Photo credit: Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) reached a major construction milestone on Tuesday with the final main bridge piece now cast, cementing a feat that is more than three years in the making. The Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and its subsidiary, Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. (CCLEC), wrapped up the construction on the main bridge deck with a special joint concreting rites covering the remaining two-meter gap. “We are finally at the tail end of the construction of our CCLEX project and I, together with my colleagues, share the incredible pride in this milestone achievement,” said MPTC president Rodrigo Franco, who is in Cebu to witness the activity. Stitching the remaining gap unites the deck of Tower 2 with that of Tower 1, a symbolic achievement of finally linking the quaint town of Cordova in Mactan Island to the highly urbanized Cebu City in the mainland. The main bridge deck hovers 51 meters above the Mactan Channel. “After today’s main bridge deck connection, we look forward to another milestone and that is opening CCLEX to the public in the first quarter of 2022. We can’t wait to see Cebuanos enjoy the ultimate expressway experience afforded by using this bridge,” said Allan Alfon, CCLEC president and general manager. The 8.5-kilometer CCLEX will be using a fully electronic toll collection system once opened to motorists. MPTC and CCLEC thanked the hundreds of skilled foreign and local workers behind the construction of the main bridge who defied some work challenges. Among these are working at heights in the middle of the Mactan Channel with live marine traffic and following stringent health and safety protocols because of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. CCLEX’s main contractor is Cebu Link Joint Venture composed of Spanish-based firm, Acciona Construccion S.A., and Filipino companies First Balfour and DM Consunji Inc. CCLEC also engaged COWI A/S of Denmark with the Philippines’ DCCD Engineering Corp. as its technical advisor and Norconsult, a Norweigan consultancy firm, as the project’s independent consultant. As of August 2021, there was a total of 1,936 workers fielded for the entire CCLEX project rendering 15,199,178 total man-hours. CCLEX, which will be the third link to Mactan Island from Cordova to mainland Cebu through Cebu City’s South Road Properties, has a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour and a navigational clearance or height of 51 meters to allow large vessels to pass underneath the bridge. Not only is CCLEX seen to reduce traffic and make traveling more convenient but also spur trade activities and open greater economic opportunities for Cebu and the rest of the Visayas region. By Carlo Lorenciana - (With a report from John Rey Saavedra/PNA)   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

The Department of Public Works and Highways has finally completed road components to open the entire 1.48-kilometer Bonifacio Global City (BGC)-Ortigas Center Road Link Project that will reduce travel time between Bonifacio Global City and Ortigas Center to only 12 minutes. No less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte joined by Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Senator Christopher Lawrence Bong Go, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Taguig City Mayor Lino S. Cayetano, and Pasig City Lone District Representative Roman Romulo led the symbolic unveiling of project marker at BGC Taguig City on Thursday, September 30, 2021 to formally inaugurate the P1.79 Billion project. The event was also attended by DPWH Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain; Undersecretary Eduardo S. Ramos Jr.; Assistant Secretary Mel John I. Verzosa; NCR Director Eric Ayapana; and Project Directors Benjamin A. Bautista, Sharif Madsmo Hasim, Ramon A. Ariola III, and Rodrigo Delos Reyes. The viaduct structure, complemented by the already opened 4-lane Kalayaan Bridge section that links Sta. Monica in Pasig City and Lawton Avenue in Makati City, now provides motorists a direct and faster link between the commercial districts of Ortigas and BGC. “With the opening of the entire BGC-Ortigas Road Link Project, we are seeing significant traffic decongestion, or as much as 20 percent traffic volume from nearby Epifanio delos Santos Avenue and C-5 Road sections,” said Secretary Villar. Commenced in October 2017, the locally-funded BGC-Ortigas Road Link Project which also covers the rehabilitation and widening of the 362-meter Brixton Street (corner Reliance Street) to Fairlane Street, was implemented by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations headed by Undersecretary Sadain. “Through the efforts of our field workers and engineers who worked 24/7, rain or shine, we were able to finish the 2-lane viaduct component of the project this September. This segment now connects Lawton Avenue to the entrance of BGC at 8th Avenue through up and down ramps,” said Secretary Villar. Undertaken by joint venture contractor Persan Construction Inc. of Engineer Reynaldo S.L. Perez and Sino Road and Bridge Group Co. Ltd., the project is under direct construction supervision of DPWH UPMO Roads Management Cluster 1 Project Manager Ricarte Mañalac and Project Engineer Emmanuel Regodon and Persan Construction Project Manager Jefferson Blay with DCCD Partners & Co. in joint venture with Pertconsult International as technical consultant. The project is part of a bigger EDSA Decongestion Program which is aimed to bring EDSA back to its original capacity of 288,000 cars per day.

