DOTC sees full integration of train ticket system by ’16

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) sees the full integration of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2 as well as the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) along EDSA before President Aquino steps down in 2016.

In an interview with reporters, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the automated fare collection system (AFCS) would be “implemented phase by phase.”

“Within one year we can get one line but before the end of the term of the President we will have all the three lines using a single ticket,” Abaya said.

Abaya said the agency’ bids and awards committee is likely to issue a notice of award early next year.

“We are post qualifying the financial bids. I don’t know if we can award within the year but if not it will be awarded early next year,” he explained.

According to him, the agency is looking at expanding the use of the tickets to cover the Philippine National Railways (PNR) train service, toll roads, retail establishments, bus fares, among others.

“It will spell the birth of epayment in the country as two of the country’s biggest retailers are the two competing bidders here,” Abaya said.

The tandem of conglomerate Ayala Corp. and infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) through the AF Consortium submitted the best bid for the P1.72-billion AFCS project last Dec. 9.

The AF Consortium submitted a negative bid of P1,088,103,900 followed by the negative P1,088,000,000 bid of the SM Consortium of retail magnate Henry Sy.

On the other hand, the Comworks-Berjaya Consortium submitted a positive bid of P2,050,090,300.

Michael Arthur Sagcal, DOTC spokesperson, earlier said the negative bids submitted by the AF Consortium and the SM Group mean that they would pay the government to undertake the project.

The winning proponent with a negative bid, he said, would have to pay the government over the 10-year concession period.

All the five prequalified groups submitted technical bids and financial bids for public private partnership (PPP) project last Nov. 18.