By Lorenz S. Marasigan
The stage has been set for the prequalification conference of the $1.45-billion railway deal that aims to erect a 19-kilometer train facility that spans from Bacoor, Cavite, to Dasmariñas City, an advisory from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center showed.
The prequalification conference of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 6 project has been scheduled on February 15 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City. Prominent names in the railway construction industry here and abroad are expected to join the said engagement.
Once built, the railway line will have seven stations, namely: Niyog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue and Governor’s Drive.
Its goal is to improve passenger mobility and to reduce the volume of vehicular traffic in the Cavite area by providing a higher capacity mass-transit system. It also aims to spur economic development along the extension corridor.
Under a 30-year concession agreement, the private partner will finance, design, construct, operate and maintain, and procure the rolling stock for the said train system.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has signified its interest in the project. It’s partner in the Light Rail Manila Corp., Ayala Corp., is also interested in the deal. San Miguel Corp., which is set to build the Metro Rail Transit Line 7, and Alloy MTD Philippines are also mulling over their participation in the auction.
The LRT Line 6 is the largest PPP project that has been rolled out so far, but with only a few months left on their belts, the subordinates of President Aquino in the transportation department may find it hard to award a project with such magnitude.
Since the launch of the PPP Program in late 2010, the government has awarded the following projects to the private sector:
- the P2.2-billion Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway project bagged by Ayala Corp. in 2011;
- the 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;
- the P15.68-billion Ninoy Aquino International Airport expressway, given to San Miguel Corp. unit Vertex Tollways Development Inc. in 2013;
- the P3.86-billion PSIP Phase II contract, partially awarded in 2013 to Megawide and the BSP & Co. Inc.-Vicente T. Lao Construction consortium;
- the P1.72-billion Automatic Fare Collection System contract awarded to the AF Consortium of Ayala and MPIC in 2014;
- the P17.5-billion Mactan Cebu International Airport New Passenger Terminal project bagged in 2014 by Megawide and GMR Infrastructures Ltd.;
- the P64.9-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension deal, awarded in 2014 to Light Rail Manila Consortium of Ayala and MPIC;
- the P2.5-billion Integrated Transport System Southwest Terminal, won by Megawide and partner Walter Mart Property Management Inc. of billionaire and retail magnate Henry Sy in 2015;
- the P35.42-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway bagged by MPCALA Holdings Inc. of MPIC in June 2015;
- the P24-billion Bulacan Bulk Water Supply to the San Miguel Group in 2015; and
- the P4-billion Integrated Transport System South Terminal to Ayala last November.
It intends to plug the gap in the country’s transportation facility in the next decade by rolling out massive infrastructure projects that are seen to spur economic growth.