It’s all systems go for the much-anticipated Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), touted to be the country’s first green, hybrid expressway, as proponent San Miguel Corporation (SMC), together with the government broke ground yesterday for the 19.37-kilometer project. SMC president Ramon S. Ang, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, DoTR Sec. Arthur Tugade, and DPWH Undersecretary for Planning and PPP Service Maria Catalina Cabral, led groundbreaking rites held yesterday along the Pasig River in Pandacan, Manila. The project, a P95-billion investment by SMC, will be a six-lane elevated expressway that will run along the banks of the river, from Radial Road 10 in Manila to C-6 Road or the South East Metro Manila Expressway (SEMME) in Taguig. Once operational, PAREX will link the eastern and western cities of Metro Manila and will connect to the Skyway system--realizing the vision of an integrated elevated road network that will link the north, south, east, and west corridors of the capital. “I believe this project is bound to be one of the most impactful projects during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte, in terms of integrating the social, economic, and environmental needs of our people. I’m very proud that we have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide an inclusive, future-ready solution to traffic, and at the same, restore the Pasig River back to its old glory,” said Ang. “We thank government and especially the Build Build Build team, for allowing us to deliver another game-changing infrastructure, to help ease traffic, boost our economy, and improve the lives of so many Filipinos in Metro Manila,” he added.  Transportation Sec. Tugade said that after working with SMC and RSA on a number of projects already, he is sure that the PAREX will not only benefit the public, but also the environment. “We are happy because we have a project like this connecting north to south and east to west. Never has this connectivity been thought of, and now it is being implemented. We thank RSA and the whole of San Miguel. Unequivocally I say, the DoTR fully supports this project because I know it is good for the people and the environment,” Tugade said. Meanwhile, Exec. Sec. Medialdea said: “This 19.37 km six-lane road will definitely ease traffic in Manila. This was just a dream before, but now it’s becoming a reality. PAREX will be a gateway for the future of urban transport and will address the needs of urban living in today’s environment.” For her part, on behalf of DPWH sec. Mark Villar, Usec. Cabral said: “We in the DPWH, led by Sec. Mark Villar, believe that this will be a monumental and significant project as it will serve as the east-west connection from R-10 in Manila all the way to Taytay, Rizal. It will complete the network of expressways within Metro Manila area and will provide a solution to the growing traffic problem within the metropolis. The travel time from Manila to Pasig will be reduced to just about 15 to 20 minutes, once this project is finished,” she said. According to Ang, PAREX will be built to accommodate more than just motor vehicles. Once complete, it will feature a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that will benefit commuters all over Metro Manila, who will then have a comfortable, safe, and reliable, alternative to commuting anywhere in the metro. The expressway will also have dedicated bike lanes to encourage healthy, environment -friendly modes of personal transportation, as well as pedestrian walkways to encourage walking or exercise. PASIG RIVER REHABILITATION Separate from the project itself, SMC is also undertaking a P2 billion initiative to clean up and rehabilitate the Pasig River. Its goal is to extract some 3 million metric tons of silt and solid waste from the river, to improve the flow and carrying capacity of the river, in order to mitigate flooding. With the river rehab project, the river itself can then be safely used again as an alternative mode of transportation, utilizing watercraft or water ferries.  Ang also addressed some critics of the project who have alleged it is supposedly bad for the environment, and that it would ruin views of the river, among other things. “This is a private investment. We will spend our own money, so we will not build something that will not be beneficial to the public. We are not the type of people who will build something that will be bad for the public, the environment, and our country, for the sake of profits. In fact, we are investing a lot of money and other resources for these projects, even if the returns will take a while--because our country needs them,” Ang said. Ang said some sectors appear to be spreading misinformation about the project, claiming, among others that it will cover the Pasig River. “That is not true. This will be built on the side of the river, along the easement of the Pasig River to be exact. It will not cover the river. The posts for the project will only take up 1 meter of space, while the average width of the Pasig River is 200 meters,” he illustrated. He added that as part of its rehabilitation efforts for the Pasig River, the company will widen and deepen the tributary in critical areas where the river has become too shallow, based on findings of a bathymetric survey conducted by the company. Ang cited the area at the mouth of Marikina River and Manggahan River as examples, saying