DOTR eyes Dost-developed mass transport systems in NAIA, on EDSA
THE Filipino passengers’ transportation woes, such as the transfers in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the lack of buses on EDSA and around the country may soon be things of the past with the agreement entered into by the leaders of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Transportation (DOTR).
The DOTR is considering to use the Dost-developed Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) System as a means to connect Terminals 1 to 4 of the NAIA, said Zalda R. Gayahan of the of the DOST’S Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) in a news release.
Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. welcomed Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista’s intention as they signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) regarding the partnership of the DOTR with the DOST, through the Electronics Product Development Center of the DOST.
Present to witness the MOA signing was DOST-MIRDC Executive Director Engr. Robert O. Dizon. Dizon presented to Bautista the alternative mass transportation technologies developed by DOST-MIRDC. They are the AGT System; Hybrid Electric Road Train (HERT) and Hybrid Electric Train, Gayahan added.
During the meeting, Bautista immediately saw the benefits of adopting the home-grown mass transportation technologies, particularly the AGT, which offers the best solution to make transfers to various terminals of the NAIA easy and convenient.
Besides the AGT, the HERT is also seen as a possible alternative to buses for the EDSA Carousel and the articulated buses for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit systems in the country, Gayahan said.
To formalize the concepts, the DOTR and DOST agreed to work on the preparation of a project proposal for further consideration by the two agencies.
Should this proposal progress and be implemented as a joint project, the public can expect to have safer and more convenient public transportation, Gayahan said.