The Department of Transportation (DOTr) looks to auction the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 after the government received two unsolicited proposals from conglomerates.
Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said the most probable direction is a solicited bid because with two proposals the government, following an evaluation, opts for a solicited bid.
“We have engaged the ADB [Asian Development Bank] to help us refine the terms of reference,” Bautista said.
The DOTr under the Duterte administration earlier granted San Miguel Corp. original proponent status (OPS) to operate and maintain the MRT3 system.
An OPS enjoys an advantage over competitors during the competitive Swiss Challenge phase of the project.
Rival Metro Pacific Investments Corp. also submitted a new proposal to the Marcos administration for the O&M of MRT3.
At present, the MPIC, through its unit Light Rail Manila Corp., operates LRT Line 1. San Miguel is working the MRT Line 7 in time for its 2025 completion commitment.
The DOTr earlier said t it was eyeing to privatize the O&M MRT 3 and Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 as a bundle by early 2025.
The build-lease-transfer (BLT) agreement between the government and Metro Rail Transit Corp. for MRT3 is set to lapse by 2025.
At present, the government operates the MRT3, while the MRTC, owned by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. under businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, is responsible for the design and construction of the EDSA rail transit system.
Formed in 1995, the MRTC started building MRT 3 in October 1996, completed it in December 1999 and started full operations in July 2020.
MRTC and the government through then the Department of Transportation and Communications signed the BLT agreement in 1997 to construct and maintain MRT 3.
MRTC financed the construction of the modern rail system stretching along EDSA’s 10.5-meter median from North Ave. in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. The company infused P4.49 billion worth of equity into the project.
The train system is designed to carry in excess of 23,000 passengers per hour per direction, initially, and is expandable to accommodate 48,000 passengers per hour, per direction.
Currently, MPIC, through its unit Light Rail Manila Corp., operates the LRT Line 1, while San Miguel is building the MRT Line 7.
DOTr earlier said that it was eyeing to privatize the O&M MRT 3 and Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 as a bundle by early 2025.
The build-lease-transfer (BLT) agreement between the government and Metro Rail Transit Corp. for MRT3 is set to lapse by 2025.
The government operates the MRT3 while the MRTC, owned by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. under businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, is responsible for the design and construction of the EDSA rail transit system.
Formed in 1995, the MRTC started building MRT 3 in October 1996, completed it in December 1999 and started full operations in July 2020.
MRTC and the government through then the Department of Transportation and Communications signed the BLT agreement in 1997 to construct and maintain MRT 3.
MRTC financed the construction of the modern rail system stretching along EDSA’s 10.5-meter median from North Ave. in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City. The company infused P4.49 billion worth of equity into the project.
The train system is designed to carry 23,000 passengers per hour per direction initially, expandable to accommodate 48,000 passengers per hour, per direction.
