Stock News 2012: Bidding for MRT 3 expansion faces delay

English: Platform area of J. Ruiz LRT Station of the Manila Light Rail Transit System with an entering MRT-2 train. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) needs time to study if there is a need to seek the approval of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.(MPIC) before bidding out additional light rail vehicles (LRVs) for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 system, an official said.

DOTC undersecretary Rene Limcaoco told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing yesterday that the department is still looking into the contract of the government with the MRT operator to see what needs to be done before it sets the bidding for the expansion of the MRT 3 system.

“We’re studying the contracts to determine what needs to be done,” he said.

Among the things they are looking at is whether the department would have to get the consent of the MPIC which holds an economic interest in the Metro Rail Transit Corp., the owner and operator of the MRT 3.

“We’re studying whether that approval is needed,” Limcaoco said.

Earlier this month, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved the MRT 3 capacity-expansion project.

The project, which costs P8.63 billion, involves the acquisition of an additional 52 LRVs as well as the implementation of required ancillary works, to enable operating the MRT 3 system at a four-car train configuration.

The MRT 3 spans North Avenue station in Quezon City until Taft Avenue station in Pasay City.

Limcaoco also said the DOTC would endorse soon to the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee the common ticketing system project for Lines 1 and 2 of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the MRT 3 soon.

He declined to give more details on the schedule.

The LRT Line 1 runs from Roosevelt station in Quezon City until the Baclaran station in Pasay City, while Line 2 is from Santolan in Pasig to Recto in Manila.

Limcaoco said it would be up to the winning bidder if it would want to add features to the ticket.

Earlier, DOTC Secretary Manuel Roxas II said the department was looking at having a ticket similar to Hong Kong’s octopus card, which would not only be used for transport, but could also be used to purchase goods in convenience stores.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=66&articleId=849985

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Stock News 2012: SMC, MVP back Roxas' tollway links proposal

Aerial View of Balintawak Toll Barrier, NLEx (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. (CMMTC), backed by the San Miguel Group, and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) of businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, have expressed support to a proposal by Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Secretary Manuel Roxas II for government to allow the construction of two major tollways connecting the South Luzon Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway.

“Having two major tollways linking the North and South will indeed be very beneficial to the public. Not only will we decongest EDSA, we will also hasten the flow of traffic and commerce between North and South,” CMMTC president Shadik Wahono said. “Since the San Miguel Holdings-Citra Skyway 3 project and the ‘connector’ road of MPTC will cater to different markets and therefore, serve different purposes, we support the position of Secretary Roxas and Mr. Pangilinan,” he added.

Citra’s proposed North-South link, a 14-kilometer, six-lane tollway with exits in Quirino in Manila and Plaza Dilao, Aurora Blvd., E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon Blvd., Sgt. Rivera, and Balintawak in Quezon City, is seen to greatly decongest EDSA. MPTC’s connector road, on the other hand, will have four lanes and three exits in Quirino, Espana, and 5th Avenue.

“We don’t mind if the government will allow both Citra and MPTC to undertake their projects. The more that the roads complement each other, the better the traffic throughput would be,” he said.

This was also the position that the San Miguel Holdings-Citra consortium adopted when it announced late last year that it was prepared to spend $1.5 billion for infrastructure acquisitions and development in the country for 2012.