Stakeholders agree to break ground for MRT-LRT common station this year

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and private sector stakeholders on Wednesday agreed to break ground within the year for the common station connecting the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) systems.

"Finally, we have come up to an agreement that the formal ground breaking, assuming the doables are done, the engineering designs are done and agreed with, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade told reporters during the signing memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the DOTr and the private sector stakeholders in Makati City.

"Hopefully, we can ground break before the end of this year," Tugade said.

The MOU seals the agreement between the DOTr and private sector stakeholders to build a common station connecting the LRT, MRT and the proposed MRT Line 7 between SM North Edsa and Trinoma Mall, ending a seven-year deadlock.

The common station project began in 2009 with a deal between the LRT Authority (LRTA) and SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) to build it near SM North EDSA.

However, under the Aquino administration, the then-Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) decided to build the station near Trinoma citing a study that the government can save P800 million to P1 billion if the project is relocated to the side of Ayala-controlled mall.

SMPHI sued the DOTC and LRTA for violating the 2009 agreement.

'They've come together'

In 2014, the SC issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) in favor of SM Prime to stop the construction of the common station.

In May, the SC extended the TRO it issued against the relocation of the common station.

Getting all parties to agree, Tugade is optimistic that the MOU signed on Wednesday will pave the way for a filing of a joint motion for the SC to lift the TRO.

Once the engineering design is done "the issue of injunction with the Supreme Court will be given to rest," he added.

"Let me tell you this, they've come together, they've have agreed to come together ... because of faith and trust in each other and willingness to support with the Duterte administration," he said.

Among those who signed is SMPHI President Hans Sy. "Definitely, you would see resolution to this issue. We are here with open, and we will really support what the new Secretary Tugade is going to bring to all of us."

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and CEO Ramon Ang, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, and Ayala Land Inc. Vice Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, representing North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., also signed the MOU.

North Triangle Depot Commercial Corp., a 73.24-percent subsidiary of Ayala Land Inc., owns Trinoma. — VDS, GMA News