La Union Infrastructure and Urban Planning

[hugodiekonig]

A June 17, 2011 press release by the Department of Public Works and Highways
Infrastructure projects for Region 1 under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) CY 2011 infrastructure program are focused on the rehabilitation and improvement of national arterial and secondary national roads along the Manila North Road (MNR) to speed up mobility.
DPWH Region 1 has about 80 infrastructure projects under the CY 2011 General Appropriations Act (GAA), most of them are intended for the rehabilitation and widening of Manila North Road from Pangasinan to La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte.

To date, of the 80 projects in Region 1, 13 projects have been completed, 18 are ongoing and the remaining projects are for implementation.
DPWH Region 1 Director Veniedo O. Reyes said that this is consistent with the President Benigno S. Aquino III’s national development thrust and Secretary Rogelio L. Singson’s policy and strategy of upgrading the quality and safety features of the national roads and bridges.

According to Director Reyes, the completion of three major bridges, namely Bagulin Bridge along San Fernando -Bagulin Road; Banela Bridge along San Nicolas-San Quintin-Umingan Pangasinan-Guimba,Nueva Ecija Road, and the Aluling Bridge in Cervantes Ilocos Sur will interconnect the inner municipalities of the Ilocos Region.

The Aluling Bridge, which is expected to be completed this year 2011, will also connect Region 1 to Mountain Province of the Cordilleras.

The project will facilitate easy movement of people, goods, and services from the highlands to Candon City in Ilocos Sur.

Meanwhile, to mitigate flooding and relieve the anxiety of the stricken communities in eastern Pangasinan, which had been devastated by previous typhoons particularly Ondoy and Pepeng, Director Reyes personally monitors the progress of activities and quality of works of completed and ongoing restoration/rehabilitation of major flood control projects along the Agno River.
The flood control projects are part of the Post Ondoy Pepeng Short-Term Infrastructure Rehabilitation Projects (POPSTIRP) under loan agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

“We should not let great devastation happen again, that’s why, we in the DPWH Region 1 are very strict in the implementation of rehabilitation works and inspections are being done regularly,” said Director Reyes.
Joining Director Reyes in his inspection at the ongoing restoration and rehabilitation of the flood control structures along Talingkapor Dike in Santa Maria East, San Nicolas, and Sitio Departe, Barangay Bantog, Asingan are Agno Flood Control Project Director Edgardo C. Paragas, OIC-District Engineer Emmanuel W. Diaz of Pangasinan 3rd District Engineering Office and Regional Maintenance Chief Cornelio G. Amita.

dpwh.gov.ph

[hugodiekonig]

A hump at expressway’s endpoint By Inquirer Northern Luzon, Vincent Cabreza 8:31 pm | Monday, June 20th, 2011


ROSARIO, La Union—The 88-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx), which the Aquino administration intends to complete in
two to three years, will end in a proposed interchange here, but will it be at
the doorsteps of the Cordillera, or the Ilocos region? Baguio City Rep. Bernardo Vergara prefers an exit of the P11-billion TPLEx to
be built closer to Kennon Road, so that tourists can go straight to the
Cordillera. Vergara and Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan, chair of the House committee on
public works, have been lobbying for an exit near Barangay Saytan, the
junction used by motorists to reach Baguio via Kennon, or Marcos Highway. “The TPLEx project is important for Baguio and Benguet, but its exit must lead to Kennon Road and Marcos Highway,” Cosalan said in a a text message sent to the Inquirer from Switzerland. Heavy traffic But former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, wants it past the town proper,
Cosalan said. This would mean that “those going to Kennon and Marcos Highway will pass through heavy traffic in Rosario, which is why I and
Representative Vergara objected.” It was during Cojuangco’s term as Pangasinan’s fifth district representative that the TPLEx took shape. The district is now represented by his wife, Kimi,
the former mayor of Sison town. Work on the TPLEx, which extends the North Luzon Expressway and the
Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, started in 2010. The project features eight
interchanges in the towns of Victoria, Gerona, Paniqui and Moncada in
Tarlac; the towns of Carmen and Pozorrubio and Urdaneta City in
Pangasinan; and this town. According to Vergara, the proposed road link would cut travel time from
Metro Manila to Baguio from six to three hours, provided it exits near
Kennon. This would not only help improve Baguio tourism but also stabilize
vegetable prices in Metro Manila because it would provide shorter routes for
truckers hauling produce from Benguet and Mt. Province, he said. Access to Ilocos But Cojuangco said he wanted the Rosario interchange to follow the Manila
North Road or the MacArthur Highway which would locate it 7 kilometers
from the town center. This would provide a smooth access to San Fernando
City in La Union, as well as to other coastal towns of the Ilocos, he said. “This new route would kill two birds with one stone, ” Cojuangco said. It allows the government to widen the TPLEx lanes by 30 meters and grant
work crews a more cost-effective way of designing a flyover that would link
Kennon Road to the new Rosario interchange, he said. But the proposed realignment would entail building a single-lane flyover at
the new exit point for the Rosario interchange that is dedicated to
northbound vehicles traveling to Baguio, he said. Cojuangco is a son of business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., chair of San Miguel Corp., which has a 25-percent stake in Private Infrastructure Development Corp. (PIDC), the company developing TPLEx. PIDC is a joint venture between DM Consunji Inc. and DM Wenceslao &
Associates Inc. Vergara believes that Cojuangco’s idea would raise bigger social problems for the government because it would have to expropriate more private lots for the project. He adds that he is banking on President Aquino’s wish to modernize Kennon Road during his term. Emmanuel Diaz and Alfredo Doctolero, acting district engineers in Pangasinan
and La Union, respectively, will submit a report about the officials’ positions to Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.


