Government appeals to importers to move cargoes
out of Manila port before Feast of Nazarene, Papal visit
The government has appealed to importers to pull
out their cargoes from the Port of Manila before the Feast of the Black
Nazarene on Friday and the Papal visit, which starts Thursday next week.
"We are appealing to the private sector, we
are appealing to the importers, to all the cargo handlers: Could you please
pull out as much of your cargoes now while we are able to? What do we mean by
now? That’s today, tomorrow, and Thursday," Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene
Almendras said during a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday.
The Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo falls on
Friday, January 9. Classes in Manila, as well as work in city government
offices, have been suspended on this day.
Secretary Almendras made the same appeal to
importers to claim their cargoes before Thursday, January 15, the day Pope
Francis arrives for a five-day visit to the Philippines. January 15, 16 and 19
have been declared as non-working days in the National Capital Region.
Almendras further appealed to businesses that have
refrigerated vans in the Port of Manila to pull them out.
"We have noted a significant increase in the
refrigerated vans na hindi pinu-pull out. Ang problema po, there is not enough
space in the port for refrigerated vans of the volume that we are now seeing...
So, nakikiusap din po kami, through media, to all those importers, all those
businesses who have these refrigerated vans inside the port, kung pwede lang
po, please pull them out as fast as you can," he said.
He said the Bureau of Quarantine, Bureau of Plant
Industry and other government offices that give clearances, will help
facilitate the moving out of the refrigerated vans. PND (ag)
MRT, LRT fare hike means better services, new
facilities, says Palace
The Palace has appealed for more patience from the
public, saying the increase in MRT and LRT fares would mean better services and
facilities.
In a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday,
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. laid out the projects to be
carried out for the improvement of the MRT and LRT and their corresponding
timetables.
"Ipinapakita po natin ito upang ipaliwanag at
ipaunawa sa ating mga mamamayan ang konteksto ng pinag-uusapan din ngayon
hinggil sa pagbago ng sistema ng pagsingil na ‘yung pagdadagdag ng singil sa
pamasahe, kasabay naman nito ‘yung seryosong programa sa pagpapahusay at
pagpapabuti ng mga pasilidad ng MRT at LRT," Secretary Coloma said in a
brief presentation.
"Kaya’t hinihiling po natin ang pag-unawa ng
ating mga mamamayan sa mga kasalukuyang kaganapan."
Coloma said the most important part of the project
is the MRT capacity expansion.
“Simula sa Setyembre ng taong ito, madagdagan ng
48 coaches o bagon ang MRT. Pagkatapos makumpleto ito, dadami ang biyahe at
iikli ang panahon ng paghihintay. Binibigyan din ng prayoridad ang rail
installation o pagpapalit ng riles,” he said.
Also part of the project, he said, is the upgrade
of the MRT's ancillary systems, such as the power substations, depot facilities
for parking, the construction of the North Avenue turnback and Taft Avenue
pocket track extension, the upgrade of the signaling system, the overhaul of 25
light rail vehicles and traction motors, and the installation of a new radio
communications system.
Most of these will be carried out starting
February, while the process of obtaining the necessary services has begun, he
said.
“Ina-announce pa kasi muna ang pagdaraos ng public
bidding, pagkatapos ang pagdaraos mismo ng bidding, ang proseso ng pag-a-award
at publication,” he explained.
The MRT and LRT fares on Sunday were raised by 50
percent to 87 percent. The new base fare is P11, with an additional P1 for
every kilometer. End-to-end fare for MRT 3 increased from P15 to P28.
The fares for LRT 1 were raised from P20 to P30
for single-journey tickets and to P29 for stored-value cards, while those for
LRT 2 increased from P15 to P25 for single-journey tickets and to P24 for
stored-value cards. PND (as)
