Bidding for P60-billion LRT-1 extension set January

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has assured that the bidding for the P60 billion extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 line from Baclaran in Pasay City to Bacoor in Cavite would push through as scheduled in January.

DOTC undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said the date of the bidding would still push through in January despite the delay in the submission of the prequalification documents by interested parties.

“We are not moving the actual bidding, only the pre-qualification. When the pre-qualification is deferred, it doesn’t mean the actual bidding will be delayed as well,” Lotilla clarified.

He made the clarification after bidders were given more time to finalize their pre qualification documents as the deadline was moved anew to Oct. 22 instead of Sept. 28.

This was the second extension given by the government to interested parties as the original deadline was last Aug. 22.

Lotilla pointed out that the DOTC is not keen on granting another extension as the deadline of the submission of official queries would only be until Oct. 5

He added that bidders are expected to form their consortia to strengthen their chances of winning the contract.

“By then we will now the groupings,” he said.

Conglomerates led by the tandem of Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC) and Ayala Corp., and SMC Infra Resources Inc. are among the interested bidders for the civil works of the project worth P30 billion that would extend the LRT 1 from Baclaran all the way to Bacoor in Cavite.

Aside from the conglomerates, also present during the investors’ briefing and pre-qualification conference last July 10 were Ayala-controlled Makati Development Corp, FF Cruz, DM Consunji Inc. as well as Japanese-owned Marubeni, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, Itochu as well as French transportation contractors RATP Dev and Systra Group as well as Ecorail and Leighton Contractors.

Also interested were Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd., SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, FSG Capital Inc., EFC Enterprises, Jorgman Planning & Development Corp., RATP Development, Bechtel Overseas Corp., SERCO Group, Comm Builders & Technical Philippines Corp., Lenvoisa Construction Inc., APT Global Inc., Tranzen Group, and Cathay Energy Service Corp.,

Banks present during the conference were Ayala-controlled Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), BDO Universal Bank of retail magnate Henry Sy, PNB Capital of banking and beverage tycoon Lucio Tan, China Bank, and Dutch financial giant ING Bank, American-owned Citi, and the Macquarie Group of Companies.

The Cavite Extension project would increase the span of Line 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 kilometers and will have a new south endpoint in Niog, Bacoor, Cavite. The extension project includes eight stations (with provision for two future stations), 10.5 kilometers of viaduct, support beams, and 3 intermodal facilities.