CAAP completes airport projects nationwide, with strength and resolve

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The strength and resolve amid various challenges have enabled the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to complete airport projects across the country under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade said on Friday, 04 March 2022.Secretary Tugade said the CAAP, along with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Aviation Sector, had endured challenges, criticisms, and doubts through commitment, passion, and love for the people.

These hardships, according to Secretary Tugade, motivated the CAAP to work harder to deliver the mandate of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“When I heard the song coupled with pictures that accompanied the song, napaluha ako. Pagkat nakita ko ‘yung damdamin, yung pakikisama, commitment at passion ng CAAP. Na kung saan nakipag-isa sila sa akin upang magawa at magawa ‘yung mga katungkulan na minandate sa atin ng ating mahal na Pangulo – make the Filipino life convenient and comfortable,” Secretary Tugade’s emotional message during CAAP’s 14th anniversary celebration on Friday.

“Nilalabanan natin ‘yung mga kutsa, agam agam. Nilalabanan natin ‘yung bagyo. Nilalabanan natin ‘yung tinatawag na earthquake, kung anupamang challenges. But we have strength. We have resolve because we never felt alone,” Secretary Tugade added.

Since the start of the Duterte administration in 2016 and amid the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, CAAP and the rest of the DOTr Aviation Sector had completed a total of 243 airport projects nationwide. Of this number, 169 airport projects in 55 airports were completed by CAAP throughout the country as of February 2022.

Secretary Tugade commended the CAAP, led by Director General Jim Sydiongco for the ongoing works for the completion of additional transformational airport projects, facilities, and infrastructures across the country.

“Lahat kayo magagaling, matatalino, inspirado, committed, passionate. Nakita ko kung papano kayo maglingkod,” Secretary Tugade stressed.

On the other hand, DG Sydiongco pointed out that the accomplishments in the DOTr Aviation Sector over the past five years would not have been possible without the support of Secretary Tugade and the hardworking personnel of CAAP and the DOTr.

“I’d like to thank Secretary Tugade, Sec. Art, for giving me your trust and confidence and being an ever-bright beacon of light to bring us back right on track,” DG Sydiongco said.

Construction of North Avenue Common Station structure slated to be completed by end of March

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After more than 15 years since its approval by the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee in December 2006, construction of the North Avenue Common Station structure in Quezon City is slated to be completed by end of March this year, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade stated.Tugade made the statement during his site inspection of the Common Station on Thursday, 03 March 2022. The transportation chief was accompanied by Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, JICA Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa, BF Corporation CEO Marides Fernando, other transport officials, and private sector partners, to check on the progress of the project.

The inspection consisted of a walkthrough of the Common Station, which saw significant and fast-paced improvements since Secretary Tugade’s last inspection in December 2021. To date, the Station Building of Area A is now connected to Area B or the Atrium, which is now 100% complete.

The 13,700 square meter concourse area will interconnect four major railway lines: LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and soon, the Metro Manila Subway Project.

"Notwithstanding the fact that I did not close EDSA to traffic, notwithstanding the fact that I did not suspend or realign the operations of the MRT-3, the construction of the Common Station’s building structure will be completed by end of March," Secretary Tugade said.

Targeted to start operations by July 2022, Secretary Tugade ordered commencement of operations at an earlier date, “without sacrificing quality of work and reasonability of cost”.

"I will henceforth, until my term ends, inspect and make sure that the electromechanical system will also be in place so that this Common Station – a long-time dream of the Filipino people – will come into reality. I hope it can be done during the term of President Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Secretary Tugade said.

Meanwhile, the project’s contractor, BF Construction, assured to meet the timeline set by Secretary Tugade with non-stop construction works to complete the project. At present, BF Construction CEO Marides Fernando said the concreting of the platform level, where the MRT-3 and LRT-1 lines are set to merge, is now ongoing.

"Today, we are very pleased to welcome Secretary Tugade. You can see that the status of the [station] building is well on its way and we are rushing; 24/7 work is going on here at the station to complete it as per the Secretary's schedule," said Fernando.

For his part, Ambassador Kazuhiko, who earlier rode the MRT-3 from the Ayala Station going to the inspection site at North Avenue, lauded the relentless efforts of the DOTr to improve mobility and connectivity in the country.

“So, in the near future, I can change from the MRT-3 to the LRT-1 and MRT-7 or Metro Manila Subway via this Common Station. And I can go anywhere in a short time period. Needless to say that railway connectivity is indispensable for efficient transport. That’s why the opening of this Common Station will offer a significant level of comfort to use these railways,” Ambassador Kazuhiko said.

Once operational, the Common Station can accommodate almost 500,000 passengers daily.

SSS branches at 100% capacity to address influx of members, claimants

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The Social Security System (SSS) said all its 281 branches nationwide under Alert Level 1 will be in 100% operations to address the expected influx of transacting members, particularly in certain SSS branches in the National Capital Region (NCR).

SS said all transacting members were accommodated by the branches, particularly those some 100 members who were reported to have camped outside the SSS Diliman Branch along East Avenue in Quezon City.   SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio said the state fund agency will continue to monitor the number of members personally transacting in SSS branches. “We will evaluate the situation to determine if there is a need to further extend service hours and hold special operations on Saturdays,” she added.   “With the reduction in Covid-19 alert levels, we are now in 100% operational capacity since all our employees are tasked to their offices,” Ignacio explained.   As this developed, SSS emphasizes its call for members, claimants, and the transacting public to use the agency’s online facilities such as My.SSS and SSS Mobile App for their various transactions with the state pension fund.   “We continue to recognize the health, safety and security concerns of our members even if the Covid-19 alert levels have been reduced. We urge them to make full use of the agency’s online facilities, especially the My.SSS portal. There are more than 30 member services available on My.SSS. They can even access some of these services on the SSS Mobile App,” Ignacio said. The SSS president explained that there is priority given to online branch appointment holders. Members may use the appointment system in My.SSS to indicate the preferred date and time that they want to be accommodated in their chosen SSS branch.The branches have been tasked to set up special lanes for those holding online appointments.   SSS has been accepting online submissions for several transactions through My.SSS since 2011. My.SSS is the pension fund’s online service portal which can be found on the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph).   The “File Anywhere” policy of the state pension fund remains in effect. This allows SSS members to transact at the nearest branch of their choice. Currently, there are 58 branches in NCR, about 135 branches in Luzon, 44 branches in Visayas, and 44 branches in Mindanao.   SSS also explained that the agency has digitalized all processing of claim and loan applications in all its 281 branches nationwide, not just in the SSS Diliman branch.   Ignacio, however, pointed out that processing of SSS transactions is based on the documents submitted by transacting members.   “I urge the members to make sure to present all required documents to speed up the processing time. The full list of requirements for SSS transactions may be found in www.sss.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/SSSPh.   “We want to assure our members that we are continuously finding ways to improve our processes to better serve our members,” Ignacio concluded.