THE Philippine government has appointed the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as transaction adviser to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to provide support in project preparation, contract structuring and the procurement of qualified private partners for three public transport projects.
One of these is the 17km, 13-station Mass Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in Metro Manila. The line runs close to the major thoroughfare of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and connects the key districts of Pasay, Makati, Mandaluyong and Quezon City.
ADB will assist DOTr in engaging an experienced operator to modernise, operate and maintain the line. MRT-3 is currently operated by DOTr, with maintenance provided by Sumitomo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under a contract that ends in 2025.
“We are honoured to support DOTr in finding the right private partners for these projects, which will bring greater efficiency, innovation and better consumer experiences for public transport users in the Philippines,” says Ms Cleo Kawawaki, head of ADB’s office of markets development and public-private partnerships.
Separately, an enquiry is currently underway into the purchase of 12 metro trains for MRT-3 delivered by CRRC Dalian in 2017. The trains have never entered service as they were found to be incompatible with existing infrastructure and have been stored out of use ever since.
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