newsinfo.inquirer.net/16628/a-hump-at-expressway’s-endpoint

[kalbongdad]

i agree that is should serve the baguio, cordillera area....yung ilocos ay accessible na through air.....dapat ma develop nman ang cordillera kawawa ang mga tao dito....para itong mga taga mindanao din na naiwan sa progreso ng pinas....

[hugodiekonig]

Originally Posted by kalbongdad

i agree that is should serve the baguio, cordillera area....yung ilocos ay accessible na through air.....dapat ma develop nman ang cordillera kawawa ang mga tao dito....para itong mga taga mindanao din na naiwan sa progreso ng pinas....

actually, the expressway would benefit not only cordillera but also the ilocos region. ang nangyayari kasi kontra na sa re-aignment ang mga baguio oficials, kung may exit man na gagawin patungong kennon road edi waang problema

I really don't know also kung paano rin i-manage ng cordillera officials ang region nila. mas malaki pa nga ang ipinupuntang pondo sa region na ito kaysa sa Ilocos Region pero still parang wala paring significant progress sa region na ito, only at baguio

[hugodiekonig]

from a blog at langyaw.com
source link: http://langyaw.com/2011/05/14/santor...at-poro-point/



It was ubiquitous as the blue domed white structure got visible from the distance. Thunderbird Resorts sits, ensconced at the tongue of land that is the peninsula of Poro Point in La Union, the only five star resort in Northern Luzon as of this writing.

It was a great relief as we finally, after 5 hours on the road from Manila, drove up the main building in all its white washed glory whose architecture has been inspired by the traditional structures of Santorini Island in Greece. Mention of that far off place not only brings historical facts of one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history but more for its beautiful bleached whited buildings that are perched on the rugged terrain of that ancient caldera.



Like its inspiration, Thunderbird Resorts is also atop a promontory spanning 65 hectares of undulating hills, 100 foot cliffs and giving a beautiful view of the sea that, at the time we were there, was rather dramatic as dark clouds pregnant with rainwater hovered above. The sight was just memorable. Like impressionistic paintings of the masters.

I just like its architecture. The smooth clean lines, block like with its arcade. An open air structure that is both inviting and invigorating to the tired soul and body. Despite its minimalistic approach, there are still surprises. The dome itself seems to be the piece de resistance, where everything else revolves around. Inside, a peek up does provide a beautiful monochromatic (blue hued) artwork.




Spacious rooms of the resort.



The area is large. With its casino, restaurants with good food, golf course and sports facilities, and eventually, the residences that will be built later on. From the main building going to the sea, is a swimming pool in an aptly landscaped area while the sea is untouched left to its rugged state.


Pool area with a view of the hotel building.

But its not all beautiful and rosy though. The benches and sheds along the coastline can be an eyesore and a bit garish even with its tri-toned color scheme. It would have been better if the structures were built in consonance with the minimalist architecture of the main building or in harmony with the environment but what you have is rather detached and imposing.

The place is actually still in development and many areas are barren or undeveloped considering that this is a five star hotel and resort. It can be a bit untidy to look at but I think, a few years from now, it will be transformed into one big landscaped area.

If given a chance to linger more, I would have just sat on a chair at the verandah of the main building or at the rooms and stared for hours at the sea, contemplating on the vagaries of life while observing nature: the changing tides, the brooding sky and fading sun as day turns to night.

Thunderbird Resorts
Poro Point, La Union
www.thunderbirdresorts.com
(+6372) 888-7777

[hugodiekonig]

by Abe N. Libadia

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, July 13 (PIA) -- Ilocos Region’s infrastructure sector is focusing on providing adequate and reliable infra support for agriculture, industry, tourism and human resources development for the next six years.

As envisioned in the medium term regional development plan 2011-2016 (MTRDP-2010-2016), infrastructure support facilities shall be provided to the various sectors in the region in accordance to appropriate design standards, plans and specifications.

MTRDP-2010-2016

Ilocos Region’s MTRDP-2010-2016 is a blueprint which laid down the goals, targets and strategies paralleled with the thrusts of the new administration in attaining its economic vision for the next six years.

