Unified Grand Central Station contractor blames DOTr payment delays
The erstwhile contractor for the construction of the Unified Grand Central Station, a common station that would link three rail lines in Metro Manila, has put the blame on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the delays hounding the project's ultimate completion.
Last week, the DOTr announced it has issued a notice of termination against BF Corporation and Foresight Development and Surveying Company (BFC-FDSC) Consortium, citing "excessive delays" in completing the project.
In a statement sent to GMA News Online, BFC-FDSC said it has "fully complied with its contractual obligations, and was delivering quality engineering work—until the [DOTr] itself delayed for several months payment for work done on the common rail station project at North EDSA."
The Unified Grand Central Station project sought to link the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1, Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, and the upcoming MRT Line 7.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon earlier said the termination was due to "unacceptable delay" as the contractor "has left the construction progress idle for over a year now."
In its defense, BFC-FSDC said it had to stop work since 2024 amid "undue and habitual delay in payment of quality work," otherwise, the company's "financial standing and quality reputation would be severely impaired, its workers adversely affected, and its suppliers brought to near bankruptcy."
The contract for the construction of the common station was awarded in 2019 to BFC-FSDC, a firm of the late former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Bayani Fernando.
It was supposed to have been completed in 2021, but lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic halted the progress of the project.
Before it stopped construction, BFC-FSDC said it had "exhausted all diplomatic channels—sending numerous payment follow-ups, formal notices, and requesting resolution meetings—before making the difficult decision to suspend work."
"Our suppliers and workers needed to be paid. Without the contractually-agreed payments from DOTr, continuing operations became impossible," the company said, noting that stoppage was a last-resort measure to prevent further financial losses.
GMA News Online has reached out to Dizon for comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
Mediation proposed
Meanwhile, BFC-FSDC described the termination of its contract for the common station as "unjust."
The company said the contract remains "valid" and "salvageable" if the DOTr settles outstanding payments, allowing work to resume immediately.
"We remain open to good faith discussions with DOTr to resolve this matter fairly," BFC-FSDC said as it proposed mediation or other dispute resolution mechanisms outlined in their contract.
Situated in North Edsa, Quezon City, the Unified Grand Central Station design features a 13,700-square meter concourse.
The common station was planned to have an intermodal integrated system below, allowing commuters to depart by buses, jeepneys, or taxi conveniently.
The DOTr is now aiming to resume the project's construction through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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