The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed a consultancy contract for the implementation of four infrastructure flagship projects (IFP), particularly for the busway, railway, ferry and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems.
DOTr signed the contract for consultancy services with the Public-Private Partnership Center, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Isla Lipana & Co (PwC Philippines) and SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. for the operation and maintenance and feasibility studies of its IFPs.
These projects are the Cebu BRT, National Capital Region (NCR) Edsa Busway, Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry System and the North Long Haul Inter-Regional Railway.
During the contract signing, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the agency will rely on the private sector’s expertise in transportation planning, architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering and other aspects of the projects.
“The Marcos administration is committed to leverage the private sector’s efficiency and flexibility,” Bautista said in a statement.
“Pursuant to the President’s directive, the DOTr is working full speed and is commencing the feasibility studies of four IFPs,” he added.
The North Long Haul Inter-Regional Railway will be an 800-kilometer railway that will reconstruct the legacy railway to Ilocos and Cagayan Valley. It is seen to provide better transportation for passengers and goods, linking rapidly urbanizing economic centers in the northern and northeastern parts of Luzon.
The Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry System will reconstruct and expand the Pasig River ferry for quality and higher frequency services throughout the Greater Capital Region, including Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.
The ferry system will feature low-carbon ferries servicing tens of thousands of passengers daily, the DOTr said.
The NCR Edsa Busway is expected to enhance the existing Edsa Carousel to address the high demand for transportation services along the median of Edsa and feeder roads by increasing capacity and service reliability.
The project may also involve the introduction of electric buses, reducing carbon emissions along heavily trafficked corridors of Metro Manila.
A 13.18-km bus lane in Cebu stretching from Mambaling to Cebu IT Park, the Cebu BRT is expected to serve up to 160,000 passengers daily once fully operational.