Transportation Sub-sector Plan

The subsector on transportation as specified in the MTRDP plans to put up more alternate and access roads and bridges to ensure accessibility to seaports and airports to affect reliable inter-modal transport system.
These roads and bridges will likewise serve as alternate routes in case od road cuts or unpassable bridges caused by massive flooding and landslides.
The sub-sector will also improve and maintain key inter-regional road networks to perk up economic activities between and among neighboring regions.
The length of the region’s paved national road increased from 1,509.66 kilometers in 2009 to 1,549.33 kilometers or 39.67 kilometers more in 2010.
Among the major road sections completed were the Laoag-Sarrat-Piddig-Salsona road in Ilocos Norte; widening of Pangasinan-Tarlac road Carmen Junction-Manat road and the Urdaneta Junction-Dagupan-Lingayen road in Pangasinan; Sta. Lucia-Salcedo road in Ilocos Sur; and the San Fernando By-Pass road extension in La Union. The total appropriation spent was P166.57 Million.

Upland access roads and bridge projects connecting the region’s road network to the Cordillera region were the Abra-Ilocos Norte road; Phase V of the Aluling bridge along the Tagudin-Cervantes road junction Santiago-Banayoyo-Lidlidda-San Emilio-Quirino road, and Sta. Maria-Burgos-Lidlidda road in Ilocos Sur; and the Rosario-Pugo road in La Union.

The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway, a breakthrough Build-Operate-Transfer project undertaken by the Private Infrastructure Development Corporation, started construction in 2010. The 88-kilometer 4-lane expressway providing a comfortable and safe travel experience of motorists going to North Luzon is expected to be completed soon.

Power Sub-sector

As contained in the MTRDP, the power subsector is expected to provide adequate power supply for agriculture, tourism, commercial and industrial use. Alternate power supply facilities such as solar power projects are also expected to provide the much needed electricity particularly in remote and upland villages in the Region.

All towns and villages in the region have access to electricity in 2010. However, 305 of the region’s 7,290 sitios mostly in remote upland barangays have yet to be electrified. For household connections, the sector has yet to address the electricity needs of some 79,552 households were unserved in 2010. The region has approximately 857,100 households.

Water Resources Sub-sector

The construction of flood control structures including dredging of rivers form part of the strategies for water resources subsection in the MTRDP to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in the farm production of the region.

Repairs of typhoon damaged irrigation systems as well as the generation of new irrigation areas shall be pursued. This would contribute in the increase of rice production to maintain sufficiency and improve food security of the region.

The Contract Package 2 of the Agno river Flood Control project, Phase 2 in Pangasinan is already 99.45 percent complete, promising a more disaster-resilient community in the area.

In terms of irrigation support, three multi-billion irrigation projects in the region were implemented in 2010. The Banaoang Pump irrigation Project in Ilocos Sur has been completed while the Lower Agno River irrigation System and the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project were 68.37percent and 53.53 percent complete respectively. The three projects which was a combined coverage service area of 34,450 hectares were implemented at a cost of P14.66 billion.
After several years of constant decline in the region’s irrigation service, a significant growth was achieved in 2010. Irrigation service area went up from 127,571 hectares in 2009 to 159, 736 hectares or 25.21 percent higher in 2010. As a result, the regions irrigation coverage significantly soared to 50 percent of the total potential irrigable area from just about 40 percent in 2009. The increase was attributed to the generation of an additional 1,240.88 hectares and the restoration of another 1,682 hectares and the rehabilitation of some 7,423 hectares in 2010.

Achieving Sustained Growth In 6 Years

The goals, targets, strategies including the infra projects spelled out in the MTRDP 2010-2016 are geared towards achieving sustained growth, employment generation, improvement in health and education facilities for better quality and manpower, and build capabilities for resilient communities in Ilocos Region. (ANL-PIA 1 La Union)(Abe N. Libadia/NEDA-R1 Report)

Source link: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=43227

[hugodiekonig]

MANILA, Philippines - The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway (TPLEX) project, one of the country’s most important infrastructure undertakings to date, has wrapped up its financial closing, with BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) providing the bulk of its debt component.

The financial closing was formalized through the recent signing of a P11.5-billion term-loan facility among the lenders and the project’s proponent Private Infra Dev Corp. (PIDC), an all-Filipino consortium led by Rapid Thoroughfares, Inc., DMCI Group and D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc. Apart from BDO, the other participating banks were Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines.

The TPLEX project, with an estimated cost of P19 billion, is being undertaken via a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract between the government -- through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) -- and PIDC.

It is an 88.58-kilometer (km), two-lane travel way (with provisions for widening) traversing from La Paz, Tarlac to Rosario, La Union. Once completed, it will reduce significantly the current travel time from Manila to Baguio.

Phase 1 or the construction of the two-lane travel way would be completed in five years.

