[ Manila Bulletin Online ] July 18, 2008
By NATE C. BARRETTO
A congressional inquiry into the $ 400-million Northrail project, awarded to a China state-owned contractor four years ago, will not derail moves to finally begin construction of the 32-kilometer railway from Caloocan City to Malolos, Bulacan, Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC) Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan said yesterday.
Pamintuan, who is waiting for his official Palace appointment to head the Northern Luzon Railways Corp. (Northrail), said, "Sinabi po ng ating mahal na Pangulo (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo), Ed, ituloy mo iyan (Northrail project). There are around 20 Chinese engineers doing the survey. Nandyan pa po sila sa Valenzuela."
Pamintuan assured that China and National Machinery Equipment Group (CNMEG) will resume work on the project within 45 days.
Some senators have bared plans to investigate alleged overpricing and mishandling of the 0-million fund loaned from the Chinese Export-Import Bank once Congress resumes session. However, Pamintuan said, such an inquiry will be no reason to further delay the project.
However, he said, the original price of the contract after years of delay in implementation has gone up.
"Almost 50 percent na ang itinaas ng halaga since nagpirmahan. Kapag official na ang appointment ko (as Northrail Chief Executive Officer), iyan ang ine-negotiate natin," Pamintuan said.
He said a courtesy call on the the Chinese Embassy here. "They never lost hope na macontinue yung project. It was only suspended. Phase One from Caloocan to Malolos has not yet begun only because of alignment issues," Pamintuan said.
He explained that there are 50 families whose properties lie along the Northrail route, which were not included in the right-of-way survey.
"Maliban po sa 50 families na iyan, 99 percent nang nailikas ng ating kabayan, Vice President Noli de Castro, ang mga tatamaan ng Northrail 15 meters to the left and 15 meters to the right of the railroad," Pamintuan said.
