(UPDATE 5) Oil firms to cut prices by P0.50-P1/ liter Friday

Transport group dissastisfied

By Abigail Kwok, Abigail L. Ho
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:40:00 09/18/2008

MANILA, Philippines — Good news for motorists this weekend as both major and independent oil players have announced another round of oil price rollbacks as a result of the continuous decline in world crude prices.

Major oil players Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corporation, and Chevron Philippines (formerly Caltex) have announced a P1 per liter cutback on its diesel, kerosene, and gasoline products effective 12:01 a.m. Friday.

AFTER DOWNPOUR La Mesa Dam, Marikina River near critical levels–OCD

Most metro streets passable except Makati–MMDA

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:46:00 09/10/2008

MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATE 3) The La Mesa Dam in Quezon City and the Marikina River are nearing critical levels after a downpour across Metro Manila on Wednesday, the Office of Civil Defense in the National Capital Region said.

In its report, the OCD reported that the La Mesa Dam has reached 80.09 meters, .06 meters short of the 80.15 critical level. Meanwhile, the Marikina River is now 16.1 meters, .09 meters short of the critical status of 17 meters.

The OCD has alerted local officials.

Meanwhile, as of 5:30 p.m., the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported that only Dela Rosa, Gil Puyat, Washington, and Dian streets in Makati City remained unpassable to light vehicles because of floods.

Streets in other areas in Metro Manila are now passable after flood waters have subsided, Rodel Valdez of the MMDA traffic operations said.

In EDSA southbound, traffic is moderate to heavy from Buendia going to Roxas Boulevard. In EDSA northbound, traffic is also moderate to heavy from P. Tuazon to Nepa Q Mart and from Macapagal Boulevard to Taft Rotonda.

In the Camanava area (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela City), traffic remains moderate to light in the C3 Dagat-dagatan area and in C-4 Lascano.

In Manila, the Tullahan to Fatima route remains moderate to light while the Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard going towards Plaza Avelino remains light to moderate in both directions.

Light to moderate traffic is attributed to the cancellation of classes across Metro Manila, the MMDA said.

Jeepney group defers petition for higher fare

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:48:00 09/03/2008

MANILA, Philippines — A small jeepney group has formally deferred its petition for a fare increase, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Wednesday.

Chairman Thompson Lantion said the group Dominga Libertad Operators and Drivers Association (DLODA), plying the Dominga-Libertad route in Pasay City, has officially submitted its motion to withdraw, citing the recent oil price rollbacks.

The group, led by a certain Benjamin Fabia, initially sought a P10 minimum fare for its jeepneys for the first four kilometers and P2 for the succeeding kilometers.

Independent oil players have implemented another round of oil price rollbacks today, as world oil prices drop to less than $110 a barrel.

Typhoon-hit roads in Western Visayas reopened to traffic

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:36:00 09/02/2008

MANILA, Philippines — Key bridges and highways in Western Visayas have been reopened to traffic after intensive repairs to damage wrought by typhoons in the past months, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Tuesday.

DPWH Region 6 director Rolando Asis said the Valderama Bridge on the Bugasong-Valderama Road in Antique province was reopened after the installation of P5 million worth of bailey panels to replace three washed-out spans.

The Valderrama Bridge links Valderrama town to other municipalities in Antique.

The Odiong-Sibalom-San Remegio Road in Antique has also been reopened to traffic, Asis said.

Other bridges in the province of Antique that have reopened to traffic include: the San Roque Bridge in the municipality of Libertad; Dalanas Bridge in the municipality of Barbaza; Tibiao Bridge in the municipality of Tibiao; Guinbanggaan Bridge in the municipality of Lauan; Asluman Bridge in the municipality of Hamtic; Sibalom and Initan Bridges in the municipality of Sibalom; and, Libonan Bridge in the municipality of San Remegio.

In Iloilo province, the following bridges have been reopened: Tigum Bridge in the municipality of Cabatuan; Jalaur Bridge in the municipality of Calinog; Suage Bridge in the municipality Janiuay; Kantil Box Culvert in the municipality Badiangan; Inguan and Tacuyong Detour Bridges in the municipality Leon; Binanua-an Bridge in the municipality Guimbal; and Tiolas and Ambuyu-an Bridges in the municipality San Joaquin.

The Balusbos and Ibajay (old) bridges in Aklan province have also been reopened.

