Gov’t urged to speed up MRT3 capacity expansion

MANILA, Philippines - The former general manager of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT3) is urging the Aquino administration to speed up the capacity expansion of the mass transit system to avoid the massive gridlock along EDSA.

(Ret.) Gen. Roberto Lastimoso said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) should fast track the acquisition of new light rail vehicles (LRVs) for the MRT3 to end the misery of the commuting public that suffer from long lines and overflowing trains. The MRT3 serves as an alternative means of transportation to commuters.

Lastimoso said the situation in the MRT3 has worsened due to the delay in the project as the mass transit system is now serving close to 600,000 passengers per day or almost double the original designed capacity of 350,000.

Lastimoso had proposed the acquisition of additional LRVs for MRT3 as early as 2005.

There is a need to speed up the procurement process as the commuting public are suffering from long lines and overflowing trains throughout the operating hours of the mass transit system, he said.

When the mass transit system was not yet congested, he recalled that MRT3 was full only during rush hours from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm.

“Now, there is no rush hour. The MRT3 is always overflowing with passengers,” he said.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has said the Philippines is losing P2.4 billion in potential income daily due to traffic congestion and stated that the government needs to spend P2.3 trillion until 2030 to improve its transport system and fix the traffic problem.

 The investments would be used for projects including connecting the North and South Luzon Expressways, elevating the rail tracks of the Philippine National Railways in Metro Manila, and building a new line from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan to Dasmarinas in Cavite.

The DOTC is awaiting the official report of an international rail expert it tapped to review the terms of reference used by the government to bid out a P3.8 billion contract for the procurement of 48 LRVs for MRT3.

A source said findings of Barry Gardner, who has 45 years experience in international rail projects, showed nothing wrong with the process used by the DOTC in bidding out the program.

The DOTC tapped the consultant to review the terms of the bidding for the MRT3 capacity expansion project after Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar earlier revealed that a group that included MRT general manager Al Vitangcol III tried to extort $30 million from Prague-based Inekon Group.