MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation is set to complete the full overhaul of its train cars along the Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 by the end of this year, the agency said Wednesday.
In a statement, MRT-3 general manager Federico Canar set this timetable after a surprise inspection at the line's main depot to check the reliability of rollling stocks for revenue service.
This included an inspection of trains' underframes to ensure all parts were intact, cleaning and washing of trains at the automatic train washer area, and preparation for revenue of each scheduled train.
"In terms of overhauling of the train cars, there are only around three more that needs to be finished, and we are looking at completing all 72 by December, ahead of almost five months from our target May 2023 completion," Canar said.
This comes as the Department of Transportation continues to move closer towards moves for the potential privatization of the railway system's operations and maintenance, claiming these will reduce operational cost to maintain affordable fares.
For more than two decades now, the national government has shelled out on average nearly P9 billion per year at minimum just to operate and maintain the metro's busiest rail line.
The MRT-3 has sustained a daily average of 300,000 passengers despite the termination of its free ride program.
And while the government has since admitted that the rail line is operating at a loss, transportation authorities have yet to disclose the reasons for the train system’s financial woes.
"The Department of Transportation clarifies it is considering the possibility of turning over the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of MRT-3 to qualified private sector operators towards improving its operational efficiency," the DOTr said in a separate statement earlier this week.
"We are looking at partnering with private rail operators for DOTr MRT-3’s operations and maintenance under the same scheme with LRT 1 with the rail lines assets remaining government-owned,” DOTr chief Jaime Bautista also said.