Deadlock continues on LRT, MRT common station

MANILA, Philippines – There’s still no end in sight for the deadlock on the common station project that would link the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) even after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) presented a draft agreement to concerned parties last month.

The common station is supposed to link three major railway lines, specifically the Light Rail Transit Line 1, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and eventually MRT-7.

Speaking for the first time on the supposed compromise agreement, SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy said the proposal presented by the DOTC is lacking in details.

“So far, what they have shown us is a concept. We cannot sign on concept alone,” Sy said.

He said the DOTC “still needs to clarify certain things” regarding the proposed compromise agreement.

Until this is resolved, Sy said SM Prime is insisting on its position.

“We have a very clear cut position. Our position is we have a contract. Show us your compromise and we can tell you the answer,” Sy said.

Asked whether the impasse would be resolved before the end of the Aquino administration’s term, Sy said the ball is in the courts of the DOTC.

DOTC’s draft agreement proposed the construction of two common stations, with one located near the Ayala Group’s Trinoma Mall in Quezon City to connect LRT-1 and MRT-3, and the other near SM North Edsa Mall to link MRT-7 and MRT-3, with the option to connect to LRT-1.

SM earlier secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court (SC) preventing the DOTC from transferring the LRT-MRT common train station near the Trinoma Mall instead of SM North EDSA Mall.

It argued it has a 2009 contract with the Light Rail Transit Authority to put up the common train station near its SM North EDSA Mall.

However, the government decided to change the plan and relocate the common station near the Ayala-owned Trinoma Mall, saying this could result to savings of as much as P1 billion in construction cost on the site.

Because of the TRO, the government then proposed two common stations.

DOTC Secretary Joseph Abaya earlier said that as soon as SM approves the compromise agreement, it would be brought to the high tribunal in order for the TRO to be lifted.

The Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) and Universal LRT Corp. (ULC) have agreed in principle on the two common stations proposal, DOTC officials have said.

LRMC is composed of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. It won the P65 billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project and the right to design the first common station near Trinoma Mall under the concession.

San Miguel Holdings’ ULC, meanwhile, holds the concession for the planned P63 billion MRT-7 running from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The lifting of the TRO would enable ULC to start working on MRT-7. It has until February 2016 to complete the financial closing of the project. Otherwise, it would have to go back to the Investment Coordination Committee for another review.