Tag: infrastructure

Skyway Extension Project completion delayed to early 2021 due to accident in Muntinlupa

Skyway Extension Project completion delayed to early 2021 due to accident in Muntinlupa

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Were you among the many who got caught in slow-moving, heavy traffic along the northbound lane of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) heading towards Muntinlupa this past Saturday? On the morning of November 21, a tragic accident happened that effectively delayed the completion of the Skyway Extension Project from December 2020 to February 2021.

According to a PTV News report, a steel girder from the Skyway Extension Project fell down at the East Service Road in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City, which was caused by the crane (of project contractor EEI Corporation) that fell on its side as it moved to its next position. According to a Manila Bulletin report, the steel girder fell on several vehicles causing the death of motorcyclist Edison Visaga Paquibot and injuring others.

A view of the tripped crane. (photo source – Muntinlupa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)

The local police stated that the vehicles that got damaged by the steel girder include a Mitsubishi Adventure, a Toyota Vios taxis, a Hyundai H100, a Suzuki Raider motorcycle, a Yamaha Mio motorcycle and a Honda Beat motorcycle. The casualties were rushed to different hospitals for emergency treatment. Unsurprisingly, traffic along the East Service Road had to be closed off temporarily which complicated the flow of traffic.

Today, as published through the Facebook page of the City Government of Muntinlupa, San Miguel Corporation President and CEO Ramon S. Ang issued a personal apology and assured victims of the mishap that they will receive help. The published apology reads as follows:

Following the freak accident at the Skyway Extension project site in Cupang, Muntinlupa  over the weekend, the head of concession holder San Miguel Corporation (SMC) issued an apology to the victims and assured them  that the company would make sure all their needs would be taken care of, and more.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said that even while project contractor EEI Corporation was the one handling the construction of the project, as project proponent, SMC has a responsibility to take care of the victims.

“Even with a contractor handling construction, ultimately, we are responsible for the welfare of those who were affected. I would like to personally apologize to the victims and their families, as well as to our larger community in Muntinlupa,” Ang said.

The accident, reported to have been caused by a crane that tipped over as it moved into position, which then hit a steel girder causing it to fall on six vehicles, resulted in one fatality and four injuries.

“This terrible and tragic accident has affected me in ways I can’t even begin to express. I have not stopped thinking about the people who were affected, the four that were injured and most especially, the person who perished, and his family. There are no words that can ease the grief of losing a loved one,” Ang said.

“To the family, I can only offer my sincerest and deepest condolences, and my personal assurance that your family will be taken care of. To those who were injured, please be assured we will provide all the means necessary for you to recover and restart,” he added.

Ang also vowed that the incident will be investigated thoroughly, and that SMC and its contractor EEI will make sure even stricter measures are in place at the project site.

“In a project of this magnitude and scale, there are many redundant safety measures in place.  Unfortunately, we can’t predict every outcome, and I’m sure no one wanted this to happen,” Ang said.

“Regardless, we are working with authorities to determine the root cause of this incident. We will find out where lapses occurred and do whatever is necessary to help make sure they don’t happen again.”

Source: SMC Media Affairs

One of the many vehicles that got damaged badly by the fallen steel girder. (photo source – Muntinlupa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office)

For its part, contractor EEI management made assurances that they will take care of all the needs of those who were affected.

At this point of time, motorists who planned to travel north via the Skyway Extension Project will either have to wait until February 2021 or adjust their travel plans.

Come back here for the next update about the Skyway.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to distorted views, NO to reckless publishers, and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila-related community developments, engagements, commerce, interactions and other relevant updates, visit and join the fast growing South Metro Manila FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Soft Opening of Skyway Stage 3 this December, Northbound Extension on track for Year-end Completion

Soft Opening of Skyway Stage 3 this December, Northbound Extension on track for Year-end Completion

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Hey fellow South Metro Manila residents and motorists! Do you plan to go to other parts of Metro Manila and further north soon?

Be confident because Skyway Stage 3 (AKA Skyway 3) is set for a soft opening this December and as of this writing the northbound section of the Skyway Extension project is at 70% completed and it should reach 100% by the end of this year. This is not to be confused with Skyway Stage 3’s completion which was in reference to the linking of the northern and southern parts of Luzon. Right now, the people behind the project are working to finish the northbound section for the soft opening. The exact December date for the soft opening still has yet to be revealed.

