The Senate hearing last October 1, 2014, give much-awaited responses from both DOTC Secretary and MRTC Robert Sobrepena who interpolates the Senator’s questions with their own ways and support the same. The fact remains that at present, train system breakdowns at MRT3 still showing signs of old age.
Really, MRTC’s Bob Sobrepena open-up the very core of the MRT3 history, the problems and solutions. He’s very confident with his knowledge to spread the message to the Senators, the Filipino people and the DOTC people especially Secretary Jun Abaya. He revealed MRTC tried four times to buy new trains for the mass rail system as early as 2004, but there was no action on the part of DOTC. The last proposal to the government was in 2007, but the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) had begun to request for second-hand trains, instead of new ones. Since all of these were not acted upon, we reiterated another proposal to provide 48 cars, capacity expansion, upgrade of the MRT-3 system. At this year, the DOTC began to question us as to why we were buying new cars. They had the idea it would be cheaper if we bought second-hand trains in 2007. This took us aback and we refused to offer government second hand trains. This led to a long impasse and discussions and letter-writing.
DOTC took control of the maintenance in year 2012 when it did not extend the Sumitomo contract, and in fact terminated it, and in the year 2012 appointed the maintenance contract to PH Trams. The loss of the single point of responsibility is the single most important loss we have had in the system. This loss has now led to current state of finger-pointing as to who is at fault for the sorry state of the MRT-3 system.
This case that the DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya didn’t bothered to analyze the situation and consequences that may befall with the MRT3 train system operations and management when he questioned the proposals of MRTC. What if he study, learn and research the MRTC’s proposals first? And, if applicable, that’s the time to sit down with MRTC and carry-on the action.
The truth for the constant breakdowns of MRT3-EDSA only arose after the DOTC terminated the contract with Sumitomo Corporation in 2012. The DOTC did not renew the services of Sumitomo Corporation because it increased the service rates from $1.4 million a month to $2 million. Did the DOTC Secretary study it first before giving the final termination? Look what happened? Chaos of the riding public, getting quickie government contracts, and plans that meant to be failed?
However, Transportation Secretary Jun Abaya denied this, saying his department is in constant touch with MRTC chairman Tomas de Leon. And what happened with the MRTC chairman when these problems are popping out?
PH Trams and APT-Global maintenance companies did not make up to the standards of Sumitomo who have the single point responsibility that can oversee and monitor the whole maintenance set-up. The MRT3’s breakdowns are linked to Engineering issues which is under the operations department, the DOTC.
The DOTC plans are operational next year, but for now, the riding public must suffer the consequences while the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) system's under renovation.
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