DPWH speeds up Catanduanes flood control project

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 23:49:00 08/28/2008

MANILA, Philippines—A major flood control project in the municipality of Viga in Catanduanes province is nearing its completion, making one of the region’s typhoon-prone areas protected against agricultural and industrial damages, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Thursday.

In a statement, DPWH Catanduanes District Engineer Ignacio Odiaman said the P3.8 million Viga River Flood Control Project is 86.5 percent complete.

Odiaman said the agency has stepped up construction of the project because the province of Catanduanes is located in the typhoon belt.

“The Viga river is one of the major waterways on which the rainwater from the mountainous areas in the province flows downstream and considering that the municipality of Viga is one of the populated towns in Catanduanes, it is vital to immediately complete this project on schedule,” he added.

Erring bus drivers ‘graduate’ to become professionals

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 21:58:00 08/28/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Sixty four provincial bus drivers found violating traffic rules “graduated” at the University of the Philippines on Thursday after undergoing a three-day workshop on road safety, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said.

The drivers received from LTFRB Chairman Thompson Lantion certificates of completion in a brief ceremony after a three-day seminar on road rules, basic first aid, and road safety.

The seminar was conducted by the LTFRB, the Automotive Association of the Philippines (AAP), and UP.

Lantion said the aim of the seminar was to create “professional” drivers “able to follow traffic rules and regulations,” he said in Filipino.

“With this, we can now that they can be called world class drivers,” he added.

Participants consisted of drivers from Genesis Bus, Baliwag Transit, ES Transport, Gassat Liner, Bataan Transit, and Mega Transport.

(UPDATE) LRT1 bursts past ridership record

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:25:00 08/27/2008

Editor’s Note: The INQUIRER.net posted that the record ridership was reached by the LRT this Wednesday. It was on August 22, said LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles in a statement. We regret the error.

MANILA — The Baclaran-Monumento line of the overhead Light Rail Transit system reached a record ridership of 497,008 passengers in a single day, beating the previous record set eight years ago, according to a statement by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

The LRTA reported that the new one-day record was set on August 22, a Friday. The previous record of 458,061 was set on Feb. 2, 2000.

LRTA administrator Melquiades Robles said that a recent capacity expansion enabled the system to absorb “the phenomenal ridership surge” brought about by rising fare and fuel prices.

Robles also assured the public that even if its ridership would increase by 50 percent, the LRT system could still absorb the additional passengers.

“The ridership capacity of the LRTA lines is unprecedented, it is in fact the biggest riding capacity,” Robles said.

Data from the LRTA showed that it fielded a total of 30 trains on August 22. The average load factor or congestion level on this day was 63 percent.

LRT Line 1 has 139 trains that can carry as much as 1,309, 680 passengers per day or 38,520 persons per hour per direction. Meanwhile, LRT Line 2 has 16 trains that can carry a maximum of 730, 240 passengers per day, Robles said.

Line 2 (Recto to Santolan) has 16 trainsets available, which can carry a maximum of 730, 240 passengers per day, he said.

With a report from Abigail Kwok, INQUIRER.net

Fare rollback ‘possible’ if oil price cuts continue–LTFRB

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:58:00 08/26/2008

MANILA, Philippines — If oil price rollbacks continue, there is a “possibility” that public fare will also go down, the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Tuesday.

In a press conference, LTFRB chief Thompson Lantion said it would only be “reasonable” for fare to go down if oil prices would continue to decline in local markets.

LTO still to probe alleged misuse of congressional plates

IMO: I absolutely agree with Nograles that LTO should crack down on abusive politicians who use the police to ease their way out of traffic. Politicians using “wang-wangs,” police escorts, and pushing motorists out of their road way should not be re-elected.

***

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:04:00 08/20/2008

MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has yet to begin investigating the incident early Sunday morning involving the alleged misuse of a congressional vehicle plate in which a security guard was killed and another seriously injured.

In a phone interview Wednesday, LTO investigation division head Roberto Valera said they have yet to receive any documents related to the incident, in which a speeding sports utility vehicle (SUV) sporting the congressional “8” plate allegedly rammed and killed Marbert Raz, 30, and injured Romy Rivera, around 2 a.m. Sunday near the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

LRTA: Fire disruptions cause over P3M in lost revenues

By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:20:00 08/20/2008

MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said it lost more than P3 million in revenues when it suspended operations six times from January to August this year because of fires that struck establishments located near its train stations.