A portion of the northbound extension of the Skyway within Muntinlupa City. (source – Ramon S. Ang Facebook page)

“We are on track to deliver the northbound section of the Skyway Extension project by December, and with this, motorists from the south can easily access Makati, Manila, San Juan, Quezon City, and the North Luzon Expressway,” said San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and chief executive officer (CEO) Ramon S. Ang in a press statement.

To put things in perspective, SMC fully funded the project with P10 billion and it is designed to extend the Skyway from Susana Heights on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to Sucat and back, and provide direct access to the elevated section of the Skyway. The South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Muntinlupa Cavite Expressway (MCX) will get connected to the Skyway at Susana Heights which will bypass Alabang and should result seamless and shorter travel from south to north via the Skyway system.

“Under normal Metro Manila conditions, you will be lucky if you can get from SLEX to the North Luzon Expressway in under three hours. You would have to pass through traffic gridlocks in Alabang, Magallanes, practically the whole of EDSA, or various areas through Manila. With the Skyway Extension and the completed Skyway 3, you can get there in 30 minutes without stopping,” Ang further elaborated.

In addition, motorists coming from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna and Batangas will be able to bypass Alabang which should also ease traffic in Muntinlupa as well as along Alabang-Zapote road.

At this point of time, things are really looking very good as far as Luzon highways and Metro Manila travel are concerned. Being able to travel from Alabang to north of Metro Manila and back with much faster speed and much less stress is something I have always dreamed of. That old dream will soon be realized! Keep an eye on the Skyway and the completion of the extension.

In ending this article, watch and enjoy this very recent Skyway update video.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Skyway 3 project completed

Skyway 3 project completed

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It is all out in the news here in the Philippines and it is the best piece of infrastructure and travel-related news for travelers, business stakeholders and other concern parties specifically here in Metro Manila and the communities outside its boundaries – San Miguel Corporation (SMC)’s president and chief operation officer (COO) Ramon S. Ang announced the completion of the Skyway 3 project (AKA Skyway Stage 3) which is almost eighteen kilometers long. Right now, they are working on completing the finishing touches before formally opening it to the public.

Personally, I am happy for their achievement!

A great view of a portion of Skyway Stage 3. (source – Mark Villar Facebook page)

For the newcomers reading this, the Skyway 3 project is composed of a 17.93 kilometer stretch that links the norther and southern parts of Luzon by means of a modern highway. More specifically, once the newly completed project finally opens, travel from the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will take only twenty minutes which will be a major improvement from the average of 2-3 hours (without Skyway 3). It should be noted that the project was completed way before the October 31, 2020 target of completion.

“I’m happy to announce that the whole structure of Skyway 3 is now complete. With this, Skyway 2 in Buendia is now officially extended all the way to the North Luzon Expressway. After many challenges, this project faced in previous years, the dream of connecting north and south and providing an alternative to Edsa is now a reality,” Ang said in a press statement released on October 13.

As mentioned earlier, I am happy for the completion of Skyway 3 and soon it will finally be opened to public motorists (who can afford to pay the eventual toll fees). Each year for the past several years, I travel from Alabang to Clark and Subic Bay to attend important events. During those times, it was a struggle to move from south to north and back WITHOUT Skyway 3. The traffic along EDSA (which passes through different Metro Manila cities and on the maze of roads within the City of Manila were often bad, time-consuming and unpredictable.

Another stretch of Skyway Stage 3 over water. (source – Mark Villar Facebook page)

With Skyway Stage 3, travel between SLEX and NLEX will be much faster. It is stated in the press statement that travel from Magallanes to Balintawak will only take about 15 minutes, Balintawak to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) also only 15 minutes, and Valenzuela to Makati in just 10 minutes. As for people from the cities of Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Parañaque and even further south from Laguna province who need to travel to Subic Bay faster in the near future, imagine going north using the SLEX, then the Skyway (in the south) moving through the metropolis in quick fashion to reach the NLEX thanks to Skyway 3’s stretch and then take the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) to get to Subic Bay faster than ever before. Travelers from Cavite province will also benefit from the improved access and travel too since their province has highways that connect to the SLEX. Really, a lot of people, especially families business people who need to travel within Metro Manila and those who want to go further north or south will really benefit from the eventual operation of Skyway 3 not for just a year but in the years to come.

