DoTr says MRT-3 Sumitomo contract signed by yearend
TRANSPORTATION Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said the contract for Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo-MHI) as new maintenance provider for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) is expected to be signed today, Dec. 17, or on the 24th.
In a chance interview at the inauguration of the new Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) office in Manila City on Friday, Mr. Tugade said the government and Sumitomo-MHI have already agreed on the contract terms.
“Noong [kamakailang] Sabado (Dec. 8) nagkaroon kami ng mahabang pulong na kung saan (On December’s second Saturday, we had a lengthy meeting where we) more or less agreed na,” he said.
He said Sumitomo-MHI will take over the MRT-3 rehabilitation immediately after the signing.
The DoTr earlier said the rehabilitation period for the MRT-3 is expected to last 43 months, covering the 31-month simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works and 12-month defect liability period.
Last month, the government signed the P18-billion loan agreement with the government of Japan for the rail system’s rehabilitation and maintenance.
Mr. Tugade said the entry of Sumitomo-MHI will also help in the roll out of Dalian trains procured from Chinese firm CRRC Dalian Co. in 2014, which only started initial deployment late Oct.