“TPLEX is a momentous project because it has many firsts to its credit. It is the first all-Filipino owned public-private partnership (PPP) project; the first PPP project funded by all-Filipino banks; and, the first toll road project under the PPP that completed its financial close,” said BDO president Nestor V. Tan.

source link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...ticleId=706156

[hugodiekonig]

TPLEx toll plaza transfer rejected

TPLEx toll plaza transfer rejected
By DEXTER A. SEE
July 25, 2011, 3:56pm

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines — The House Committee on Public Works gave its thumbs down on a proposal to relocate the toll plaza of the 84-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) to the town proper of Rosario, La Union.

Benguet Representative Ronald M. Cosalan, the committee chairman, said the proposed transfer of the expressway’s toll plaza to Rosario from its original site near Marcos Highway and Kennon Road was impractical.

Cosalan said one of the purposes of the P27-billion expressway is to enhancing the growth of the tourism industry through improved travel time.

He said that to transfer the toll plaza approximately 7 kilometers away from its original site which is close to two major roads leading to Baguio, Benguet and the Cordillera, will no longer serve the purpose of providing convenient travel to motorists visiting tourist destinations in Northern Luzon.

The lawmaker said that once the toll plaza is transferred to Rosario, as what some Pangasinan politicians want, it will be more expensive on the part of the government because more infrastructure such as flyovers will be built from the toll plaza leading to Marcos Highway and Kennon Road in order to accommodate the huge volume of motorists wanting to go up to Baguio and Benguet and enjoy the cool and romantic climate there.

The TPLEx will form part of the expressways that strand from Metro Manila up to Northern Luzon in order to improve and reduce travel time which will be beneficial to the agricultural, economic and tourism development of provinces located north of Manila.

Cosalan said the proposal of some Pangasinan congressmen to transfer the location of the expressway’s toll plaza will just be an added burden for the national government, considering that it will again result to more expenditures which is unlikely to happen, thus, the need to stick with the original plan of having the toll plaza right at the mouth of Marcos Highway and Kennon Road.

Once the highway will be completed in the next two to three years, the lawmaker claimed more foreign and domestic tourists will be enticed to visit Baguio and Benguet and the different parts of the Cordillera because they will have more time to go around the tourist destinations due to the significantly reduced travel time.

From the regular four to five hours travel from Baguio to Manila and vice versa, motorists will be able to go to their respective points of destination in Baguio and Manila in just a little over three hours passing through the TPLEX once it will be completed.

Cosalan claimed appropriate representations were already made with concerned officials of the DPWH.

source link: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/328225...nsfer-rejected

[hugodiekonig]

The waning interest in toll roads

Some one and a half years ago, proposals, plans and funding interest for new expressways was at an all-time high. The success of the SCTEx, NLEx, SFEx and STAR extension to Batangas, plus the impending completion of the SLEx-TR3 (better-known as the SLEx-STAR link) and Skyway Stage 2 proved attractive to local conglomerates like Metro Pacific Tollways, San Miguel and PIDCo, along with foreign investors like MTD of Malaysia and Citra of Indonesia.

Hopes were high that a new administration would carry on and improve upon the track record of the past in adding more expressway kilometers. Finally, the infrastructure backlog that had accumulated since the debt-torn ’80s was being addressed. There was no lack of vision.

Metro Pacific Tollways was already designing the Valenzuela-Port Area NLEx link and was looking forward to the government’s completion of C-5 linking NLEx-Mindanao Ave. to Luzon Ave. and the MWSS end of Katipunan Ave. A stacked elevated expressway linking the NLEx to Skyway Buendia via the PNR right of way was being proposed.

Expressways for Cebu and Iloilo were being planned. There were plans for the extension of the NAIA Expressway to link all four terminals of the complex to connect all the way to the Coastal CAVITEx.

Not to be outdone, San Miguel was wisely taking a holistic approach, targeting not only the building of new expressways but also the income of long-term operation which attracts funders. The STAR tollway was given a look-see and San Miguel joined the PIDCo consortium that was already breaking ground on the TPLEx. It even dared to announce plans to take the expressway beyond Rosario, La Union to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. San Miguel also surveyed their options on Ausphil’s planned North Luzon East Expressway and LRT-7 that takes off from Commonwealth Ave. to reach Norzagaray in Bulacan.

Despite being victimized by the government indecision on applying the agreed toll rate for the new SLEx and the delayed turnover by the PNCC, MTD still made plans for a scenic expressway that links Saimsim, Laguna on Toll Road 3 to Pagbilao, Quezon. Citra, while still finishing Skyway Stage 2, was already planning links to C-5, C-6 and the Bulacan-Rizal-Cavite Expressway. The BCDA, builders of the SCTEx and its financier, JBIC, were still raring to build more expressways: to Sta. Rosa-Dingalan Bay on the Pacific coast and the Central Luzon-Nueva Ecija-Aurora Expressway.

