to find out where the new ones are, click here:
http://www.neda.gov.ph/odamon/projectslist.asp?GroupName=Subsector&GroupVar=Transportation

They list all the diff projects under review , just go sort out the mass transit ones. They include, upgrade, extension and totally new ones. line 4, line 7 and line 8.

north rail is not in it as it's beginning.
southrail should be there or in the funding section.

tyronne

June 27th, 2005, 07:24 PM

long read but it's worth it :)

Decongesting EDSA
By Mary Ann Reyes
The Philippine Star 06/27/2005

The country is finally inching closer to what could be the biggest foreign investment in recent years that will not only rid EDSA of its mammoth traffic jams but also decongest the metropolis.

The government and the private sector are in the final stretch of an agreement for the construction of Metro Railway Transit-7 (MRT-7) running from Quezon City to Bulacan, a multibillion-dollar project that badly needs the imprimatur of the investment community.

President Arroyo has directed the government agencies concerned to iron out remaining kinks that are delaying the final approval of MRT-7, a proposed inter-modal transport system whose concept is unmatched worldwide.

The directive was given during a courtesy call by the project proponents, which include European, Israeli and Japanese investors, all of whom have committed to support Philippine infrastructure development regardless of the political uncertainties.

Proponents of MRT-7, which will go all the way from SM City on North Avenue in Quezon City (the final destination of the existing EDSA MRT-3) to San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, include the biggest names in the world transportation business such as Siemens of Germany, Alstom Corp. of France, CRCC/China Railway, as well as a powercast in the local business community that includes the SM Group, businessman George Go, to name a few, constituting Universal LRT Corp. (ULC).

ULC submitted its preliminary proposal for MRT-7 as early as August 2000 and has since then been in close collaboration with government. After several modifications, the project was given first pass approval on March 26, 2004. The project had evolved from a simple rail system to a complex transportation intermodal project with interchanges and convenient transfer stations to the other existing rail projects.

And at the suggestion of government, an urban center component was added that will see the creation of a new city in San Jose del Monte. Already, a 194-hectare property was acquired by the proponent and negotiations are in progress for the acquisition of an additional adjacent 313 hectares. Thus, in addition to the $1.2 billion investment in the transport system, another $1 billion will be invested for real estate development, making MRT 7 one of the biggest investments in the country to date.

The Transportation Component

The MRT 7-SM Line will be undertaken under a built-gradual transfer-operate-and maintain (BGTOM) scheme over a 25-year period, which the Department of Justice said fully complies with the requirements of the BOT law.

Much ado has been made about the support that will be required of government during the first 11 years of the concession period as a credit enhancement facility. What is not being given much weight and consideration though is the fact that the government stands to earn as much as $2.5 billion from the project, not to mention the downstream and upstream benefits on the economy. Studies have also shown that the country will save as much as $2.4 billion over the life of the project in terms of fuel savings.

There is no doubt that the country needs a transportation project that would relieve Metro Manila’s roads and provide a fast and affordable transportation system that would enable commuters to work in the metropolis’ commercial centers and still reside out-of-town where land and housing costs are low. Decongestion of the metropolis has become a must to make Metro Manila livable.

It is also a given that investment in infrastructure is vital to any country’s growth. Danny Leipziger, director for financial, private sector and infrastructure of the World Bank, noted that under-investment in infrastructure hampers long-term economic growth and competitiveness. Infrastructure investment is necessary to increase income levels and improve income equality in developing countries. Infrastructure development also tends to benefit the poor the most since they are the ones least able to afford alternatives.

Deficit-Neutral Project

A rail transit system, without a doubt, is expensive. However, it is safe, efficient, provides a reliable and predictable transportation at great savings in terms of foreign exchange on fuel, not to mention traffic-less. It also safeguards the environment from pollution, which not only deteriorates quality of life but will also entail the taxpayers huge cost in terms of health services.

Thus, nowhere in the world does a rail system operate without some kind of support from government. In the case of MRT 7 though, the project is envisioned to be deficit-neutral from government’s perspective. Apart from a share in farebox revenues, government will be able to generate income from other sources which would not be otherwise available without the project like pre-completion tax earnings, tax generation throughout the 25-year concession period resulting from the economic activity generated from the $1.2 billion transportation and $1 billion real estate undertakings, government revenue from the sale or lease of its real estate rights, state’s share in commercial development and advertising revenues, and sale of land procured by the proponent and allocated to government (around 20 percent share for the state).

While the projected government fare support is estimated at $1.2 billion in the worse and next to impossible scenario of government zero revenues, project proponents estimate that government will receive as much as $3.7 billion over the concession period. Thus, unlike the other lines which are being supported and subsidized by government with no chance of recovery, in MRT 7, not only will the government be reimbursed for whatever support it may advance, it will also receive net profits amounting to $2.5 million.

And unlike the other lines, the investors of MRT 7 are taking all the risks upfront and will complete the project prior to any possible assistance by the government. According to the proponents, government will have no operating and maintenance risks, no ridership risks, no construction or completion risks. Whatever government support will be needed is clearly recoverable from the revenues that will accrue to the state from the project and other developments brought about by it.

To assure the doubting Thomases in government as to revenues, the draft agreement included a provision whereby government has the option of either taking 20 percent of the net profits after tax or 20 percent of the land acquired by the proponent for the project. And to ensure that real estate development will actually take place, the proponents have identified reputable partners and those which have strong track record in this field. The SM Group for instance has agreed to undertake the development of the San Jose del Monte, Bulacan property.

Gov’t Final Ok Seen

As early as March 3, 2005, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri, in a letter to DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, noted that government is ready to negotiate the MRT Line 7 unsolicited proposal provided that the private proponent categorically express in writing its concurrence to the following: first, that the project be deficit neutral on government’s perspective; second, that government shall not bear any commercial/ridership risk; and third, that the national government will not pay any of the private proponent’s taxes. All these, the proponents have already agreed to, according to Universal LRT Corp. managing director Eli Levin.

Following this development from government, the DOTC has informed Levin last March 16 that the ICC Cabinet Committee has given instructions to commence in-depth negotiations on the details of the concession agreement and to initiate preparations for the Swiss Challenge phase of the process, which is expected to commence in the next few months.

It is expected that a final contract with government will be arrived at before the end of the year with financial closing estimated end-of 2006. Construction thus will begin first quarter of 2007 and end three years later.

With all issues finally put to rest, decongesting EDSA of traffic caused by the ubiquitous bus terminals –there are around 23 provincial bus stations along EDSA –will no longer be an (exhaust) pipe dream.

source: http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200506270405.htm

stephencua

June 28th, 2005, 02:40 AM

great find tyronne!!! :applause: :righton:
finally very positive news about this.. hopefully the northrail construction will also push thru..

absent-minded

June 28th, 2005, 10:19 AM

sweeet! hopefully, though, this project will really aleviate the heavy PUB traffic on EDSA once completed. they thought the MRT-3 would help, and it somewhat has since it opened, but it alone isn't enough. I'm sure though that an integrated railway and highway system with the MRT-3, MRT-7, LRT-6, the Northrail and the Southrail as well as the C-6 Road, the Skyway, EDSA, the NLEX and SLEX completed in the future will totally eliminate traffic jams in Metro Manila. more than that, it will definitely provide for growth in the rural/suburban communities outside the big cities...

obviously, we are still a far, far cry from accomplishing that, but just imagine... haha! w-o-w... that is an unbelievably long backbone and sort of a "growth corridor" spanning a huge part of Luzon!

dancethingy

June 28th, 2005, 08:03 PM

OH God please let it happen, PLEASE.

2xplicit

July 3rd, 2005, 05:33 PM

tyronne

July 3rd, 2005, 05:50 PM

ust a thought.. maybe things would work out better if the metro manila area had a more streamlined transit system.. Dito buy a ticket to the Skytrain (our LRT/MRt) and use the same one for the bus and Seabus (a small ferry which crosses from downtown to North Vancouver).. I know it would affect many pero then I think I could really decongest Metro Manila.. Here in Vancouver the places we normaly travel to everyday is either similar in distance to traveling around metro Manila, the only difference is wala pang insang oras and pag travel papunta downtown.. ust a thought =/..

same here in san francisco. you can use a single ticket (within the time indicated on the ticket) for transfer. the problem back home is, if im not mistaken, buses in MM are operated by private companies. if there was only one entity managing the buses and mrt/lrt then i think that would be ok.

by the way, welcome to SSC Philippines :wave: just curious, is your "J" key not functioning? :colgate:

queetz@home

July 3rd, 2005, 05:54 PM

ust a thought.. maybe things would work out better if the metro manila area had a more streamlined transit system.. Dito buy a ticket to the Skytrain (our LRT/MRt) and use the same one for the bus and Seabus (a small ferry which crosses from downtown to North Vancouver).. I know it would affect many pero then I think I could really decongest Metro Manila.. Here in Vancouver the places we normaly travel to everyday is either similar in distance to traveling around metro Manila, the only difference is wala pang insang oras and pag travel papunta downtown.. ust a thought =/..

Of course, things would work out better for Vancouver if they would build the RAV Line the same way they built the MRT and LRT lines in Metro Manila, which are all elevated instead of tunneled, and use the rest of the funds to even expand the Skytrain in other parts of the region so more people would be able to give up their cars for transit. In that way, Vancouver would be decongested as well... ;)

olineil

July 3rd, 2005, 07:06 PM

Unified Ticket System is usually the way to go once we reach a first World level.

Here in Singapore - MRT (2 ccompanies), LRT(same 2 comp), Buses (same 2 comp) use a unified ticket system. The contactless ticketing system is being ran by a separate company (EZlink).

The structure would be:

SMRT/SLRT-------------------------| EZlink

SBS Transit(MRT/LRT)---------------| EZlink

SBS Transit(BUS)--------------------| EZlink

SMRT(BUS)--------------------------| EZlink

so this really streamlines everything.

dancethingy

July 3rd, 2005, 07:22 PM

"don't visit the Philippines!!!! This country is full of S&%$@t!!!!!"

