MANILA — The construction of the proposed monorail project connecting Makati City to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City is set to start this year after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) granted original proponent status to Infracorp Development Corporation.
The PHP3-billion Skytrain monorail project will traverse from the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) station in Guadalupe to Fort Bonifacio.
In a statement Monday, Infracorp president Kevin Tan said the firm is ready to start construction of the monorail project within the year.
“We can start the project before the year ends and this will take us two years to complete it. By early 2021, we can open the Skytrain to the public,” Tan said.
Infracorp has submitted its unsolicited proposal on the railway project to the government last October 2017.
Based on its proposal, the company will build the Skytrain and transfer its ownership title to the government. Infracorp will have the right to operate the Skytrain.
The Skytrain will utilize the automated cable-propelled monorail technology and is seen to reduce travel time from MRT Guadalupe to BGC in five minutes without cost to the government.
This will also interconnect with other transport facilities within the area benefiting around 60,000 to 100,000 daily passengers that are going to and from the business districts of Makati and Taguig.
“We envision to connect Makati to Taguig and vice versa. These two largest business districts in the country need an efficient and fast transport system that is at par with what the other business districts in cosmopolitan cities like Tokyo and Sydney have,” Tan said.
The approval of the DOTr of the proposal will pave way for its review by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board’s Investment Coordination Committee.
Once it is approved by the NEDA, the proposal will undergo Swiss Challenge wherein other companies can make competing offers while giving the original proponent the opportunity to match them.
Infracorp Development Corporation is an infrastructure arm of business tycoon Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Inc. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
