Gov’t inks contract for 240 train cars

DOTr Undersecretary Timothy John Batan. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed a contract package with two Japanese firms for the commissioning of 240 train cars for the country’s first subway, one of its flagship infrastructure projects under the government’s “Build, build, build” program.

Contract Package 107 for the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway project covers the design, supply, installation, construction, testing, and commissioning of 30 eight-car train sets by the Japan Transport Engineering Co. and Sumitomo Corp. Joint Venture.

“To appreciate the scale of this contract, 240 train cars is more than the 224 operational train cars that we had as of July 2016. This single order is more than the total number of train cars the DOTr had when [Transportation] Secretary [Arthur] Tugade took over in 2016,” said Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan.

During the virtual signing ceremony held on Monday, Tugade said the new partnership with Japan would help turn into a reality the “Philippines’ dream of having a railway system similar to that of Japan.”

“With these developments, we can say that the puzzle pieces in building the massive Metro Manila Subway are truly coming together. And just like building a puzzle, we will take this project as a joyful learning experience,” he added.

Batan said the DOTr was “on track” to finish the project, as the first tunnel boring machine ordered by the government from Japan would arrive in January.

According to Batan, “indeed, the sustainable solution to our traffic congestion is a buildup of our mass transportation network, including with high-capacity train lines.” INQ