What!?!?!?!?!?!

I'm not forcing you to change it, I just want you to know that i don't appreciate and so do probably most of the people in this forum, especially those residing in the Philippines. You are no help to our people if you degrade our current state of affairs without offering any constructive criticism. You're simply adding salt on wound.

bustero

July 4th, 2005, 03:47 AM

what???

pau_p1

July 4th, 2005, 04:28 AM

I think he's being selfish... and I think he's too brainwashed by the other government where he currently lives that he doesn't care of his own nation.... he's not thinking that the government is way different from the natural resources and activities the country can provide.... sobra siguro nagandahan sa singapore na singliit ng Quezon City.... hehehe....

normandb

July 4th, 2005, 04:54 AM

renell

July 4th, 2005, 05:41 AM

:lol: we're all S&%$@t!!!!! :D

a unified transport ticketing system would be hard with the different operators. but I guess LRTA could make a deal with one of the big operators.

pau_p1

July 6th, 2005, 11:06 AM

guys... have you heard of the incident that halted the operation of MRT this morning? A dead guard is found on the rails near Guadalupe station... it halted operation of the MRT from Shaw station to Taft station...

because of this I had to bring a car on the way to office because of too many passengers on EDSA cor Shaw... and when I passed by the area near the San Carlos Seminary... I saw the CSI people there.. hehehe... not sure kung katulad ng CSI sa US.. hehee....

stephencua

July 6th, 2005, 11:11 AM

yup.. biktima ako dun e.. i also had to ride a car to work knina.. kawawa nman yung guy..

pau_p1

July 6th, 2005, 11:19 AM

yup... di ko nga lang sure.. kung ano ang nangyari talaga sa kanya... according sa uncle ko na nakarinig ng news.. nasira pa raw ata yung tren na nakasagasa sa guard...

2xplicit

July 6th, 2005, 03:49 PM

same here in san francisco. you can use a single ticket (within the time indicated on the ticket) for transfer. the problem back home is, if im not mistaken, buses in MM are operated by private companies. if there was only one entity managing the buses and mrt/lrt then i think that would be ok.

by the way, welcome to SSC Philippines :wave: just curious, is your "J" key not functioning? :colgate:

hahah yeah.. I've had to use our old crappy windows 98 computer hahah.. both the seven and "j" key are pretty tricky to use hahaha..

I'm really sadened by the situation of pinas at the moment, more rallys=the further our country goes down the drain :( ..

olineil

July 7th, 2005, 03:00 AM

Ok guys I changed my signature, but nothing hurts more than the truth. I am very patriotic to our country I am just sour sopping coz after all this years ive been outside the country, still hoping for a better future for my family, then here goes all those stupid politicians. Really makes me flame out.

Anyway I changed my signature and sorry for the whole Philippines and Filipino forumers from the provinces but im not sorry for Manila at all!!!!

1more thing, im not brainwashed here in SG. Truth is i was brainwashed ther sa pinas for the 1st 23years of my life, thinking that the "4 corners of the shithole" im in was actually a very good life already, but alas! as soon as i got out of the country and saw how other Governments work for their people (philippines is the other way around), the brainwash was removed.

Now back to Topic...

bustero

July 7th, 2005, 04:37 AM

shit how did that sikyo get run over , he fell on the tracks! yikes! I think eventually they should put that system they have in singapore and are installing in other major cities na may plexiglass wall on the platform that opens sabay sa door. that really should be standard safety device, pag madami tao or may naghabulan you really can't tell if someone might get pushed accidentally on the track!

I think the unified system with the lrt is underway na diba. Is this what you guys are talking about ?

thomasian

July 7th, 2005, 04:58 AM

he didn't fell on the tracks. he was actually making the regular track inspection on the at-grade section of the rails in between stations.

bustero

July 7th, 2005, 04:59 AM

ngek tapos tinamaan ng tren, naku naman para pala siyang sinagasaan ng pison!

pau_p1

July 7th, 2005, 05:30 AM

it occurred around 5:30am.. he was a new guard.. he was making rounds.. checking the tracks without wearing a reflective jacket... when he was hit by an empty train (except for the driver)... maybe he thought he was strolling in the park while walking by the tracks...

thomasian

July 7th, 2005, 05:42 AM

Ok, so he was new. But he should have been more cautious while making rounds in the tracks.

Mango

July 8th, 2005, 03:13 AM

Taken from manilabulletin
DoTC gets back MRT 4 project from the freezer

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is giving the Mass Rail Transit (MRT) line 4 project another chance at seeing implementation as it currently reviews plans for the urban light railway project.

DoTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said his office is currently studying the project and has not totally abandoned the proposal given by the French consortium.

MRT Line 4 is a 22-kilometer elevated-double track carriageway that would cover the 15.1 kilometer Phase 1 running from Old Bilibid Prison in Manila to Batasan in Quezon City while Phase 2 covers the Batasan area to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

The project is expected to have a capacity of 550,000 per day when completed.

The MRT 4 consortium, composed of Bouygues-Jaylon International (Phils) Inc. — SOFRETU, was conferred the status of original proponent by the DoTC through an endorsement made by former Secretary Jesus B. Garcia Jr. to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Teresita Fernandez Laumond, chairman and president of Javlon International (Phils) Inc. recently made a thorough presentation in Malacañang of the project’s main features such as engineering plans and designs, time-table and financing scheme.

Laumond said the meeting was in reaction to repeated appeals made by the MRT line 4 consortium to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and concerned agencies to finally issue a decision on the railway line project proposal submitted to the DoTC as early as Dec. 12, 1994.

About a year after it received the MRT line 4 proposal, the DoTC has conferred to the consortium an "original proponent" status in May 1995, and Nov. 16, which the same agency reaffirmed in July 2001.

On the other hand, NEDA granted the MRT 4 project "first pass approval" in Jan. 28, 1998 or seven years ago.

It will be recalled that the French proposal has lost its "original status" with the lapse of the prescribed 18 months validity period.

"This implies the proponent of MRT 4 lost its original proponent status and is reverted to its previous status as a proponent to the build-operate-transfer (BOT) law," according to the Department of Justice (DoJ).

The DoJ opined that the proposal was no longer valid as the financial and technical aspects of the project was submitted by the French consortium 10 years ago.

Mendoza said that they are now evaluating the proposal and the technical working group of the DoTC noted some deficiencies in the technical proposal of the French consortium.

Earlier, Representative Jacinto Paras of Negros Occidental said an immediate inquiry is needed in the problem of the MRT 4.

"Immediate action of Congress is needed so that proper recommendation, in aid of legislation, may be made and the interest of the general public protected." (Lynda B. Valencia)

pau_p1

July 8th, 2005, 04:34 AM

hmmm... I hope this would materialize soon... it would definitely help we residents of the north.. :D especially when MRT7 is built... MRT 4 will continue our connection to Manila

thomasian

July 8th, 2005, 11:05 AM

when was that article written? it didn't mention LRT-7 which had alignment conflicts with LRT-4.

renell

July 8th, 2005, 12:10 PM

^ Perhaps it will be thawed on the basis that this alignment conflict will be resolved.

sugarboy

July 8th, 2005, 02:04 PM

what do you guys have to say about all the advertisements posted on LRT and MRT properties? boon or bane?

OtAkAw

July 8th, 2005, 04:40 PM

Mango

July 8th, 2005, 05:46 PM

when was that article written? it didn't mention LRT-7 which had alignment conflicts with LRT-4.

July 8 2005 :)

thomasian

July 9th, 2005, 04:33 AM

July 8 2005 :)
Ah... ok. Thanks.

what do you guys have to say about all the advertisements posted on LRT and MRT properties? boon or bane?
I think a few advertisements won't hurt, if that translates to extra income for the proper operation and maintenance of the trains, then that would be fine.

Magmumulto nyan yan sigurado...
Wala naman tayong magagawa kung ganon ang mangyayari.
Let's just pray for his soul.

absent-minded

July 12th, 2005, 12:53 PM

yay... good thing the LRT-4 hasn't been completely shelved. pero grabe, ang tagal naman niyan. haha! I take it though that the investors are still quite interested!

what do you guys have to say about all the advertisements posted on LRT and MRT properties? boon or bane?

they're a bane to me. but they don't have to be. I like how they probably earn extra income for the LRTA and the MRTC, like aaron said, but I just hate the way they're so dang ugly. they just look so cheap the way the banners are hung on the posts with those thin metal bars and stuff. they should have some standardized, completely built up box thing para mas polido at maganda. the ones "stickered" onto the outsides of the MRT-3 aren't too bad though... I just hope they don't do it on the Megatren. hahaha!

thomasian

July 12th, 2005, 01:00 PM

Yeah, the Megatren looks to good to be wrapped in ads.

pau_p1

July 13th, 2005, 03:06 AM

I think if they'd attach ads to the Megatran, it should only be allowed on the glass windows.. like what they had for Singapore's MRT....

thomasian

July 13th, 2005, 10:21 AM

Okay, but that's destroys the view. Well not really destroys the view but lessens it because the ads are sort of see-thru anyway. But still, the view is not crystal clear.

Maybe the whole height of the piers or columns supporting the Megatren could be wrapped in ads instead.

dancethingy

July 13th, 2005, 02:57 PM

Anybody here been to Chicago? I like how they advertise on their trains. Very classy. But most of the advertising are health promotion stuff, like "Peanut butter is good for you," or "Pomegranate juice, 100% good for the heart," or "have you been tested for syphillis?"

Solblanc

July 13th, 2005, 06:01 PM

tigidig14

July 13th, 2005, 06:46 PM

i go to chgo evry once and then, there commercial in the train is ok, mediocre. but i like the advertisement they have in newyork subway heading to new jersey. its a hologram of gm cars, i think its corvette, (i think or some gm's car ) by the wall of the subway. as you pass thorough the subway the wall becomes a big hologram or tv. perty kewl actually, its like when u do a cartun and u flip the page from top to bottom. i dont know hu tot of it, (subway wall) but its very clever.

thomasian

July 14th, 2005, 05:57 AM

well, the megatren doesn't have a nice view to begin with... :D

But it does have a good view of Manila, Makati, Ortigas, Quezon City and the Eastwood Skyline.

stephencua

July 15th, 2005, 02:21 AM

taken from manila bulletin www.mb.com.ph

LRT 2 extension projects still under careful study, says DoTC

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is still studying if and when to pursue the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 2 extension from Pasig to Antipolo City in Rizal province.

