Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway groundbreaking

PGMA leads TPLEX groundbreaking

Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will spearhead the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) Project today at Barangay Subusub, Rosario, La Union which will signal the boosting of economic growth and countryside development in the northern corridor.

According to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Romeo S. Momo, the TPLEX is an 88.58 km. 4-lane high speed toll expressway which is a four (4) year in the making project.

It is divided into two (2) phases, to wit: Phase 1 is the construction of 2-lanes and Phase 2 is expansion into 4-lanes when capacity reaches 25,000 vehicles per day.

"The TPLEX project for its initial 2-lanes has an Php 11.594 billion total base cost (2007 prices) composed of Civil Works (Php 9.601 million), Engineering (Php 0.768 million), Project Management (Php 0.192 million, Contingencies (Php 0.240 million) and Right of Way (ROW) acquisition (Php 0.793 million)," Momo added.

The DPWH will provide support in the form of actual acquisition and funding of ROW in the amount of Php 793 million and cash subsidy of Php 2.907 billion starting 2011 and as of January 4, this year, a total amount of Php 438 million for the ROW acquisition was already released.

ROW acquisition from Tarlac City to Rosales, Pangasinan (Segment 1, -48.70 km) is on-going.

"The project route alignment starts at the terminus of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway Project in La Paz, Tarlac and traverses through the municipalities of Tarlac, Gerona, Paniqui and Moncada, all in the province of Tarlac and the municipalities of Carmern, Urdaneta, Villasis and Sison in Pangasinan province which will end up at the intersection of Rosario-Pugo road in Rosario, La Union," Momo added.

Project components of the 2-lane includes eight (8) interchanges located at Victoria, Gerona, Paniqui, Moncada, Carmer, Urdaneta, Pozzorubio and Rosario with nine (9) toll plazas and two (2) operation center buildings situated at the Carmen Interchange and other Sub-Centers at selected interchange sites.

TPLEX will have 11 waterway bridges, two (2) viaducts, 66 underpasses/1 overpass and tollway facilities to include toll equipments, rest areas, administrative buildings and maintenance depot.

Through public bidding, the government represented by the DPWH has awarded the contract which is inclusive of design, construction, financing operation and maintenance of the concession to Private Infrastructure Development Corporation (PIDC) on a Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) scheme.

PIDC is a consortium of 10 Filipino private contractors namely D.M. Consunji, Inc.; First Balfour, Inc.; D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Inc.; C.M. Pancho Construction, Inc.; RD. Policarpio & Co., Inc.; J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation; J.E. Manalo & Co., Inc. New Kanlaon Construction, Inc.; EEI Corporation; and Rockford Development Corporation and San Miguel Corporation/Rapid Thoroughfares, Inc.

The design consultant is Filipinas Dravo Corporation (FDC), a leading design and engineering consulting firm based in the Philippines while the supervision consultancy will be provided by a top Filipino consultancy firm, the DCCD Engineering Corporation.

The designated tollway operator/advisor is Tollways Management Corporation (TMC).

DCCD Associate and Deputy Project Manager of the TPLEX Melchor P. Sirilan said that the project will reduce travel time from Manila to Baguio from 6 to 3 hours with a safe speed of 80 kph, enhance super regions competitive advantage, stimulate economic growth and development and provide faster and effective access for agricultural products from the north to the major population centers in Luzon.

"The TPLEX will commence before the end of this year and the start of the partial operations will be on March 2012 for the Tarlac-Carmen section, April 2012 for the Carmern-Urdaneta section, and October 2014 for the Urdaneta-Rosario section," Sirilan concluded.

After the groundbreaking, the President will award the Project ICC to Samson C. Lazo, President of the PIDC. By Jennilyne C. Role - PIA

BCDA speeds up repair works on SCTEX Clark-Tarlac portion

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Tuesday said its field workers are rushing the completion of rectification jobs on certain portions of the Clark-Tarlac segment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

“BCDA issued this advisory to inform motorists about the presence of heavy equipment in some spots of the SCTEX that might have posed a bit of inconvenience among the motorists,” said Robert Gervacio, program manager for operational support services and spokesman.

Gervacio explained that the repair and rectification measures were being undertaken at no extra cost to the government-run company because the toll road project “is still within the warranty period.”

“Our agreement with the contractors includes a warranty clause where the road builders are under obligation to implement repairs of BCDA-identified defects at no cost to BCDA,” he said.

The bottom line, according to Gervacio, is to ensure that the quality and integrity of the SCTEX, the country’s newest and longest toll road at 93.7 kilometers, is well preserved “for the overall safety of motorists and the public in general.”

Gervacio added that no less than Japan-based General Manager Haruki Torii of Hazama Corporation — the Japanese main contractor for the 43.27-km Clark-Tarlac Segment of the SCTEX, committed to BCDA President Narciso Abaya during a recent courtesy call that the rectification works will be completed by the end of August.

At the same time, the BCDA disclosed that more roadside signages will soon be installed in vital segments of the SCTEX, particularly at the Matatalahib-Maliwalo portion.

“We have always been sensitive and appreciative of feedbacks from the public insofar as our projects are concerned, with the SCTEX being our single largest project to date,” the BCDA said.

--Manila Bulletin

‘GAPO TOPS CLRAA 2009

Team Olongapo bagged Ist place among the ten (10) city delegations and 3rd place in the over-all standing in the recently concluded Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) meet in San Jose Tarlac, Tarlac City.