the depth of these sections have been reduced to just 1 ½ meters, while the Pandacan and Manila Bay areas are only at two meters. The ideal depth of the river is at least eight meters, he said, to allow for enough floodwaters to flow through. “From today throughout construction, we will clean up the river. We estimate to remove from three million metric tons of silt and solid waste. And even when we start operating the expressway, we will continue to dredge and clean-up the river because we know that no matter what, garbage will still make their way into the river,” Ang said. “Also, we know that a lot of silt, sand, and dirt will still go into the river from the Sierra Madre mountains, via the Marikina river, so the river needs to be maintained. We are committed to continuously dredge and clean it up for the next 30 years,” Ang added.   Apart from cleaning the Pasig River, Ang also said that the integration of green architecture principles and multiple modes of transportation will make PAREX a truly inclusive infrastructure project will benefit pedestrians, motorists, cyclists, and the environment. “Though PAREX, we will solve traffic and congestion, provide jobs for thousands of Filipinos, boost productivity, improve people’s daily commutes, address flooding, and save the Pasig River itself. More than that, we can also encourage more people to be active and healthy. This is what it means to help make Metro Manila truly livable again,” he said.   Article courtesy of San Miguel Corporation 

The “Build, Build, Build (BBB)” program of the government has provided close to 1.5 million jobs to Filipinos despite the restrictions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Friday. Citing the latest data from the agency, Secretary Mark Villar said the projects under the BBB prompted the hiring of a total of 1,482,119 workers nationwide from March 2020 to August 2021. “As announced before, BBB will be one (1) of our key drivers towards economic recovery. We are glad that indeed infrastructure projects across the country were able to provide the much-needed livelihood opportunities, more so during this pandemic period,” he said in a statement. Of the over 1.4 million employment opportunities, a total of 24,560 jobs were generated by projects under the DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) and 70,661 through the DPWH National Capital Region. Meanwhile, the agency has employed 72,168 in the Cordillera Administrative Region; 65,716 in the Ilocos Region; 65,529 in Cagayan Valley; 125,330 in Central Luzon; 74,252 in Calabarzon, 181,501 in Mimaropa; and 213,089 in Bicol. In three regions of the Visayas, DPWH projects were able to create a total of 250,102 jobs which is composed of 120,749 in Western Visayas; 73,148 in Central Visayas; and 56,205 in Eastern Visayas. In Mindanao, a total of 345,887 jobs were generated from the 81,188 in the Zamboanga Peninsula; 97, 466 in Northern Mindanao; 10,6027 in Davao Region; 38,930 in Soccsksargen; and 22,276 in Caraga. Villar is anticipating that the number of those that were provided jobs will increase by year-end, as there are still a lot of vital scheduled projects. The BBB programs include the building of roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure to spur economic development.

The national government has allocated up to PHP34 billion next year for right-of-way (ROW) payments as the Duterte administration lays the groundwork for the sustained construction of large, multiphase public infrastructure projects, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said on Sunday. “The ROW payments next year will assure the full completion of several ongoing projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program well into the term of the next administration, mostly between 2024 to 2028,” Pimentel said. Pimentel said the PHP34 billion is nearly three times the PHP11.8 billion that the national government is spending for ROW payments this year. ROW payments are pursuant to Article III, Section 9 of the Constitution, which prohibits the taking of private property by the government for public use without just compensation to the owner, according to Pimentel. Pimentel is chairperson of the House strategic intelligence committee, which also has jurisdiction over economic intelligence matters. In the proposed PHP5.024-trillion General Appropriations Act of 2022, Pimentel said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has PHP21.3 billion for ROW acquisition, while the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has PHP12.7 billion for the same purpose. Pimentel said the DPWH’s ROW payments are meant to pave the way for the construction of new roads, flyovers and bridges, such as the 74-kilometer Metro Cebu Expressway Project and the 8.2-kilometer 4th Cebu-Mactan Bridge and Coastal Road Project. Meanwhile, Pimentel said the bulk of the DOTr’s ROW payments will go to property owners affected by the 147-kilometer North-South Commuter Railway Project from Calamba, Laguna to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac; the 639-kilometer Philippine National Railways South Long Haul Project from Manila to Legazpi City; and the 25-hectare New Cebu International Container Port Project in the Municipality of Consolacion. ROW expenses are authorized by Republic Act 10752, or An Act Facilitating the Acquisition of ROW Site or Location for National Government Infrastructure Projects.

