State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has awarded
the remaining vacant lot at the institutional area of Bonifacio Global
City (BGC) to the lone bidder, De La Salle University (DLSU).
“After conducting a detailed evaluation of the bid proposal
submitted by DLSU, BCDA has determined that the same satisfied all the
requirements set in the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the bidding,”
according to the bulletin dated Aug. 8 but which Nena D. Radoc, head of
the agency’s Asset Disposition Program (ADP), said over the weekend was
posted only “recently.”
“Hence, BCDA hereby declares the aforesaid bid proposal from DLSU as the
highest-ranked bid (lone complying bid) and shall, therefore, subject
the same to a post-qualification procedure as prescribed in the ToR.”
BCDA -- the state agency entrusted with the sale and development of
former military lands -- auctioned off the 1,395-square-meter lot for a
minimum lease offer of P3.948 million per year.
“Our board has approved our (ADP’s) recommendation to award the contract
to the lone complying bidder,” Ms. Radoc said via text, adding that the
board held its meeting last Sept. 11.
She added that DLSU was the only one that submitted a proposal out of
three firms that bought ToRs. “STI College and Everest Academy also
bought ToRs but they decided not to push through with the bidding. I
don’t know why. Only DLSU submitted a proposal for P3.948 million,” she
said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Officials of the schools were not available for comment.
Ms. Radoc said the lot is the last area allotted for schools in BGC,
which currently houses International School Manila, British School
Manila, Manila Japanese School and STI College-Global City.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Clark Green City: Next PH metropolis
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A top official of the Bases Conservation and
Development Authority (BCDA) on Friday described the Clark Green City as
"Smart, Green and Global," and projected it to be the next Philippine
Metropolis after Bonifacio Global City.
This was gleaned during the 42nd General Membership Meeting of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry held at the Widus Convention Center, Clark Freeport, where BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova, presented to PamCham the Master Development Plan of the Clark Green City.
The more than 150 members and guests present were delighted to hear from the BCDA president that the seven provinces of Central Luzon – Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Aurora - are vital economic drivers in the development of Central Luzon.
The presence and availability of seaports, airports and excellent road infrastructure have been the major reasons for the region's economic viability as cited by Casanova.
The central theme of the Clark Green City, according to Casanova, is the layered integration of all the essential components of a metropolis -- with commercial and business multiplexes proximate with government offices and research and development centers; and residential areas just walking distances from industrial complexes, Wellness & Eco-Tourism centers, and Centers of Excellence.
He indicated that the Green City will be a well-planned cluster development project that will include a Government Center with a land area of 514 hectares, a 2,690-hectare Central Business District, a Center of Excellence of 598 hectares, an Agri-Forestry Research and Development Center with a land area of 3,135 hectares and a Wellness & Eco-Tourism Center of 2,513 hectares that will be built in phases.
He disclosed that Phase 1, with a five year timeline from 2014 to 2019, will have a total development cost of $1.3 billion, covering an area of 1,300 hectares to be implemented under the government’s Public-Private Partnership mode of development.
He also underscored the importance of the Clark International Airport (CIA) as an essential gateway for Central Luzon and as a critical infrastructure that will sustain the economic gains realized by the country in the last three years.
He affirmed that CIA is more than capable to accommodate huge international passenger airlines on account of its two runways with more area to spare for a possible third one. He further mentioned that Clark is the practicable solution to NAIA’s congestion and expansion dilemma.
He said there is a need to decongest Metro Manila and distribute economic opportunities to the emerging urban centers in Central Luzon that has sufficient land areas for development, existing road infrastructures for easy access and exceptional human resource capabilities to accommodate the manpower demands of investors.
In a JICA study commissioned by the Neda, traffic congestion in Metro Manila was attributed to be the cause of nearly P2.4 billion in potential income loss which could have been channeled, captured and optimized in the comparably developed urban hubs in the countryside like Pampanga.
Addressing the arguments of some airline industry doyens on Clark’s distance from Metro Manila, he noted that several international airports of first world countries located considerably farther from their metro centers have continued to thrive and successfully triggered development in their contiguous areas, effectively expanding economic wealth and opportunities.
He also mentioned in jest that with the Clark Green City, the BCDA is moving the metropolis closer to the airport rather than the other way around.
SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2013/09/14/clark-green-city-next-ph-metropolis-303230#.UjZLErsGoug.facebook
This was gleaned during the 42nd General Membership Meeting of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry held at the Widus Convention Center, Clark Freeport, where BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova, presented to PamCham the Master Development Plan of the Clark Green City.
The more than 150 members and guests present were delighted to hear from the BCDA president that the seven provinces of Central Luzon – Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Aurora - are vital economic drivers in the development of Central Luzon.
The presence and availability of seaports, airports and excellent road infrastructure have been the major reasons for the region's economic viability as cited by Casanova.
The central theme of the Clark Green City, according to Casanova, is the layered integration of all the essential components of a metropolis -- with commercial and business multiplexes proximate with government offices and research and development centers; and residential areas just walking distances from industrial complexes, Wellness & Eco-Tourism centers, and Centers of Excellence.
He indicated that the Green City will be a well-planned cluster development project that will include a Government Center with a land area of 514 hectares, a 2,690-hectare Central Business District, a Center of Excellence of 598 hectares, an Agri-Forestry Research and Development Center with a land area of 3,135 hectares and a Wellness & Eco-Tourism Center of 2,513 hectares that will be built in phases.
He disclosed that Phase 1, with a five year timeline from 2014 to 2019, will have a total development cost of $1.3 billion, covering an area of 1,300 hectares to be implemented under the government’s Public-Private Partnership mode of development.
He also underscored the importance of the Clark International Airport (CIA) as an essential gateway for Central Luzon and as a critical infrastructure that will sustain the economic gains realized by the country in the last three years.
He affirmed that CIA is more than capable to accommodate huge international passenger airlines on account of its two runways with more area to spare for a possible third one. He further mentioned that Clark is the practicable solution to NAIA’s congestion and expansion dilemma.
He said there is a need to decongest Metro Manila and distribute economic opportunities to the emerging urban centers in Central Luzon that has sufficient land areas for development, existing road infrastructures for easy access and exceptional human resource capabilities to accommodate the manpower demands of investors.
In a JICA study commissioned by the Neda, traffic congestion in Metro Manila was attributed to be the cause of nearly P2.4 billion in potential income loss which could have been channeled, captured and optimized in the comparably developed urban hubs in the countryside like Pampanga.
Addressing the arguments of some airline industry doyens on Clark’s distance from Metro Manila, he noted that several international airports of first world countries located considerably farther from their metro centers have continued to thrive and successfully triggered development in their contiguous areas, effectively expanding economic wealth and opportunities.
He also mentioned in jest that with the Clark Green City, the BCDA is moving the metropolis closer to the airport rather than the other way around.
SOURCE: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2013/09/14/clark-green-city-next-ph-metropolis-303230#.UjZLErsGoug.facebook
The Philippines targets sustainable growth in agriculture
Hefty government investment in agricultural infrastructure next year
is set to bolster a national drive under way in the Philippines aimed at
increasing productivity and improving food security.
Creating a sustainable and competitive agricultural industry has been a key focus of the Philippine Development Plan, the government’s vision for inclusive growth. The plan also targets reducing food imports and reforming assets.
President Benigno Aquino said a significant portion of funds would be used to construct new farm-to-market roads. The government is also pushing cash crop development as it moves to create a robust export market, particularly for the coffee industry, which is well-placed to enjoy a revival on the back of renewed interest from both the public and private sectors. Boosting coffee’s contribution to agricultural output, which is dominated by rice, sugarcane and coconut production, is high on the leadership’s priority list.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture showed that farm output in the Philippines rose 1.4% in the first six months of 2013. The government expects agricultural output to grow by between 4.3% and 5.3% this year, up from 2.9% in 2012. However, both output and growth remained fairly flat in the second quarter of 2013, with gains in poultry and livestock offset by a decline in the rice harvest.
Generating stability and steady growth across an industry that regularly faces challenges ranging from transportation and sustainability to volatile weather is a primary focus. Just this August, Typhoon Labuyo damaged crops valued at PHP571m ($12.91m) when it hit Northern Luzon.
Dilapidated and damaged infrastructure that prevents farmers from accessing local markets is another difficulty. More than 12% of agricultural production is lost each year due to post-harvest inefficiencies, Proceso J Alcala, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, told OBG last year.
