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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| The Vanishing South Rail By Antonio C. Abaya Written Nov. 24, 2004 For the Philippines Free Press, December 11 issue On Nov. 12, a Manila-bound Philippine National Railways (PNR) train from Legazpi City was derailed near Padre Burgos town in Quezon, sending several passenger coaches rolling down into a shallow ravine. Six people died and hundreds of others were injured. Several days later, a team of high-level officials from the PNR and the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), led by no less than DOTC Secretary, Leandro Mendoza himself, took a special train down to the accident site to see for themselves what had happened on their tracks. It, too, got derailed, just a few blocks from the Tutuban Central Station Doesn�t anything work in this country anymore? The ensuing investigation has determined that the cause of the accident was the pilferage of spikes that hold the rails to the wooden sleepers. Said spikes supposedly fetch P100 each from junk dealers, who in turn sell them to steel manufacturers who melt them into rebars for use in construction. The wooden sleepers are also being stolen, for sale to landscape architects and interior decorators who want to give their clients that rugged, outdoor look for their digs. The PNR is lucky. There is no market (yet) for used signaling equipment and locomotives. Without the spikes to keep the rails properly aligned, a passing train is likely to get derailed, especially when it is traveling at 70 kph, instead of 20 kph, while rounding a bend, as this particular train was apparently doing. Sen . Joker Arroyo, who is from Bicol, laments that the North Rail, from Caloocan to Malolos or all of 32 kms, is being rehabilitated by a Chinese company (to whom the contract was awarded without public bidding) at a cost of $502 million or P28 billion, while the 474-km long tracks from Tayuman to Legazpi City are being maintained (if that is the correct word for it) with an annual budget of only P135 million. (PD Inquirer, Nov. 21). Unbelievable. But, wait, there�s more. Rep. Edcel Lagman, of Albay, says that those P135 million are not even enough to cover the arrearage of the PNR in the remittance of the social security contributions of its own employees to the GSIS. Is this any way to run a railroad? I was recently invited to two brainstorming sessions of the Industrial Research Foundation (IRF), a non-stock, non-profit organization that claims to have introduced the Internet to the Philippines some ten years ago. The subject was railways. In particular, the proposal of my friend Rudy Villarica, an officer of IRF, to explore the possibility of expanding the rail network in the Philippines at a fraction of the per-kilometer cost of North Rail, by using second-hand railway equipment, available on a per-kilo basis from a source in South Africa. I�ll get to Rudy�s numbers later, but I suggested that the idea be piloted on an existing rail line so that there is no need for a big initial outlay for right-of-way, tracks, bridges, signals, stations etc. And the PNR does allow, for a wheeling fee, other parties to use its tracks, etc., according to a former PNR general manager who was present at the meeting.. I said that the best place to pilot this proposal would be the long-dreamt of South Rail line, from Plaza Dilao in Paco to Calamba, a stretch of about 50 kms, or a bit longer than the extravagantly priced North Rail. The Ayala people had once bidded for and won the contract for this line (which they were going to call the Calabarzon Express) but later withdrew their bid because of some �disagreement� with the DOTC. By successfully (assuming it is successful) rehabilitating the South Rail at a small fraction of the cost of the shorter North Rail, Dr.Villarica (he holds a PhD in Chemistry) would have proven his point, namely, that it is feasible to build and expand railways by using second-hand, reconditioned railway equipment. But, ooops. Someone from the DOTC interjected that the South Korean government has submitted a proposal to rehabilitate the South Rail from Caloocan to Calamba. Well, then, move the pilot to the stretch from Calamba to Lucena City. But, wait a minute. Are you aware, I asked the DOTC, that someone wants to sell the PNR right-of-way, from Caloocan to Muntinlupa, to the squatters who occupy most of it? A question that was met by a collective disbelieving �Whaaaaat?!!!� from the rest of the audience, who apparently had never heard of this proposed sale before . So I gave a short spiel about it, including the Hernando de Soto theory about selling the land to squatters who occupy it. (See my earlier articles �Dumb and Dumber� [Sept. 29] and �Garcia�s Millions; Hernando�s Giveaway� [Nov. 03]). Yes, the DOTC man confirmed. It is President Arroyo�s personal wish, not the DOTC�s nor the PNR�s, to sell the right-of-way to the squatters. But why stop at Muntinlupa, Mrs. President? Why not sell all the way to Calamba, to Lucena, to Legazpi? There are squatters-voters all the way to the end of the line. Might as well make the entire South Rail vanish. Even Magician David Copperfield can�t do it. Only you can. ***** SOUTH RAIL CONFUSION. In an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Nov. 28), PNR General Manager Jose Ma. Sarasola II wrote that a $50 million loan agreement has been signed with the Korean Export-Import Bank �to rehabilitate the line from Caloocan to Alabang and eventually to Calamba.