Residents and those working in Pasay City will soon enjoy easier public transportation after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the city government signed a deal for the construction of a monorail and extension of the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa)-Tramo flyover. In a live broadcast on Facebook on Wednesday, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the proposed Integrated Pasay Monorail and Edsa-Tramo flyover extension project. Tugade said the project will be interoperable with the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), the Edsa Busway, and the Edsa Greenways. “[Ito ay] makapagbibigay ng mas mabilis at episyenteng biyahe sa mga pasahero. Magiging mas madali na rin ang access patungong central business district (CBD) ng Pasay (This will provide fast and efficient travel to passengers. Access to Pasay CBD will also be easier),” Tugade said. Aside from its benefits to commuters, he said the project will also create jobs. “Ang paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na karugtong ng mga proyekto para sa kaunlaran ay trabaho para sa Pilipino (What I have always been saying is that development projects go hand-in-hand with jobs for Filipinos),” Tugade said. He said the project is a partnership between the DOTr, Pasay City government, and SM Prime Holdings. “Makakaasa 'ho kayong magpapatuloy ang DOTr sa pagsusulong ng mga proyekto para sa ikauunlad ng pampublikong transportasyon sa bansa (You can be rest assured that the DOTr will continue to promote projects for the development of public transportation in the country),” Tugade said. The MOA signing was witnessed by Pasay City Vice Mayor Noel del Rosario, DOTr Undersecretary for Finance Giovanni Lopez, Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Reinier Paul Yebra, Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, SM Prime Holdings President Jeffrey Lim, and other representatives from the Pasay City government and the private sector. On Sept. 7, the Pasay City government and the SM Prime Holdings made a joint presentation on the project to the DOTr. By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: Department of Transportation The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pushing for the inclusion of the newly rehabilitated and expanded airport here as among the alternate gateways for returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and international travelers. DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade proposed the move on Thursday as he personally led the formal unveiling and inauguration of the city airport’s new passenger terminal building and other completed facilities. He said the city’s international standard airport can accommodate airline passengers coming in from as far as the Middle East. Tugade said it can be realized once the proposed increase in the daily cap for returning OFWs, currently at 2,000 for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), is approved. Once the cap is expanded, he said NAIA might “choke” with the influx of airline passengers from various countries. “If we will increase the cap, we need to expand our gateways and not limit them to Clark, Cebu, and NAIA. We can include GenSan among the gateways for travelers from Doha who are going to Manila,” he said in a press conference. He said they will propose such strategy with the airlines serving the international routes, including the Philippine Airlines, and seek the approval of the city government. The other possible alternate gateways could be the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte and the Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Tugade said. The rehabilitated and expanded General Santos Airport passenger terminal building, which was completed early this month, is part of the PHP959-million upgrade implemented by the national government. The other completed components are the procurement and installation of navigational aids and the construction of the new Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) administration building at the airport. Under the project, Tugade said the passenger terminal area has tripled in size from 4,000 to 12,000 square meters. “This will allow the airport to accommodate more passengers and provide them comfortable and convenient travel,” he said in his speech. A DOTr report said the larger passenger terminal building can now accommodate around 2 million passengers annually, a significant jump from the previous 800,000 per year. Tugade said the improvement at the city airport will continue next year with the upgrading of its air control tower, which he considered as “too low.” He said they will build a “higher and modernized” tower in 2022 to make it “more world-class” and can easily adjust to the needs of the airport. The official said the upgrading of the airport, which started in 2018, is among the agency and the national government’s top priorities in Mindanao. He said the initiative is part of the government’s efforts to bring more progress and economic opportunities in Mindanao, which “suffered from long years of neglect in terms of development.” Tugade said they endeavored to implement these projects despite the challenges posed by the continuing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic to pursue their goal of giving a “comfortable and convenient life” to Filipinos. “After the pandemic, we want all these developments in place and ready to benefit the people,” he said. In a video message, President Rodrigo Duterte commended the DOTr, the local government, and concerned stakeholders for completing the projects at the city airport amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the city has “gone a long way” in terms of the development of its air connectivity and airport facilities. “The rehabilitation and expansion of the airport passenger terminal building, among others, will truly boost General Santos City’s role as an agro-industrial and eco-tourism hub,” the President said. City Mayor Ronnel Rivera lauded the national government for