"We are still studying if the construction of the LRT 2 extension will help in the economic viability of the country," said Guiling Mamondiong, Undersecretary for Rail Transport.

"The same is true with the proposed extension of LRT 2 to Divisoria," he added.

The 13.8 kilometer LRT 2 railway is presently operating from Santolan in Pasig City to Recto station in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

In 2004, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is seeking R8 billion in loans from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to extend Line 2 from Santolan to Cogeo in Antipolo City.

DoTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the assistance from the Japanese government is in line with the country’s Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), which seeks to accelerate infrastructure development.

The loan will be a new one with the same concessional terms as the previous one (Line 2). It will have a two percent interest for three packages payable in 30 years with a 10-year grace period.

A feasibility study on the traffic volume, technical engineering, financial and technical feasibility of extending the LRT 2 project from Santolan all the way to Cogeo in Antipolo has already been validated.

The need to have an LRT line going to Cogeo has been decided to address the mass transit needs of the expanding population in suburban Antipolo, most of whom work in Metro Manila.

Under the LRT 2 network that would extend to eastern section of the Rizal province, there are two alternative route options. The first alternative route will be along the junction of Sumulong Highway and Marcos Highway.

The proposed route alignment will occupy the median part of the Marcos Highway along its entire length.

The length of this route alignment is about 5.75 kilometers and could link the northeastern Rizal towns to Metro Manila through the Marikina-San MateoMontalban and the Taytay-Cainta-Pasig routes.

The second alternative will make use of the Sumulong Highway, passing through A. Bonifacio Avenue and Sumulong Highway in Marikina.

The DoTC study, however, stated that the Marcos Highway route is more viable based on technical engineering and cost consideration.

The study likewise noted that locating an LRT line through the Sumulong Highway would require substantial property acquisitions to give way to LRT carriageway structure, stations and utilities.

The main drawback identified on the Marcos Highway alignment is the heavy flooding in the area which could be aggravated during the construction.

Semi-elevated structures shall be adopted in depressed areas where flooding normally occurs. On the other hand, the at-grade level structures shall be used wherever possible being cheaper and easier to construct.

A total of three stations are proposed – Rodriguez Avenue. Imelda Avenue and Sumulong Highway.

It will be constructed for a three-car operations, but will include provisions for expanded fleet operations in the future.

In case an LRT system is constructed in the area, the rehabilitation of its drainage system would intend to push up the project’s capital cost.

DoTC attested that the proposed extension of the LRT 2 to the eastern fringes is consistent with the urban growth strategy for Metro Manila. (Lynda B. Valencia-PNA)

whyte

July 24th, 2005, 09:09 AM

^ good news indeed. an extension up to MASINAG only would be very beneficial.

A total of three stations are proposed – Rodriguez Avenue. Imelda Avenue and Sumulong Highway.

the planned rodriguez ave and imelda ave station would be likened to MRT ORTIGAS and MRT SHAW. LOL (though i really believe that it could have been better if MRT ortigas was built on the deep excavation near SEC bldg.)

id rather like to see a STA LUCIA station* (imelda ave) and a MASINAG STATION (sumulong)

* or somewhere between LIGAYA and STA LCUIA area.there are a number vacant lots there.

Solblanc

July 24th, 2005, 04:19 PM

I'm guessing that they really don't want to acquire private lands, considering the LRT-1 south extension fiasco where some guy got ahold of the exact plan of the route and started acquiring all the properties in the area only to sell it to the government at a substantially higher price...

dancethingy

July 25th, 2005, 05:45 PM

Hi tigidig 14, you're right about the CTA advertising, but hey the message is good for people. Chicago's CTA is in big time financial trouble right now. If the CTA collapses, so will Chicago i'm sure of it. People tend to underestimate the massive benefits of public transportation, but I think most Chicagoans are starting to realize this. This is why i keep telling people here in Metro Manila that the future of this country lies in an complex, efficient, safe, and accessible public transportation.

Rence

July 28th, 2005, 08:56 AM

absent-minded

August 4th, 2005, 04:28 AM

:bash: They should see conduct a complete and an extensive study whether or not the LRT and MRT structure are safe for the commuting public.

In an ABS-CBN report said that parts of LRT going to Santolan station were not designed properly by the contractors
yeah, that was discussed in this thread just recently. the LRTA has said that the contractors already remedied those problems. and I think some of our forumers confirmed that what they did was okay...

anyway, here are some pics I finally got to take when I went on the LRT-2 the other day. hehe... nothing you guys haven't seen before though, nothing special. my mom had to go to Intercon for a seminar so I just went with her and her friend. I "forced" my mom to take the MRTs so we parked the car at SM Sta. Mesa. hahaha! I didn't bother taking pics of the MRT-3 though. :sleepy: hehehehe

I'm not very good with photography, so pasensya na lang. haha and the guard on the platform level did warn me about the LRTA's policy. but yeah, here goes...

V. Mapa Station from street level. crappy shot...
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1559/img0012vh.jpg

South Entrance
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7798/img0023im.jpg

at the Platform. I wasn't able to get any shots on the Concourse Level.
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8901/img0033fq.jpg

I think the trains just left. oh and the LED signs were working properly. I dunno why the bottom half doesn't show up on the pictures...
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6941/img0047rf.jpg

this is pretty blurry. that was the guard...
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/8535/img0058lf.jpg

the refurbished SM Sta. Mesa from the Platform Level. mostly done. the color's actually quite nice! and the interior is being worked on too and the parts that are done look nice!
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5787/img0068tf.jpg

Megatren. I love you!! hahahaha
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/310/img0099ar.jpg

inside the first car facing the front. I couldn't shoot behind me cause the guard was there. haha! the trains were quite full but still very roomy. that was around lunch time... when we transferred to the MRT-3, grabe... :runaway:
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5387/img0101bt.jpg

yeah... that's all... haha I'll try to get better pictures next time.

Edmundtanso

August 4th, 2005, 04:37 AM

Sm Sta Mesa is painted red? that cool!

absent-minded

August 4th, 2005, 04:53 AM

Sm Sta Mesa is painted red? that cool!
yeah... diba may nagpost na dati? I think it was aaron...??

renell

August 4th, 2005, 07:54 AM

a lot of people wearing white... :D anyways that LRT logo besides V. Mapa.. hmm... pretty new to me..

richard fischer

August 4th, 2005, 10:42 AM

hi absent minded,
very nice shots there ! congratulations from a professional photographer ! nice to see how clean the lrt - 2 is. how are the other ones ?
rds. philpal

tyronne

August 4th, 2005, 07:06 PM

good job, absent_minded :okay: thanks for sharing.

mysaong03

August 4th, 2005, 07:40 PM

absent, did u notice any slowdown on the train speed while its running?? coz my ciz used to complain bout it.. its much mcuh slower daw compared to MRT or LRT!!! totoo bato?? coz when i tried it one time, sobrang bagal nga nya!!

thomasian

August 5th, 2005, 05:23 AM

A reason for the slowdowns is that the train you're in is very close to the earlier one.
But with or without those slowdowns, MegaTren is still slower than MRT.\
I don't know why this is the case because the maximum speed of the MegaTren is supposedly higher than that of the MRT.

What I like about the MegaTren is that it accelerates and stops gently, that I can stand in the train without holding-on to the safety handrails or anything for the whole duration of the ride. Mas astig kasi yun eh,I just stand infront of the door enjoying the view without ever having to hold on the handrails.

Pero sa MRT, good luck sayo pag ginawa mo yun, titilapon ka sa bilis ng pag a-accelerate at pag stop nung train.

Francis20

August 5th, 2005, 06:04 AM

nice photos there @ Absent!
I love LRT2 as well.
Renell, are those signs new? They look good imo.
And yeah, did u say LRT slows down? MRT3 does that pretty often. Especially during rush hours when the preceding train is still on the next station. They run pretty close, that sometimes it will take only 1 minute before the next train comes in...and jam packed pa rin ang mga tao. Ive never seen this happen sa LRT2.

mysaong03

August 5th, 2005, 07:43 PM

aaron, noh, talagang mabagal lang daw... im referring to its low rate of speed throughout its entire run. & in the case of MRT3, that speed is ideal for me coz everyone riding them are always on a rush, so it indeed serves its purpose right...yun nga lang, always look for a handrail to hold on before anythin else :D & stand near the aircon blower, malamig!! :)

ryanr

August 5th, 2005, 08:39 PM

a lot of people wearing white... :D anyways that LRT logo besides V. Mapa.. hmm... pretty new to me..

Thats coz its a popular line among students, since it goes straight to the heart of the university belt. Great photos, Lance:)

absent-minded

August 6th, 2005, 12:07 PM

thanks guys! haha!

yeah... when the trains get full, it's usually filled up with a lot of students. kaya puro naka uniform... hehe

and about the speed of the Megatren. I dunno. I also noticed that it felt slower than the MRT-3, but then I was like... maybe it's because the tracks so much higher up so you don't see nearby buildings and cars on the road going by so fast like you do along EDSA on the MRT. instead the view along most of the route of the LRT-2 is little houses further away the distant Makati and Ortigas skylines... also, if you're in between two stations (where the train goes at regular speed) and a train from the opposite direction passes by parang masmabilis dumaan ung tren kaysa sa pag sa MRT-3. I dunno. that's what I think... hehe!

and like aaron said, the stopping and going on the Megatren is sooooooo much smoother you don't really have to hold on when you're standing up. the MRT-3 is really rough and when you're standing up during rush hour, it's really annoying when you lean over onto other people. nakakatakot kasi baka magalit ung mga matataray... haha! and there aren't so many poles to hold on...