The commercial viability of Philippine toll expressways also attracted interest from international toll road operators and soft loan funders. As a result, DPWH plans for the Laguna Lakeshore and the Cavite-Laguna expressways were dusted off and offered for BOT packaging to attract financing. Belatedly, local banks found it feasible to finance toll road projects though their 10-year terms paled in comparison to the 20-plus-year terms of the ADB and the JBIC’s 40 years.

Two SONAs later, what has the new government got to show?
First, the good news. The Skyway Stage 2, SLEx, TR-3 and STAR extension is already benefiting thousands of motorists everyday. Ditto for all those motorists going north via the NLEx and SCTEx.

Long-suffering residents of Cavite now have a complete coastal expressway. TPLEx is already building the Tarlac-Gerona two-way section. The NAIA-3 Expressway has been in operation for one and a half years, even if the government hasn’t allowed the investors to charge toll.

It’s a national habit that with every change of government, the need to review all those proposed projects from the previous administration will always find some justification. Anyway, whoever the project proponent is, all infrastructure projects must pass the NEDA’s guidelines to determine the impact on economic growth. It also must ensure that the government’s debt ceiling is not breached. This is where unsolicited projects become useful when private investors propose to finance, build and operate a toll road while the government’s role is to purchase the right of way and allow the private investor a reasonable span of time to recover its investment. With the new public-private partnerships, all proposed toll road projects, including unsolicited proposals, had to be vetted again and opened up to competing bids.

read more

[hugodiekonig]

Author:
Posted: August 08, 2011 | Category: Freeport And Ecozones


Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova recently disclosed the agency’s directions to synergize the special economic zones in Luzon. Casanova believed that the synergy among economic zones can maximize economic potential that ultimately benefits the Filipinos.

Casanova sees the great potential if all of BCDA’s subsidiaries will move beyond promoting themselves and push for a collective effort for progress. “The operational directive for BCDA is to bring synergy between Bonifacio Global City and Newport City in Metro Manila, Clark and Subic in Central Luzon, and John Hay and Poro Point in North Luzon,” he said.

In Manila, there is a proposal to build a Mega Central Business District (CBD) to interconnect all the CBDs in Makati, Taguig and Pasay through a monorail. Casanova said that it will “pave the way for the rise of a Mega CBD with greater accessibility and faster flow of commerce which will further bring progress and development in Metro Manila.”

The Newport City in Pasay, known to be the country’s premier and urban integrated tourism resort complex with a strong information technology component and airport related business blends well with the prime bustling hub of commerce and development at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

“The synergy between these two prime economic hubs will create huge revenues and greater job opportunities that will help boost the country’s economic stability in the coming years,” Casanova said.

In Central Luzon, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) has become the catalyst for increased tourism in Central Luzon. When the expressway was built, travel time from Clark to Subic was cut to a mere forty (40) minutes, bringing interconnectivity to the two major economic zones including other economic zones and commercial centers in the region.

The recent signing of the SCTEX Concession Agreement with the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), also the concessionaire of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), will bring in a more seamless connection between the NLEX and the SCTEX.

In North Luzon, the Poro Point Freeport Zone, which aims to become a commercial light industrial and tourism hub in Northern Luzon became feasible upon the completion of the upgraded San Fernando Airport in La Union. Casanova believes that the San Fernando Airport should not be a stand alone airport. “For an airport to be sustainable, it must be able to partner with other airports such as the Clark International Airport. San Fernando Airport can be a major airport in Northern Luzon as a substitute to Loakan Airport.” The synergy between these airports can improve tourism and business developments within and nearby areas.

Not far from Poro Point, the John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) offers prime accommodations and various leisure facilities for the tourists. Camp John Hay Manor, Mile-Hi Inn and Treetop Adventure are nestled within JHSEZ. JHSEZ also has a business process outsourcing (BPO) techno hub that can hold about 3000 BPO employees. This additional work force not only provides better career opportunities but also helps uplift the standard of living of the workers and their families.

A synergy between John Hay and Poro Point would give a boost to tourism in North Luzon. Tourists can enjoy a game of golf in the midst of pine trees and fresh mountain air in John Hay in the morning, then in the afternoon, they can take a 45-minute ride down to Poro Point to inhale the sea breeze and have a cozy night at the beach.

Casanova is optimistic that the synergy between economic zones is always possible. “As an organization, we have to move together. Ecozones must serve as catalysts of national development and this can be done if they complement each other. This is in keeping with BCDA’s primary mandate as a development company.”

“If BCDA and all its subsidiaries would work together to achieve that synergy among the economic zones, then it will help propel our economy forward,” he stressed. “This shall be our commitment for the next six years.”

source link: http://www.bcda.gov.ph/news_articles/show/133

[hugodiekonig]

From San Fernando City and La Union Province Thread 8

Originally Posted by ergit222

“Tsupiteros,” or marginal traders who have been feasting on the shares of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. for so many months, have plenty of reasons to be more bullish these days, despite the recent global stock market bloodbath. Lepanto’s prospective foreign partner, Gold Fields Ltd. of South Africa, appears to be dead set on acquiring a 60-percent interest in the Philippine company’s undeveloped gold-copper deposit in Mankayan, Benguet province.

