METRO TIPS magazine, a FREE bi-monthly mini magazine spread awareness about LRT, DOTR and more

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METRO TIPS magazine was officially launched last October 1, 2018, at the LRT 2 Cubao Station.  METRO TIPS magazine helps the commuting public by sharing news and updates from the LRT and DOTR. 

The launch and media presentation of the Metro Tips magazine headed by publisher Mr. Jun Miras and LRTA Administrator Gen. Reynaldo Berroya.

A FREE bi-monthly mini magazine METRO Tips Magazine is published by Media Puzzle Publishing, a division of Media Puzzle Holdings Corporation , the promotions partner of LRTA and MRT-3.

METRO TIPS magazine is a niche city guide that keeps Metro Manila commuters abreast of the latest news and updates, events and happenings around the city. In addition to offering bite-sized information, it also includes feature stories about interesting personalities in society and business. 

More than just a publication, METRO Tips serves a greater purpose, which is to  the Light Rail Transit Authority’s and Department of Transportation’s efforts in improving the efficiency and security of Metro Manila transportation. 

During the lauch, METRO Tips publisher Melchor Miras Jr.. shared that “As everyone knows, commuting in the metro has become such a big part of our daily lives and so METRO Tips would like to help in any way to ensure the greater comfort and safety of the commuters by providing important information relevant to the riding public.”

METRO Tips magazine will be distributed for FREE at select LRT and MRT stations starting October 2018. For more information, call 0917 - 5631924. 

DOTC Concludes successful Philippine Transit App Challenge

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Top-winning app lets commuters share traffic, weather info, events and others.

The Department of Transportation and Communication’s (DOTC) Philippine Transit App Challenge, the first in Southeast Asia, was a resounding success, drawing participants from as far as Cebu for a three-month hack-at-home competition to develop an app that will ease commuting in the megacities of Cebu and Metro Manila.

At the culminating event held last 14 October at the GT-Toyota Asian Cultural Center Auditorium in UP-Diliman, competition finalists got to demonstrate how their apps worked and the various benefits each offered.

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya thanked the developers for sharing their talent in helping provide tools to the commuting public for navigating the two giant metros.

“I commend all of the participants to our App Challenge, especially the finalists who are here tonight, for spending the last three months being a part of the solution to one of our country’s toughest problems,” he said.

Trip Barker, a community-based trip planner for mass transit systems through which users can share real-time weather, traffic, and events with their community, won the Best App Award and P100,000.00 plus a nomination to the 2014 Mobile Premier Awards at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain next February.

There were also three special award winners, each with a P50,000.00 prize.

Sakay.ph, a web- and SMS-based app that gives commuters printable transit directions for jeepneys, buses, and trains in Metro Manila, took the Open Community Award.

The Transport Award went to Transit.com.ph for its app that provides Cebu City commuters with route-planning tools as well as a route editor for city planners and contributors.

Manila Train Guide, a trip-planning app for Metro Manila’s railways, which highlights nearby places of interest, won the Inclusive Technology Award.

Meanwhile, Rklamo, an app that provides a tipping mechanism via SMS for PUV drivers with good behavior was the Voter’s Choice and received P 30,000.00.

The Philippine Transit App Challenge, which was launched by the DOTC alongside the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Cebu City Government in early July, netted 17 entries from which 10 finalists were chosen

http://www.dotc.gov.ph/

Philippine Transit App Challenge Culminating Night on October 14

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The Philippine Transit App Challenge culminating night will take place on October 14. The DOTC is giving out a special award for the app that shows most potential in providing new insight through visualization and data collection for transport improvement in the Philippines.

Last July 2nd, the competition was launched and was followed by a 3-month development period, where participants worked together with volunteer mentors to build their entries. more than a 100 app ideas were received and more than half of those have passed to the prototype phase. After a period of online competition, and with the help of the public vote and the judge evaluation, 10 finalists will be selected for the award ceremony. 

During the culminating night, to be held on October 14, these finalists will pitch their entries live on stage. The winners will be announced during this same event.

http://philippine-transit.hackathome.com/#sthash.pLPsKFCf.dpuf

DOTC Pursues 3-Year Program to Reduce Domestic Shipping Cost for Inclusive Growth

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The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is beginning a three (3)-year program aimed at generating growth for the country’s agribusiness trade, directly benefitting workers in the agricultural and fisheries sectors across the country, in line with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s push for inclusive growth.

Last Wednesday (May 8, 2013) the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) secured the cooperation of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on a program to pursue reforms various policy and regulatory reforms in the Philippine shipping sector in order to improve our farmers’ market access and integration by reducing the cost of domestic shipping over the next three years.

From L-R: (seated) DOTC Undersecretary for Planning Rene K. Limcaoco, DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, IFC Resident Representative Jesse Ang; (standing) Narcisa Rivera of CIDA, MARINA Director Myrna Clemeno, PPA official Amy Aquino, and IFC Senior Program Manager Hans Schrader.

The project will involve a diagnostic review by the IFC to identify areas where pro-competitive practices will help meet these goals. The DOTC will work together with its frontline agencies, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), in reviewing the results of the study and implementing the recommendations of the IFC from 2013 to 2016.

“This partnership with the IFC is a very welcome development. It will have a major impact on our economy, especially for farmers and fisherfolk who stand to realize the most gains from our policy reforms,” said the Transport Department.

The DOTC explained further that, by reducing domestic shipping costs, the prices of commodities will also go down. According to a study prepared by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 2005, 24.2% to 43.8% of the wholesale price of food products is on account of transport and logistics costs. 

“By making it cheaper to move agricultural goods from farms to markets, the prices of these commodities will also be reduced, making them more affordable to consumers,” remarked the DOTC. “These benefits are the reason why the DOTC, MARINA, and PPA – all of whom share the President’s vision of inclusive growth – look forward to this project.”

This effort is partly funded by the Canadian International Cooperation Agency (CIDA), and will require no cost on the part of the Philippine government. It is also part of the IFC’s Philippine Agribusiness Trade Logistics program.

According to IFC Resident Representative Jesse Ang, this agreement demonstrates the IFC’s confidence in the DOTC, MARINA, and PPA’s efforts to undertake shipping and port reforms.