Procurement activities for the 7.74 kilometers highway continuation of Plaridel By-Pass Road Project from Bustos to San Rafael, Bulacan has started with prequalification and bidding documents available at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for all interested civil work contractors.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson said both local and foreign contractors may vie for the rights to undertake contract package 4 of Plaridel By-Pass Road scheduled for public bid submission on October 20, 2014. Meanwhile, construction activities for contract package 3 involving the 1.12-kilometer bridge crossing Angat River has commenced last July 2014.
Contract packages 3 and 4 which are components of Arterial Road Bypass Project, Phase 2 funded by loan agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will complete the more than 24 kilometers highway running north-eastern direction from Km 32+970.33 of North Luzon Expressway in Barangay Burol, Balagtas, Bulacan to Km 57 + 365.733 of Philippine Japan Friendship Highway also called Daang Maharlika in Barangay Maasim, San Rafael, Bulacan.
As specified in the guidelines under the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans, the two (2) envelopes procedure or modified single stage will be the basis in the pre-qualification of bidders for contract package 4 which covers the construction of portland concrete cement pavement with carriageway of 7 meters, 2.50 meters shoulder at both sides, and 300 millimeters thickness. The road project which will utilize portland cement treated plant mix as base course on an embankment of average 2 to 3 meters high also involves the construction of two (2) single span pre-stressed deck girder bridges on seat type abutments and precast concrete piles foundation.
Site visit/inspection for the road project with 780 calendar days contract duration is set on September 18-19, 2014 while pre-bid conference is set on September 29, 2014.
Meanwhile, Project Director Virgilio Castillo of DPWH-Roads Management Cluster (RMC) 1 – Bilateral, Unified Project Management Office (UPMO) reported to Secretary Singson and Undersecretary Rafael C. Yabut, in-charge for UPMO Operations, that joint venture partners Shimizu and FF Cruz have already mobilized men and equipment at the 2.22 kilometers contract package 3 project from Km 47+400 to Km 49+625 in Barangay Bonga Menor, Bustos, Bulacan.
The P1.204 Billion worth project under monitoring supervision of Project Engineer Emigio de Leon of DPWH-RMC 1-UPMO will involve the construction of 1.120 kilometer and 8.25 meters wide Angat Bridge consisting of seven (7) span pre-stressed concrete continuous box girder to be erected by balance cantilever method on a bored piles foundation of between 21 to 29.50 meters in length. With 1,080 calendar days duration, the project will also involve construction of 40.86 lineal meters bridge, 1.06 kilometer new portland cement concrete pavement with 2.5 meters shoulder on both side and provision of drainage structure, grouted riprap, additional cross drain; and installation of road signs, guardrails, and pavement markings.
Present activities of the contractor include clearing, site development and construction of facilities for the engineer, and conduct of joint survey works and sampling of materials with the project supervision consultant Renardet S.A. Consulting Engineers and Nippon Engineering Consultants.