Common Station Project Contract Terminated
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has officially ended its agreement with the contractor responsible for building the Common Station, a key hub connecting the LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT-7 lines. This decision stems from the contractor’s excessive delays in delivering the project.
The termination notice was issued to the BF Corporation and Foresight Development and Surveying Company (BFC-FDSC) Consortium. The DOTr emphasized this move aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to accelerate the project’s completion, which has been underway since 2009. The goal is to ease commuter travel and reduce transit times significantly.
Next Steps to Expedite Construction
DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon highlighted that the Common Station could have already been serving commuters if not for the prolonged delays. He stated, “Now that we have terminated the contract with BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co, we can finally move on with the construction.”
He further added, “And next step ay mapabilis natin ang construction nito para mapakinabangan na ng mga komyuter dahil malaking bagay sa kanila ito.” (And the next step is to expedite its construction so that commuters can benefit from it because this is a big deal for them.)
Fast-Tracking Through Legal Frameworks
The DOTr expressed optimism that work on the Common Station project could resume immediately. They plan to fast-track progress by utilizing provisions under the New Government Procurement Act or the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code. This approach is expected to bring the project back on schedule and eventually deliver the much-needed transit link for Metro Manila commuters.
Ultimately, the termination of the contract and the commitment to speed up construction reflect the government’s priority to improve the urban transportation system and enhance commuter convenience.
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