Commuters can expect better services and facilities once the Japanese loan-funded rehabilitation of the glitch-plagued Metro Rail Transit Line 3 is finished, a top official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday.
"Kapag natapos ang rehab na ito parang meron tayong brand new MRT3," Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said in an interview on GMA News TV's News to Go.
Batan earlier said the governments of the Philippines and Japan are set to sign the P18-billion loan agreement for the rehabilitation and maintenance of MRT3 on November 7.
The loan agreement will pave the way for the return of Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries—the designer and builder of the railway system—as the maintenance contractor of the MRT3.
The rehabilitation will cover the trains, the radio system, the CCTV system, the signaling system, the power supply system, and the public address system.
The contractor is also expected to fix the rail tracks, road rail vehicles, depot equipment, elevators and escalators, and other station-building equipment.
"'Yung scope of work ng JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) rehab ay 'yung ayusin lahat ng kailangan ayusin sa MRT3 para ma-restore sa original designed and condition nito. Covered 'yun lahat gaya ng overhauling ng 72 na bagon, total reconditioned sa mga riles natin pati ung power supply ia-upgrade, 'yung signalling system at CCTV natin papalitan," Batan said.
"Isa 'yun sa dahilan kung bakit natin kinuha ang unang nag-design at nag-construct, dahil sa nangyari sa MRT3, sa kundisyon niya ngayon ay maraming sira at maramig ayusin, ang solusyon ay kunin ang original na designer at developers ng MRT3," the DOTr official said.
The overall rehabilitation of MRT3 is expected to take 43 months—31 months for simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works and 12 months for the contractor’s "defect liability period." — Ted Cordero/RSJ, GMA News
Friday, November 2, 2018
MPIC to review terms in rehabilitation bid for MRT-3
Metro Pacific Investments Corp.(MPIC) said it would have to review the terms for the rehabilitation, operation and maintenance contract of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 system before submitting a bid, after the chief of the transportation department said it is eyeing a solicited bidding for the project.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade was quoted as saying in news reports that he wants to change the bidding scheme for MRT-3 to a solicited bidding, despite MPIC being awarded an original proponent status (OPS) for the project last year for its unsolicited proposal.
“I will make it solicited. The package will be lock, stock and barrel,” Tugade reportedly said.
MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said he has read about these reports, but they still have not received any official communication from the DOTr.
“There has been no official communications. So we just have to take his word for it. Assuming the press statements attributed to him are correct,” he said.
Asked if the company is planning to submit a solicited bid, Pangilinan said they would still have to review the terms of the project.
“It depends pretty much on the terms, so we have to review,” he said.
MPIC, through a consortium with Ayala Corp., earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate MRT-3.
Under the proposal, the firm would invest about P12 billion to rehabilitate the train system and there would be no increase in fares for at least two years.
MPIC first submitted a $500-million proposal to rehabilitate MRT-3 in 2011.
The proposal was thumbed down, however, as the offer involved hiking fares.
Pangilinan earlier said the company plans to buy out the government’s stake and other shareholders of the MRT-3 system which runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft station in Pasay.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade was quoted as saying in news reports that he wants to change the bidding scheme for MRT-3 to a solicited bidding, despite MPIC being awarded an original proponent status (OPS) for the project last year for its unsolicited proposal.
“I will make it solicited. The package will be lock, stock and barrel,” Tugade reportedly said.
MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said he has read about these reports, but they still have not received any official communication from the DOTr.
“There has been no official communications. So we just have to take his word for it. Assuming the press statements attributed to him are correct,” he said.
Asked if the company is planning to submit a solicited bid, Pangilinan said they would still have to review the terms of the project.
“It depends pretty much on the terms, so we have to review,” he said.
MPIC, through a consortium with Ayala Corp., earlier submitted an unsolicited proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate MRT-3.
Under the proposal, the firm would invest about P12 billion to rehabilitate the train system and there would be no increase in fares for at least two years.
MPIC first submitted a $500-million proposal to rehabilitate MRT-3 in 2011.
The proposal was thumbed down, however, as the offer involved hiking fares.
Pangilinan earlier said the company plans to buy out the government’s stake and other shareholders of the MRT-3 system which runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft station in Pasay.
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