月別: 2020年1月

Duterte threatens to bar Consunji’s DMCI operation

/ Manila Shimbun

President Rodrigo Duterte warned on Friday not to renew anymore the permit of property developer DMCI if it would not address the complaints of its customers whose pieces of property were damaged by the recent earthquakes in Davao City.

Duterte issued the warning also after Isidro Consunji, chairman of DMCI Holdings, made a statement against Duterte’s continued attacks on two Metro Manila water concessionaires, including Maynilad Water Services wherein DMCI has about 25 percent stake.

“The problem now here in the Philippines are these rich people, like Consunji,” he said in a speech in Cotabato, citing the case of DMCI-owned condominium Ecoland 4000 that collapsed following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao, including Davao City, last October.

He said DMCI has four condominium buildings in Davao City and one of them collapsed.

“There are so many buildings in Davao, it’s only his (Consunji’s buildings which) incurred huge cracks, not just hairline (cracks), they really opened,” he said.

He accused DMCI of giving its customers a hard time.

In an interview by ABS-CBN News on Thursday, Duterte said, “You know if you do not come to terms with the people that you prejudice, I will not allow you to even construct (a) building not even a post because I will question the integrity of your company.”

“I remember that the other day or yesterday, ah the other day, there was this meeting between Mr. Consuji and the group representing the owners of the condominium, and you were as almost arrogant. Do not do that. You will not only lose your funds but your business. Believe me, I will question every… I have ordered an audit of all the buildings and all the violations you have committed,” he said.

In a speech in Cotabato, he again repeated the warning as he recalled an earlier report about Consunji’s remarks on his attacks on water concessionaires.

“The other day he (Consunji) talked about the water concession, I said you are the one who has the problem,” Duterte said.

Consunji earlier wondered why Duterte resumed his threat against Maynilad and Manila Water Services, Inc. considering that last year the two water firms have expressed their willingness to review the contracts, which allegedly contain “onerous” provisions.

“If you are a builder, whether you are a Consunji or not, if I get irritated with you, I will not grant you any permit to dig. I will audit all of your (projects),” Duterte said.

“That’s why those who have problems in the Philippines under my time are those wealthy people who have no shame,” he said.

Duterte has also been opposing the renewal of franchise of the Lopez-owned ABS-CBN broadcast network. Celerina Monte/DMS

Tugade welcomes Japan House of Councillors delegation

/ Manila Shimbun

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade welcomed the Parliamentary Delegation of the House of Councillors of the Diet Friday.

The meeting with the delegation, headed by House of Councillors Member Iwai Shigeki, with Koyari Takashi, Koga Yukihito, Wakamatsu Kaneshige, Chief Researcher Hiromatsu Akihiko, and Assistant Director Kondo Tomoya, centered on discussions of the ongoing and future railway projects under Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The delegation was accompanied by the Embassy of Japan, represented by Minister of Japan Nakata Masahiro, First Secretary Shigeru Hori, as well as members from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Chief Representative Yoshio Wada and Senior Representative Kiyo Kawabuchi.

During the meeting, the Japan delegation expounded their desire to accord assistance and help to accelerate the railway projects which are ongoing, such as the MRT-3 rehabilitation, as one of the solutions to ease the traffic in the metro.

With this, Tugade reiterated two things of which the Japan government can possibly help: (1) to further advance the rehabilitation and maintenance of the MRT-3, and (2) to accelerate the use of the Dalian trains.

Tugade underscored the importance of adopting Land Value Capture for completing more infrastructure projects.

“We are pushing for the acceptance and adoption of Land Value Capture in the evaluation of infrastructure projects. With this concept, we can build more infrastructure and we can assure the return of investment on a faster basis,” Tugade said.

The importance of acquiring land and resolving right-of-way issues for projects were also discussed by the transportation chief. He also pointed out the significance of working towards the full completion of the project as well as Partial Operability.

Further, Tugade announced that Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is donating by way of grant, around 30 units of simulators to be used for the Philippine Railways Institute).

“With the relationship between the Japanese and Philippine governments, with the help of JICA, various projects in the country are now moving fast and sure. And I am sure, that after this meeting, it will become faster and more sure,” said Tugade.

After the meeting, Tugade, together with DOTr officials, led the Japan delegation in an ocular inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance of MRT-3.

Other officials present in the meeting were DOTr Usec. for Finance Garry de Guzman, Usec. for Railways Timothy John Batan, Asec. for Procurement and Project Implementation Giovanni Lopez, PNR General Manager Junn Magno, and MRT-3 General Manager Rodolfo Garcia. DMS