From this point on, watch out for SMC’s announcement of the formal opening of Skyway 3. Congratulations to SMC and their strategic partners for their accomplishment! Thank the Lord in Heaven also for making big dreams a reality!

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the FB group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Drainage Improvement Project inside BF NorthWest Ongoing

Drainage Improvement Project inside BF NorthWest Ongoing

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association, Inc. by means of an interview and research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Hey everyone! How is your life right now here in South Metro Manila? I bet you were one of many commuters or motorists who had to endure the painful long wait in the middle of the heavy traffic congestion along the South Luzon Expressway’s (SLEX) northbound lane leading to Alabang. Any way, here is my latest South Metro Manila update for you related to BF Homes subdivision in Paranaque City.

Recently I visited BF NorthWest inside BF Homes subdivision, to personally check out the ongoing drainage project that made some buzz via social media.

After driving for a while, I finally saw the drainage operation at the corner of Cairo street and Canton street. Here’s a video I recorded for you.

There was a sign stating “Sorry for the Inconvenience. On going construction of new drainage system installation of flood lights and convex traffic mirror”

The sign had logos of the BF NorthWest Homeowners Association, Inc., Bagong Paranaque (why not the city’s logo?) and City Councilor Wahoo Sotto.

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A look down.

Nearby was a large machine designed to dig along a key stretch of Cairo street, and there were a few personnel working. I witnessed one of them rolling a large drainage pipe. The portions of the street that got dug up and had new drainage pipes installed were pretty deep. And then along a key stretch of Dacca Extension were many more new drainage pipes placed there for eventual usage.

With the ongoing drainage operations by the City Government, one-way traffic schemes were temporarily implemented along the affected streets of the village.

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At the corner of Canton and Cairo street.

According to BF NorthWest HOA President Manny Nubla, the project is badly needed because their residents along the affected streets have been suffering a lot from deep and persistent flooding whenever it rains. If you thought the flooding along D. Jakarta street near the village clubhouse was bad, it’s even worse on the other streets (Cebu, Dacca, Canton, Cairo) where the drainage is no longer sufficient.

For more on BF NorthWest and other updates about the BF Homes communities, come back here.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

My Observations: Muntinlupa City the 8th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City of the Nation in this Year’s Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI)

My Observations: Muntinlupa City the 8th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City of the Nation in this Year’s Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI)

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When it comes to being competitive among the many cities of the Philippines, making the Top Ten of the most important category is a big achievement already. Thanks to the respective news releases of Business Mirror and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) the latest Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) for 2019 showed that Muntinlupa City is now the 8th most competitive highly urbanized city (HUC) of the entire nation.

MuntinlupaLogo

Specifically, Muntinlupa is one of six Metro Manila cities that made the Top 10 of the Most Competitive Highly Urbanized Cities category as revealed during the 7th Regional Competitiveness Summit held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on October 24.. The city that is home to Ayala Alabang, Alabang Hills, Filinvest City and Northgate Cyberzone is the only South Metro Manila city to make it in the Top 10 of the said category. This is a notable improvement over last year’s results.

Muntinlupa’s Public Information Officer Tez Navarro responded to my inquiry by saying that their administration is glad that the city made it in the Top 10 among HUCs. I also made inquiries to my sources within the city governments of Parañaque and Las Piñas and, as of this writing, nobody responded. The Most Competitive City for HUCs is Quezon City.

In my view, it’s not surprising that Muntinlupa made it big given the City Government’s (headed by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi) continued public services, efficiency and the local economy’s strong growth. Muntinlupa also made it in the Top 10 on the categories of government efficiency and infrastructure.

As for Parañaque, this year marks another chapter in history in which the city (whose local government unit is led by mayor Edwin Olivarez) failed to break into the Top 10 among Highly Urbanized Cities. In the 2018 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, the city that is home to BF Homes subdivision as well as those fancy casinos and resorts of Entertainment City ranked 14th among HUCs and 21st place overall in the competitiveness chart that includes HUCs and component cities.

