The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is in talks with the management of Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) for the acquisition of a portion of the hospital’s land that could serve as the site of the multibillion-peso intermodal-transport terminal for the northern corridor of Metro Manila.
Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya said he has met with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), which manages the hospital for military veterans in Quezon City, to negotiate for the location of the Integrated Transport System (ITS) North Terminal Project.
“It is not yet final; but we are seriously targeting the VMMC. We’ve talked to the PVAO, and it seems that they are interested because they want to improve the hospital and replicate it in the Visayas and Mindanao,” he said in an interview. “At least from both sides, we have mutual interest.”
Earlier, Transportation Undersecretary for Planning Rene K. Limcaoco said his agency is looking at three options for the location of the intermodal-transport system project, namely, the former Philippine National Railway Station in Caloocan, a site in the University of the Philippines and the seedling bank on Quezon Avenue. The military-run hospital is the latest addition to the government’s list of possible location for the intermodal facility, a decision which should have been finalized in June this year.
The transportation department has three key considerations in choosing the best location for the infrastructure: cost, time of travel and passenger convenience.
Transportation Spokesman Michael Arthur C. Sagcal said once a location for the project has been chosen, the agency will then endorse the deal to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board, which is chaired by President Aqunio.
The P7.7-billion ITS Project envisages the establishment of three mass-transportation intermodal terminals at the outskirts of Metro Manila—one in the North of Edsa, serving passengers to and from Northern Luzon; one in the South serving passengers to and from the Laguna and Batangas side and one in the Southwest serving passengers to and from the Cavite side.
Last week two parties submitted bids for the P2.5-billion ITS Southwest Terminal deal, while the P4-billion South Terminal contract is currently under procurement.
Since the infrastructure program’s inception in 2010, the government has awarded eight contracts so far, involving:
- P1.96-billion Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway project bagged by Ayala Corp. in 2011;
- P16.42-billion first phase of the PPP School Infrastructure Program (PSIP), which went in 2012 to the consortium formed by Megawide Construction Corp. and Citicore Holdings Investment Inc., as well as the BF Corp.-Riverbanks Development Corp. Consortium;
- P15.68-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport expressway, given to San Miguel Corp. unit Vertex Tollways Development Inc. in 2013; and
- P3.86-billion PSIP Phase II contract, partially awarded last year to Megawide and the BSP & Co. Inc.-Vicente T. Lao Construction consortium;
- P5.69-billion Modernization of the Philippine Orthopedic Center project that went to the Megawide-World Citi Inc. consortium also last year.
- P1.72-billion Automatic Fare Collection System contract awarded to the AF Consortium of Ayala and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) last January;
- P17.5-billion Mactan Cebu International Airport New Passenger Terminal project bagged in April by Megawide Construction Corp. and GMR Infrastructures Ltd.; and
- P64.9-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension deal awarded in September to Light Rail Manila Consortium of Ayala and MPIC.
The administration aims to sign at least 15 contracts by the time President Aquino steps down from office in 2016.
1 comment
WE THINK PNR STATION in CALOOCAN is much more better for ITS NORTH…
DONT touch QC QUADRANGLE green environment….
The VMMC – Phil Science Science School, CIRCLE – UP Campus ang natitirang GREEN ENVIRONMENTs bird’s sanctuaries na kokontra sa massive carbon toxic pollution in Metro Manila area…