(CNN Philippines) — MRT General Manager Roman Buenafe said that he had a “very low” level of confidence for maintenance provider APT Global, Inc. after air-conditioning problems on Tuesday (April 21) forced the rail transit system to operate with just four trains.
Earlier, it was reported that MRT operated with five trains.
Related: Repairs force MRT to run on 5 trains, fewest since 1999
“They’re supposed to supply the trains that are good for service, meaning, trains that could accommodate commuters,” Buenafe told CNN Philippines Newsroom anchors Jing Magsaysay and Mai Rodriguez on Wednesday (April 22).
In the contract, MRT should be provided with 20 trains to run during peak hours.
“That’s the contract Global APT went into with the DOTC-MRT3,” he said.
But since he assumed his post on January 5, Buenafe said that the maintenance provider has not delivered on its promise.
Talking on a month-to-month basis, he said APT Global is not investing enough after it admitted that it lacks supply of the needed refrigerants.
“If they do not have this on stock, they would be in a deeper problem because they won’t have trains available,” he added.
Buenafe, who is a mechanical engineer, said that from an engineering standpoint, it could be that the system was overcharged causing the refrigerants to expand into the atmosphere.
Currently, he said that the MRT is investigating what really happened.
On Wednesday, 14 trains were operational since the morning.
The Department of Transportation and Communication said that the deadline for getting a new maintenance provider has been moved from April to June.
The DOTC is working on an emergency procurement, but it is still collecting information and requirements to get the approval of the Government Procurement Policy Board.
CNN Philippines’ Patricia de Leon and Patricia Ongsiako contributed to this report.
