The Philippine Infradev Holdings (INFRA) is seeking to renegotiate the terms of the $3.7 billion Makati City Subway Project with Mayor Abby Binay.
INFRA claimed that the subway’s construction has been derailed by a recent Supreme Court order which declared some barangays that used to belong to Makati were now under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.
“The depot and a few stations of the Makati City subway system will be in the affected areas. Also, the alignment of the subway will no longer be feasible,” INFRA said.
The subway project has two stations in the affected areas – University of Makati in West Rembo and the Ospital ng Makati in Barangay Pembo.
INFRA said that it has notified the office of Binay of its plan to start “discussions in light of the change in law the Supreme Court decision brings.”
INFRA is controlled by Chinese investors under Aggregate Business Group (ABG) Holdings which was formed in 2018 when plans for the subway project was being finalized.
Two of ABG’s Chinese representatives on INFRA’s board have resigned due to personal reasons – Cao Lei resigned on August 29 and Shengman Zhang on March 31.
Binay’s BFF, Antonio Tiu, resigned as president and CEO last February supposedly to “focus on the agriculture sector to help address what has now become the most pressing need of our country – food security.”
The project is being bankrolled by Chinese money and bult by Chinese contractors, including China Harbour Engineering Company, a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) which has been blacklisted by the United States for helping China build military facilities in disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.