The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Thursday it is terminating its contract with BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. (BFC-FDSC), a company founded by the late Marikina Mayor Bayani Fernando, for the Unified Grand Central Station (Common Station) project due to alleged prolonged and unacceptable delays.
DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said the “unacceptable delay” left the construction progress idle for over a year now.
Dizon said the DOTr’s legal team was in the process of finalizing the termination of the contract. “Our legal team is studying the final termination of the contract so that we can move on and finally finish this project,” Dizon said.
“The delay is unacceptable. This project should by now have been completed and people have already benefited from it,” he said.
The DOTr said to expedite the construction it is seeking options under the Government Procurement Act or the Public-Private Partnership Code.
Dizon said BFC-FDSC might be slapped with penalties and liquidated damages for failing to honor the agreement.
He cited the significance of the project to commuters as it would facilitate seamless transfers among major rail lines MRT-3 and LRT-1, and eventually the MRT-7 and Metro Manila Subway.
Situated at the corners of EDSA and North Ave. in Quezon City, the common station features a 13,700-square meter concourse, ensuring rail passengers of seamless transfers.
The Station will also have an intermodal integrated system below, allowing commuters to depart by buses, jeepneys or taxi conveniently.