THE DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DoTr) is hoping to award the contract for the commuter rail common station this year, following the termination of the previous contract.

The DoTr has not yet decided on a preferred procurement mode for the project, Transportation Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon told reporters last week.

“We are still reviewing the available modes. What we really want is to explore PPP (Public-Private Partnership)… We are carefully studying the options,” he said, noting that it hopes to start the bidding process this year. 

Mr. Dizon said the DoTr is leaning towards a solicited mode of PPP, which he said was faster and less risky.

“We’re open to any of the modes, but for us, PPP is the safest — so we can avoid issues. I can’t stop anyone from submitting an unsolicited proposal, but our default preference is solicited,” he said.

The DoTr has issued a notice  of termination to the contractors of the Unified Grand Central Station at North Avenue-EDSA, Quezon City, also known as the common station for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines and the Metro Manila Subway.

The contractors — BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. (BFC-FDSC) were dropped due to excessive delays, the DoTr said.

“The target to complete (the project) is by 2027 in time for the (MRT-7) operations. That is the goal. We need to get things in order this year,” Mr. Dizon said.

The consortium signed a P2.8-billion agreement with the government in 2019 for the construction of Area A of the Unified Grand Central Station project.

The project aims to link Metro Manila’s main commuter rail lines, including LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and eventually the Metro Manila Subway.

The project was initially targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2021. It was designed to have three sections, each built separately: Area A by BFC-FDSC, Area B by Ayala Corp., and Area C by San Miguel Corp., the concessionaire for the MRT-7 project.

Under the agreement, the common station is set to be built at a compromise location near the original 2009 site in front of SM Annex (North EDSA) and the 2014 location near Ayala-owned TriNoma Mall.

The common station features a 13,700-square-meter concourse designed to ensure seamless transfers for rail passengers. It will have an intermodal integrated system to facilitate smooth commuter transfers. — Ashley Erika O. Jose