Gold Fields Ltd., through wholly-owned Gold Fields Switzerland Holding AG, has initially set up its Philippine headquarters at the 37th floor of Philamlife Tower, presumably in preparations for its formal investment in Lepanto’s prized asset. The world’s fourth-largest gold producer has incorporated local unit Gold Fields Philippines Corp. and started recruiting key personnel to man its future operations.

Gold Fields recently went headhunting by placing an ad in Jobstreet.com for a “licensing and permitting manager,” who “must be willing to work in Makati City and to frequently travel to Benguet,” and who has “concrete knowledge of mining-related legislations in the Philippines.” The company, in a separate ad placement, offered a job for a site human resources manager, who is willing to work and relocate to Mankayan, Benguet.

The grapevine said Gold Fields was also setting up a second office in the Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando, La Union province, presumably to handle and monitor copper and gold ore shipments from the Benguet mine. The economic zone, formerly known as the Wallace Air Station, has a 30-hectare international seaport that can accommodate cruise ships, barges and cargo and roll-on roll-off vessels.

Option agreement

Gold Fields in September last year signed an option agreement to acquire a 60-percent interest in the Far Southeast gold and copper mine of Lepanto. Gold Fields has 18 months to exercise the investment option and proceed with a drilling program to establish the mine reserves of the Mankayan mine.

The South African mining company was also given the option to invest $120 million to acquire a 20-percent stake in Far Southeast Gold Resources Inc., the Lepanto unit that has concession over the deposits.

Gold Fields, by all accounts, is bullish on the transaction and on the prospect of the Far Southeast mine. The company’s Web site said several drillings on the area “indicate the presence of a large, concealed gold-copper mineralized porphyry system.”

Says Nick Holland, chief executive, of Gold Fields: “This transaction provides Gold Fields with a unique and exciting opportunity to gain exposure to what will undoubtedly prove to be a world-class deposit. It also advances our strategy of growing each of our three international regions to 1 million ounces, either in production or in development, by 2015.”

source

[hugodiekonig]

From San Fernando City and La Union Province Thread

Originally Posted by ergit222

by Jenniffer B. Austria

A consortium led by San Miguel Corp. and the Consunji group plans to open half of the 88.5-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway to the public by November next year.

DMCI Holdings president Isidro Consunji said the first phase of the project covering a 44-kilometer stretch from Tarlac to Carmen in Pangasinan would be partly operational. The Tarlac-Gerona stretch would be operational by April while the Gerona-Carmen phase would open in November 2012.

The second phase covering 44.5 kilometers from Carmen to Rosario in La Union will be completed by 2014.

The consortium has obtained a term credit facility worth P11.5 billion from a syndicate of banks led by Banco de Oro Unibank to build the project. Other participating banks are the state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines and the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The proponent of Tarlac-La Union is Private Infra Dev Corp., an all-Filipino group composed of San Miguel through unit Rapid Thoroughfares Inc., DMCI Group and D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc.

The project is expected to cut travel time from Manila to Baguio to three hours from the present six hours at an average speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, DMCI may also join Metro Pacific group in bidding for the P1.8-billion Daang Hari-SLEX Road Project, one of the infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Participation programs of the Aquino administration.

Consunji said the company was in talks with Metro Pacific to be part of the group that will bid for the project.

The project involves the construction of a four-kilometer, four-lane toll road from Daang Hari in Bacoor, Cavite to SLEX near the Susana Heights interchange, passing through the New Bilibid Prison Reservation.

The project will provide an alternative route from Cavite to Metro Manila, aiming to increase the competitiveness of the Southern Luzon region as an investment destination. The road project will reduce travel time from Daang Hari to the Alabang interchange and decongest traffic in some parts of Cavite, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa.

The Daang Hari Road connects Las Piñas to neighboring Bacoor town, Muntinlupa City, and San Pedro town in Laguna.

The public works and highway department earlier said interested bidders must submit all qualification documents on September 19.

[hugodiekonig]

Poro Point Urban development by Arch Palafox soon!

[hugodiekonig]

Philippines to raise port interconnectivity during presidential visit

THE PHILIPPINES will be firming up a proposal to develop a nautical highway system in the region during the visit of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III to China, Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel "Mar" A. Roxas II said yesterday.

Talking to reporters at the airport before departing with the presidential entourage, Mr. Roxas said a roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) system will be proposed to be established between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China. He noted the target destination would be on "the coastal ports of China towards the western seaboard especially Subic and Poro Point," referring to the Subic free port and another facility in La Union province, further north.

The Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity was adopted last year during the 17th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Strategies include establishing an integrated inland waterway network as well as a maritime transport system.

