THE GOOD LIFE
Metro Manila Subway Set To Begin Operations By 2021
Construction for the Metro Manila Subway is still on track despite quarantine restrictions, with a target to begin partial operations by 2021—yes, next year.
Where will the Metro Manila Subway take you?
The first purely underground railway system in the Philippines has a planned span of 36 kilometers from Quirino Highway in Quezon City all the way to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City.
It will ideally cut down travel time between the two spots from one hour and 10 minutes to 45 minutes.
A total of 15 stations are planned across the Metro, with stations at the business
districts in Ortigas, Bonifacio Global City, and Makati City. Initially, the “partial operability” of the first three stations— Quirino Highway, Tandang Sora, and North Avenue—was slated for 2022. According to Tugade, the train depot in the City of Valenzuela is crucial to allow for a partial opening in 2022.
The subway is expected to carry 370,000 passengers daily, with a full capacity of up to 1.5 milion. Trains are designed to run at speeds of up to 80 kilometers an hour. In comparison, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 currently runs at just around 30 kilometers per hour.
SMC completes Skyway 3 ahead of schedule
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang has announced that the construction of the entire 17.93-kilometer stretch of the much-awaited Skyway 3 project linking Southern and Northern Luzon seamlessly has been finally completed.
This was done ahead of the original October 31 schedule the company earlier announced, following delays due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“I’m happy to announce that the whole structure of Skyway 3 is now complete. With this, Skyway 2 in Buendia is now officially extended all the way to the North Luzon Expressway. After many challenges, this project faced in previous years, the dream of connecting north and south and providing an alternative to Edsa is now a reality,” Ang said.
With Skyway 3, travel from South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will now only take 20 minutes, from around three hours previously. Magallanes to Balintawak will only take about 15 minutes, Balintawak to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) also only 15 minutes, and Valenzuela to Makati in just 10 minutes.
However, Ang said the expressway cannot be opened to the public just yet, as finishing works, such as the proper curing of asphalt, have been delayed by continuous and heavy rains.
“We’re very excited to open Skyway 3 to the public. We just have to wait for the weather to improve so we can make sure that the asphalt will cure properly. That and a few more finishing touches are all that’s needed, and then we can open, soon,” he added.
New Clark airport passenger terminal completed, to operate by January 2021 — DOTr
The new passenger terminal building (PTB) of the Clark International Airport (CRK) is now 100% complete and is all set to start operations by January next year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday.
In a statement, the DOTr said the airport expansion project has been “completed by end-September, ahead of its original October target completion date.”
“Once operational, it is projected that CRK’s current operational capacity will get a boost, and the airport’s passenger volume will be tripled from the current 4.2 million to 12.2 million annually,” the agency said.
Good Guys Lend Hands For Community Events
From residents to employees, The Good Guys movement continues to grow.
“The spirit of volunteerism is here regardless of the risk,” said 23-yearold volunteer Nette Artista of SMDC’s HR Department. “We are confident that the Company is taking safety and precautionary measures so there’s no room for hesitation.”
“I know of many more employees who are eager to join and are now hoping for the next call for volunteers,” said 21-yearold Joshua Julian, a volunteer from the Customer Service cluster.
“When you know the purpose, it will inspire you to finish your job tasks on time so you could go for volunteer work.”
SMDC beefs up sanitation measures
SMDC has been regularly conducting disinfection in all of its properties.
Among the sanitation and disinfection measures that have been regularly carried out are the misting of common areas and installation of hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances.
Garbage rooms are subjected to additional disinfection activities several times a day. Extra sanitation practices are implemented in areas where there are residents under monitoring. “The garbage collected from such units are handled more carefully to make sure no one in the community and from our line is exposed to the virus,” a property manager said.
Weekend Market Opens Opportunities for Field Resident-Entrepreneurs
Hundreds of residents at SMDC Field Residences take turn to buy perishable essentials at the Gazebo every Sunday morning. Aside from a stall selling fresh produce from farmers in Pampanga, this weekend market also showcases other food items prepared and sold by some of the community’s entrepreneurs.
“We are thankful to SMDC for giving us an opportunity to earn during this pandemic,” said Yhen Sta. Maria, a 41-year-old unit owner who sell canned goods and imported food items in her weekly stall.
The weekly turnout has always been overwhelming for couple Jofred and Suzzaraine Visda, who sell frozen meat products and cold cuts in the weekend market. “We are surprised that our products run out as early as 10 a.m.,” the Visdas said. The couple also sell baked goods that they themselves prepare.
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Donna Gonzales sell virgin coconut oil and other natural health products, which are also surprisingly enjoying a warm reception.
SMDC empowers young residents through Content Creation Webinar
SMDC has launched an online show aimed at providing the young residents of its communities with new knowledge and skills to attain their aspirations. For its premiere (streamed live on October 24, 2020), The Good Guys: Empowered Youth presented ‘Vlogging 101’ with the show’s first guest, YouTube sensation and social media influencer Janina Vela, who shared her insights on the ABC’s of content creation—from understanding vlog audience to adopting strategies that work.
For young people who aspire of becoming the next vlogging sensation, Vela offered one advice:
“Set your niche and a target audience before you start posting content. Setting a connection with your audience matters because you won’t get subscriptions or views if you don’t have it.”