The government has already embarked on a wave of road construction and improvement projects, investing PHP8.3bn ($188m) in new farm-to-market roads this year. A total of 1147 villages have been connected to major highway networks since 2011, according to President Aquino.
Arnel Casanova, president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, told OBG that plans to use 100,000 ha of idle military baselands for agricultural production would also form a key component of the country’s bid to add value to the sector. At the same time, the proceeds from the lease and development of the land will benefit the armed forces of the Philippines modernisation programme. “We are exploring partnerships with agricultural companies to transform idle lands of the military into productive agricultural farms,” he said.
Among the areas of focus for the government is the coffee industry. The country now supplies less than 1% of the world’s coffee, having once been the fourth-largest global producer of the commodity. Local growers also fail to meet domestic demand – Filipinos consumed 70,000 tonnes of coffee in 2012, while local production reached 30,000 tonnes.
Keen to revive the industry, the Department of Agriculture formulated a roadmap for coffee growth during the first general assembly of the Philippine Coffee Alliance in July 2013. The “Master Plan for the Philippine Coffee Industry” highlighted gaps in the value chain and management practices, while also focusing on the importance of support services, such as financing and logistics.
Mounting interest from the private sector bodes well for the coffee industry’s prospects. Nestlé, which is the country’s largest buyer of Robusta coffee beans, recently opened its second “coffee centre of excellence” in Lipa City, Batangas. The facility will focus on improving the quality and quantity of crops through research and training.
John Martin Miller, chairman and CEO of Nestlé Philippines, told OBG he was confident that reviving the coffee industry would benefit farmers, investors and consumers. The industry giant is channelling $30m to further expand technical transfers and assistance, boost coffee seedling production and support buying efforts in the Philippines until 2020.
“The Philippines is an ideal environment to grow coffee,” he said. “It has the right topography and weather conditions, and our plans are in line with the goals of the government.”
SOURCE: http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/economic_updates/philippines-targets-sustainable-growth-agriculture
Creating a sustainable and competitive agricultural industry has been a key focus of the Philippine Development Plan, the government’s vision for inclusive growth. The plan also targets reducing food imports and reforming assets.
President Benigno Aquino said a significant portion of funds would be used to construct new farm-to-market roads. The government is also pushing cash crop development as it moves to create a robust export market, particularly for the coffee industry, which is well-placed to enjoy a revival on the back of renewed interest from both the public and private sectors. Boosting coffee’s contribution to agricultural output, which is dominated by rice, sugarcane and coconut production, is high on the leadership’s priority list.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture showed that farm output in the Philippines rose 1.4% in the first six months of 2013. The government expects agricultural output to grow by between 4.3% and 5.3% this year, up from 2.9% in 2012. However, both output and growth remained fairly flat in the second quarter of 2013, with gains in poultry and livestock offset by a decline in the rice harvest.
Generating stability and steady growth across an industry that regularly faces challenges ranging from transportation and sustainability to volatile weather is a primary focus. Just this August, Typhoon Labuyo damaged crops valued at PHP571m ($12.91m) when it hit Northern Luzon.
Dilapidated and damaged infrastructure that prevents farmers from accessing local markets is another difficulty. More than 12% of agricultural production is lost each year due to post-harvest inefficiencies, Proceso J Alcala, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, told OBG last year.
The government has already embarked on a wave of road construction and improvement projects, investing PHP8.3bn ($188m) in new farm-to-market roads this year. A total of 1147 villages have been connected to major highway networks since 2011, according to President Aquino.
Arnel Casanova, president of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, told OBG that plans to use 100,000 ha of idle military baselands for agricultural production would also form a key component of the country’s bid to add value to the sector. At the same time, the proceeds from the lease and development of the land will benefit the armed forces of the Philippines modernisation programme. “We are exploring partnerships with agricultural companies to transform idle lands of the military into productive agricultural farms,” he said.
Among the areas of focus for the government is the coffee industry. The country now supplies less than 1% of the world’s coffee, having once been the fourth-largest global producer of the commodity. Local growers also fail to meet domestic demand – Filipinos consumed 70,000 tonnes of coffee in 2012, while local production reached 30,000 tonnes.
Keen to revive the industry, the Department of Agriculture formulated a roadmap for coffee growth during the first general assembly of the Philippine Coffee Alliance in July 2013. The “Master Plan for the Philippine Coffee Industry” highlighted gaps in the value chain and management practices, while also focusing on the importance of support services, such as financing and logistics.
