THE GOVERNMENT may have to pay a higher price for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) by Japanese contractors to accommodate the use of China-manufactured train sets.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade told reporters last week that the P16.985-billion contract that the Philippines and Japan signed to rehabilitate the MRT-3 will have to be adjusted to deploy the additional trains from CRRC Dalian Company Ltd.
Mr. Tugade said the 48 MRT-3 trains bought during the previous administration CRRC Dalian were not included in the original coverage of the agreement signed with the Japanese contractors.
“Pag dinagdag mo ’yung mga tren na ime-maintain nila at io-operate, may karagdagang cost ’yan [If you add more trains for them to maintain and operate, that will have a corresponding additional cost],” he said.
The governments of the Philippines and Japan signed last year the 43-month contract for the operation and maintenance of the MRT-3.
The indicative cost of the project was P16.985 billion, payable in 40 years with a 12-year grace period.
OPERATIONAL BY JULY 2021
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) officially turned over the operation and maintenance of EDSA’s railway to Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (Sumitomo-MHI) in May, which now handle the MRT-3 together with TES Philippines, Inc.
The MRT-3 currently has 72 train cars, which are the only ones the Japanese contractors were supposed to operate and maintain based on the rehabilitation agreement. Adding the 48 Dalian trains would increase this fleet by 67% to 120 train cars, hence the corresponding adjustment in cost.
He would not give an estimate on the cost increase.
Discussions are ongoing between the DoTr and Sumitomo on the progressive rollout of Dalian trains. One Dalian train is scheduled to be deployed this month after the contractors agreed that it was ready for use during off-peak hours.
The China-made trains have not yet been rolled out also due to the capacity of the MRT-3’s tracks to handle more trains. The government has already ordered new MRT-3 rails, which arrived in July, to address this problem.
“Hindi naman pwedeng patakbuhin mo kaagad ura-urada yan. Una, testing-in mo kung ano ’yung na-deliver. Pangalawa, kung na-deliver lahat, testing-in mo kung kakayanin nung existing riles. So marami pang consideration ’yan [You cannot just deploy the trains. You first have to test the trains that were delivered, then test if they can be accommodated by the existing rails. So there are plenty of considerations],” Mr. Tugade said.
Sumitomo-MHI is scheduled to complete its rehabilitation of the MRT-3 by July 2021, after which the train line is expected to increase its daily ridership to 650,000 from 320,000 currently. — Denise A. Valdez
https://www.bworldonline.com/govt-faces-higher-cost-for-mrt-3-om-with-use-of-china-made-trains/
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Deployment of MRT 3 Dalian trains to entail additional cost, DOTr chief says
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is tweaking the maintenance contract of Sumitomo Corp. to include the Chinese-manufactured trains for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3, all of which are still commercially unused even if they have been delivered almost half a decade ago.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said with the slight change in the concession agreement with Sumitomo will allow the government to deploy the Dalian-made trains progressively starting this year.
“It is still being negotiated because they handle maintenance and operation. So, if you’re going to add the new trains that they will maintain and operate, there will be additional costs,” he said in a recent interview.
He declined to reveal the projected increase in the P18-billion deal with Sumitomo. The existing contract also covers a “comprehensive rehabilitation” of the train line.
“We are hoping to deploy one I think this September during off-peak hours,” Tugade said.
To recall, the Aquino administration jump-started the acquisition of new trains for the railway line and tapped Dalian for the said contract. However, despite its full delivery three years ago, the government decided not to use the trains due to technical issues raised by experts.
Dalian has since agreed to shoulder all costs to solve the issues raised in the independent safety audit and assessment conducted by German company TUV Rheinland, modifying the weight, signaling, and maintenance equipment of the 48 coaches.
Tugade noted that while he wants to deploy the new trains to provide better services to commuters, he would also want to address issues on the operability of the railway system, specifically the capacity of the rails to accommodate 48 new coaches.
“We cannot deploy them all at once because we had to test if the existing rails can accommodate them because of the added capacity,” he explained. “There are many considerations for this.”
These, he said, will also be considered in the tweaking of the Sumitomo contract, which will spell out the number of Dalian trains that will be deployed on the MRT 3.
