The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Oriental Consultants Global and Sumitomo Corporation on Tuesday signed the contracts that extend the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in a bid to ensure safe transport and rail efficiency.

DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista led the signing of the MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project Extension contract.

"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," Bautista said.

The Sumitomo Corporation is the original designer, constructor, and initial maintenance provider of MRT-3.

Under the sealed contract, the Sumitomo Corporation will continue to provide MRT-3 maintenance and rehabilitation until July 2025 in collaboration with its technical partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The contracts for rehabilitation and maintenance extension cover technical system support, maintenance, spare parts procurement, and the supply of additional rehabilitation and capacity expansion services to MRT-3, with the goal of improving the system's service dependability, capacity, and long-term sustainability.

The Transportation Secretary also expressed his complete trust in Sumitomo for the continuous improvement of the train's operational efficiency.

"I am confident Sumitomo - the original designer, builder, and initial maintenance provider of MRT 3 – will be able to do its job well. We also expect Sumitomo to enhance MRT 3’s operational efficiency by using four-car train sets from the existing three-car sets. This will allow more passengers to traverse the length of EDSA, complementing the convenience offered by the EDSA Bus Carousel," Bautista said.

Last May 26, the Philippine government and Japan government signed a loan agreement worth ¥17.4 billion, or an estimated $130 million for MRT-3's rehabilitation.

Written By Dana Ebreo, DZRH News Online Intern