DOTC eyes emergency procurement for MRT maintenance

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is set to submit next week its request for emergency procurement to get a new maintenance provider for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

The request will be submitted to the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a press conference yesterday.

He said the DOTC is hopeful the GPPB would approve the request. The board is expected to issue a decision after Holy Week.

After declaring a failure of bidding for the P2.2 billion maintenance contract of the MRT-3 last year with no firms showing up for the tender, the DOTC has indefinitely extended the maintenance contract of Autre Potre Technique Global Inc.

A new maintenance contract is needed to ensure that the mass transit system is safe for use at minimal cost.

The railway line’s operation has been affected by a series of breakdowns.

Abaya said that as part of government’s effort to ensure the MRT-3 is safe for commuters, the train line will open late on Sunday for another round of rail replacement works.

Regular Saturday operating hours will be observed but the train’s operations will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The MRT-3’s regular operating hours are from 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Around 192 meters of rails are supposed to be replaced this weekend along the northbound tracks between the Taft Avenue and Magallanes stations.

Meanwhile, the DOTC and MRT-3 are expected to receive the recently procured 7,296 linear meters’ worth of brand new steel rails by June.

As for the restroom rehabilitation project of the MRT-3, Abaya said 63 toilets will be rehabilitated by September, with the first two toilets to be completed next month.

LRT to shut down for Holy Week 

Meanwhile, Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 will shut down from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday.

In an advisory posted by the LRT Administration on its Twitter account, @OfficialLRTA, it also said its two lines will close early on Holy Wednesday.

The last trains at LRT Line 1’s Baclaran and Roosevelt stations will leave at 8 p.m. The last train will leave LRT Line 2’s Santolan station at 8 p.m. while that in Recto station will depart at 8:30 p.m.  

Normal operations will resume at 5 a.m. on April 6, the LRT said.