helping the city realize its dream of having an international-standard airport. Aside from the expanded passenger terminal building, the airport is now capable of accommodating bigger aircraft like Boeing 737 and 747, as well as Airbus A330, A340, and A350. “(What) we are seeing now is a result of multisectoral commitment and dedication in various stages of the airport development, which includes coordination of several initiatives, preparation of the airport master plan, operations, and marketing,” he said. The mayor said the local government will continue to engage with prospective investors and airlines for the opening of more flights to and from the airport and the development of adjacent areas. He cited the proposed establishment of an aerotropolis or growth area centered on the city airport and its surrounding areas. “We are opening a wide array of opportunities, not only on the improvement of our infrastructure facilities but also in terms of investments that will generate more economic opportunities for the city and the entire region (Soccsksargen),” he said. Aside from the inauguration of the airport projects, Tugade also led the unveiling of completed initiatives at the Makar port here. The DOTr said it includes the construction of the Port Operations Building and other vital facilities, which includes a parking area, covered court, port manager’s quarter or Day Care Center, and drainage system. “The improved port of Makar will now offer safer, comfortable, and a more convenient port experience to passengers, while ensuring a faster turnaround for vessels, cargo trucks, and other ancillary service providers,” it said.   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway As of August 31, 2021, the construction progress of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) project was at 83.84 percent. The P30-billion toll bridge, which will be substantially completed by the end of 2021, will use a full electronic toll system when it opens to motorists in the first quarter of 2022 to enable faster traffic flow and seamless travel. The project recently marked a milestone with the completion of the installation of all 56 stay cables that hold the main bridge deck. On September 11, the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), through its contractor, installed the last and longest stay cable, which is 219 meters long. The gap on the main bridge, on the other hand, is now down to only two meters before span closure and preparations are underway for the lowering of the form travelers. These form travelers, which weigh 500 tons in each tower, were used to construct the main bridge’s pier table and deck. Also, all 434 NU (Nebraska University) girders for the entire project have already been installed. With this, the mobile launching gantry used to install the girders have been demobilized. At the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) on ramp and off ramp sections of CCLEX, construction of its substructures is complete. Ongoing works are now on the installation of precast planks and the concreting of deck slab. Also finished is the 200-meter pedestrian footbridge beside the CSCR with all six prefabricated steel walkways already installed. The footbridge will start near the U-turn slot of the South Road Properties’ welcome tower and will connect to the on-ramp sidewalk of CCLEX. At the Cebu viaduct, the construction of deck slab is ongoing. The Cordova viaduct, on the other hand, is now structurally complete with its substructure already done. Installation of handrails are underway. At the causeway, embankment works continue to progress with the placing of 20 vent pipes, which equalize the flow of seawater along the Cordova Channel, is finished. Also structurally complete are the four low-level bridges along the causeway, which will provide fishermen continued access to their fishing grounds. Aside from these, works are ongoing for the toll plaza and the CCLEX Operations and Maintenance Center. CCLEX, highlighted by its iconic crosses on top of the twin pylons of the cable-stayed main bridge over the Mactan Channel, is Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation’s (MPTC) first toll road project outside Luzon. CCLEX, which will be the third link to Mactan Island from Cordova Municipality to mainland Cebu through Cebu City’s South Road Properties, has a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour (kph) and a navigational clearance or height of 51 meters to allow large vessels to pass underneath the bridge. Not only is CCLEX seen to reduce traffic and make traveling more convenient but also spur trade activities and open greater economic opportunities for Cebu and the rest of the Visayas region. CCLEX is a project of Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corporation (CCLEC), in partnership with the local government units of Cebu City and Municipality of Cordova. CCLEC is a wholly owned subsidiary of MPTC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), a publicly listed infrastructure holding company and a member of the MVP Group of Companies. MPTC is the largest toll road concessionaire and operator in the Philippines, which expansion goals include establishing toll operations in the Visayas, other parts of the Philippines, and in neighboring countries notably Vietnam, and Indonesia.   Article courtesy of Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway

Photo credit: Department of Transport Philippines A six-lane elevated expressway traversing the length of the Pasig River will soon be built after the signing of the supplemental toll operations agreement (STOA) of the project between national government officials and partners in the private sector. During a virtual presser on Tuesday, the STOA for the Pasig River Expressway (PAREx) was signed between Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Executive Director Alvin Carullo, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Cathy Cabral, San Miguel President and COO Ramon Ang, and Philippine National Construction Corporation Assistant Vice President for Legal Henry Salazar. Carullo said the PAREx will be about 19.365 kilometers long and will begin at the borders of San Nicolas and Intramuros in Manila to Taytay, Rizal, with entry and exit points placed “strategically” to connect it to other main thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR). “As part of the STOA, the project is considered an extension or linkage between Skyway Stage 3 and the C6 project,” he said. The project, he said, includes the financing, design, construction, operation, maintenance of the toll expressway and consists of three segments. The first 5.740-km segment will cover R10 to Skyway Stage 3 to Plaza Azul while the second 7.325-km section will stretch from Skyway Stage 3, San Juan River, to C5, and the third 6.3 km segment will be from C5 to Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, also known as C-6 Expressway. “It has a franchise period of 30 consecutive years--commencing from the issuance of the toll operations certificate. And the construction period is for 36 consecutive months counted from the issuance of the notice to proceed with a 12-month grace period,” Carullo said. The project cost is estimated at PHP81.527 billion with a “project reasonable rate of return” of 9.87 percent. In a Facebook post, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the PAREx aims to address traffic congestion from the East to West of NCR. “It is also set to provide a faster and alternative access to Makati, Ortigas, and Bonifacio Global City,” Tugade said. ‘First hybrid highway’ In a separate statement, Ang said the agreement would bring about the country’s first “green, hybrid highway and the future of urban transport.” “PAREx will not only decongest traffic, it will greatly improve the way we move around Metro Manila. It will be designed to accommodate motor vehicles, a bus rapid transit system, bicycles, pedestrians, and water ferries,” Ang said. In addition, he said his company is “fully committed” to a PHP2 billion rehabilitation initiative for the Pasig River. “PAREx will address not only the present needs of both people and the environment but also the future needs of generations to come,” Ang said. By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

Photo credit: CNN Philippines The Malolos-Clark segment or phase two of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR), of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) is now 32 percent complete and is on track to be completed in 2024. In a Laging Handa briefing on Monday, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the NSCR Phase 2 began construction this year. “Sa kasalukuyan ay meron tayong 32 percent na overall progress rate para sa PNR Clark Phase 2 at inaasahan natin na yan ay matapos--kabuuan mula Manila hanggang Clark--by the year 2024 (To date we have a 32 percent overall progress rate for the PNR Clark Phase and we’re expecting this to be completed—from Manila to Clark—by the year 2024),” Batan said. The NSCR is composed of three segments—the PNR Clark Phase 1 that began construction in 2019, PNR Clark Phase 2, and PNR Calamba that is slated to begin construction next year. “Itong [NSCR] ay meron haba na 147 kilometers (km) at meron yan 35 na mga istasyon at yan ay magdadaan sa 25 na cities at municipalities mula sa Clark International Airport (CRK) hanggang Calamba (The NSCR is 147 km long and has 35 stations that will pass through 25 cities and municipalities from CRK to Calamba),” Batan said. He said the NSCR is expected to provide a total of 25,000 direct jobs. “Sa Clark Phase 2 pa lang ay 7,000 jobs na ang magagawa at direct pa lang yan. Ibig sabihin yung mga trabahador natin, wala pa diyan yung mga indirect jobs na tinatawag na magmumula sa doon sa economic activity na isasagawa at maidudulot nitong proyekto (PNR Clark Phase 2 alone will provide 7,000 direct jobs. That only includes project workers, not including indirect jobs that will be created by the project’s economic activity),” Batan said. On Saturday, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials conducted a site inspection of the underground railway station adjacent CRK that is part of the NSCR Phase 2. Once operational, the journey from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga is seen to cut down to 30 to 35 minutes from the previous 1.5 to two-hour drive and will be part of the country’s first “Airport Express Service.” By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

The Japan-funded North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-Ex) project has began construction, the Japanese Embassy in Manila said Tuesday. Last September 18, Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko personally joined Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan and ADB Director General Ramesh Subramaniam during a joint site inspection at Clark International Airport Station in Pampanga, marking the start of construction for the NSCR Extension project (NSCR-Ex). Two extension lines will be constructed under NSCR-Ex, the 51-kilometer "North" extension that runs from Malolos in Bulacan to Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and the 55-km "South" extension from Solis, Manila to Calamba, Laguna. Apart from alleviating traffic congestion, the Embassy said the project aims to mitigate the effects of pollution and climate change by using Japan's energy efficient trains. Its technical aspects will also complement the ongoing NSCR Malolos to Tutuban Project that adopts Japanese technology on flood-resilient and anti-seismic design to withstand earthquakes. NSCR-Ex is jointly financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The yen loan will be allocated for the procurement of rolling stock and railway systems as well as consulting services, while the ADB loan funds will be allocated for civil works. In January 2019, the Philippines signed the JPY167.199 billion loan agreement with JICA for the NSCR-Ex. It is one of the key infrastructure projects supported by Japan under the Philippine government's Build, Build, Build program.