_zner_

August 6th, 2005, 12:50 PM

absent-minded

August 6th, 2005, 05:25 PM

katipunan - Lrt2 is so so beautiful..... its way ahead... i like it... its like the ambiance in kuala lumpur.... very hightech... it impressed me the most....

(just tried it awhile ago.. but to bad... they dont allow to take us some picture... but ive got 2 pix with my classmates and they almost confiscated my cellfone.... waaah... i was not really imformed about that....)

hehe... yeah, but I still don't understand why they enforce that policy.

anyway, I've heard Katipunan Station is really nice from a lot of people. I only went through it on the way to Santolan once last year but I didn't get off the train. why is it so nice...?? I should go there sometime.

dudz

August 6th, 2005, 06:19 PM

galing naman, lance:okay:. did you use a digicam here? i'm dying to take photos of the megatren with a digicam. and also its great views, mostly south (ortigas, makati, eastwood). another unique thing about the megatren is the trains are just one car, kaya pag pa-curve ang track, enjoy tingnan ang harap o ang likod:D

thomasian

August 7th, 2005, 11:22 AM

Apir tayo dyan... :okay: na-aaliw din akong tingnan yung buong kahabaan nung train pag dumadaan sa curve.

absent-minded

August 8th, 2005, 04:57 PM

thanks dudz! :) yeah, I used a digicam... hehe! if you want to take pictures inside the trains, go at night on a weekend. one time I went, mga 9:00 pa lang konti na lang ang tao. no one's really standing in the aisles anymore so you can get a good shot of the entire train from end to end or when it curves. haha! I didn't have a camera then though. I wanna go again one day and take better pictures...

and yeah, you get views of quite a number of different skylines on the Megatren. ang ganda nga sobra eh! haha nung sumakay ako last year okay sana kumuha nung wala pang sumasakay sa LRT-2. but now it's harder to take shots during the day... dudz or aaron can probably do it though! haha!

bustero

August 9th, 2005, 04:55 AM

Absent minded malapit ka na mag pearlfarm , have a good time, sarap niyan. be sure to stop by eden to, really super cool place:)

thomasian

August 9th, 2005, 06:03 AM

thanks dudz! :)

and yeah, you get views of quite a number of different skylines on the Megatren. ang ganda nga sobra eh! haha nung sumakay ako last year okay sana kumuha nung wala pang sumasakay sa LRT-2. but now it's harder to take shots during the day... dudz or aaron can probably do it though! haha!

I'm not sure if I can do it. But I'll really try. I hope I won't end up in jail, haha :colgate:

bustero

August 11th, 2005, 04:09 AM

Vol. XIX, No. 12
Thursday, August 11, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Today’s Headline

BY KERLYN G. BAUTISTA, Reporter
Gov’t to pay P1-billion debts for MRT upkeep

The government plans to pay by next year about P1 billion in arrears to Japanese railway contractor Sumitomo Corp. if only to keep in operation the heavily indebted Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) on EDSA.

Early this year Sumitomo already warned that it would stop all its maintenance service to MRT-3 unless the government pays its debts dating back to 2003.

As of end-June, the government owed the Japanese contractor maintenance charges totaling $21 million or P1.176 billion (P56:$1).

Railway officials said the P1 billion would come from the proposed P11-billion budget for 2006 of the Department of Transportation and Communication, as endorsed by Malacañang.

Officials said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo recommended this during the cabinet meeting earlier this week, as well as P5-billion budget for upgrading existing airports.

Aside from the $21 million due Sumitomo, the government also owes $38.3 million in equity and $1 million in staff and administration charges to the Sobrepeña-led Metro Rail Transit Corp., as well as $17.7 million in insurance charges to the Government Service Insurance System.

By yearend, the government is estimated to owe creditors, suppliers, and contractors around $126 million for MRT-3 operations.

MRT-3, a 13-station railway system, also pays real estate taxes to the governments of Quezon City, Pasig City, Makati City, and Pasay City.

Paying the Sumitomo debt through the national budget was the state’s last option. Initially, government had wanted to pay out its MRT-3 debts with fare revenues deposited in escrow at the Philippine National Bank.

But its deal with the MRT-3 contractor provides that fare revenues must first pay for debts to the railway builder, and only surpluses can be used to pay for Sumitomo’s maintenance fees as well as insurance charges.

MRT-3 reportedly makes P125 million to P130 million monthly from its daily rider volume of about 400,000. But monthly expenses subsidized by government reportedly total P210 million.

Large government subsidies to keep MRT-3 running have been attributed to the reluctance of Malacañang to increase fares, to protect the riding public.

absent-minded

August 11th, 2005, 04:43 AM

is this all because of the crappy deal the gov't signed into for its construction? I remember reading about how the contract for the MRT-3 will end up to be extremely disadvantageous to the govt. this one was not built under a BOT scheme, right? what was this one called...?

the govt should force the MRTC to pay up taxes to the various LGUs they owe too though. hopefully the LRT-2 isn't in the same mess. will the gov't have to pay the contractors of that one anything under the BOT contract?

Absent minded malapit ka na mag pearlfarm , have a good time, sarap niyan. be sure to stop by eden to, really super cool place:)hehehe.. thanks bustero!! =D I'll tell my dad about Eden - the one that was just posted in the Davao thread, dba? cuz he's the one that's planning everything...

I'm not sure if I can do it. But I'll really try. I hope I won't end up in jail, haha :Dhahahahahaha!!! yeah... I wonder what the penalty is if they actually "arrest/charge" somebody for that. good luck though aaron!! hehe =D I hope I get to ride the LRT-2 again too before I leave. haha

Mango

August 13th, 2005, 04:39 AM

MRT 3 cuts tickets, not fares

First posted 00:04am (Mla time) Aug 13, 2005
By Abigail L. Ho, Clarissa Batino
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on Page A19 of the August 13, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

THE NEXT time you take the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) on Edsa, don't be surprised to get only half a ticket. It will be enough to get you from one point to another. Just don't insert them into the automated fare collection machines.

A critical shortage of tickets has prompted MRT 3 management to cut into two most of the old tickets and reuse these as manual passes for train rides, MRT 3 General Manager Roberto Lastimoso said.

Lastimoso said the railway agency had been using old, cut up tickets for those traveling a P14-route.

Holders of these tickets pass through manual gates instead of the electronic gates. So far, the MRT 3 has cut 50,000 tickets.

"We are using the very old tickets that are no longer accepted by the machine. We cut them in half and issue them to those buying P14 tickets because this is where the bulk is," said the MRT 3 chief in an interview.

Lastimoso said 40 percent of MRT 3's ridership buy the P14-ticket. Almost all the tickets being cut and used as manual pass are GMA tickets. MRT 3 has about half-a-million of the passes.

Commuters will have to present the tickets to the guard at their point of origin and drop them in dropboxes at their destination.

"We cannot avoid that there are those who may want to cheat. But it's just P1 so we just ask them to pay the difference," he explained. MRT charges a fare ranging from P9 to P15.

Last month, the MRT 3 started using tickets bearing the face of ousted President Estrada but pulled out the electronic cards after the agency reportedly got into trouble with Malacañang.

The pullout of 400,000 Estrada electronic cards in mid-July immediately led to a shortage of tickets. Lastimoso said the agency needed 800,000 tickets a day so it won't have to retrieve from the machines.

But lately, only 245,000 tickets are usable. "So we retrieve our tickets four times a day. Even that is not enough so we resorted to cutting the old ones."

MRT 3, which carries about 420,000 passengers each day, is hard-pressed for funds, according to Lastimoso, which was why it has a hard time financing even the production of the electronic cards.

The agency is seeking a P20-million budget for a one-year supply of tickets but often, the budget gets channeled to items like salaries and other operational expenses.

"We will soon get the delivery of the first batch of the 800,000 tickets we ordered. Maybe, we can get half of that by the second week of September," he said.

Winning bidder Digicom will print 800,000 cards for P10 million.
=============

To economize, they should print chewing gum-size single journey tickets, and retain the ID size for the value passes/tickets.
And personally, I don't like the idea of putting somebody's face on these passes.

olineil

August 13th, 2005, 05:03 AM

dudz

August 13th, 2005, 05:47 AM

thomasian

August 13th, 2005, 06:21 AM

You know whats the problem here.... stop printing tickets that bare the stupid face of the president. In this manner even if the president is removed or finally finished his/her term they wont have to change the tickets. How stupid are this people. They keep on saying lack of funds, but they dont do something to cut down cost. Sighhh...... :no:

The tickets are already full of advertisements, how come all those ads doesn't help in making money for the tickets?

Francis20

August 14th, 2005, 06:18 AM

cutting the ticket really sounds ridiculous to me. ive seen that myself, but was never issued with one anyway. i was wondering what happened to the tickets. yun pala, cost cutting. kaya pati ticket, na cut din. sigh...i also have seen papers na ginawang ticket. so you have to show it to the guards para maka exit. kakaasar din minsan. one thing they could do is...remove some of the expectator employees. then change them into vending machines para mabawasan ang haba ng queue pag rush hour. lalo na sa cubao at Taft. 3 or 2 lines lang nag iisue ng ticket. kasamaang palad pag wala kang stored value ticket. mas ayos sugro kung kagaya ng LRT2, me mga vending machines. maikli lang ang pila. less human intervention.

thomasian

August 14th, 2005, 08:28 AM

Yeah, I've had those "papers" used as tickets. Although I still haven't seen the half-tickets. Those paper tickets that you show on the guard makes the MRT and the Philippines look so poor, ano na lang sasabihin ng mga foreigners pag nakita nila yun.

