MANILA, April 22 (PNA) — As part of efforts to improve the country’s railway systems and address the needs of the riding public, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released Php 1.207 billion to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to cover the rehabilitation and the capacity extension of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3.
Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said, “The rehabilitation of the MRT-3 has been a long time coming, especially in the wake of past challenges faced by MRT commuters. But the release of funds to rehabilitate the MRT-3 will go a long way in improving not only the capacity of the mass transit system but the overall user experience.”
Chargeable against the FY 2014 Supplemental Appropriations, the Php 1.207-billion fund will cover not only the rehabilitation and the capacity extension of the MRT-3, but also replace the existing signaling system as well as the rehabilitate the escalators and elevators of the MRT-3 stations.
The amount is broken down as follows:
Of the Php 1.2 billion, about Php 900 million will be used to replace and or upgrade the existing signaling system due to obsolescence and in line with capacity extension; Php 167.16 million for the procurement of rail-grinding machine to repair the damaged MRT-3 tracks due to stamping and shelling; Php 90 million for the procurement of Overhead cantenary System (OCS) Unimog; and Php 50 million for the upgrade of the Conveyance system which involves the procurement for the modernization of 12 unit elevators for various MRT-3 stations.
Abad said, “With the rehabilitation of the MRT-3 in the offing, we can now offer not only better transport services to the public to but also alleviate their concerns over safety and security. This, in turn, may help ease the traffic situation in the metro as motorists can now take the public transport system instead of using their vehicles to drive to their destinations.”
The funds allotted to the rehabilitation of the MRT-3 was part of the Php 22.47-billion Supplemental Budget, which was passed last December 2014.
The Supplemental Budget also funded the construction of a new Bohol Provincial Capitol building by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to replace the old provincial capitol building damaged by an earthquake in 2013; the building of fishports, lighthouses, and seawalls by the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA);
The implementation of the North Triangle Relocation Plan by the National Housing Authority (NHA) that benefited informal settler families (ISFs); and the Operational Transformation Plan of the Philippine National Police (PNP). (PNA)