DOTC set to declare bidders for unified MRT-LRT ticket

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will announce early next month the prequalified bidders for the P1.72 billion single contactless ticketing system for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT).

DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said in an interview with reporters that the agency and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) would review the qualification documents submitted by nine groups led by the country’s largest conglomerates last Friday over the next 20 days.

“We will review all the documents submitted over the next 20 days and then we will announce who are prequalified,” Lotilla stressed.

He pointed out that groups that meet the eligibility requirements would qualify to participate in the actual bidding scheduled in the third quarter of the year.

Prequalified bidders are required to submit their technical bids on June 17 and their financial bids on July 5. The DOTC would issue the notice of award on July 30.

The country’s largest conglomerates led by San Miguel Corp. (SMC), Ayala Corp., infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), the SM Group of retail magnate Henry Sy, and gaming concern Berjaya Philippines beat the deadline for the submission of qualification documents for the project under the government’s public private partnership (PPP) program.

Even, perennial rivals Smart Communications Inc. of dominant carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) and Ayala-controlled Globe Telecom Inc. joined hands to participate in the project.

Lotilla said the groups include the AF Consortium, San Miguel Transport Solutions, the SM consortium, Comworks group, the Lamco consortium, E-Trans Solutions group, the MTD-PRLM consortium, Megawide-Suyen-Eurolink consortium, and Mega Lucky United Consortium.

The AF Consortium is composed of BPI Card Finance Corp., MPIC, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., NTT Data Corp. and its partners include Bank of Philippine Islands, Cubic Transport Systems (Australia) Pte Ltd, Smart International Pte Ltd, Octopus Transactions Ltd, MSI Global Private Ltd, Accenture Inc., and IntraSystems SA.

On the other hand, the San Miguel Transport Solutions consortium submitted bid documents and is composed of Optimal Infrastructure Development Inc., Catchweight Holdings Inc., Delta Crest Holdings Inc., and AllCard Philippines Plastics Inc. while its partners include Korea Rail Road Corp., Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited, Philippine National Bank, VIX Technology (East Asia) Ltd., and Korail Network Co. Ltd.

The SM group is led by SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), BDO Capital Investment Corp., Advanced Card Systems Inc., Penta Capital Investments Corp., SM Retail Inc., GoldSign Data Co. Ltd., and BDO Unibank Inc.

The Comworks Inc. consortium composed of publicly-held Berjaya Philippines Inc., Philippine Gaming Management Corp. (PGMC), Taiwan-based Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp., Acer Inc., and Info Champ Systems Corp.

The Lamco consortium is led by Lamco Paper Products Co. Inc., New San Jose Builders Inc., Land Bank of the Philippines, NEC Philippines Inc., Busan Transit Corp., and Samco FA Co Ltd.

The next group is the E-Trans Solutions JV Inc. led by Tera Investments Inc.,

East West Banking Corp. of taipan Andrew Gotianun, Sagesoft Solutions Inc., Pilipinas Micro-Matrix Technology (PMT Joint Venture) Inc., Pulsar Avancer Technologies Inc., Kentkart EGE Electronic San VTE, and JTKA Equities Inc.

The MTD-PRLM consortium is led by MTD Capital Bhd of Malaysia, Puregold Realty Leasing and Management Inc. businessman Lucio Co while its partners include PureGold Priceclub Inc., Transit Link Pte Ltd., and Maybank of Malaysia.

The Megawide Suyen-Eurolink consortium is composed of publicly listed construction firm Megawide Construction Corp., Suyen Corp., and Eurolink Network International Corp. while its partners include Easy-link PTE Ltd, China National Software and Service Corp.

The Mega Lucky United Consortium got lucky as the prequalification bids and awards committee of the DOTC accepted its documents submitted 10 minutes after the 2 p.m. deadline. It is composed of Asia United Bank, Dignitas Equity, Mega Cellular Network Inc, Gravitas 777, Korea Smart Card Corp., and LG CNS Ltd.

The MRT-LRT single ticket is envisioned to be like Hong Kong’s Octopus Card, which serves as a debit card, aside from being a stored-value train ticket. The single ticket could also be used for other modes of transportation such as buses, paying toll, electronic banking, and even shopping.

The AFCS project would bring important benefits to the more than one million daily passengers using the light rail lines ensuring seamless interconnection for travelers and removing the current inconvenience of the need to buy separate tickets for separate lines.