Going back to this year’s Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, Parañaque got tied with Caloocan City for the 3rd place ranking for the Most Improved LGUs category among HUCs. The Most Improved LGU for Highly Urbanized Cities is shared at the top by Valenzuela and Malabon. When it comes to economic dynamism and infrastructure,  Parañaque got mentioned.

Now that the CMCI for 2019 has been published, now is a good time to take a close look at the infrastructure quality and government efficiency in Parañaque. Very recently traffic along Presidents Avenue (the road that connects Dr. A. Santos Avenue with the BF Homes commercial zone and the villages) worsened due to the three road operations (two belonging to Maynilad and one with the Department of Public Works and Highways) happening there at the same time. Those operations occupied significant space on the road making the flow of traffic tighter and more congested. Already motorists who travel regularly along Presidents Avenue are already annoyed with the worsened traffic congestion and a few of them questioned as to why is it that the City Government did not bother to send inspectors on the three road operations. Going back to this year’s CMCI, government efficiency is clearly where Parañaque is lacking.

As for the City of Las Piñas, there is a lack of available information as to how it fared among HUCs in varied categories as of this writing.

Ranking the Competitiveness

According to the CMCI website, The rankings of Cities and Municipalities are based on the sum of their scores on four pillars: Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure and Resiliency. Provincial rankings meanwhile are based on population and income weighted average of the Overall scores of cities and municipalities under a province.

The Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index or CMCI is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council through the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.

Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEX) 27-Kilometer Segment Construction Has Begun!

Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEX) 27-Kilometer Segment Construction Has Begun!

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As a resident living in South Metro Manila, I always prefer to see the entire Philippines’ infrastructure get developed and expanded tremendously because the benefits of improved travel time and experience will be felt by the riding public for the long term. At the same time, such improvements will help travelers reach the far-away destinations with better speed and in less time.

Today I learned about some good news – the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEX) has started construction beginning with a 27-kilometer section. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Alapan II-B Village in Cavite Province on March 27. The CALAEX itself has a grand total distance of 45 kilometers.

As announced on the Philippine News Agency (PNA) website, the P12-billion Cavite segment will ensure a safe, efficient and seamless travel for motorists from the history town of Kawit in Cavite to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) – Mamplasan Interchange. It is expected to cut travel time from 2.5 hours to less than 45 minutes and help decongest approximately fifty thousand cars.

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar declared that  the project is part of the President Rodrigo Duterte administration’s masterplan to connect Luzon from north to south, to be called the “Luzon Spine Expressway Network” (LSEN), to increase the current 300-km. high-speed expressway to 1,000 km. by the year 2022. Duterte’s term of office will end in that year.

“We will deliver not just on our promise to solve traffic, but to bring development to our provinces,” Villar announced.

More on speed, the expressways are not only expected to cut travel time for motorists but help add to the development of the provinces of Cavite and Laguna.  Cavite is now the biggest in terms of population among the country’s provinces, with an estimated 4.1 million people according to 2016 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

In terms of cooperation, Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla said this “speaks volumes about the dynamism of the government and its private partner.” He said the expressway will connect Laguna and Cavite, and declog the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

Meanwhile the Laguna segment of the CALAEX project is now in full swing which, according to Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) president and Chief Executive Officer, Rodrigo Franco, is expected to open the first section during the third quarter or as early as July this year.

When it comes to economic development by means of job creation, the CALAEX will employ some 1,200 personnel for its Laguna segment and close to 1,300 more for site and office personnel as its Cavite segment progresses. It is part of the network of toll roads that the MPTC is constructing and developing, which will connect to Cavitex and the C5-South Link and will make transfers from Laguna, Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, and CP Garcia Ave. seamless.

The CALAEX is one of many projects being done under the highly ambitious Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration. Build Build Build lists down high impact projects that are envisioned to improve the economy, increase incomes, invite investments leading to job creation. In his 10-point Socioeconomic Agenda, President Duterte envisioned the reduction of poverty from 21.6% in 2015 to 13% to 15% in 2022. It was emphasized that the acceleration of infrastructure development will pave the way for a more comfortable life, better travel and improved economic development nationwide.