Robi Del Rosario

Top business groups urge speedy completion of common rail station

MANILA, Philippines – Leading business groups in the country have jointly called for the speedy execution of the common train station project that would link the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Lines 3 and 7.

By conveniently serving some 1.5 million commuters, the common station is seen to “finally close the missing link” between the heavily used MRT-3 and LRT-1 as well as incorporate them with the recently approved MRT-7, the groups said.

“We fully support the MOA (memorandum of agreement) executed among the train operators of LRT-1, MRT-3 and MRT-7 and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) agreeing to the intersection of EDSA and North Avenue in Quezon City as the location of the common train station,” they said in a statement.

Special Joint Meeting

6 April 2017, Thursday, 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
The Conservatory, The Peninsula Hotel, Makati City

High stakes

It may come as a surprising realization to some who reflect upon it that President Duterte has been in office for only a little over eight months. Perhaps this may be because so many changes have been introduced and put in operation in this brief span of time as to firmly put the Duterte stamp on the nation’s psyche and discourse as well as its political and societal interrelationships in a manner more pronounced than his predecessors. The unorthodox presidential aura—rolled-up barong sleeves with unbuttoned top slot, maong pants with leather boots or sock-less loafers, frequent expletives and occasional tongue-in-cheek hyperbole (often taken too seriously by unaccustomed members of the media)—seems to add up to a persona and body language that continue to appeal to most Filipinos because of their authenticity. For one thing, only President Duterte has managed to get a head of state, in this case the Japanese prime minister, to come to his unassuming residence in Davao City and dine with him in his dining room dressed relatively informally. Thus, his legend grows even as his popularity remains high.