‘Win-win’ formula in MRT-LRT link ‘inefficient’

MANILA, Philippines–The group of businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan remains unconvinced with the transportation department’s “win-win” plan to pursue two elevated railway common stations in Quezon City to resolve a legal row with Henry Sy’s SM Group.

Pangilinan, chair of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp., had suggested instead that the government build a single large station that would benefit rival property developers in the area.

Although no formal proposal has been made yet by the government, Metro Pacific said it believed building two common stations, which aim to link the busy Metro Rail Transit Line 3, Light Rail Transit Line 1 and eventually MRT7, located hundreds of meters apart was an “inefficient” exercise.

Metro Pacific, whose infrastructure portfolio spans tollroads, power generation, water supply and hospitals, has no property interests in the area.

But it would be affected by the station’s location as it had won, with partner Ayala Corp., a P65-billion contract last year to operate LRT1 and extend the line to Cavite province. Moreover, it recently revived an unsolicited proposal to assume operations of MRT3, which is suffering from congestion and operational glitches.

Metro Pacific president Jose Ma. Lim said last week that the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has yet to approach them with a solid proposal on the two common station configuration, although he confirmed they were aware of these discussions.

“We heard that there are two stations, which we think is not very efficient. There should be one station for all three lines,” Lim told reporters in a briefing.

As noted, the two-station solution was aimed at solving a legal row with SM and getting it to drop a legal case now pending with the Supreme Court.