� But in the same article, Sarasola confirmed that President Arroyo�s Executive Order 48 mandates the sale of the PNR right-of-way to the squatters. And on bargain-basement, political-gimmicky terms: only 5% down payment, and �the balance payable in no less than 20 years.� Guess how many squatters will wind up paying the full amount? Are we living in and talking about the same planet? I�m confused. The PNR manager is confused. The Koreans are confused. The spike thieves are confused. The squatters would be confused. Hernando de Soto is probably confused. And I think President Arroyo herself is also confused. Her right hand does not know what her left hand is trying to do. Or her left ear is hearing advice that is the opposite of what her right ear is hearing. What a way to run (down?) a railroad! Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �The Vanishing South Rail� Yes, indeed! What a WAY. What a SHAME! Tom de Guzman, [email protected] December 06, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, It looks like thieves of wooden sleepers have something in common with illegal loggers. They both kill people and maim innocent lives�.in Quezon! The train accident is really destined to happen anytime. Personally, me and my family have almost suffered the same fate coming from Bicol on May 11, 2004 when the last coach got derailed somewhere in Quezon but luckily somebody was able to alert the operator due to an unusual sound of tracks, and thus, a tragic accident was averted. Your article is still very relevant despite being overshadowed by news on recent typhoon victims. Please continue to push the issue and keep it in the news to remind PGMA that the recent typhoon tragedy in Quezon is not a good excuse to bury the issue on South rail disaster. Keep it up and more power. God bless. Best Regards, Jerome Escobedo, [email protected] December 06 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I have read your articles that are related to the train system in the Philippines. And I agree with you that we surely can use this fast, reliable transportation system in our country. If this were put in its proper place and properly maintained by a private entity, this will surely help a lot in easing traffic in Metro Manila. This will be more beneficial to more people instead of the government selling the PNR right-of-way to squatters which will only serve a few and that which lacks of any merit for the purpose which it is intended for. I also believe that the government should give the business of operating the rail system in the Philippines to a private group or consortium but it should act on the best interests of the nation when deciding to which this business will be awarded to. The government has no money to properly maintain the tracks and the locomotives and the signaling equipment which are necessary. But before any business will be interested in operating the Philippine rail system, the issue of the squatters living near the railroad tracks will have to be addressed and resolved by the government. I honestly think that the government's idea of selling the PNR right-of-way to squatters is for the government to skirt away from this main issue. Robert Sanchez, [email protected] Vice President, Leverage International Makati City, December 06, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya: I am so shocked to read your article that I have tripled my morning coffee intake to be numbed due to my sadness!! Question: Are the Filipino people not capable of moral outrage anymore? What can one man do from California ... to wake up the Filipinos from their deep slumber... I am so mad with so many things being done to the land of my birth! There must be a revolution! of the heart, of the soul... or of the people against those who are supposed to be leading the people to Progress and not to oblivion! My dime's worth, Ernie Delfin, [email protected] Founder, Katipunan-USA and PTAG www.katipunan.usa.org and www.ptag.org Centennial Pres, Rotary Club of Cerritos Cerritos, California, December 07, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Amen. How sad... Nonoy Yulo, [email protected] December 07, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, It seems you're right: nothing works anymore in this country!!! Yours truly, Virgilio C. Leynes, [email protected] December 07, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: Those are the enemies of Philippine progress. GMA, for not ever doing her job as President - and the Philippine elite that allows her to continue with her governance by photo-ops just as long as they can make money with her and her criminal enterprise that they try to pass off as a government. The PNR situation is really one of mismanagement. From what I've gathered, Sarazola (who was initially an Erap appointee but was retained due to JdV) isn't too bad as an operating manager, but a limited budget and too much politics, especially in the PNR Board's appointments, is no way to support any manager. But then, that's GMA's style, unless you are a manager whose unit has a lot of money that can be siphoned off to her dubious causes (like her re-election) or beneficiaries (like Winston Garcia, who I'm sure also helped her May theft of the elections). I guess Sarazola isn't the type, so his budget is practically zilch and his Board is full of political