Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has decided against resubmitting its unsolicited bid to rehabilitate, operate, and maintain the MRT3 system, citing the lack of government support for fare increases. MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan explained the absence of approved tariffs makes it unlikely for the business to move forward with the proposal, saying the current situation is “difficult.”
“We don’t know where we are in terms of [Transport Secretary] Jimmy Bautista’s time, but I think that expired,” Pangilinan said. He noted that with the arrival of new Transport Secretary, Vince Dizon, MPIC sees little chance of moving forward without clarity on fare adjustments.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) previously expressed interest in privatizing the operations and maintenance (O&M) of MRT3 after the expiration of the Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) agreement with Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) this year.
MRTC, which was formed in 1995 and led by businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, has long been responsible for the design, construction, and operations of the MRT3 system, which spans across EDSA from Quezon City’s North Ave. to Pasay City’s Taft Avenue. Although the system is capable of transporting up to 48,000 passengers per hour, the future of the MRT3 is uncertain due to delays in tariff discussions, affecting potential investments and partnerships.
The MPIC decision reflects the broader challenges facing the government’s infrastructure modernization efforts, with MPIC’s decision signaling the importance of regulatory certainty in private sector project involvement.
