Dizon fires MRT common station contractor for ‘excessive delays’
Secretary Vivencio Dizon Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation has fired the contractor of the Unified Grand Central Station — which is envisioned to link major railways Light Rail Transit Line 1, Metro Rail Transit Line (MRT) 3 and MRT 7 — citing “excessive delays.”
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, in a statement on Thursday, said his agency had terminated the contract with consortium BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. He noted that the common station project has been “idle for over a year now.”
READ: Common train station contract finally signed.
He said the group might also be slapped with penalties and liquidated damages for failing to comply with its deliverables.
Dizon has vowed to fast-track the implementation of priority projects under his watch.
READ: Dizon revamps transport team.
According to Dizon, the DOTr’s legal team is already finalizing the termination of its contract with the consortium, adding that the consortium may even be slapped with penalties and liquidated damages for failing to honor the agreement.
“Pinagaaralan na ng ating legal team ang final termination ng kontrata para maka-move on na tayo at finally matapos na ‘yung proyektong ito,” Dizon said in a statement.
(Our legal team is already studying the final termination of the contract so we can move on and finally complete this project.)
“The delay is unacceptable. This project should by now have been completed at napapakinabangan na ng mga tao (with people benefiting from it),” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked about the government’s liability to the contractor regarding late payments, Dizon responded: “Classic na pagkukulang ng gobyerno po ‘yan yung hindi pagbabayad on time. Iche-check po natin lahat ‘yan.”
(That’s a classic government shortcoming, not paying on time. We’ll check all of that.)
“At the end of the day ibabalanse po natin lahat ‘yan, ‘yung pagkukulang ng gobyerno, ‘yung pagkukulang ng contractor and at the end aabot tayo sa solusyon para sa lahat ng mga ‘yan,” he added.
(At the end of the day, we will balance all of that, the government’s and contractor’s shortcomings, and in the end, we will solve all of that.)
The DOTr and BFC-FDSC signed the deal in 2019.
Privatization
After terminating the contract, Dizon said the DOTr is now seeking options under the Government Procurement Act or the Public-Private Partnership Code.
Situated in North Edsa, Quezon City, the Common Station will feature a 13,700-square meter concourse, ensuring rail passengers of seamless transfers.