Mounting interest from the private sector bodes well for the coffee industry’s prospects. Nestlé, which is the country’s largest buyer of Robusta coffee beans, recently opened its second “coffee centre of excellence” in Lipa City, Batangas. The facility will focus on improving the quality and quantity of crops through research and training.
John Martin Miller, chairman and CEO of Nestlé Philippines, told OBG he was confident that reviving the coffee industry would benefit farmers, investors and consumers. The industry giant is channelling $30m to further expand technical transfers and assistance, boost coffee seedling production and support buying efforts in the Philippines until 2020.
“The Philippines is an ideal environment to grow coffee,” he said. “It has the right topography and weather conditions, and our plans are in line with the goals of the government.”
SOURCE: http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/economic_updates/philippines-targets-sustainable-growth-agriculture
Thursday, September 12, 2013
SCTEX Clark-Porac segment now open
The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)
announced that the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Clark-Porac
segment is now open to motorists following the completion of the Bailey
bridge that links to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the SCTEX Clark-Porac segment was opened on September 10 at 2:00 p.m.
Earlier, Casanova noted the importance of the SCTEX in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region. “That is why the BCDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) made sure that the closed segment of the toll road be open to traffic at the least possible time without compromising the safety of the motorists,” he said.
Casanova noted that the 49-meter Bailey bridge is just a remedial measure to make the Clark-Porac segment accessible to motorists. “Our challenge is to start repairing the damaged approach leading to the Pasig-Potrero for the long term,” he said. He added that the BCDA engineers are now drawing up the plans for the permanent solution to repair the damage approach.
For his part, BCDA manager for SCTEX Services Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang said the Bailey bridge will be open first to Class 1 or light vehicles only. He added that after stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, given favorable weather conditions, it is targeted to be open to Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks. “We are doing this to ensure the safety of the motorists,” Bingcang said.
In the meantime, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles coming from Manila or Tarlac going to Subic/Tipo, are advised to exit at the Clark South Interchange then take the Clark Friendship-Manibaug Road going to Porac Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
Likewise, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles from Subic/Tipo going to Tarlac or Manila may exit at Porac Interchange then take the Manibaug-Friendship Road going to Clark South Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
The Bailey bridge has a maximum capacity of 25 tons that can accommodate up to Class 3 vehicles.
Construction of the Bailey bridge was done by the DPWH and the BCDA in a span of nine days.
Last August 19, the strong river current initiated by the heavy downpour during the height of Typhoon Maring set off a massive erosion of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river that caused the damage to a segment of the toll road that serves as an approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
For traffic updates, you may call the SCTEX hotline at 0920-96SCTEX or 3-5000.
BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the SCTEX Clark-Porac segment was opened on September 10 at 2:00 p.m.
Earlier, Casanova noted the importance of the SCTEX in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region. “That is why the BCDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) made sure that the closed segment of the toll road be open to traffic at the least possible time without compromising the safety of the motorists,” he said.
Casanova noted that the 49-meter Bailey bridge is just a remedial measure to make the Clark-Porac segment accessible to motorists. “Our challenge is to start repairing the damaged approach leading to the Pasig-Potrero for the long term,” he said. He added that the BCDA engineers are now drawing up the plans for the permanent solution to repair the damage approach.
For his part, BCDA manager for SCTEX Services Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang said the Bailey bridge will be open first to Class 1 or light vehicles only. He added that after stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, given favorable weather conditions, it is targeted to be open to Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks. “We are doing this to ensure the safety of the motorists,” Bingcang said.
In the meantime, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles coming from Manila or Tarlac going to Subic/Tipo, are advised to exit at the Clark South Interchange then take the Clark Friendship-Manibaug Road going to Porac Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
Likewise, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles from Subic/Tipo going to Tarlac or Manila may exit at Porac Interchange then take the Manibaug-Friendship Road going to Clark South Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
The Bailey bridge has a maximum capacity of 25 tons that can accommodate up to Class 3 vehicles.
Construction of the Bailey bridge was done by the DPWH and the BCDA in a span of nine days.
Last August 19, the strong river current initiated by the heavy downpour during the height of Typhoon Maring set off a massive erosion of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river that caused the damage to a segment of the toll road that serves as an approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
For traffic updates, you may call the SCTEX hotline at 0920-96SCTEX or 3-5000.