appointees who know railroading but not railroads. The PNR syndrome repeats all over the place. I'm sure it will surface shortly in the North Rail project of the BCDA. The Chinese funding of the project is one big pork barrel that officials from the Ramos time to the GMA era have dipped into - and it isn't over yet. The object isn't to improve transport for the people: it's to line the pockets of the implementors. That's why we have the Bicol derailment (funds were a-plenty in DoTC but not for the railway's maintenance) and that is also the reason why the Quezon floods happened. It seems that the GMA team is not really interested in governing, They're focused on stealing, with people like MGen Carlos F. Garcia as their expert burglars. And it's the elite that cheers on this plunder. I'll grant that it's not 100% of the elite. There are some who are truly decent and caring. But collectively, the elite aren't doing enough to go after GMA because she is one of them (unlike Erap, who wasn't schooled or skilled in the elite's "plastic" social graces). And so we'll have things like the Quezon floods and the Hacienda Luisita massacre because the elite allows it. This is a challenge to the decent elements of the elite to do something now. Or else GMA will take us all to perdition with her and her governance by photo-ops. Tito Osias, [email protected] December 07, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Thank you for sending me your article on the vanishing railway (and all the other articles). I am in turn sending you one of my own about the North Rail. I am amazed that the state of CONFUSION we are in. Greed seems to be the bottom line. Poor Philippines, it is the milking cow of every greedy, unpatriotic, treacherous Pinoy. Keep in touch. Un abrazo. Sincerely, Gemma Cruz Araneta, [email protected] Mexico City, December 08, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I may as well send you my other railway article. By the way, when next you brainstorm with the Industrial Research Foundation, or other similar groups, do bring up the idea of holistic urban or city planning. I have managed to link the Heritage Conservation Society (of which I am president) to the urban planning groups and the environmentalist institutes and this move has given us a broader perspective of our work and advocacy. As you know, each little government director commissions his/her own master plan not because they are convinced that planning should be holistic but because these plans are expensive AND COME WITH A SPECIAL %. Un abrazo. Sincerely, Gemma Cruz Araneta, [email protected] Mexico City, December 08, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Tony! Many thanks for mentioning us in your article. You might wish to point out that the figures need verification through a pre-feasibility study that we are trying to get funding for. Then we should be able to get a good idea whether the initial figures are realistic. I feel personally that we won't be too far from the real costs, minus of course, the padding "for the boys" as they say. We shall keep you abreast of developments. Thanks again for patiently attending our sessions. Incidentally, this is a group effort of all the Trustees of the IRF, principally Gerry Baldivia, who has been at the forefront of the project we believe will lead to the develoment of our countryside as well as to savings, eventually, of imported energy. Rudy Villarica, [email protected] December 09, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I guess that there is no need to belabor the point that nothing seems to work in this country anymore. Every time I read the newspapers and opinions of respected columnists, the more I get frustrated. Everyday something is unearthed, it gets investigated and after three or four days (even shorter than that in some cases), that gets buried by an even bigger scandal. Or a major policy issue is debated and after three or four days (or even shorter than that in most instances), that gets buried as another major policy recommendation is brought to the public, ad nauseam. Cesar Sarino, [email protected] December 09, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww |
| Dear Antonio, I just finished reading your wonderful article regarding the PNR South line. It is indeed all so very true. I have visited the Philippines on a few occasions to photograph your railways, the most recent trip being last year. It has greatly saddened me to see lines such as those north. The sight of destroyed track and derelict station is enough to make someone sick. Just to think that this important infrastructure has been destroyed through mismanagement and disinterest of the current and previous governments is truly beyond belief. A country like the wonderful Philippines should be investing in their railways and expanding on this important type of transportation. What is going through the mind of these presidents? Antonio, I have both a website based on the Philippine Railways and a Yahoogroup chat group based on same. We often chat about the current state of the PNR and invite you to join as your input would be wonderful. I have shown your article to members as I am sure it will generate some discussion. PhilippineRailways Yahoogroup http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PhilippineRailways/ Best wishes Brad, [email protected] Sydney, Australia, March 14, 2005 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |