LTFRB Reshuffles Cashiers, Relieves Security Guards, Directs RDs to Undergo Lifestyle Check

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Pending completion of a thorough investigation on corruption-related concerns, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin B. Delgra III today ordered the reshuffling of all cashiers assigned at the LTFRB Central Office, as well as the relieving of all security complement in the same office.

This was directed following an entrapment operation conducted by the composite team from the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA), the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on 26 July 2019 wherein an alleged “fixer” was apprehended within the premises of the agency.

Further, Chairman Delgra issued yesterday, 29 July 2019, a memorandum directing all its Regional Directors to subject themselves to a lifestyle check, wherein they are obliged to surrender a copy of their SALNs and other documents that may be required for reference.

“We will undertake all necessary measures to reassure the public of LTFRB’s commitment to transparent, accountable and corruption-free service to our stakeholders. ‘Yan ang nais ni Pangulong Duterte. ‘Yan din ang mahigpit na utos ni Secretary Tugade. Wala po tayong palalampasin dito,” Chairman Delgra said.

The LTFRB will continue to aggressively push its anti-corruption campaign, and shall remain unrelenting in investigating and conducting audits on its employees and officials. It will not spare anyone from administrative sanctions if found guilty of graft and corruption.

DOTr Inspects Major Transport Hubs in Batanes After Deadly Quakes

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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered to fast-track transport infrastructure development in Batanes, following the deadly earthquakes that struck the province on Saturday, 27 July 2019.

This directive came on the heels of a series of inspections conducted yesterday, 29 July 2019, by the DOTr Composite Team, headed by Secretary Arthur P. Tugade.

The inspections proceeded from the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte to departments and agencies to attend to the needs of the people of Batanes and to ensure the immediate restoration of transport mobility and connectivity in quake-stricken areas. 

The DOTr Composite Team also coordinated with local officials to ascertain that major transportation hubs can help effectively facilitate the distribution of relief goods to affected residents.

Secretary Tugade noted that the inspections of the DOTr Team is only the start of targeted assistance for the recovery and rehabilitation of Batanes.

“The inspections are concrete proof that the government cares for the people of Batanes. In this trying time for the province, we want to know that they are not alone. We immediately conducted steps to secure ease of movement of goods and people so that the recovery of the province will also come in swiftly,” Secretary Tugade expressed.

Officials comprising the Composite Team include DOTr Undersecretary for Maritime Fernando Juan Perez, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Jim Sydiongco, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) General Manager Jay Santiago, and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Elson Hermogino.


Airports

Upon arrival, transport officials inspected the Itbayat Airport, which has an ongoing runway extension project. Based on the assessment, CAAP DG Sydiongco proposed to improve the gateway’s viability for commercial, security and disaster relief purposes by having its runway extended from the current 942 meters to 1,200 up to 1,500 meters, if the terrain is conducive.

The Composite Team also inspected the Basco Airport. The DOTr and CAAP are jointly finalizing plans and designs to further extend the runway of this gateway by 120 meters, subject to the verification by a survey that will examine terrain and slope grade constraints.

At Basco Airport, as well, Secretary Tugade met with Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco and committed to extend the runways at both the Basco and Itbayat Airports. To expedite plans, CAAP engineers and personnel will be deployed to Batanes to conduct situation assessment in the province’s gateways.


Seaports

The DOTr Team also proceeded to the Mauyen Port. Officials witnessed firsthand that access to the said port is made difficult due to landslides brought about by the quakes. As a result, PPA GM Santiago recommended looking for another location for the Port of Mauyen.

Officials also inspected Valanga Port, which is primarily used to transport people and goods to Itbayat Island. Additionally, Valanga Port is the only seaport that links Basco and Itbayat. Based on the assessment of the PPA chief, Valanga Port needs further improvements, such as expansion of backup area, berthing facility, and the provision of a passenger shed.

The third and final port visited was Basco Port. While it was not affected by the recent earthquakes, its backup area sustained damages from the recent Typhoon Falcon that hit the province midway this month. Additional structural engineers will be sent by the PPA to evaluate the damage. They will also look into prospective locations for the proposed breakwater of the said seaport.

During the inspection, Secretary Tugade assured that port repairs will commence shortly. He also tasked the PCG to deploy rubber boats to Itbayat, Basco, and Sabang Islands.

Construction of Bulacan Airport set to begin before end of 2019

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Construction works for Bulacan Airport are set to commence before the end of the year.

This comes as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) concluded the Swiss Challenge for the unsolicited proposal of San Miguel Holdings Corporation (SMHC) today, 31 July 2019.

In the opening of bids conducted by the DOTr’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), there were no rivals to challenge the original proponent for the construction, operation and maintenance of the international airport.

DOTr Assistant Secretary for Procurement and Project Implementation Giovanni Lopez, who also leads the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), said that the Notice of Award to SMHC will be issued immediately after a recommendation from the Technical Working Group (TWG) is made within three days. It will then be submitted by BAC to the DOTr Aviation and Airports Sector within five days. 

“On the notice of award, there are some conditions that should be complied with. These include post performance security, proof of commitment, among others as stated in the law. They (SMHC) have 20 days to do so,” explained Asec. Lopez.

Once the Notice to Proceed is issued between August and the first week of September, the SMHC shall then be in charge of the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of Bulacan Airport.

DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade expressed enthusiasm with the progress on the airport project.

“This new international airport is important in helping ease the congestion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Together with the expansion of Clark Airport and the construction of additional facilities at Sangley Airport, Bulacan Airport is part of ‘baskets of solutions’ to bring further connectivity to the Filipino people,” Secretary Tugade said.

For his part, DOTr Usec. for Planning and Project Development Ruben Reinoso Jr. noted that the Bulacan Airport is part of a larger regional development plan for Central Luzon.

“Along with other big-ticket infrastructure projects such as the Clark Airport expansion, North-South Commuter Railway, MRT-7 and the Subic-Clark Cargo Railway, the Bulacan Airport will help boost economic development in Region III,” Usec. Reinoso said.

The Bulacan Airport will have a design capacity of 100 million passengers per year but can be expanded to 200 million. With four parallel runways planned, it targets 240 aircraft movements per hour. The project will also include the construction of an 8.4-kilometer tollway that will connect the airport to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Marilao, Bulacan.

The new international gateway is expected to be operational within four to six years from the start of construction. SMHC is expected to break ground and start actual construction of the project before the end of this year.

Also present in today’s Opening of Bids were other BAC members, namely, DOTr Asec. for Legal Affairs Mark Steven Pastor; Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General for Administration Ricardo Banayat; Procurement, Planning and Management Division Chief Zenaida Biteng, and Budget Division OIC Marco Antonio Javier.