Gov’t to scrap common train station deal - DOTr

Metro Manila, Philippines - The government will scrap the deal to build a common train station in Quezon City due to unacceptable delays on the part of the contractors, the Department of Transportation said on Thursday, March 6.

In a press statement, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the project has been idle for over a year.

The government awarded the contract to BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. in 2019 for the construction of the 13,000 square meters facility, with operations initially eyed at the end of 2020.

The station would connect LRT-1, MRT-3, and MRT-7.

“Pinag-aaralan 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.

[Translation: Our legal team is studying the contract’s final termination so we can move on and finally finish the project.]

The transportation chief personally inspected the station on Monday, March 3.

Dizon said the DOTr will explore options under the Government Procurement Act and the Public Private Partnership code to move the project.

He said the contractor may face penalties and damages for failing to keep the deal.

“Classic na pagkukulang ng gobyerno po ‘yan yung hindi pagbabayad on time. Iche-check po natin lahat ‘yan. 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,” said Dizon when asked about the government’s liability to the contractor.

[Translation: That's a classic government shortcoming, not paying on time. We will check all of that. At the end of the day, we will balance everything out - the government's shortcomings, the contractor's shortcomings - and in the end, we'll reach a solution.]