“It is subject to the agreement between Sumitomo and us,” he said. “But what is definite is we have broken the barrier: One Dalian train will be used by September.”
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/03/deployment-of-mrt-3-dalian-trains-to-entail-additional-cost-dotr-chief-says/
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said with the slight change in the concession agreement with Sumitomo will allow the government to deploy the Dalian-made trains progressively starting this year.
“It is still being negotiated because they handle maintenance and operation. So, if you’re going to add the new trains that they will maintain and operate, there will be additional costs,” he said in a recent interview.
He declined to reveal the projected increase in the P18-billion deal with Sumitomo. The existing contract also covers a “comprehensive rehabilitation” of the train line.
“We are hoping to deploy one I think this September during off-peak hours,” Tugade said.
To recall, the Aquino administration jump-started the acquisition of new trains for the railway line and tapped Dalian for the said contract. However, despite its full delivery three years ago, the government decided not to use the trains due to technical issues raised by experts.
Dalian has since agreed to shoulder all costs to solve the issues raised in the independent safety audit and assessment conducted by German company TUV Rheinland, modifying the weight, signaling, and maintenance equipment of the 48 coaches.
Tugade noted that while he wants to deploy the new trains to provide better services to commuters, he would also want to address issues on the operability of the railway system, specifically the capacity of the rails to accommodate 48 new coaches.
“We cannot deploy them all at once because we had to test if the existing rails can accommodate them because of the added capacity,” he explained. “There are many considerations for this.”
These, he said, will also be considered in the tweaking of the Sumitomo contract, which will spell out the number of Dalian trains that will be deployed on the MRT 3.
“It is subject to the agreement between Sumitomo and us,” he said. “But what is definite is we have broken the barrier: One Dalian train will be used by September.”
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/03/deployment-of-mrt-3-dalian-trains-to-entail-additional-cost-dotr-chief-says/
LRT Cavite on track to start operations by Q4 of 2021
THE mounting of piles as foundation for the Cavite extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) started over the weekend, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) said.
In a statement yesterday, the department said LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) kicked off the piling works on Sunday, which covers the first phase of the Cavite extension from Redemptorist station to Dr. Santos station.
With the development, the DoTr said it is on-track to get the first phase of the LRT-1 extension operational by the fourth quarter of 2021.
The P64.9-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension project aims to add an 11.7-kilometer segment from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite to the existing 18.1-kilometer train line. It will have eight stations, namely: Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog.
The first phase of the extension — for which piling works begun — covers the seven-kilometer stretch of the first five stations from Redemptorist to Dr. Santos. The right of way for this segment has already been awarded to the concessionaire.
The remaining stations from Las Piñas to Niog are scheduled for completion in 2022, a year after the first phase opens.
“To speed up construction, piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where right of way is made available,” the DoTr said, noting it is working closely with the Metro Manila Development Authority, Light Rail Transit Authority and the local government of Parañaque City.
Once the Cavite extension opens, the DoTr expects the daily ridership of LRT-1 to increase to 800,000 from 500,000 at present, and reduce the travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor to 25 minutes from the current one to two hours.
LRMC is the joint venture of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. It holds the P65-billion, 32-year contract to operate LRT-1 and build its extension to Cavite.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Denise A. Valdez
https://www.bworldonline.com/lrt-cavite-on-track-to-start-operations-by-q4-of-2021/
In a statement yesterday, the department said LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) kicked off the piling works on Sunday, which covers the first phase of the Cavite extension from Redemptorist station to Dr. Santos station.
With the development, the DoTr said it is on-track to get the first phase of the LRT-1 extension operational by the fourth quarter of 2021.
The P64.9-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension project aims to add an 11.7-kilometer segment from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite to the existing 18.1-kilometer train line. It will have eight stations, namely: Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog.
The first phase of the extension — for which piling works begun — covers the seven-kilometer stretch of the first five stations from Redemptorist to Dr. Santos. The right of way for this segment has already been awarded to the concessionaire.
The remaining stations from Las Piñas to Niog are scheduled for completion in 2022, a year after the first phase opens.