PHOTO: Final Inspection
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and CEO
Arnel Paciano D. Casanova (second from right) confers with Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Director for Central Luzon
Antonio Molano, Jr. (second from left) during the final inspection of
the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Bailey bridge that links to
the Pasig-Potrero Bridge. Looking on are DPWH Director Jose C. Ong
(left) and BCDA Manager for SCTEX Services Joshua M. Bingcang (right).
With the completion of the Bailey bridge, the Clark-Porac segment of the
SCTEX was officially opened to motorists last 10 September 2013 at 2:00
p.m. The Bailey bridge is now open to Class 1 or light vehicles only.
After stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, given
favorable weather conditions, it is targeted to be open to Class 2 and
Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks. This is being done to ensure
the safety of the motorists. The 49-meter Bailey bridge was completed by
the DPWH and BCDA in a span of nine days. The SCTEX plays a vital role
in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the
main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region.
Three real estate firms express keen interest on prime property along C-5–BCDA
The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)
said three real estate developers have expressed interest in the 5.2
hectare prime property along the C-5 road in Taguig that it is bidding
out.
BCDA President Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the three real estate developers who expressed keen interest and purchased the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Long-Term Lease and Development of the Pamayanang Diego Silang (PDS) Commercial Lots in Brgy. Usuan, Taguig were Filinvest Land Inc., R-II Builders Inc. and Robinsons Land Corporation.
Casanova noted that the property is located in the immediate vicinity of a number of residential condominium developments such as Acacia Estates, Grace Residences, Rosewood Pointe, Royal Palm Residences, Cypress Towers, and Pamayanang Diego Silang making the property a prime location for the development of a commercial complex.
“The location of the property has a captured market and ideal for a commercial complex that would cater to the needs of the residents living within the area,” Casanova said.
He said aside from general commercial use, the property can be developed into general residential use, general institutional use, and parks and recreation use.
Casanova said the long-term lease period is 25 years commencing on the signing of the contract and renewable for another 25 years upon mutual agreement of the parties.
For her part, BCDA chairperson of the Asset Disposition Program Committee Nena D. Radoc said the lease payments for the first three years shall be PhP93 million inclusive of 12 percent Value-added Tax (VAT), and payable in advance upon contract signing.
She said the minimum annual fixed lease for the 4th year that the proponents will bid on is PhP53 million inclusive of 12 percent VAT, based on a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 37,000 square meters or lower. For GFA developed in excess of 37,000 sqm, the winning bidder shall also pay an additional lease equivalent to 70 percent of the average lease per square meter as of the year of completion of such additional GFA.
She added that the 4th year fixed lease shall be payable in advance on or before the 3rd anniversary of contract signing.
The succeeding annual lease payment shall be subject to a five percent escalation every three years and payable in advance on or before the anniversary date.
Deadline for submission of the Eligibility Documents and the Final Proposals is on 26 September 2013.
BCDA President Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the three real estate developers who expressed keen interest and purchased the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Long-Term Lease and Development of the Pamayanang Diego Silang (PDS) Commercial Lots in Brgy. Usuan, Taguig were Filinvest Land Inc., R-II Builders Inc. and Robinsons Land Corporation.
Casanova noted that the property is located in the immediate vicinity of a number of residential condominium developments such as Acacia Estates, Grace Residences, Rosewood Pointe, Royal Palm Residences, Cypress Towers, and Pamayanang Diego Silang making the property a prime location for the development of a commercial complex.
“The location of the property has a captured market and ideal for a commercial complex that would cater to the needs of the residents living within the area,” Casanova said.
He said aside from general commercial use, the property can be developed into general residential use, general institutional use, and parks and recreation use.
Casanova said the long-term lease period is 25 years commencing on the signing of the contract and renewable for another 25 years upon mutual agreement of the parties.
For her part, BCDA chairperson of the Asset Disposition Program Committee Nena D. Radoc said the lease payments for the first three years shall be PhP93 million inclusive of 12 percent Value-added Tax (VAT), and payable in advance upon contract signing.
She said the minimum annual fixed lease for the 4th year that the proponents will bid on is PhP53 million inclusive of 12 percent VAT, based on a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 37,000 square meters or lower. For GFA developed in excess of 37,000 sqm, the winning bidder shall also pay an additional lease equivalent to 70 percent of the average lease per square meter as of the year of completion of such additional GFA.
