Aboitiz, 2 others eye LRT-2 O&M contract

MANILA, Philippines - Three more companies are set to bid for a contract to operate and maintain the Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2) bringing to nine the number of prospective bidders for the public private partnership (PPP) project.

PPP Center yesterday announced that Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), Autre Porte Technique (APT) Global Inc., and Global Avia have bought pre-qualification documents from the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the mass transit system.

The three groups join the tandem of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) through Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC), San Miguel Corp. (SMC), GT Capital Holdings Inc., Marubeni Corp., DM Consunji Inc., and RATP Development SA.

DOTC Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla earlier informed prospective bidders that the deadline has been moved to Dec. 15 instead of Nov. 20 to give interested companies more time to prepare their bids.

The winning bidder would operate and maintain the existing 13.8-kilometer LRT-2 from C. M. Recto Ave. in Avenida, Manila to Santolan in Pasig City with 11 stations as well as the proposed P9.7-billion extension project covering an additional 4.19 kilometers and two stations all the way to Masinag in Antipolo City.

The winner would also operate and maintain other future extension of the LRT-2 system. The extension is expected to further increase the current 200,000 daily passenger volume of the mass transit system that traverses the cities of Manila, San Juan, Quezon City, Marikina, and Pasig.

The concession period for the operation and maintenance of LRT-2 would be between 10 years and 15 years.

The DOTC and LRTA has already signed a concession agreement with the LRMC for the P65 billion extension project of the LRT-1 all the way to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite form the Baclaran station in Paranaque City.

The lead member of the group is MPIC Light Rail Corp. with 55 percent while other members include Ayala’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. with 35 percent and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd. with 10 percent.

The Group has formed Light Rail Manila Holdings Inc. that is 60 percent controlled by LRMC, 20 percent by MPIC, and 10 percent by Macquarie.