The government and its private sector partners will start the construction of the P2.8-billion common station that will link Metro Manila’s overhead train system in Quezon City by December, eight years after discussions started.
SM Group’s Hans Sy, Ayala Corp.’s Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, San Miguel Corp.’s Ramon Ang, Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Manuel Pangilinan and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade signed the memorandum of agreement to build the common station for Light Rail Transit Line 1, Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and the planned MRT 7.
“We will continue to work hand-in-hand with the government and with all the parties concerned to ensure this common station will be a reality before the administration ends,” Sy said.
MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the signing of the agreement was a “very important” event on three levels.
“Number one, it signifies public private sector cooperation agreement on this project. Number two is, bringing ease and a lot of comfort to the commuting public and number three, of course the very significant investment being made on this project,” he said.
The MoA contains the design parameters for the common station, which will be the basis of the detailed designs that will be developed after the signing.
The location is agreed to be between the original 2009 location in front of SM Annex and 2014 location near Trinoma mall.
The P2.8-billion common station will be financed and built by the Transportation Department and will start construction by December. The target completion for the common station is April 2019.
The Transportation Department also said SM Prime and Light Rail Transit Authority would file a joint manifestation with the Supreme Court advising the court of the MOA to address the issue of the temporary restraining order vis-à-vis the common station project.
This will allow parties to proceed with the construction of the project.
The common station project started in 2009 and was put on hold due to legal issues. The LRTA inked a deal with SMPHI to build the station near SM North EDSA.
Five years later, the Transport Department decided to build the station near Ayala’s Trinoma citing reasons to cut costs.
The court intervened and issued a temporary restraining order in favor of SMPHI to stop the construction of the project.