By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, Sept. 5 (PNA) — Autre Porte Technique Global Inc. (APT Global) will remain the maintenance provider of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 after its contract was extended Friday.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said that while the maintenance contract expired, the agency has yet to decide on a new maintenance provider.
DOTC spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal told reporters that the contract extension will be on an interim on a month-to-month basis wherein APT Global will continue to receive Php 57 million a month.
The DOTC is currently in the process of bidding out a Php2.25 billion, three-year contract for the MRT-3 system’s maintenance.
Potential bidders have until October 13 to submit their offers. The contract is meanwhile set to be awarded by December.
Instead of a one-year contract, the DOTC will extend it to three years to attract large maintenance providers with greater expertise, the agency earlier said.
At present, the DOTC is exerting efforts to make the MRT-3 safe and convenient for its passengers, despite its glitches. (PNA)