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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has signed contracts with Sumitomo Corp. for the extension of the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) railway system Tuesday.

Sumitomo Corp., the original builder and designer of MRT-3, together with their technical partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will continue to support the line’s operations as its maintenance provider until July 2025.

July 2025 dovetails with the expiry of the 25-year Build-Lease-Transfer agreement for MRT-3 between the transportation department and the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC).

The rehabilitation and maintenance extension contracts cover technical system support, maintenance, spare parts procurement, as well as the provision of other rehabilitation and capacity expansion services to MRT-3, to improve the system’s service reliability, capacity, and long-term sustainability.

The capacity expansion services include integration of MRT-3 with other on-going expansion projects and railway network connectivity initiatives, such as the tracks and signaling works at Area A-2 of the Common Station.

They also include the construction of the Taft Avenue pocket track extension which will allow MRT-3 to transition from 3-car to 4-car train configuration.

Rehabilitation works which were not initially identified during the original rehabilitation project’s rapid scoping are also covered in the contracts. These include the upgrade of MRT-3’s PABX from analog to digital, procurement of additional bogie frames and complete bogie assemblies, as well as the renovation of depot facilities.

The project extension also involves a 30-month extension of MRT-3’s contract with its rehabilitation and maintenance supervision snsultant, the joint venture of Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd. (OCG) and Tonichi Engineering Consultants Inc.

The contract, extended until October 2025, covers the supervision of Sumitomo Corp. rehabilitation and maintenance works, as well as punchlisting and project close out.

According to Assistant Transportation Secretary Jorjette Aquino, the original MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project sought to "address the severe deterioration and poor maintenance of the MRT-3."

"Upon the completion of the rehabilitation last December 31, 2021 and the end of the original project this May 31, 2023, significant strides have been achieved towards improving one of the country’s most important transportation systems," Aquino said.

Sumitomo Corp. was re-engaged by DOTr in March 2019 to undertake the massive rehabilitation of MRT-3.

The rehabilitation resulted in the increase in the number of train sets in operation from 10-15 to 18-20, increase in the maximum speed from 35 kph to 60 kph and decrease in the headway from 8-9.5 mins to as low as 3.5 mins during peak hours.

"I would like to thank the Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, for their continuing support to our transport infrastructure projects, this time for the maintenance extension of MRT-3," Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

"We are more than signing a maintenance agreement. We are ensuring our railways are always in top condition, ensuring safety and convenience for our daily commuters," he added.

"Today's contract-signing will enable us to sustain and even further improve the state of operations of MRT-3, which means better transport network, mass transport mobility, and also eventually reduce air pollution and road traffic congestion," JICA Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto said.

Japanese delegates present during the contract signing included OCG Executive Vice President Ichiro Miyakoshi, director of Investment and Services Department of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Sumitomo Corp. General Manager Hideyuki Nishio.

Meanwhile, DOTr and MRT-3 officials in attendance were Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez, Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Reinier Paul Yebra, Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development Timothy John Batan, Assistant Secretary Leonel De Velez, MRT-3 Director for Operations Oscar Bongon, and LRTA Administrator Hernando Cabrera. DOTr