Day: June 21, 2023

The construction of the five-kilometer Candaba 3rd Viaduct between this province and neighboring Bulacan which can further improve the safety and mobility of motorists is now going full blast. House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, together with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation President Rogelio L. Singson and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation President J. Luigi L. Bautista led on Wednesday the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the PHP7.89-billion project. Other officials present during the event were Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Toll Regulatory Board executive director Alvin Carullo, Department of Public Works and Highways Region 3 Director Roseller Tolentino, Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda and Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro. Targeted for completion by November 2024, the NLEX Corporation’s project entails the construction of a new bridge in the middle of the two existing viaducts. Bautista said that once completed, the road network will increase the capacity of the entire Candaba Viaduct from three lanes without shoulders to three lanes with inner and outer shoulders in each direction. ‘The lanes and shoulders will be widened hence, boosting the safety and convenience of those traversing the viaduct,’ he said during the event. Singson, for his part, said ‘the project will not only increase the capacity of the Candaba Viaduct but will ultimately improve the safety and convenience of motorists, as well as aid in the acceleration and growth of trade and commerce in Central Luzon.’ Romualdez also cited the importance of the project which is expected to alleviate the traffic congestion and reduce travel time for the commuters. ‘This project will not only enhance the efficiency of our transportation network but also contribute to the overall socioeconomic development of the region. It will create jobs, attract investments, and stimulate economic growth,’ he said. The Candaba 3rd Viaduct will be built using green and sustainable engineering practices and will be compliant with the country’s latest bridge design requirements. It will have piers at every 20 meters, with each pier being supported by two columns and two bored piles which will strengthen the structure amidst the swampy condition of the natural ground underneath the viaduct. ‘This new mobility project will offer easy journeys and make travel safer for the public traveling between Metro Manila and Central and North Luzon as there will be a new structure to augment the existing ones and will safely allow the speed limit to increase to 60 to 80 kilometers per hour from the current 40 to 60 kilometers per hour,’ Bautista said. Upon completion, he said the Class 3 vehicles or large trucks will be directed to the new bridge ‘so that the old structures will be relieved of heavy loads.’ Bautista said that based on previous studies, the construction of the third viaduct is necessary as the current structures are aging and operating at a reduced capacity. Meanwhile, he assured the motoring public that their travel comfort will not be sacrificed as the majority of the works will not affect the current operations and traffic flow in the two existing viaducts. The construction site will be manned by competent engineers and management teams to ensure efficiency and safety, he added. The Candaba Viaduct has been a vital link for motorists traveling between Metro Manila and the provinces in Central and North Luzon for over 50 years now. It has withstood natural disasters such as severe typhoons and extreme earthquakes. Since 2005, the tollway company has been upgrading the viaduct. Some of the works completed were pavement resurfacing; bridge link slab, girder, and deck replacement; girder and column strengthening; and construction of lay-bys or emergency stops in both northbound and southbound directions of the bridge. In 2020, the company has also started implementing stringent anti-overloading efforts such as enforcing the 33-ton gross vehicle weight limit on the southbound viaduct to further ensure the safety and long-term serviceability of the bridge. The NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

Source: Philippines News Agency

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday emphasized the need for more public-private partnership (PPP) projects to modernize the country’s infrastructure, saying it is key to ushering progress and development that would uplift the lives of the people. He made this call during the groundbreaking of the Candaba Third Viaduct project of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and NLEx Corp. at Barangay Dulong Malabon in Pulilan, Bulacan. ‘The Candaba Third Viaduct serves as a symbol of the fruitful partnership between the government and the private sector. It is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal,’ he said in his speech. ‘As we break ground today, we are not just laying the foundation for a new structure; we are paving the way for progress, prosperity, and a brighter future for our nation. The Candaba Third Viaduct will stand tall as a symbol of our aspirations, our commitment to sustainable development, and our unwavering dedication to the welfare of our people,’ Romualdez said. Targeted to be completed in November 2024, the project will expand the existing viaduct structure by adding inner and outer shoulders to the three lanes in each direction to increase the speed of travel from the current 40-60 kilometers per hour (kph) to 60-80 kph. Romualdez noted that the Candaba Viaduct, which has been serving as a strategic expressway link connecting Metro Manila and the Central and North Luzon corridor for several decades, has played a vital role in facilitating the movement of people, goods and services. Constructed in the 1970s, the 5-kilometer viaduct traverses the Candaba swamp and connects the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga. Initially built with a 2×2 configuration or two lanes for each direction, it was converted in 2017 to a 2 x 3 to maximize its capacity and is now serving an estimated 80,000 motorists daily. He, however, stressed that the growing population, coupled by the expanding economy, makes it ‘imperative that we invest in the modernization and expansion of our infrastructure.’ The Candaba Third Viaduct project, he said, will not only enhance the efficiency of the transportation network, but will also contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the region, as it would create jobs, attract investments and stimulate economic growth. Romualdez thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his unwavering support for the development of the country’s infrastructure. He said under Marcos’ visionary leadership, the country has witnessed a renewed commitment to the ‘Build Build More’ program, which aims to propel the nation towards progress and inclusive growth. He also cited the relentless push of Pampanga Representatives in the 19th Congress, including Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio ‘Dong’ Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Representatives Carmelo ‘Jon’ Lazatin II (1st District) and Anna York Bondoc (4th District), as well as the cooperation of local government officials of Bulacan and Pampanga, which helped make the project a reality the soonest time possible. Romualdez said the construction of the viaduct ‘exemplifies our determination to enhance connectivity, promote economic development and uplift the lives of our people.’ Last May, the House of Representatives approved on third reading House Bill 8078, seeking to adopt a 30-year National Infrastructure Program (NIP) which focuses on transportation, energy, water resources, information, and communications technology, agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics and social infrastructure. The NIP will be funded by the national budget, public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, including hybrid PPPs or with local government units, or a combination of these sources.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The military and uniformed personnel’s (MUP) pension is still included in the proposed national budget for 2024, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday. During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay Forum, Pangandaman said the MUP pension for next year is projected to be about PHP213 billion. ‘I think the magnitude ng ating (of our) MUP pension in our budget yearly is up to PHP213 billion,’ she said. ‘It’s included (in the proposed 2024 budget). Syempre naman po kapag hindi pumasa, kawawa naman sila (Of course, if the [proposed bill] fails to get approved, the [MUP personnel] would suffer). As of now, since wala pa po (since it is still a proposal), we still consider it.’ Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier warned of ‘fiscal collapse’ stemming from the increasing pension payments for MUP. Diokno said the MUP pensions reached PHP213 billion this year and might breach PHP1 trillion by 2025. Pangandaman said the economic team’s technical staff is holding a series of consultations with various MUP services to come up with the ‘right’ measure to introduce reforms to their current pension scheme. She admitted that the country’s fiscal space remains ‘tight’ because of the existing MUP pension system, adding that the planned reforms have to be done through ‘some sort of transition.’ ‘Hindi natin tinanggal muna kaya nga tight pa rin talaga ang fiscal space (We did not remove the pension yet, that’s why our fiscal space is still tight),’ Pangandaman said. ‘Sa amin po (For us), any measure or reform that will help ease the fiscal space for our budget to be able to fund yung mga mas (our more) pressing program natin, it’s a welcome news for the DBM.’ The economic team is eyeing the completion of the administration’s version of the MUP pension reform bill by July. Pangandaman said the outcome of the consultations with MUPs could be included in the bills filed before the Senate.

