Parties to the memorandum of agreement for the P2.8-billion mass transit common terminal will have to show Congress how the riding public and the country will gain from the deal that will also benefit the two biggest Quezon City shopping malls that have competed intensely for the control of the commercial windfall of the infrastructure.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said the House of Representatives will conduct a review of the MoA signed by key government agencies and owners of the country’s largest consumer retail businesses recently.
In a radio interview, Alvarez said the House will have to review the MoA to determine the guarantees that would benefit the riding public and the Filipino people.
He said the congressional review is also significant in ensuring that public interest will prevail over the business concerns of the private firms that have insisted in getting involved in the project.
The agreement sealed by government and the top corporations grants the private firms benefits in the use of the common terminal linking the Light Railway Transit Line 1 and the Metro Rail Transit Lines 1 and 7 which would cost the government an estimated P2.8 billion.
“Hindi magandang balita yan, dahil masyadong malaki yung cost. Ngayon ang tanong, yung proposal ba doon sa common stations ay yun ba ang para sa convenience ng passengers?” Alvarez said. (Ben R. Rosario)