Photo credit: The Department of Public Works and Highways The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has re-affirmed its support to the government of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) with the signing of two (2) agreements at DPWH Central Office in Manila. DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and Ministry of Public Works (MPW)-BARMM Minister Eduard U. Guerra signed on Monday, September 20, 2021 the memorandum of agreement (MOA) to turn-over the DPWH Cotabato City District Engineering Office to the auspices of the BARMM and the interim implementation arrangements/protocols of various infrastructure projects of the national government in Bangsamoro. Other signatories as witnesses of these agreements are DPWH Undersecretary for Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Operations Emil K. Sadain who is also the Focal Person for BARMM Infra Projects and alternate representative in the Inter-Agency Task Force Bangon Marawi, and MPW-BARMM Director General Danilo A. Ong. The event was also attended by MPW-BARMM Deputy Minister Abdul Maomit M. Tomawis and DPWH Region 12 Legal Division Chief Atty. Jahara Ali-Macadato while others participated virtually via zoom including Bangsamoro Government Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim and Senior Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua; DPWH Undersecretaries Ardeliza R. Medenilla and Eugenio R. Pipo Jr.; DPWH Assistant Secretary Ador Canlas; Assistant Secretary Wilben M. Mayor of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process; DPWH UPMO Project Directors; DPWH Regional Directors in Regions 9, 10 and 12; MPW District Engineers; and other Bangsamoro parliament members. With the inclusion of Cotabato City under BARMM, DPWH officially transfer the DPWH Cotabato City District Engineering Office land, building, equipment, and assets located in Barrio Kakar, Cotabato City to the jurisdiction of MPW-BARMM pursuant to Republic Act 11054 or An Act Providing for the Organic Law for the BARMM. However, a Project Management Office (PMO) for Maguindanao is created to handle implementation of various DPWH national projects within the Province of Maguindanao inclusive of Cotabato City. The other agreement covers the two (2)-year implementation arrangements/protocols of infrastructure projects of the national government in the BARMM. Under the interim implementation arrangement, the DPWH is tasked to lead in the identification of various national infrastructure projects in BARMM, in coordination with MPW. The MPW may recommend and initiate request of proposed flagship projects directly to the BARMM government parliament for funding and consideration. DPWH is however required to furnish MPW copies of all approved report/studies, plans, annual procurement plan, procurement monitoring report, and list of contracts awarded with name of contractor of all DPWH projects in BARMM. MPW shall also be notified and invited as observers in pre-bid conferences, pre-construction conference of DPWH projects in BARMM and be assisted in capability development in matters related to procurement. Quarterly coordination meeting shall also be conducted between two (2) parties for the evaluation of the projects under the national government. During the construction, the DPWH Regional Office or PMO that will handle the direct implementation of all national infra for BARMM funded by the General Appropriations Act (GAA) shall furnish project progress to MPW, and invite the latter on final inspection of projects. The MPW may conduct an independent project monitoring of completed projects. The maintenance of national roads and bridges shall also be under the national government in close coordination with the BARMM. Minor maintenance works and emergency/disaster response in BARMM can be delegated by the DPWH to the MPW through a separate MOA. On foreign-assisted projects, DPWH-UPMO headed by Undersecretary Sadain shall remain the lead in coordination with MPW. This interim agreement is effective for a period of two (2) years upon approval or until such time that the Regional Project Management Office and PMOs for Bangsamoro are created and fully-operationalized.   Article courtesy of The Department of Public Works and Highways

Photo Credit: Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Ltd Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade has assured that once it is operational, the PNR Clark Phase 2 of the North-South Commuter Rail Project (NSCR) project will create needed jobs and spur economic recovery in Central Luzon amid the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The DOTr, in all of its projects, has always aimed to revitalize the country’s economy. A transport infrastructure project like the NSCR will spur economic growth in Central Luzon, particularly the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga,” Tugade said in a news release on Sunday. The NSCR System is the single largest infrastructure project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and is the longest greenfield commuter railway project to be financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It is also the biggest project to be undertaken so far under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the Duterte Administration with a total cost of PHP777.55-billion. It is one of the key infrastructure railway projects supported by Japan, in addition to the Metro Manila Subway and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 Rehabilitation projects. The PNR Clark Phase 2 is a 53 kilometer-rail line under the NSCR that will