Mango

August 14th, 2005, 09:08 AM

I saw those ticket vending machine in Cubao MRT3 station. I wonder why these aren't being utilised yet?

olineil

August 14th, 2005, 06:17 PM

I guess this is just 1 example of a project by the Good president Fidel Ramos and handed over to Estrada after succession just to be eventually Raped and stripped naked with corruption of the Estradas, that even the skin is gone...Sighhh.........

dudz

August 15th, 2005, 03:18 PM

experienced first hand the inconvenience of the ticket shortage. i think it's more critical than what was published. at some entry points (mine is shaw) they don't issue tickets anymore (not even the half ticket), they don't ask you to pay either (payment is done at your exit point), you just enter through the manual gates. i always have the stored value ticket but unlucky me this time i didn't have. now the problem is at the exit point (mine is taft)... with only two ticket(payment) windows open for these passengers and at rush hour, my exit was delayed by half hour, maybe longer for others as more trains with more passengers arrive:ohno:

Mango

August 15th, 2005, 03:27 PM

So how is the system for paying? You just say your entry point upon exit and pay?

dudz

August 15th, 2005, 04:02 PM

that's right, mango. you have to say your entry point, pay the fare and you're actually given a whole ticket:uh: (old one, couldn't distinguish it anymore) which you'll use to get through the electronic gates. didn't notice anything done with the ticket before it was handed to me though. but i paid the full fare from shaw. hmmm...

Mango

August 15th, 2005, 04:11 PM

hmmm...I can sense that you're up to something...:D
hope the rest are not doing it yet LOL!

bustero

August 15th, 2005, 06:03 PM

Sa totoo lang kasi ang mure masyado ng lrt/mrt natin, it's like 25us Cents! Pambihirang presyo, how do you pay for a system which cost 500million $ with 25cents. That's a lot of riders.

Mango

August 15th, 2005, 06:12 PM

I think the original plan is to make the MRT fare the same as bus fare to attract ridership. Then after a certain period of time(which is already overdue), they will increase it pero ewan ko ano na nangyari...

mysaong03

August 15th, 2005, 08:59 PM

the proponents of the mrt3 project probably didnt expect the peso devaluation to be this lowww, so even theyve adjusted the fares minus the inflation & devaluation, lugi parin talaga :(

mgian_21

August 22nd, 2005, 09:00 AM

hey man, i found this map, look at Photo D, it's similar to the one you posted
http://www.lrta.gov.ph/projects/photos/Line1_SouthExt/Line1_SouthExt_01.jpg

just only 10 stations, how about Pulang lupa? next before zapote...............

las pinas have proposed only 3 stations i hink i should be 5 stations

las pinas station isn't it pulang lupa?

_zner_

August 22nd, 2005, 02:35 PM

i hope they could update the ticket system in mrt3 like lrt2... coz its very modern..

stephencua

August 23rd, 2005, 02:20 AM

ei guys, read all about it!!! :D taken from inq7.net..

MRT, LRT start midnight run

First posted 00:05am (Mla time) Aug 23, 2005
By Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page A19 of the August 23, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

PLANNING an all-night party or coming home late from overtime work? Use the railway systems instead of your cars.

The three railways systems in Metro Manila now operate until midnight, said the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

The Metro Rail Transit 3 and Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 open at 5:30 a.m. and used to close at 9:30 p.m.

The extended operation started Monday as the department’s answer to the energy conservation efforts of the government, DOTC spokesperson Gen. Thompson Lantion said.

President Macapagal-Arroyo had asked the public to conserve energy amid rising global oil prices. Part of this conservation drive is to promote the use of mass transport systems.

Savings

Instead of using their cars late in the evening, motorists are advised to use the railway systems instead and save on gas.

In a statement, DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the extended schedule would be implemented temporarily to determine if the volume of riders would be enough to enable the railways to sustain operations until midnight.

“We will evaluate the ridership volume for several weeks before we decide if we will push through with the scheme on a more permanent basis,” Lantion also told the Inquirer.

Lantion said the new schedule would encourage commuters to patronize midnight operations and ensure its continued implementation.

The DOTC also assured commuters that they would beef up security measures during these extended hours of operation to ensure the safety of passengers.

bustero

August 23rd, 2005, 03:18 AM

Ha beat me to the punch! good development though, now you can go somewhere and ride it back late at night:)

renell

August 24th, 2005, 08:16 AM

it is a good idea, maybe somewhere else but MM though. I mean it might not be as widespread as urban legends go but there's still a pretty good chance you can be mugged in Metro Manila's streets. Nevertheless I shouldn't judge it before it's been given a fair-go

bagel

August 24th, 2005, 09:59 AM

The midnight train is only as good as the connecting transportation. I hope that jeepneys, taxis, trikes will be there to take LRT/MRT passengers the last mile to their houses.

stephencua

August 24th, 2005, 10:34 AM

Ha beat me to the punch! good development though, now you can go somewhere and ride it back late at night:)

hahaha.. :) sori dude.. :)

bustero

August 24th, 2005, 01:36 PM

OK lang better than it not getting posted!!!:)

Francis20

August 24th, 2005, 01:52 PM

yeah, i heard about this from a friend. but yesterday...they haven't officially started the midnight last train yet. i mean yesterday. pero it's really late at night...part 10 na ata or near 11 pm. bk nag aadjust pa. i dunno if that would mean 12 mn from Tart/N Ave or Santolan/Recto. hopefully it is. maraming beses na akong kelangang sumakay ng bus from cubao to guadalupe dahil closed na MRT at minsan at from Legarda to Cubao...which is very tedious, tiring...at risky. i never thought what you usually take from Recto to Cubao by 15 min via LRT2 can be travelled via jeepney in more than 30 minutes. mausok pa.

Francis20

August 24th, 2005, 01:54 PM

about the ticketing system, taka nga din ako when the MRT people decided na sa destination na lang bayad ng mga sumasakay. pano yun? ginagawa din kasi yun sa cubao. now how would they know who comes from where?

at sobrang dami na rin ng 1/2 tickets. ganun na ba kahirap MRT? dapat nga i increase na ang pamasahe. they started off with higher fare (erap's time) , pero konti lang sumakay so eventually binaba para i patronize ng masa.

few days ago, nakabili na ako ng stored value ticket sa Guadalupe. It looked new. Malamang na deliver na ng supplier ang mga tickets. hehe...

Mango

September 3rd, 2005, 03:00 AM

DOTC bares new MRT, LRT schedule

The Philippine Star 09/03/2005

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza has announced the revised service schedule of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines that took effect last night.

In a statement, Mendoza said the MRT Line 3 (MRT-3) service from North Avenue terminal to Taft Avenue terminal (southbound) starts at 5:30 a.m. The first train from Taft Avenue going to North Avenue (northbound) also leaves at 5:30 a.m.

The last train leaves North Avenue going to Taft Avenue (southbound) at 10:36 p.m. while the last trip from Taft Avenue to North Avenue (northbound) is at 11:05 p.m.

For LRT Line 1, the first trip from Baclaran terminal to Monumento terminal leaves at 5 a.m.. The first train from Monumento to Baclaran also leaves at 5 a.m.

The last trip from Baclaran to Monumento and vice-versa will be at 10:30 p.m.

For LRT Line 2, the first train from Santolan terminal to Recto terminal and vice-versa leaves at 5 a.m.

The last trip from Santolan to Recto will be at 10:30 p.m., while the last trip from Recto to Santolan will be at 11 p.m. — Sandy Araneta

Francis20

September 3rd, 2005, 10:33 AM

ok na rin yung sked. better than before. kasi konti na rin ang passengers pag near midnight. na mali nga lang kami last time. we stayed out late, hoping n me MRT at LRT pa. kaso pag holiday at weekends pala di applicable yung mga bagong sked.

dancethingy

September 5th, 2005, 06:08 PM

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Govt approves MRT-7

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Reporter

THE Metro Rail Transit line 7 (MRT-7) has been “approved in principle,” government sources said.

Officials of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) added that the draft of the contract agreement is being reviewed by the Department of Finance. They said the DOF is looking into the project to see if it is “deficit neutral.”

Guiling A. Mamondiong, Department of Transportation undersecretary said that after the DOF finds the project deficit neutral, the NEDA-Investment Coordinating Committee will again evaluate the project for final approval.

He said the project will be approved before the year ends.

Earlier, the Manila Times reported that the government will subsidize for 10 years passenger fares for the planned MRT 7, reaching $1.25 billion.

Based on its financial runs presented in a June 9 meeting, the proponent Universal LRT Corp. Ltd. proposed an actual fare of P20 a passenger and an economic fare of P80.56.This means that the government will shoulder the P60.56 balance.

Universal LRT, however, said the so-called subsidy payment will be collected by the government from other income sources such as tax revenues from real-estate development, advertising, commercial development of the stations and the share of the government in gross revenues.

Universal LRT’s projected passenger revenues are valued at $10 million to $20 million; transfer ridership, $6.4 million to $12.2 million; advertising, $1.20 million to $1.60 million; income on land share, $4.4 million to $11.6 million; income tax, $40 million; other project taxes, $5 million; and land development, $31 million to $168 million.

The proposal comes at a time when the government is hard-pressed wiping its budget deficit by 2010. It also runs counter to a government policy of extending no financial subsidy similar to what operators of existing light transits enjoy.

MRT 7 will cost $1.2 billion, and will have a 22-kilometer elevated track running from Tala in Novaliches to North Avenue corner EDSA passing through Lagro, Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue before joining MRT Line 3 in North Avenue.

The project is intended to serve commuters to and from the north of Metro Manila, including Novaliches, Fairview, Caloocan and Bulacan, and involves the construction of a 17-km asphalt private road at the Marilao Exit of the North Luzon Expressway that would terminate at the intermodal terminal in Tala.

stephencua

September 6th, 2005, 02:24 AM

hmmmm.. it will be approved by the end of the year.. when will the construction start??

dancethingy

September 6th, 2005, 06:42 AM

God knows, but man this transit is badly badly need here. Students can finally take this train to UP instead of driving. Ateneo students can take it too, but it remains to see if their ego approves of it.

