THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) on Wednesday said the independent audit of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has been completed, but no decision has been made regarding the new train cars from China.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said he will discuss the results of the audit and assessment of the MRT-3 and the new train cars with supplier Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co.
Conducted by TUV Rheinland, the audit involved a review of the terms of reference (TOR) of the previous administration’s purchase of 48 train cars for the MRT-3 from Dalian.
“Is the evaluation showing that the submission is complete and in accordance to the TOR? Answer is no. Is the non-compliance substantive and prejudicial to safety and comfort of passengers? That we will find out during the discussion with Dalian,” Mr. Tugade was quoted as saying in a statement.
Mr. Tugade said he was scheduled to meet with Dalian officials on the same day to discuss the ways the government and the company may arrive at a “win-win situation.”
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan earlier told reporters the agency has received the report in late May.
“As you know, multi-faceted yung issue. Merong signaling, merong weight, merong depot equipment. So we just really want to understand it fully. And then we will explain it to the public,” he earlier said.
The Dalian trains procured during the previous administration were earlier found to be overweight, hence the need for a third-party auditor to assess if it may be used in the MRT-3. The audit began in January.
Mr. Tugade also said the DoTr is looking to seal the maintenance deal with Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo-MHI) for MRT-3.
“My understanding is that the signing between government of the Philippines and Sumitomo will be sometime this month…. There might be some modification there,” he said. — Denise A. Valdez