"This was an initiative that the President started in his last meeting with the ASEAN leaders plus China last year so we will be taking it to the next step where we will be signing an agreement, an understanding to physically explore the setting up of this South China Sea Ro-Ro," said Mr. Roxas.

The proposed agreement, the official further said, "will just mean that both governments will now direct their appropriate agencies to undertake such steps so that whoever, whether government side or private, will want to implement this project will be clear on the rules especially for immigration, custom, and other specialized needs for international transfer of goods."

Meanwhile, among the joint agreements to be signed today in China will be investments in specific projects including shipping, geothermal and public-private partnerships, said a Trade official yesterday.

Trade Undersecretary for Industry and Investments Group Cristino L. Panlilio said that the President’s meetings with several Chinese businessmen this morning will solidify certain investments.

"The significance of this trip as I said is focused on business promotion, investment promotions. This is really a big, a major significant way of getting the focus of China," said Mr. Panlilio, based on the official transcript of a press conference on Tuesday at Traders Hotel, Beijing.

For instance, China Trend is looking into investing several million dollars into the country, said Mr. Panlilio.

"Many of these investment funds are big funds, but they’re allocating only a certain sum of money like, for example, the China-ASEAN investment fund. It’s a $1-billion fund and growing, but for the Philippines initially they are allocating only something like $200-$300 million based on the projects that they have identified which they’re already analyzing right now," said Mr. Panlilio.

In addition, he said there will be a signing of a joint agreement between the Philippine Contractors Association and its counterpart on a broad range of ventures.

"They’re looking at, one, an industrial park in Clark; they’re looking at geothermal; they’re looking at the PPP (public-private partnership). So, again, it’s a broad range…," said Mr. Panlilio.

However, the Trade official noted that meetings between Mr. Aquino and China Petroleum, as well as Sinopec, will not push through.

China Petroleum, in particular, was not "able to get their required permits in time" for the meeting, Mr. Panlilio said. -- JPDP

source link: http://www.bworldonline.com/content....visit&id=37463

[hugodiekonig]

From San Fernando City and La Union Province Thread

Originally Posted by ergit222

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino left on Tuesday night for his state visit in China with the hope he and Chinese President Hu Jintao will be able to ease the ongoing tension between Manila and Beijing over the West Philippine Sea or the South China Sea.



“President Hu and I will meet to resolve the controversies in the West Philippine Sea,” President Aquino said in his departure speech before he boarded a special Philippine Airlines flight to Beijing after 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

The President said he and the Chinese President would also witness the signing of key agreements on trade, infrastructure, media exchange and economic and cultural matters.

Aquino described China as an important neighbor and expressed Manila’s intention to continue giving value to, and taking care of its ties and cooperation with Beijing.

“And like in other trips we’ve taken before, we will tell China that we have a different Philippines now, more organized, more bent on putting up reforms and it has a better investment climate…” the President said.

Among the agreements to be firmed up in the President’s visit include one that will see both nations eventually setting up a South China Sea roll of, roll on system or RORO to ensure the smooth transport of goods between them, according to Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas said.

Speaking to reporters before he left with the President and his delegation, Roxas said the agreement would pave the way for both Manila and Beijing to set up a SCS RORO by next year that would see products of the two nations being transported “from the coastal ports of China towards the (Philippines) western sea board” like in Subic, Zambales and Poro Point in La Union.

Roxas said the agreement would be important in making the Philippines “part of the manufacturing juggernaut that is China.”

But he made it clear that the agreement to be signed in Beijing would not yet see any money or contract changing hands as it would only “directly appropriate agencies to physically explore the setting up of the SCS RORO.”

“The agreement doesn’t involve only China and the Philippines but other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” he said, adding this venture was initiated by President Aquino in talks with Asean and Chinese leaders in 2010.

Asked whether the SCS roro was also called West Philippine Sea, “It’s an Asean document…we consider it as West Philippine Sea RORO.”

source

[hugodiekonig]

Phl seeks to rebid NorthRail project
By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated September 02, 2011 12:00 AM

BEIJING (via PLDT) – The Philippines is seeking to re-bid the NorthRail contract between the government and Chinese firm China National Machinery and Equipment Corp. (CNMEC) in the hope of getting better terms.

Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II told reporters that the Chinese have agreed to “reconfigure” the NorthRail project, but the terms would have to be discussed by his department and his Chinese counterpart. He said this development became apparent during the meeting between President Aquino and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Roxas, in an ambush interview while on a tour of the Forbidden City with Aquino and his delegation, said the project would have to be redesigned and that CNMEC would be compensated for its efforts.

He said CNMEC had completed only one kilometer of the 90 kilometers in the contract and the advance payment of the Philippine government would likely even exceed the amount that would be paid to the contractor. He said engineers and finance experts would determine the amount.

Based on its records, CNMEC’s expertise is in dams and other projects and not in railways.

