Glitches mar takeover of MRT maintenance

By: Miguel R. Camus - 9 years ago

The takeover of the maintenance work on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) by a Korean-Filipino joint venture on Friday was marred by a series of glitches that disrupted the daily commute of thousands of passengers.

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) had signed late on Thursday the P3.8 billion, three-year maintenance contract with Busan Transportation Corp. and its Philippine partners, Edison Development and Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp. and Castan Corp.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya on Friday briefed reporters on the agreement with Busan and explained the issues surrounding the deal.

Abaya also clarified that he would remain at the helm of the DOTC despite calls, mainly from political rivals and leftist groups, for his resignation. He said the decision to replace him would be President Aquino’s alone.

“As I said from the very first day, it’s a mere privilege for me to be serving our people and that could be taken away any time,” he said.

Sen. Grace Poe this week called for Abaya to be replaced, citing, among other issues, the controversy surrounding the entry of the Busan-led venture as the maintenance provider for the MRT 3.

Abaya denied reports that Busan officials had threatened to walk out of the deal—an issue that first surfaced in newspaper reports and columns. He said Poe’s statements on the Busan contract were likely “based on the wrong facts.”

The Korean-Filipino venture was to have assumed maintenance activities at the MRT 3 last Jan. 5, but this target was not met. Abaya attributed the several days’ delay partly to a “language barrier” with the Korean delegation. But he did not elaborate on specific issues that were discussed.

Beginning yesterday, the Busan-led venture took over the maintenance work on the rolling stock and signaling system, described as the most critical maintenance aspect of the railway line that handles more than half a million passengers each day.

Transport officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the delays on Friday. However, MRT 3 general manager Roman Buenafe said the first glitch was caused by a “short-circuit.” He added that they were still investigating the cause.

A second glitch struck the elevated train system in the afternoon, after it had been placed on provisionary operations—or limited to trips between North Avenue and Shaw Boulevard—following the first breakdown in the morning.

Just hours before, the DOTC announced that the deal with the Busan-led venture had brought stakeholders “one step closer to having a safer and more reliable MRT 3.”

“With the operator of the Busan railway network in South Korea sharing their technical expertise, the riding public can expect an increase in the number of running trains and the efficiency of operations,” Abaya said.

The DOTC said 12 qualified technical experts including rolling stock, signaling and track specialists from Busan were already carrying out the necessary activities for transition and system assessment.

Busan has been operating and maintaining the Busan Metro, four railway lines of the mass transit system in Busan, South Korea, since 1999. The DOTC said this shows the company’s capacity to manage the maintenance works and facility upgrades as stated in the contract.

The deal also covers the general overhaul of 43 coaches over the period covered by the agreement, and the total replacement of the signaling system within 24 months.

Attempts to bid out the MRT 3 contract in September 2014 and January 2015 failed because of the nonparticipation of bidders.

Alternative mode

The DOTC resorted to an alternative mode of procurement in accordance with the provisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003, pleading the urgent need to address the railway’s maintenance needs and the rail system’s core problems of obsolescence and complete wear-and-tear.

After the Government Procurement Policy Board unanimously approved the alternative mode of procurement, the transport agency invited the following international and reputable railway firms as prospective contractors despite being given the authority to invite only one: SMRT International, Hamburg-Consult GmbH, Korea Railroad Corp., Busan Transportation Corp., Schunk Bahn-und Industrietechnik GmbH, and Comm Builders and Technology Joint Venture.

While looking for a long-term maintenance service provider, the DOTC engaged subcontractors under a multidisciplinary approach.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday said it had deployed military trucks to help commuters stranded by the breakdown of the MRT 3 on Friday.

MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos said 10 “Libreng Sakay” vehicles were deployed at 6:21 p.m., “as soon as” he received a report about what happened.

He said the vehicles would have plied the stretch of North Avenue to Roxas Boulevard via Edsa to aid the stranded commuters.

“But as soon as the trucks were deployed, the MRT trains began to work so they (the trucks) were left unused,” Carlos said.

Oscar de la Cruz of the MMDA Metrobase said the interrupted train service—and the resulting pileup of commuters looking for alternative modes of transportation in parts of Edsa—did not have as much effect on Edsa’s vehicular flow.

“Even if the MRT was fully functional, there would have been a buildup on Edsa because it’s a Friday. The traffic is really expected,” he said.

He said that as of 3 p.m. Friday, there was vehicular buildup in Muñoz, SM North, Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala and Magallanes, all Taft-bound.

He said that in the opposite northbound lane, there was vehicular buildup in Santolan, Ortigas, Muñoz and Guadalupe, among others. With a report from Kristine Felisse Mangunay