The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said 74 local and international companies from 14 countries have shown interest in taking over and upgrading Metro Manila’s MRT-3 line through a public-private partnership (PPP) project.
The strong turnout was recorded during a Market Sounding event held at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Mandaluyong City for the MRT-3 Capacity Expansion, Operations, and Maintenance (CEOM) Project.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DOTr to work with the private sector to improve the MRT-3 system and provide better service for commuters.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said private sector participation could speed up the expansion and modernization of the railway, helping reduce travel hassles for passengers.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan described the project as “viable and promising,” citing MRT-3’s high daily ridership of up to 630,000 passengers. He said the large number of interested companies reflects investor confidence in the government’s transport projects.
Under the PPP project, the winning bidder will operate and maintain the MRT-3 system, introduce new trains, add more rolling stock, and upgrade key systems such as signaling, power, depot, and communications infrastructure while ensuring uninterrupted operations.
The Asian Development Bank and the PPP Center of the Philippines also expressed support for the project, saying it would help improve public transportation and connectivity for Filipinos. The project marks one of the government’s biggest efforts to modernize Metro Manila’s busiest rail line through private sector investment. If successful, the upgrade could improve train reliability, increase passenger capacity, reduce commuting delays, and strengthen investor confidence in large-scale Philippine infrastructure projects.