connect Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga. Tugade said once operational, PNR Clark Phase 2 will improve transport connectivity and mobility across the Central Luzon and spur various employment in various sectors. “The Malolos to Clark Railway of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) aims to cut travel time between Malolos, Bulacan and Clark, Pampanga, from 1.5 to 2 hours, to just 30-35 minutes. It also features the country’s first-ever Airport Railway Express Service, which will connect Makati to the Clark International Airport in just 55 minutes, from the current 2-3 hours,” Tugade said. PNR Clark Phase 2 will have six train stations, namely, Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, and Clark Airport. The rail stations will include multimodal facilities that will allow seamless transfer of commuters from public utility vehicles to trains.   Article courtesy of the Philippine News Agency

 The Philippine North Railway (PNR) project inside this Freeport, which will feature the country’s first-ever airport railway express service, will unlock economic growth and the employment potentials of Central Luzon, especially Bulacan and Pampanga, under the “Build, Build, Build” project, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Saturday. Tugade, who inspected the excavation of the airport underground railway in front of the new terminal building of the Clark International Airport (CRK), said the project would generate direct and indirect employment opportunities for locals, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and transport workers affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. “Sa katunayan, mahigit 7,000 direct jobs ang nabuksan sa construction phase ng PNR Clark Phase 2, at inaasahang 3,000 job opportunities pa ang magbubukas oras na maging operational ito. Samantala, inaasahang higit 25,000 direct job opportunities ang hatid ng buong North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) line during construction, at 10,000 jobs naman ang maidadagdag oras na mabuksan na ito (In fact, more than 7,000 direct jobs have been opened in the construction phase of PNR Clark Phase 2, and it is expected that 3,000 job opportunities will open when it becomes operational. Meanwhile, more than 25,000 direct jobs are expected to open during the construction of the entire NSCR line, and 10,000 jobs will be added by the time it opens),” Tugade said in an official social media account post. Joining Tugade during the inspection were provincial government officials and representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Asian Development Bank. The underground train station of the PNR inside Clark is part of the 53-km. PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark segment) project. Tugade said once operational, PNR Clark 2 will cut travel time from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga from 1.5 hours to 2 hours to just 30 minutes to 35 minutes. It has six stations – Calumpit, Apalit, San Fernando, Angeles, Clark, and CRK. This project is part of the massive 147-km. NSCR, which will have 35 stations, and shall operate 464 train cars, with 58 eight-car train sets configuration. As of July 2021, PNR Clark Phase 2 recorded an overall progress rate of 32 percent, while PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban to Malolos segment), is now 48-percent complete.

Photo Credit: Department of Public Works and Highways Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar on Friday, September 17, 2021 checked the progress of the viaduct crossing Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City towards Bonifacio Global City’s 8th Avenue in Taguig City. Secretary Villar said that the viaduct is the last segment to complete the entire 1.48-kilometer Bonifacio Global City (BGC)-Ortigas Center Road Link Project implemented by DPWH Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) Roads Management Cluster 1. The DPWH Secretary was accompanied in the inspection activity before its targetted opening this end of the month by Underscretary for UPMO Operations Emil K. Sadain, UPMO RMC 1 Project Director Benjamin A. Bautista, Project Manager Ricarte Mañalac and Project Engineer Emmanuel Regodon, and Engr. Reynaldo Perez of Persan Construction Inc. “I am grateful for the dedication of our engineers and workers on the ground undertaking round-the-clock construction, rain or shine, to ensure we meet our target opening of the final viaduct segment of BGC-Ortigas Center Road Link Project”, added Secretary Villar. On orders of Secretary Villar, all efforts are currently underway to finish BGC-Ortigas Center Road Link Project - Phase 2 or the Lawton Avenue to Global City Viaduct this September, said Undersecretary Sadain. Undersecretary Sadain reported that with the current pace of works coupled with favorable weather condition, we are right-on-track to complete the project which will significantly benefit motorists between the commercial business districts of BGC and Ortigas Center. The first phase of BGC-Ortigas Center Road Link Project dubbed Kalayaan Bridge was opened in June 12 and now connects Brgy. Sta. Monica, Pasig City and Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. This infrastructure flagship project under the build, build, build program will reduce travel time between BGC and Ortigas to just 12 minutes and will be able to help decongest as much as 20 percent traffic volume from the busy Epifano delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and C-5 Road.   Article courtesy of The Department of Public Works and Highways