2 groups qualify for bidding of DOTC’s P2.5B ITS project

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) cleared the two groups that submitted offers for a P2.5-billion public-private partnership (PPP) deal known as Integrated Transport System-Southwest project.

Transportation department spokesman Michael Sagcal identified the bidders as MWM Terminals, led by Megawide Construction Corp., and Gotianun-led Filinvest Land Inc.

The ITS-Southwest project is being implemented under a single-stage process. This means qualification, technical and financial proposals are submitted all at the same time.

With both Megawide and Filinvest passing the qualification round, the DOTC bids and awards committee would still need to review the technical and financial offers over the next 35 days.

As many as 16 companies had acquired bid documents for the ITS Southwest deal but only Megawide and Filinvest submitted offers last Dec. 22.

The ITS was meant to create intermodal hubs where passengers of provincial buses would disembark to transfer to other in-city modes of transport such as elevated railways, city buses and UV Express vans. The move was aimed at easing congestion within Metro Manila.

The Southwest Terminal of the ITS project will be constructed on a 4.6-hectare land near the Manila-Cavite Expressway. The concession period, including construction, runs for 35 years, the PPP Center said.

The government is also planning to launch an ITS project in the northern part of Metro Manila. Among the locations being considered are the Veterans Memorial Hospital and Golf Course and Manila Seedling Bank in Quezon City.