She added that the 4th year fixed lease shall be payable in advance on or before the 3rd anniversary of contract signing.
The succeeding annual lease payment shall be subject to a five percent escalation every three years and payable in advance on or before the anniversary date.
Deadline for submission of the Eligibility Documents and the Final Proposals is on 26 September 2013.
All systems go for opening of SCTEX Bailey bridge on Sept. 10
The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development
Authority (BCDA) said its all systems go for the opening of the
Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Bailey bridge that will allow
motorists to once again pass through the Clark-Porac segment of the
SCTEX.
BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the Bailey bridge will be open to traffic on Tuesday, September 10 starting at 2:00 p.m.
“We recognize the vital role of the SCTEX in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region. That is why the BCDA made sure that the closed segment of the toll road be open to traffic at the least possible time without compromising the safety of the motorists,” Casanova said.
For his part, BCDA manager for SCTEX Services Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang said the Bailey bridge will be open first to Class 1 or light vehicles only. He added that after stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, it will be open to Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks. “We are doing this to ensure the safety of the motorists,” Bingcang said.
In the meantime, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles coming from Manila or Tarlac going to Subic/Tipo, are advised to exit at the Clark South Interchange then take the Clark Friendship-Manibaug Road going to Porac Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
Likewise, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles from Subic/Tipo going to Tarlac or Manila may exit at Porac Interchange then take the Manibaug-Friendship Road going to Clark South Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
The Bailey bridge has a maximum capacity of 25 tons that can accommodate up to Class 3 vehicles.
Construction of the 49-meter long Bailey bridge was done by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the BCDA in a span of nine days.
Last August 19, the strong river current initiated by the heavy downpour during the height of Typhoon Maring set off a massive erosion of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river that caused the damage to a segment of the toll road that serves as an approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
For traffic updates, you may call the SCTEX hotline at 0920-96SCTEX or 3-5000.
BCDA President and CEO Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said the Bailey bridge will be open to traffic on Tuesday, September 10 starting at 2:00 p.m.
“We recognize the vital role of the SCTEX in the socio-economic growth and development of Central Luzon being the main artery in the delivery of goods and services in the region. That is why the BCDA made sure that the closed segment of the toll road be open to traffic at the least possible time without compromising the safety of the motorists,” Casanova said.
For his part, BCDA manager for SCTEX Services Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang said the Bailey bridge will be open first to Class 1 or light vehicles only. He added that after stabilization of the support base of the Bailey bridge, it will be open to Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles in the next two weeks. “We are doing this to ensure the safety of the motorists,” Bingcang said.
In the meantime, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles coming from Manila or Tarlac going to Subic/Tipo, are advised to exit at the Clark South Interchange then take the Clark Friendship-Manibaug Road going to Porac Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
Likewise, Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles from Subic/Tipo going to Tarlac or Manila may exit at Porac Interchange then take the Manibaug-Friendship Road going to Clark South Interchange (to enter SCTEX).
The Bailey bridge has a maximum capacity of 25 tons that can accommodate up to Class 3 vehicles.
Construction of the 49-meter long Bailey bridge was done by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the BCDA in a span of nine days.
Last August 19, the strong river current initiated by the heavy downpour during the height of Typhoon Maring set off a massive erosion of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river that caused the damage to a segment of the toll road that serves as an approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
For traffic updates, you may call the SCTEX hotline at 0920-96SCTEX or 3-5000.
