Manila, Philippines – The Metro Manila mayors on Wednesday gave their green light to the integrated transport system (ITS) that involves the construction of modern and efficient intermodal transport hubs at two identified sites in the south.
The mayors gave their nod during the Regional Development Council-National Capital Region (RDC-NCR) meeting, presided by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino.
During presentation, Juan Carlos Camayo, project manager of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), identified two sites in the south where the terminals will be constructed: at Philippine Reclamation Area (PRA) near Uniwide Coastal mall in Paranaque City, just beside the existing temporary Southwest Integrated Provincial Terminal operated by the MMDA; and at Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) site in Taguig City.
The terminals in the south will serve passengers from Laguna, Batangas and Cavite. “Sites were selected because they have access to other modes of transportation where passengers can transfer and future railways to be built. There would be seamless transfer,” said Camayo.
For the north, Camayo said they are still in the process of considering sites that would serve passengers to and from north Luzon. They are near the Philippine National Railways property in Caloocan and another site in Quezon City. Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman, head of the infrastructure committee, moved for the approval of ITS only in the south since there is no specific location yet in the north.
Tolentino asked about the other interim terminals which President Benigno Aquino III ordered to set up. However, the DOTC said there were legal restrictions to up the terminals in Muntinlupa. Asked what will happen with the existing integrated terminal in Uniwide, Camaro said, “once permanent site in PRA becomes operation, it will cease operation.”
The government envisions the terminals to provide modern and efficient intermodal terminals where commuters from the provinces south of Metro Manila can conveniently transfer to in-city buses, rapid transit rail lines, or take other forms of urban transport.
Apart from ITS, a number of transport infrastructure projects which hopes to address the growing road traffic problem in the metropolis were also approved. The automated fare collection system (AFCS) also gained the mayors’ nod. The AFCS seeks to modernize the country’s transportation systems with the full integration of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2 as well as the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) along EDSA before President Aquino steps down in 2016. “The project will upgrade LRT and MRT’s ticketing scheme to a tap-and-go system, that would lessen queuing time and allow commuter’s seamless transfers from one rail line to another,” said lawyer Hernando Cabrera, LRTA corporate board secretary, during his presentation.
The system features contactless magnetic card that can be used in three lines. It can be used in Line 1, 2 and 3 which is more convenient for the passengers. In the long run, we it could be also used in different modes of transportation like public utility jeepneys and buses, Cabrera added.
Tolentino expressed concern on employees that would be displaced by the project. Cabrera admitted that 500 employees would be affected, saying “some of them will be transferred or offered with separation packages. Other approved major undertakings of DOTC were LRT Line 1 North Extension Project-Common Station that involves the provision of a common station for LRT 1, MRT 3 and MRT 7, and road-based transportation systems; and LRT 2 East Extension project that requires the construction of two additional stations, one at Emerald Station in Cainta Rizal and another at Masinag Station in Antipolo City.
The mayors gave their nod during the Regional Development Council-National Capital Region (RDC-NCR) meeting, presided by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino.
During presentation, Juan Carlos Camayo, project manager of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), identified two sites in the south where the terminals will be constructed: at Philippine Reclamation Area (PRA) near Uniwide Coastal mall in Paranaque City, just beside the existing temporary Southwest Integrated Provincial Terminal operated by the MMDA; and at Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) site in Taguig City.
The terminals in the south will serve passengers from Laguna, Batangas and Cavite. “Sites were selected because they have access to other modes of transportation where passengers can transfer and future railways to be built. There would be seamless transfer,” said Camayo.
For the north, Camayo said they are still in the process of considering sites that would serve passengers to and from north Luzon. They are near the Philippine National Railways property in Caloocan and another site in Quezon City. Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman, head of the infrastructure committee, moved for the approval of ITS only in the south since there is no specific location yet in the north.
Tolentino asked about the other interim terminals which President Benigno Aquino III ordered to set up. However, the DOTC said there were legal restrictions to up the terminals in Muntinlupa. Asked what will happen with the existing integrated terminal in Uniwide, Camaro said, “once permanent site in PRA becomes operation, it will cease operation.”
The government envisions the terminals to provide modern and efficient intermodal terminals where commuters from the provinces south of Metro Manila can conveniently transfer to in-city buses, rapid transit rail lines, or take other forms of urban transport.
Apart from ITS, a number of transport infrastructure projects which hopes to address the growing road traffic problem in the metropolis were also approved. The automated fare collection system (AFCS) also gained the mayors’ nod. The AFCS seeks to modernize the country’s transportation systems with the full integration of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2 as well as the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) along EDSA before President Aquino steps down in 2016. “The project will upgrade LRT and MRT’s ticketing scheme to a tap-and-go system, that would lessen queuing time and allow commuter’s seamless transfers from one rail line to another,” said lawyer Hernando Cabrera, LRTA corporate board secretary, during his presentation.
The system features contactless magnetic card that can be used in three lines. It can be used in Line 1, 2 and 3 which is more convenient for the passengers. In the long run, we it could be also used in different modes of transportation like public utility jeepneys and buses, Cabrera added.
Tolentino expressed concern on employees that would be displaced by the project. Cabrera admitted that 500 employees would be affected, saying “some of them will be transferred or offered with separation packages. Other approved major undertakings of DOTC were LRT Line 1 North Extension Project-Common Station that involves the provision of a common station for LRT 1, MRT 3 and MRT 7, and road-based transportation systems; and LRT 2 East Extension project that requires the construction of two additional stations, one at Emerald Station in Cainta Rizal and another at Masinag Station in Antipolo City.
No comments:
Post a Comment