DOTr on the lookout for a new common station contractor

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Transport Secretary Vince Dizon is confident that construction on the train hub 'could restart immediately' with a new partner, thanks to the New Government Procurement Act

MANILA, Philippines – Who will be the new contractor of the Unified Grand Central Station (UGCS)?

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday, May 16, removed BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. from the project, which should have been completed in 2022. Despite this, Transport Secretary Vince Dizon is confident that construction on the train hub “could restart immediately” with a new partner, thanks to the New Government Procurement Act.

“Now that we have terminated the contract with BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co, we can finally move on with the construction,” Dizon said in a statement.

“And the next step ay mapabilis natin ang construction nito para mapakinabangan na ng mga komyuter dahil malaking bagay sa kanila ito,” he added.

(The next step is to fast-track the construction of the project so that it can benefit our commuters because this would be a big deal for them.)

The 13,700-square-meter common station was supposed link the Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT1), Metro Rail Transit lines 3 and 7 (MRT3 and MRT7), and the Metro Manila Subway.

Rail experts criticized BF Corporation, Rappler columnist Val Villanueva said, after it bagged the P2.8-billion contract to develop Area A of the station in 2019.

Area A is supposed to connect the concourse of LRT1 and MRT3.

The company should have reportedly been disqualified as it lacked the needed experience in railway construction and electromechanical works.

Among Dizon’s first announcements as transport chief was his plans to scrap the contract for the UGCS because of “excessive delays.”

As with other transportation projects, right-of-way issues, on top of technical problems, caused the delay of its construction.

The DOTr said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. specifically gave orders to complete the construction of the common station to benefit 1.2 million commuters in the metro. – Rappler.com