Solblanc

September 6th, 2005, 02:24 PM

dancethingy

September 6th, 2005, 05:12 PM

Sorry, hehehehe. It's just that students at Ateneo remind me of students at New Trier high school in Illinois. Those rich spoiled brats.

sandrin

September 6th, 2005, 06:52 PM

I don't think most of them will take mass transit because carpooling is always an option to them, if they care to share.

marites4

September 6th, 2005, 07:04 PM

I don't think they'll do both because the superrich in the PHils. are usually spoiled more spoiled than the rich in other countries. They'll not sacrifice for anyone or anythings sake because that will make them appear poor.

sandrin

September 7th, 2005, 01:50 AM

And they all have drivers and sit at the back of the car and stare at the ceiling. One thing missing is somebody who will open the door for them.

dancethingy

September 7th, 2005, 01:56 AM

sandrin

September 7th, 2005, 01:58 AM

And tell me about novo-rich who became rich because of corruption and connection.

Solblanc

September 7th, 2005, 02:59 AM

may I just say that there are a lot of atenean students who commute and take the trains. And even those who have heavy security have used the new lrt at least once. You guys make it sound like this school is full of spoiled brats, but believe me, appearing poor is the LAST thing on people's minds here. People here aren't as obsessed with wealth as you think.

For more people to take mass transit, there are so many other things to be addressed, like security and convenience. How many people do you know have lost a phone or more while commuting? And there's the convenience factor, too. I live in Pque, so commuting to school is not an option for me. The entire drama of the commute is just too much. The heat, the smoke, the crowds of people, the walk between terminals, these just aren't worth a few hundred pesos in savings in a day. And if I stay late in ateneo for a project or whatnot, I'll be somewhat stranded. I refuse to subject myself to that. This is not an issue of ego, this is an issue of getting from point A to point B with a buckload of books and readings without looking harassed.

bagel

September 7th, 2005, 03:31 AM

Actually I thought it was DLSU that had the sosyal tag moreso than Ateneans? I don't know... I have cousins in both.

Dvorak

September 7th, 2005, 03:53 AM

more on St. Benilde than DLSU..

Actually I thought it was DLSU that had the sosyal tag moreso than Ateneans? I don't know... I have cousins in both.

bagel

September 7th, 2005, 03:59 AM

Ok so we're going really off-topic now. But here are my preconceptions/misconceptions, based on conversations I've had with people from various universities:. I apologize if this insults people. Don't mean it to be.

- La Salle/Benilde - Sosyal, rich, mala-artista. We know that Francis M, Ogi Alcasid and Gary V went to La Salle.
- Ateneo - Rich din, but also full of themselves because of the whole man-for-others/Jesuit education thing.

Ok I don't want to go any further because those two universities are the most prone to parodying, though the UPians, Tomasians, Assumptionista, etc. all have their corresponding parodies.... Anyway, this is getting off-topic.

dancethingy

September 7th, 2005, 04:28 AM

Solblanc don't be mad, I don't think you have ego trip issues. I shouldn't have blurted such generalizations. Sorry.

I started a war.

Mango

September 7th, 2005, 05:29 PM

Yeah there are stereotypes on those schools.

MRT 7 is really good news but with "agreed on principle" clause eh, it seems it will get built on "God-knows-when".

queetz@home

September 8th, 2005, 05:44 AM

Yeah there are stereotypes on those schools.

MRT 7 is really good news but with "agreed on principle" clause eh, it seems it will get built on "God-knows-when".

^ Tell me about it! Nothing is sure until the digging starts and it some cases, until the entire length of the guideway is at least finished.

Mango

September 8th, 2005, 06:06 AM

@Wally, pls refer to post #245 re "agreed on principle".
Yes, nothing is sure until the digging starts.

amras

September 9th, 2005, 01:42 AM

i think before we venture to another mrt line, we must fix first the existing ones, making them more reliable and efficient. otherwise the "strong republic transit system" that our government is trying to build won't be strong at all.

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

MRT breaks down

First posted 02:31am (Mla time) Sept 09, 2005
By Clarissa Batino
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on Page A24 of the September 9, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

METRO RAIL TRANSIT 3 operations stopped for about 20 minutes yesterday morning after a northbound train broke down and had to be towed from the Guadalupe station in Makati City.

MRT 3 spokesperson Mariano Gui said the train suffered electrical problems at 9:45 a.m. and the control center decided to have it towed rather than let it run on its own to the north depot.

The train had to unload its passengers as trains from both ends were stalled.

Thousands of commuters were stranded while hundreds more were stuck in long queues in the different stations.

Most of the affected riders decided to just take the bus or a cab.

"We had to stop the train because it might cause more damage. We also prioritize the safety of our passengers," said Gui.

Some 400,000 passengers take the MRT everyday.

pau_p1

September 9th, 2005, 02:50 AM

At new trier, parents buy their kids beamers or mercedes for birthdays. Now don't get me wrong, i don't hate people who were born rich for being rich. It's being madamot, mayabang, and maarte that throws me off.

Getting back to MRT7, is this going to have a stop at Tandang Sora?

if I remember it correctly.. yes there is a station in Tandang Sora... and I read in earlier posts that there will be some mode of transfer that will connect Tandang Sora station to the LRT2 via Katipunan....

well I hope this pushes thru soon... it would be very beneficial for us from the north of the metro..

dancethingy

September 9th, 2005, 03:03 AM

Thanks Pau pa1 :)

jbkayaker12

September 9th, 2005, 09:22 AM

Sorry, hehehehe. It's just that students at Ateneo remind me of students at New Trier high school in Illinois. Those rich spoiled brats.

I have cousins who have graduated from Ateneo, yes they are rich and has everything others can only dream of but to say they are brats perhaps not. I grew up with them. They are just accustomed to ways others have not experienced. It is not their fault they have hardworking parents that provided for them but on the other hand there are rich brats out there as well.

dancethingy

September 9th, 2005, 11:33 AM

i'm sure not all of them are. Pardon my unwarranted generalization :)

bustero

September 9th, 2005, 06:36 PM

Boy nothing new has really happened with any light rails for the past year huh. Hard to see movement with all this politicking. Anyway at least the various extensions should push through.

renell

September 10th, 2005, 03:16 AM

speaking of various extensions... LRT1 and MRT3 spring to mind.. nothing really constructive has happened has there? I mean real construction, not just signing agreements or anything

mysaong03

September 10th, 2005, 08:54 PM

bustero

September 13th, 2005, 03:39 AM

Vol. XIX, No. 35
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The Nation

BY KERLYN G. BAUTISTA, Reporter
Gov’t seen to incur more debts from MRT-7

The Investment Coordination Committee (ICC), which advises the Cabinet on the approval of big-ticket government projects, in a study said approval of the planned Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7) may drag the state into incurring more debts.

The Cabinet will decide in October whether or not to approve the MRT-7 construction. Last week, it deferred action on the proposed railway to give its proponents another 30 days to revise their plan to meet government standards.

In a Project Evaluation Report dated Sept. 8, ICC director Jonathan L. Uy said the $1.2-billion MRT-7 was not fully deficit-neutral and would require heavy government subsidy if approved.

Mr. Uy said government exposure would take the form of a regulatory fare subsidy, the gap between economic fare and actual fare, multiplied by the projected annual ridership.

The MRT-7, the first planned deficit-neutral railway project in the Philippines, is a 21-km, 13-station mass transit that would link Tala, Caloocan City to North Avenue in EDSA.

The proposed full-length fare of the MRT-7 from Tala to North Avenue is P90. But only P20 will be charged to passengers, prompting the government to shoulder the difference.

Proponents of MRT-7 propose that government regulatory fare support in 2010-2021 be set at either $1.4 billion at an internal rate of return to the proponent of 16.99% or $1.2 billion at an internal rate of return of 11.74%.

State fare subsidy on the railway project is seen to increase with the rise in ridership, the ICC study noted. Initial ridership of the MRT-7 is at 375,000 passengers daily, increasing by 50,000 annually until ridership reaches 850,000.

Proponents of the MRT-7 is led by Universal LRT Corp. Ltd., which would source funding loans from multinational firms Alstom SA and Siemens AG as well as the Chinese and Japanese governments.

The government wants to build the MRT-7 through a build-gradual-transfer-operate-and-maintain plan in which proponents will bear all the project costs.

The deficit-neutral policy was made to avert a repeat of the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 experience wherein the government extended billions of subsidies to keep these railways operational.

"The proponent has designed the project and draft contract for government to provide capacity fees/regulatory support to the project. In effect, the support is on a per-capita basis," Mr. Uy said.

"The proponent’s draft contract provides that in the event that there are no exemptions granted by either national or concerned local governments of payments of taxes and duties, such will be added to the project cost, financing of which is shared by the government through the regulatory fare support," he added.

The ICC project evaluation report on the MRT-7 also noted that additional costs to expand passenger capacity of the railway project ran the danger of being passed on to the government.

To realize maximum ridership of 850,000, the MRT-7 consortium suggested the purchase of 21 more rail vehicles to increase ridership by 200,000. But the cost of $70.97 million for more rail vehicles is not included in the total project price, which the government wants its proponents to bear.

The study also said it would be disadvantageous for the government to satisfy certain requirements of the MRT-7 proponents.

These requirements include 17% internal rate of return, government coverage of non-exemptible taxes and duties through regulatory fare support, and government performance undertaking on debt payments.

Mr. Uy said it would be difficult to adopt the desired 17% since the government was being asked to cover for debt risk and to share in the proponent’s tax liabilities, equity risk, and ridership risk, through regulatory fare support.

"Relatedly, there is a need to clarify the 70:30 revenue sharing scheme beginning the ninth year of operation until the end of the cooperation period where the private proponent takes the bigger share. This may be an unacceptable arrangement considering that a significant value of the project assets is transferred to the government within the first 11 years by way of the regulatory fare support," Mr. Uy explained.

queetz@home

September 14th, 2005, 08:56 AM

This MRT 7 is beginning to sound like the RAV Line in Vancouver, Canada....

stephencua

September 16th, 2005, 05:15 AM

taken from abscbn-news.com...

DOTC endorses MRT-3 buy-out

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Friday said it will formally recommend to Malacañan the purchase of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) from the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC).

In an interview with ANC, Transportation Undersecretary Guiling Mamondiong said the move would be very advantageous to the government and would amount to savings of more than P1.7 billion. He said the recommendation will be sent on October 2.

The proposal was an output of an inter-agency team created by Malacañan to explore the possibility of buying out MRT-3 from MRTC, a private consortium headed by the Fil-Estate group.

Mamondiong said the government is planning to float bonds to raise funds for the buy-out.

The Fil-Estate Group was unable to comment on the proposed buy-out.

MRT-3, which runs the stretch of EDSA from North Avenue in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay, was built with a funding of $655 million.

Under the build-lease-transfer arrangement between government and the MRTC consortium that started in July 2000, the consortium will be paid $2.4 billion annually over a 25-year period.

Mamondiong said if the buy-out pushes through, they would offer the consortium $571 million, or about P1.7 billion less than what the government would pay MRTC in 25 years.

He said his impression is that MRTC had been open to the buy-out since 2001.

The MRT-3 services between 400,000 and 500,000 commuters daily. Recently, the MRTC extended service hour up to 10:55 p.m. for its southbound trains and 11:05 p.m. for northbound coaches to accommodate commuters who come home late from work.

Dvorak

September 16th, 2005, 05:21 AM

that's a lot of money.. nakatipid nga.. pero they have to shell out the money up front..

pau_p1

September 16th, 2005, 07:38 AM

hmm... well it may sound a good idea... anyways.. MRTC's management of the line if very lousy compared to the LRTA's lines... plus every penny saved would help...

stephencua

September 20th, 2005, 02:54 AM

taken from abscbn-news.com...

MRT eyes bike racks in train stations

By JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA
The Manila Times Reporter

The Metro Rail Transit management is open to the idea of providing bicycle racks to bike users once the Metro Walk and Pedal Way of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is carried out according to Mariano Gui, Lastimoso’s spokesman.

Robert Nacianceno, MMDA general manager, said he presented the plan to MRT general manager Roberto Lastimoso.

"We are glad that other government agencies are willing to cooperate with the bike program, and MRT’s openness could help to make the program successful," Nacianceno said after a meeting with bicycle groups last week.

Nacianceno has been holding weekly meetings with cycling groups including the firefly brigade, Quezon City Cycling Club, Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines, civic groups and bicycle-shop owners.

The groups asked the MRT and Light Rail Transit System to provide bicycle racks for cyclists who find difficulty using their bikes all the way to their offices or workplaces.

The clubs said the plan would encourage the public to use bicycles instead of taking public transportation to the MRT and LRT stations.

Gui said the racks will be one of the contributions of the MRT management to the MMDA’s bike lane program, which is part of the fuel conservation efforts of the national government.

"As long as the project could help addressed the problems being faced by our commuters, we are willing to support it all the way," Gui said.

Details on where to put up the bike racks, including financing and maintenance have yet to be worked out. Consultations between the MMDA and the MRT management will be held to iron out the kinks.

The MMDA earlier proposed a bicycle lane network in Quezon City to provide bikers inexpensive transportation.

"We have identified at least 10 different routes within Quezon City that will be used as bike lanes . . . it is the largest city in Metro Manila so [the project] can succeed in the city, it will be easy for the [other] cities," Nacianceno said.

Nacianceno said the MMDA will open September 24 "Route 10," which consists of a 3.2-kilometer route from Col. Salgado Avenue near Kamias to Katipunan Avenue.

Under the plan a biker can travel from Col. Salgado Avenue to K-6th Street, proceeding to Anonas and Chico Street, then Xavierville Avenue and straight to Katipunan.

The engineer Federico Castillo of the Traffic Engineering Center said preparations such as clearing of obstruction and illegal vendors, installation of traffic signs and road markings along the bike lanes have been done.

Other possible bike routes in Quezon City include Route 1—a 3.6km route from

Roces Avenue to Quezon Memorial Circle; Route 2—Roces-Kalayaan route; Route 3—Timog Avenue-Quezon Avenue; Route 4—Roces Avenue-Timog Avenue.

Route 5, on the other hand, is an alternative to Roces Avenue-Quezon City Memorial Circle course; Route 6—West Avenue/EDSA to Balintawak; Route 7—Quezon City Memorial Circle to Congressional Avenue/EDSA; Route 8—University Avenue to Visayas Avenue and Route 9—Maharlika to Katipunan Avenue.

The proposed bike routes stretch 36.8 kilometers, or approximately 18 percent of the planned 200-kilometer pedal-way project in Metro Manila.

"Actually, we have started distributing copies of the bike lanes maps for the guidance of the bikers," Nacianceno said.

ryanr

September 20th, 2005, 03:54 AM

^^ What an excellent plan. But i have a feeling they may have to deal with the serious problem of bike theft.

tigidig14

September 20th, 2005, 04:04 AM

^^ unfortunately, those wheels, chain and bike seat. by the time u get back one of those component is gone or even all

Lili

September 20th, 2005, 05:09 AM

^^ Pati bicycles may chop-chop na rin. tsk. tsk.

pau_p1

September 20th, 2005, 07:41 AM

hmmm... I haven't noticed any of these bike lanes yet... or I mean I hope this would succeed... I hope the bicycle lanes are unobstructed and are on a designated area that they can't cross the vehicle lanes or vice versa... and I hope this lane would also force all other two wheeled vehicles to ply this path only... nakaka-takot kasi ang mga barumbadong motorcycles sa mga avenues natin...

stephencua

September 21st, 2005, 02:24 AM

taken from inq7.net..

$867-M LRT extension to be bid out; Canadian deal dropped
Posted: 2:01 AM | Sept. 21, 2005

Clarissa S. Batino
Inquirer News Service

THE government plans to bid out the construction of the $867-million, 12-kilometer extension of the overhead Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 to from the Baclaran area in Metro Manila to Cavite province, instead of continuing with a deal offered by Canada's SNC Lavalin, a member of the Light Rail Transit Authority board said.

International Finance Corp. has advised the government to walk away from the SNC Lavalin deal because it finds the offer expensive, said the LRTA official, who declined identification.

The Canadian firm is offering to build the railway extension for more than $70 million per kilometer, the official said.

"The government is no longer interested in the offer of SNC Lavalin," the official said. "We already told [the Canadian firm] about the plan to sever ties. We were advised by IFC not to push through with it."

The LRTA is consulting with the IFC on the Line 1 extension, a priority project of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo that is supposed to be on stream by 2009.

The official noted that the 17-kilometer Line 3, known as Metro Rail Transit, which runs the length of the EDSA highway, was built for less than $700 million.

SNC Lavalin also wanted a form of government guarantee on the LRT extension project, which made its offer even more disadvantageous, the LRTA official said.

The government received an unsolicited offer from SNC Lavalin more than five years ago. The project could not proceed because of doubts on whether the Canadian firm's offer was sound from the government's financial perspective.

"We want to bid out the project, this time to get solicited offers, which we believe would be cheaper," the official said.

The LRTA is proposing to pay SNC Lavalin $5 million for the feasibility study and development plans, after the government paid $5 million. SNC Lavain said it had spent $20 million.

The first phase of the project will extend the railway to Bacoor, the first town in Cavite outside of Metro Manila, which has a projected passenger volume of 400,000 a day.

Line 1 at present carries an average of 350,000 passengers a day.

It may later be extended further to Imus town, right after Bacoor, and then to Dasmariñas town.

The extension project would ease the traffic bottleneck in Bacoor, and complement a project to extend the Coastal Road, which currently ends in Bacoor, to the towns of Kawit and Noveleta. With INQ7.net

queetz@home

September 21st, 2005, 06:38 AM

^ Well well well!!! The same company that is building the RAV Line of Vancouver is now charging Manila for almost the same amount. And like the RAV Line of Vancouver, they want the Philippine taxpayers to ensure guaranteed profit. WTF? Well, you are better off without them given the boondoogle that they have caused in Canada! :yes:

ryanr

September 21st, 2005, 06:39 AM

I knew you'd had a say to that article, Wally:D

renell

September 21st, 2005, 09:15 AM

dot dot dot... i'm almost immune to such reports, because i'm sick and tired of not walking the walk. :bash:

Wisarut

September 23rd, 2005, 01:39 PM

I think it would be beter if lien 1 extension has been rerouted to pass into all the terminals of MIA ....

federal

September 23rd, 2005, 03:53 PM

that will be chaotic for the passengers... mixing travelling toursits with bags and stuff to "masa" and everthing

maybe one station along Line 1 for NAIA and a shuttle service or shuttle line from that station to all terminals like they have at Newark and JFK.

queetz@home

September 26th, 2005, 12:00 AM

^ Well, apparently the proponents of Vancouver's SNC Lavalin RAV line, which does go to the airport, think that people really will lug their bags and luggages into trains headed towards high end downtown hotels where the line would go to. I would think those people who can afford to have rooms in those particular hotels can easily afford taxi cabs, limos, or rental cars... :nuts:

bustero

September 26th, 2005, 03:39 PM

the route passes through domestic ave then onto to Naia 1 Not to Naia 3!

Naia 3 has a spur line designed from mrt 3 blue line. Of course not even in the kalingkingan right now, wait about 10 years maybe even 5!

ryanr

October 7th, 2005, 04:12 AM

So when is MRT 7 gonna start?

I noticed something...how come in GMA's term there have been no major infrastructure project starting construction or is currently underconstruction while in Estrada's there was MRT 3, MRT 2 and NAIA 3. weird, maybe coz those were Ramos projects that were carried over to Estrada's term?

renell

October 7th, 2005, 04:21 AM

well you can't say she hasn't been planning remember her plan about that transport thing in 2010 where MM will be serviced by numerous MRT/LRT lines, the problem is that these plans aren't going into fruition. :bash:

ryanr

October 7th, 2005, 04:25 AM

^ Its not the planning im talking about its the actual process of getting them built.

pau_p1

October 7th, 2005, 07:50 AM

well.. if her projects are getting stuck into questionnable contracts... her plans will be pushed farther to her successor....

thomasian

October 17th, 2005, 10:58 AM

Future MRT-8 ???