Olongapo’s athletes gathered twenty six (26) golds, thirty seven (37) silvers and thirty four (34) bronze medals. The feat qualifies Olongapo for the Palarong Pambansa 2009 in Tacloban City on April 27 to May 4.

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. commended in the flag raising ceremony of the city officials and employees at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court the city athletes and coaches for their triumph in the said athletic meet. Mayor Gordon gave away a cash incentive of Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (P400,000) to the coaches and medalists.

“I congratulate our young athletes who proved themselves fighters for excellence!” declared Mayor Gordon.

Mayor James Gordon, Jr. together with First Lady and Zambales Vice Governor Anne Marie Gordon, City Councilors, Department Heads and DepEd officials joined the opening of the CLRAA Meet 2009 on March 15 to manifest support for the young athletes of the city.

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr., First Lady & Zambales Vice Governor Anne Marie Gordon and City Councilors with the winners in the recently Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association Meet held at San Jose Tarlac, Tarlac City. The Olongapo delegates received a Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (P400,000) cash incentive from Mayor Gordon.

Pao/nmm

Clark-Tarlac expressway opening set

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority will open the 32-kilometer Clark-Tarlac segment of its flagship project on Friday.

This will fully open the 93.77-km Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to the public. Earlier, last April 28, the 50.5-km Clark-Subic segment became operational.

With the full commercial operations of the entire stretch of the toll way, travel time from Subic to Tarlac is reduced from two hours to a mere 65 minutes; or 40 minutes from Clark to Subic and 25 minutes from Clark to Tarlac. From the North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, travel time to Subic is reduced to one hour and a half.

As approved by the Toll Regulatory Board, toll rates are: P2 per kilometer for Class A vehicles, P4 per kilometer for Class B vehicles and P6 per kilometer for Class C vehicles. Class A vehicles intending to travel the full length of the SCTEx from Subic to Tarlac City will pay the maximum P181 toll fee, Subic to San Miguel P172, and Subic to Concepcion P144.

Motorists using the expressway will realize savings on fuel consumption, reduced cost on vehicle maintenance, comfortable travel and relaxed driving.

The new expressway, considered the backbone of the new economic corridor in Central Luzon, is expected to boost investment, trade and employment opportunities in the region, according to BCDA president Narciso Abaya.

Clark-Tarlac part of SCTEx to open

THE CLARK-TARLAC segment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway will be opened to commercial traffic before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her State of the Nation Address on July 28, the chair of the Bases Conversion Development Authority has said.

BCDA Chair Aloysius Santos said Thursday that access to the Clark-Tarlac side was made possible as five overpasses there near completion.

The overpasses were for the use of farmers in crossing the expressway. They cost more than P200 million.

Motorists are to pay P2 per kilometer for use of the Clark-Tarlac side.

Three interchanges that would connect the expressway to Pampanga have not been built, however.

Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon

BCDA vows to fulfill MoA to farmers

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority said it intends to fulfill all its development commitments to the people of Concepcion, Tarlac, particularly the completion of eight pedestrian overpasses that will serve as farm crossings, before opening the Clark-Tarlac segment of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to commercial traffic.

BCDA chief legal counsel Arnel Casanova said the agency is on track to deliver all its commitments to the municipality and its residents that are contained in a Memorandum of Agreement with Concepcion in 2005.

“We are not in breach (of the MOA). As a matter of fact, we have built four of the eight pedestrian overpasses that we committed under the MOA, and we will soon complete the others,” Casanova said.

The BCDA head lawyer said he personally relayed BCDA’s commitment to speed up completion of the overpasses to the legal representatives of Concepcion last week during a hearing at the Regional Trial Court in Capas, Tarlac where the municipality filed a case seeking to compel the BCDA to fulfill its MOA obligations.

Arroyo to lead in the grand opening of SCTEx

CLARK FREEPORT-- -- A sports and motoring event which will include a cruise of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Tarlac-Clark portion of the 94-kilometer Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) will feature its formal and grand opening on April 28.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said it is all set to formally open the SCTEx with the motoring event dubbed 94k Weekend celebrations which will run from April 18 to 30 at the Omni Aviation grounds here and at the soon-to-be-opened expressway.

Once the 94-kilometer SCTEx is opened to motorists, the multi-billion infrastructure is expected to change the way business and leisure are done in northern and Central Luzon," according to president and CEO Levy P. Laus of Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

Retired General Roberto Gervacio of the BCDA is scheduled to brief members of the media at the Fontana Convention Center here today about the SCTEx project.

On April 21, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to cruise along the Tarlac portion of the SCTEx in commemoration of the birthday of her father, former president Diosdado Macapagal.

Under the agreement with BCDA, the Clark Freeport will have two interchanges and two access roads to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) making the Freeport easily accessible from the NLEx and MacArthur Highway.

The 94k Weekend will feature motoring exhibits and car shows led by BMW. It will also be highlighted by various cycling and marathon contests.

Registration for the 94k weekend is ongoing. For further details and to download registration forms for the 10-kilometer SCTEx Fun Run and the 42-kilometer SCTEx Marathon, go to www.94kweekend.com.

The dry-run to be led by President Arroyo from the Tarlac-Clark portion of SCTEx will be held on April 21 after the ground-breaking construction of the Tarlac to Rosario (La Union) expressway, according to Sec. Ed Pamintuan, chief the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC).

A mass will be held at the Presidents home town in Lubao during the grand opening of the SCTEx. (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX)