Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 19) — The termination of the contract with maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail, Incorporated (BURI) is up to the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3), a transport undersecretary said Tuesday.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source, Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez revealed he gave General Manager of MRT-3, Rodolfo Jazminez Garcia, seven days to decide.
“We are for the termination of the contract. I already signed a position paper and further signed a supplemental position paper detailing the causes of the problems and the course of action that the government should take,” Chavez said.
“Due process requires we should also get the position of the general manager of MRT-3 and the reply of BURI,” he added.
Chavez’s comments come a day after a regulator board caught fire under a passenger’s seat, prompting the train to unload passengers at the Santolan station.
Related: MRT-3 unloads passengers after fire breaks out under seat
The MRT-3 line unloaded commuters 17 times between September 11 and 15 alone due to technical problems.
The Transportation Department on Friday also attributed the problems to unresolved issues of BURI, which it said was not procuring sufficient spare parts.
Related: MRT-3 problems due to maintenance provider – DOTr
Chavez also slammed the maintenance provider for lapses in overhauling trains.
“Ang kontrata nila is to overhaul 43 out of 72 old trains… Dapat ngayon, September 19, meron na silang dapat na overhaul na 23. So far dalawa palang,” said Chavez.
[Translation: Their contract is to overhaul 43 out of 72 old trains… Supposedly, by today, September 19, they overhauled 23. They’ve only done two.]
The undersecretary also said they could only provide between 17 to 19 trains during peak hours, as opposed to the 20 that they agreed upon.
“Sa kalagitnaan ng ulan [In the middle of the rain], they unloaded passengers because of wiper-defective defect. Are they technically competent?” Chavez added.
In a press statement on September 7, BURI maintained 66 out of 72 cars were operational as of mid-August this year, saying its fleet availability was higher than both lines of the Light Rail Transit. The provider also said Chavez “misled the public” by announcing 3,700 glitches under BURI’s watch from January 2016 to June 2017, saying it had reduced glitches to 992 as of mid-June this year.
“He should be made to explain his motive for spreading wrong information about the true state of the MRT-3 although BURI actually delivers its contract obligations,” BURI spokesperson Charles Mercado said.
In July, BURI said it had been treated unfairly and wrongly portrayed as a “favored” contractor of the former administration.
Related: MRT maintenance provider decries blame for glitches
Three options for MRT-3
Chavez also revealed the government was considering three options on the fate of the MRT-3. The first entails a transition team and bidding out the position of maintenance provider.
“We create a maintenance training, temporary maintenance transition team and bid it out,” said Chavez.
The second option involves a proposal by Robert Sobrepeña, who chairs MRT Holdings, Incorporated.
“Ang gusto ng Sobrepeña, ibalik sa kanila yung maintenance ng MRT-3. Pag binalik yung maintenance sa kanila ngayon, tomorrow kuha nila ang Sumitomo,” he said.
[Translation: Sobrepeña wants maintenance of the MRT-3 to be returned to them. If we give it back today, tomorrow he will get Sumitomo.]
Sumitomo Corporation was the previous maintenance provider for the MRT-3. Its contract expired in 2012.
The third option, Chavez added, is an unsolicited proposal from the Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, led by businessman Manny V. Pangilinan.
“Yung problema namin sa [Metro Rail Transit Corporation]… kukunin na nila. Sila na ang responsable. Yung problema namin ngayon sa BURI… sila na ang kukuha, sila na rin ang mag-aayos,” said Chavez.
“Yung pago-operate ng MRT-3 ngayon, gobyerno, sila na rin ang mago-operate… Ang gusto nila, they will invest 12 billion for [the] rehabilitation of the entire fleet… of the MRT-3,” he added.
[Translation: For our problem with the [Metro Rail Transit Corporation]… they will take it. They will be responsible. Our problem with BURI… they’ll take it too, and fix it. The government operations in MRT-3 will also be taken over… And they want to invest 12 billion for (the) rehabilitation of the entire fleet… of the MRT-3.]
Chavez said Pangilinan’s group was eyeing to take over operations by April 2018.
He also said that this proposal would solve the “tactical, operational, and strategic problems” of the MRT-3, but he would follow the policy direction of Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.
The National Economic Development Authority also gave the green light for a subway that is expected to run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to Taguig City, with an additional line to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Chavez pegged the groundbreaking for the project on the third quarter of 2018.