PHOTO: Construction of SCTEX Bailey bridge on track
Engineers from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and
the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) inspect the ongoing
assembly of the Bailey Bridge that will temporarily connect to
Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) Pasig-Potrero Bridge. The Bailey
Bridge is expected to be completed by mid-September. Photo shows (from
left) Engr. Joshua M. Bingcang, BCDA Project Manager for SCTEX Services;
Engr. Faustino A. de la Cruz, Jr., Engineer IV of the DPWH Project
Management Office-Bridge Sector; and Engr. Ryan Pineda, SCTEX
Development Management Officer III. Recognizing the vital role of the
SCTEX in the socio-economic growth of Central Luzon, the BCDA and DPWH
are fast-tracking the construction of the Bailey Bridge for the seamless
delivery of goods and services in the region. The Bailey Bridge has
maximum capacity of 25 tons and can accommodate Class 3 vehicles. The
SCTEX connects to the four provinces of Central Luzon namely: Zambales,
Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac. It also connects the Clark Freeport Zone,
Clark International Airport, Subic Freeport Zone and the Central Techno
Park in Tarlac. The strong river current initiated by the heavy
downpour during the height of Typhoon Maring set off a massive erosion
of up to 10 hectares of land from the banks of the Pasig-Potrero river
that caused the damage to a segment of the toll road that serves as an
approach to the Pasig-Potrero Bridge.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
New BCDA Chairman of the Board
President Benigno S. Aquino III congratulates newly sworn in Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) Chairman Rolando P. Gosiengfiao after the President administered the oath recently in Malacañang. Chairman Gosiengfiao, who comes from the private sector and who has spent most of his career in various countries, brings to BCDA his wealth of global experience in international banking, property development and government privatization transactions. The state-owned BCDA belongs to the so-called “Billionaires’ Club” or the top eight Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) that recently remitted dividends of P1-B or more to the National Treasury. BCDA remitted a total of P2.309 billion to the National Government (NG) for the period January to December 2012. Of the P2.3 billion, P549 million represented dividends to the NG. Pursuant to Section 3 of the Republic Act No. 7656, all GOCCs are required to declare and remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as cash, stock or property dividends to the national government. The remaining P1.76 billion was the share of several government beneficiaries from BCDA’s asset disposition proceeds generated from existing joint venture, lease agreements and assets disposed in 2012. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) got the lion’s share at P1.691 billion.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Bailey bridge is the answer to damaged SCTEX, for now
The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority
(BCDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced
recently that they are exploring the possibility of placing a Bailey bridge
along the damaged part of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). The bridge
is eyed as a temporary solution to the damage until the portion can be restored
to its original state.
But what exactly is a Bailey bridge?
A Bailey bridge is defined as a “portable, pre-fabricated,
truss bridge.” Tracing its roots back to World War II, the Bailey bridge was developed
by the British and designed by a British War Office civil servant by the name
of Donald Bailey. It was originally used for military purposes and has since
been used to provide temporary crossing for pedestrians and vehicles as well as
in civil engineering construction projects.
A Bailey bridge over the Meurthe River in France. Source: Wikipedia (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/PontBailey.jpg/800px-PontBailey.jpg)
Now that we already have a brief background of the bridge,
is it actually feasible for SCTEX?
Below are several points detailing why the Bailey bridge is
the best option for the damaged Pasig-Potrero Bridge of SCTEX.
The Bailey bridge is easy
to assemble and transport. Made of easily accessible materials such as
timber and steel, this bridge’s greatest advantage among other designs is the
fact that it requires very minimal aid from heavy equipment and practically no
special tools. The materials are small and light enough to be carried in trucks
and lifted by hand without using cranes.
Because the bridge takes much less time and effort to
construct, this means that it wouldn’t take long before the Pasig-Potrero
Bridge of SCTEX becomes passable again. Motorists won’t need to take alternate
routes and can immediately go back to their SCTEX routines.
Despite the ease and speed of construction, this does not
mean that the bridge is unsafe. In fact, the Bailey bridge is very sturdy and safe. The most significant basis for this claim
is the fact that it has long been relied on for military operations. It can
support pedestrians and light vehicles. But if fortified for added strength,
the bridge can even support tanks.
Lastly, it is simply a
reliable temporary solution. With many people depending on the SCTEX for
their travels, BCDA wants to ensure that motorists won’t have to endure longer
travel time through other routes. BCDA is keen on restoring the convenience and
safety that SCTEX has provided. And until the damaged portion is restored, the
Bailey bridge is the next best solution, at least for the time being.
If anything, we aren’t complete strangers to Bailey bridges.
There are already quite a few of it around the country.
A Bailey bridge in San Joaquin in Western Visayas. Photo by Eulogio
Empio (http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/79540616.jpg)
A Bailey bridge in Sto. Niño,
Batangas City. Photo by Cesar Cambay (http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/27753457.jpg)
We’ve seen it work. And if these bridges can stand strong
amid a war, then it can certainly provide at least a functional and safe,
albeit temporary, way for people and vehicles to get across, right?
Sources:
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