Source: Philippines News Agency

About nine out of 10 families in cash-strapped Lebanon do not have enough money to buy necessities, the United Nations children’s agency said on Tuesday. ‘Families in Lebanon are barely able to meet their most basic needs despite cutting down drastically on expenses,’ UNICEF said in a statement. ‘A growing number of families are having to resort to sending their children – some as young as six years old – to work in a desperate effort to survive the socio-economic crisis engulfing the country,’ it added. A survey conducted by the UN agency found that almost nine in 10 households in Lebanon do not have enough money to buy essentials. ‘Fifteen percent of households stopped their children’s education, up from 10 percent a year ago, and 52 percent reduced spending on education, compared to 38 percent a year ago,’ it said. According to UNICEF, three-quarters of households have reduced spending on health treatment, as compared to six in 10 last year. The survey also found that two in five households have been forced to sell family possessions, up from one in five last year. ‘The compounding crises facing the children of Lebanon are creating an unbearable situation – breaking their spirit, damaging their mental health and threatening to wipe out their hope for a better future,’ said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF representative in Lebanon. Lebanon has been facing a crippling economic crisis since 2019, that, according to the World Bank, is one of the worst the world has seen in modern times.

Source: Philippines News Agency

The Emirates News Agency (WAM) has signed an agreement with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to serve as a media partner for the 8th OPEC International Seminar to be held at the Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria on July 5-6 under the theme ‘Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Energy Transition’. Under the agreement, WAM will provide local, regional and international media coverage during the event and the Seminar Exhibition in a variety of languages. Haitham Al Ghais, secretary general of OPEC, emphasized the significance of bolstering collaboration with WAM in light of the substantial role played by the United Arab Emirates, an ‘effective and vital OPEC member that is playing a leading role in global oil markets.’ Al Ghais also underscored the importance of the role played by conventional media in disseminating information and boosting public awareness, particularly among young people, about essential areas, like the energy industry. Regarding preparations for the seminar, Al Ghais said ‘the OPEC International Seminar has an outstanding record for both the caliber of participants and the high level of discussions that take place on the leading issues affecting the energy sector, especially at this critical time in the global industry.’ ‘We are looking forward to welcoming all our guests to Vienna for what will be a truly memorable and informative event,’ Al Ghais added. For his part, WAM Director-General Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi said ‘in line with the directives of the wise leadership and based on the media’s central role in promoting sustainable development, WAM is eager to expand its international footprint as a dependable media supplier in multiple languages.’ ‘OPEC plays a key role in ensuring energy security and addressing climate change by supporting sustainable practices to cut carbon emissions,’ Al Rayssi added. ‘This cooperation agreement opens wider prospects for future partnership with OPEC, based on the two sides’ shared goals of raising media awareness of just energy transitions and supporting global initiatives to combat climate change for the benefit of future generations.’ The 8th OPEC International Seminar will focus on the key issues pertaining to the energy transition, such as energy security, technological innovation, environmental matters, sustainable development, energy policies, as well as broader trends in the world economy. OPEC has held seminars since 1969. However, the first in the current series of International Seminars was held in 2001, followed by subsequent iterations in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018. The 7th OPEC International Seminar took place from 20th-21st June 2018 under the theme ‘Petroleum- cooperation for a sustainable future’. It was also held at the Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna and attracted a record 950 participants from over 50 nations, around 80 speakers, 60 ministers and CEOs, 19 sponsors, 20 exhibitors, and more than 200 journalists and analysts.

Source: Philippines News Agency