“To speed up construction, piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where right of way is made available,” the DoTr said, noting it is working closely with the Metro Manila Development Authority, Light Rail Transit Authority and the local government of Parañaque City.
Once the Cavite extension opens, the DoTr expects the daily ridership of LRT-1 to increase to 800,000 from 500,000 at present, and reduce the travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor to 25 minutes from the current one to two hours.
LRMC is the joint venture of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. It holds the P65-billion, 32-year contract to operate LRT-1 and build its extension to Cavite.
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is one of three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., the others being PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group. — Denise A. Valdez
https://www.bworldonline.com/lrt-cavite-on-track-to-start-operations-by-q4-of-2021/
Piling works for LRT 1 Cavite Extension project finally begins on Sunday—DOTr
After 19 years of waiting, piling works for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension have finally started over the weekend.
Following completion of ground investigation and foundation design works, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has started piling works from Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, where the right-of-way (ROW) for the railway line has been cleared. Piling works involve the construction of supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures.
Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers of the 11-kilometer LRT 1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station. Asiaworld Station will be located parallel to and right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and will eventually be connected to the Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station. These are stations where ROW is already free and clear.
Requiring a total of 203 piers, the construction of the first 67 piers started on September 1 from Dr. Santos Station to Ninoy Aquino Station. Forty piers from Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station and 22 piers from Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT 1 Baclaran Station will begin construction in November 2019, while 74 piers from Asiaworld Station to Redemptorist Station will begin construction in March 2020.
To speed up construction, piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where ROW is made available.
In cooperation with LRMC, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the DOTr and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) have been working hand-in-hand to deliver the ROW needed to ensure continuous works along the alignment.
Remaining ROW obstructions to be cleared under Package 1 include auxiliary facilities that will be cleared with the assistance of Parañaque City (e.g., traffic lights, plant boxes and drainage lines), as well as utility lines of Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, Globe, Eastern Telecommunications, SkyCable, Radius Telecoms and Cablelink.
Works along the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway will begin soon, following productive coordination with its operator, the Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), and some remaining property owners, such as Puregold and Aseana City.
The partial operability section of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is targeted to start operations in the 4th Quarter of 2021, with measures being taken for the rest of the line to Niog, Bacoor, being operational in 2022.
The project is expected to increase LRT-1’s ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 per day, and reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite, from one to two hours to only 25 minutes.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/03/piling-works-for-lrt-1-cavite-extension-project-finally-begins-on-sunday-dotr/
Following completion of ground investigation and foundation design works, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has started piling works from Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, where the right-of-way (ROW) for the railway line has been cleared. Piling works involve the construction of supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures.
Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers of the 11-kilometer LRT 1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station. Asiaworld Station will be located parallel to and right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and will eventually be connected to the Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station. These are stations where ROW is already free and clear.
Requiring a total of 203 piers, the construction of the first 67 piers started on September 1 from Dr. Santos Station to Ninoy Aquino Station. Forty piers from Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station and 22 piers from Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT 1 Baclaran Station will begin construction in November 2019, while 74 piers from Asiaworld Station to Redemptorist Station will begin construction in March 2020.
To speed up construction, piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where ROW is made available.
In cooperation with LRMC, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the DOTr and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) have been working hand-in-hand to deliver the ROW needed to ensure continuous works along the alignment.
Remaining ROW obstructions to be cleared under Package 1 include auxiliary facilities that will be cleared with the assistance of Parañaque City (e.g., traffic lights, plant boxes and drainage lines), as well as utility lines of Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, Globe, Eastern Telecommunications, SkyCable, Radius Telecoms and Cablelink.
Works along the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway will begin soon, following productive coordination with its operator, the Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), and some remaining property owners, such as Puregold and Aseana City.
The partial operability section of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is targeted to start operations in the 4th Quarter of 2021, with measures being taken for the rest of the line to Niog, Bacoor, being operational in 2022.
The project is expected to increase LRT-1’s ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 per day, and reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite, from one to two hours to only 25 minutes.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/03/piling-works-for-lrt-1-cavite-extension-project-finally-begins-on-sunday-dotr/
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