In 2004, China agreed to provide some $400 million to begin the project, initially the phase connecting Caloocan City and Malolos in Bulacan.

Considered as the largest Chinese project in Southeast Asia, the NorthRail project was also planned to extend to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark freeport, Pampanga.

Its second phase was designed to cover the Subic Freeport Zone in Zambales while its third phase would cover Caloocan City to the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

The fourth phase, based on plans, will pass through Pampanga, Tarlac, and Pangasinan until San Fernando, La Union.

According to its original proposal, the company will install a double-track system using narrow gauge tracks compatible with those being used by the Philippine National Railways.

Once completed, the 32-kilometer railway is expected to carry 350,000 commuters daily, including those coming from the Light Rail Transit and the Metro Rail Transit in Metro Manila, which will later be connected to NorthRail.

Read full version at: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=63

[hugodiekonig]

I hope this will push through immediately to boost up the economy of the province

[hugodiekonig]

Posted on September 05, 2011 11:46:15 PM at Business World

THE HEAD of the agency tasked to oversee the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme has quit, Cabinet officials yesterday said even as they stressed that the resignation would not have an impact on the government’s already-delayed centerpiece program.

Philamer C. Torio, executive director of the PPP Center, was not immediately available for comment but his superior, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., said a resignation letter was submitted last week.

President Benigno S. C. Aquino III has yet to give his consent, Sec. Ramon “Ricky” A. Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office said.

“It (the resignation) has not been formally accepted, but it will be soon,” Mr. Carandang said.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail D. Valte said education reasons were behind Mr. Torio’s departure.

“He is pursuing higher studies overseas,” Ms. Valte said.

Mr. Paderanga said he did not expect the PPP program to be affected, declaring that “the important thing in fact is that the office is now operating fully”.

The PPP Center, which is in charge of reviewing and endorsing all projects for bidding, was placed under the National Economic Planning and Development Authority last year. It was formerly under the Department of Trade and Industry as the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) Center but was transferred and renamed under Executive Order 8.

Sought for comment, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Robert M. Sears said, “If they have a good team, the resignation should not mean any delay in the projects.”

Mr. Torio was appointed head of the office last November. His second-in-command, deputy executive director Cosette V. Canilao, said that in addition to the sole deal on offer, four projects would be added this year:

• the P20.181-billion North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) connector, a 13.4-kilometer, four-lane elevated thoroughfare from Caloocan to Makati;

• P10 billion worth of schoolbuildings;

• the P1-billion vaccine self-sufficiency program of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Department of Health; and

• the rehabilitation of Palawan’s Puerto Princesa airport.

Only the Daang Hari-SLEx auction process is up and running out of the two PPP deals that have been formally offered by the government, with 18 firms having bought bid documents for the P1.956-billion toll road project. The first, the P15-billion combined operations and maintenance contract for Metro Manila’s Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) and Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3), has been placed under review following a leadership change at the Department of Transportation and Communication.

The PPP program, launched last year by the Aquino administration as a means of addressing the country’s lack of critical infrastructure, has been hit by delays traced to the need for further project reviews. Cabinet officials initially said the scheme would help achieve the 2011 economic growth target of 7-8% as 10 projects would be bid out this year.

Growth, however, has so far been lackluster, slipping to 3.4% in the second quarter from a year earlier. The result was also lower than the 4.6% notched in the first three months of the year.

Ms. Canilao, meanwhile, listed projects set to be offered next year:

• the P947.7-million Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Phase II;

• Cavite-Laguna Expressway;

• Calamba Expressway;

• Central Luzon East Expressway;

• Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway;

• C-6 extension;

• Bohol Airport Development project;

• LRT-1/MRT-3 deal;

• LRT-1 south extension project;

• new Legazpi airport development;

• privatization of the Laguindingan airport; and

• the LRT-2 east extension project.

Feasibility studies are still being finalized, Ms. Canilao said. -- reports from N. M. Gonzales, J. P. D. Poblete and A. E. Barrameda

source link: http://www.bworldonline.com/content....signs&id=37791

[hugodiekonig]

From: ThePoint Residencies Facebook

[hugodiekonig]

AGOO, La Union: For fear that upcoming typhoons may cause more disastrous damage to their homes, Agoo residents, particularly in barangay Sta. Monica and neighboring villages, appealed anew to the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office here, under Regional Executive Director Veniedo Reyes, to act on a destroyed dike that has been the cause of flooded homes lately. This was the same complaint aired by La Union Second District Cong. Eufranio Eriguel to the DPWH earlier but has not been acted upon since the said dike on Principe River, a national river, was damaged by Typhoon “Mina.” It was learned that from Eriguel that the DPWH had vowed to conduct an emergency repair by the time a next typhoon occurred until Typhoons Pedring and Quiel arrived and devastated Luzon. DPWH has said earlier that they were still waiting for repair funds from its national office to start the construction. WILLIAM JUN GARCIA

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php...maged-dike-hit