---------

From BusinessWorld - courtesy of Colliers

Railway Proponent to Develop Commercial Estate in Angono
Business World - 9/21/05

A consortium led by American Transport
System Corp. is proposing to develop a
2,300-hectare estate in Angono, Rizal, approximately
the size of Makati City, to
raise funds for the $907.4-million Metro
Rail Transit 8 (MRT-8).The estate called
Palayan ng Bayan will be linked to MRT-8
by a 25-kilometer, six-lane highway the
group will build by next year. MRT-8 is a
planned 16-station mass rail project that
will ferry 150,000-230,000 passengers
across 17 kilometers from Sta. Mesa,
Manila to Angono, Rizal via EDSA. In a
proposal of the consortium to the government,
516 hectares will be initially developed
into a special economic zone
housing information technology firms, call
centers, and wafer plants by 2006. The
consortium expects a high-end investment
in a wafer plant with an annual turnover
of $500 million-$700 million to funnel, $15
million-$20 million to state coffers and
about $10 million-$13 million to the local
government of Rizal. The initial development
would be enough to cover expenses
for MRT-8 as it would draw $4 billion-$5
billion in direct investment. The project
would benefit the government in direct
income tax amounting to $45 million yearly
at current exchange rates.

kalabaw

October 17th, 2005, 11:25 AM

just a little bit off topic...

my colleagues from hongkong went out last weekend. they went to fort santiago then headed to chinatown. they used the lrt from carriedo to edsa, then took the mrt from edsa to ayala!!! and they all did that with the help of a map! very brave foreigners indeed!!!

may picture pa sila sa loob ng carriedo station!!! bwahaha!!!

thomasian

October 17th, 2005, 11:37 AM

Astig!

pau_p1

October 17th, 2005, 12:05 PM

wow cool!!!... that's good that didn't got lost.... :D

anyways.. MRT8.. wow.. that's great... anyways... where would it ply?.. Ortigas Ave? or Shaw Blvd?

ryanr

October 17th, 2005, 06:02 PM

Great...at least they are starting to talk about MRT8:D

mysaong03

October 19th, 2005, 01:26 AM

lrt2 ewan kung napost nato dati:

http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/3P4260030.jpg
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/3P4260027.jpg

wala ng ticket booth:
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/3P4260032.jpg

cute!
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/DSCF0209.jpg

araneta station
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/DSCF0199.jpg

MRT3
magallanes
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/pc27000211.jpg

security cams
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/squbao2.jpg

Taft
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/mrt-taft-1.jpg

controversial tickets
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/4P4260037.jpg

LRT1 ad-coated:
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/3P1030096.jpg

Lili

October 19th, 2005, 01:48 AM

^ Thanks Mysa. I always wanted to see how LRT2 looks like. :)

tigidig14

October 19th, 2005, 01:51 AM

http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/4P4260037.jpg
c pgma kamukha yung sa commercial TFC na kasama yung aleng mataba

love u love u
pag happy o sad
o wala lang

soon n sofort

kanta nila :lol:

marites4

October 19th, 2005, 02:23 AM

nice pics mysaong , thanks for posting them.
tigidig is Ate Glo. yon.

mysaong03

October 19th, 2005, 03:18 AM

oh, all the credits should go to ttcn.jp. pasalamat tayo sa kanya :D

^ maybe hes referring to patubig ni gloria, where the chubby lady thanked her for supplyin them w/ clean drinking water (w/c i think she shouldnt coz its a govt obligg.)

:)

xDieselJockx

October 19th, 2005, 04:45 AM

Very nice MRT/LRT service, do they all go around the whole city or just from one point to another like a straight line? How come they also don't go as far as the Fillinvest in Muntinlupa?

thomasian

October 19th, 2005, 07:08 AM

cute!
http://www2.ttcn.ne.jp/~Philrail/DSCF0209.jpg

Cute nga! Unlike yung MRT-3 na nakakata-cute. :colgate:

renell

October 19th, 2005, 10:46 AM

LRT1 and MRT3 ad-coated looks much better really. It attracts attention from those who see it.

tigidig14

October 19th, 2005, 03:14 PM

^kunan mo ng pics,

stephencua

October 20th, 2005, 02:55 AM

taken from mb.com.ph.. first MRT-8 now MRT-7 on the news.. the goverment subsidizing P60 per passenger is too much.. heck, the goverment subsidizing any amount is too much!!!

Proposed train to cost govt over $1 billion

By DARWIN G. AMOJELAR, The Manila Times Reporter

If Universal LRT Corp. Ltd. (ULC) will have its way, then the Philippine government would have to pay the Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT 7) proponent more than a billion dollars over a 25-year period for building the transport facility.

In a document shown to The Times, the government would have to spend some $1.4 billion, or P77 billion, in "capacity fee" payments to (ULC). For the first 10 years, the government would pay $130 million. From year 11 to 15, the proponent stands to gain some $15 million a year, and from year 16 to 18, another $10 million a year.

In a telephone interview, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos said the government is asking the proponent to advance the ridership and real-estate revenues.

He also said the ULC will shoulder all taxes.

In a separate interview, an official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the proposed tax revenues must be validated by the Department of Finance and the concession agreement approved by the NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee.

The interagency NEDA-ICC has yet to approve the MRT 7 project.

Based on financial runs presented in a June 9 meeting, the ULC proposed an actual fare for MRT 7 of P20 each passenger and an economic fare of P80.56.

This means that the government would have to shoulder some P60.56 a passenger.

The ULC projected that revenues from transfer ridership would amount to between $6.4 million and $12.2 million; advertising revenues would reach $1.20 million to $1.60 million. Income from the land is expected to reach $4.4 million to $11.6 million; land development revenues are seen amounting to between $31 million and $168 million.

MRT 7 will cost $1.2 billion, and will have a 22-kilometer elevated track running from Tala in Novaliches to North Avenue corner EDSA passing through Lagro, Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue before joining MRT Line 3 in North Avenue.

The project is intended to serve commuters to and from the north of Metro Manila, including Novaliches, Fairview, Caloocan and Bulacan, and involves the construction of a 17-kilometer asphalt private road at the Marilao Exit of the North Luzon Expressway that would terminate at the intermodal terminal in Tala.

stephencua

October 21st, 2005, 02:33 AM

taken from philstar.com.. why the heck do they have to place the picture of the president on the cards??! its plain stupidity!! kung naalis c gloria kelangan nnman palitan lahat ng cards!!! what a waste....

DOTC: MRT fare could increase by P10 in 2006
By Sandy Araneta
The Philippine Star 10/21/2005

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) yesterday said the government may raise the fares of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) by as much as P10 by the second quarter of next year if it continues to experience difficulty in operations as a result of the continuous increase of oil products.

"We have been asking for this since 2003. We are also going to study the implications of the expanded value added tax (EVAT) on operations not just on the MRT, but also LRT 1 and 2 and the Philippine National Railways. But as much as possible, if we can avoid the increase, we will," DOTC Undersecretary Guiling Mamodiong said.

He noted that the MRT has always been subsidized by the government.

"The income of the MRT is not really enough to pay for the rental and maintenance of the MRT. We are still getting budget from the national government. We are paying a monthly equity rental of $3.3 million for the MRT," Mamodiong explained.

He said for the PNR, the subsidy of national government is P170 million a year. He said the PNR needs a minimum subsidy of P350 million a year.

President Arroyo has told the DOTC that if the government can subsidize, it will.

"If the increase is not possible, then the government will continue to subsidize us and perhaps portions of the EVAT collections may go to the subsidy," he said.

The DOTC official assured the public that the MRT and LRT will not impose any type of increases in their fares for this year.

Mamodiong said, however, they would be asking for an immediate review during the second quarter of next year for a possible granting of a fare increase.

Roberto Lastimoso, general manager of MRT, earlier appealed to the President to approve the proposed P10 increase in fares to keep the trains running.

Lastimoso said a fare increase was essential to the survival of the debt-ridden mass transport system.The MRT owes accumulated debts of P500 million to its Japanese maintenance contractor Sumitomo.

He also said inadequate maintenance was the reason for the frequent breakdowns.

Trains of the MRT service some 460,000 passengers daily with 20 trains traveling at peak hours and 12 at non-peak hours.

Officials of the MRT3 earlier said it would open its bidding for a $100-million capacity expansion project for the acquisition of 48 additional cars.

The increase in coaches is expected to cure the MRT’s perennial overcapacity problem, which often results in power fluctuation and delays of train trips.

Lastimoso earlier said ridership is expected to reach 600,000 by 2006.

The MRT has been suffering technical and mechanical problems lately due to the overcrowding of trains. It experiences an average of three service interruptions monthly, but MRT officials said it affects less than 0.01percent of its passengers.

Meanwhile, the first batch of new MRT electronic fare cards will have no picture of President Arroyo or any government official, the DOTC said yesterday.

The first batch would consist of about 800,000 cards, the cost of which was paid by the government, Transportation Undersecretary Guiling Mamodiong said.

Only the logos of the DOTC and the MRT Corp. appear on the cards.

Mamodiong, however, said that another batch of 500,000 MRT cards, the production cost of which was sponsored by a multinational company, would bear the face of the President along with the logos of the DOTC and the MRTC.

This would bring the total number of new MRT cards to 1.3 million.

The first batch of 800,000 cards has arrived and is being kept at a Bureau of Customs (BOC) warehouse, Mamodiong said.

It will be recalled that the MRT cards became the center of controversy after management decided to "re-use" the old e-cards that had the photo of former President Estrada.

Malacañang, through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, ordered the MRTC to recall the "Erap cards" despite a blatant shortage of official fare cards.

Mamodiong said they expect the cards to be used next week as tests are being conducted to ensure their compatibility with machines at the stations.

Some 1,000 sample MRT cards with the photo of Mrs. Arroyo were sent to the DOTC for similar tests.