More Rail Tragedy

The Web Magazine
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One of the best things about riding MRT is you will be able to get the best view of large billboards along EDSA.

The owners and the operator of MRT3 is into clash.

Until today MRT passengers continue to complain about the slow arrival of trains, and sunod sunod na mga glitches plus crime inside the train.

Many passengers suffers that much.

source: facebook page of DOTC-MRT

Last week there was a train crash and the cause was not clearly determined.

More problems occurred.

Such problems with the communication system made it unable to detect the train from one station to the other stations.

Sen. Grace Poe riding the train to see how commuters suffer before and during the trips.

As the years pass by MRT train operator fails to fulfill its duties and obligations. Now DOTC is planning to sue them.

The problem is both heads are in a dispute. Both of them must cooperate. Many people are hoping for improvements.

But thei quarrel has been taken to court.

The problems can be solved only by the arbitration court in Singapore if it moves fast enough.

It stated during the construction of MRT-3 train line was started in 1996 under a build-lease-transfer agreement. It was completed and MRT-3 started operations in December 1999. It was built by a Filipino consortium composed of: Fil-Estate Management, a subsidiary of the Sobrepeña family’s property and preneed business; Ayala Land; Greenfield Development Corp. of United Laboratories; Ramcar Inc. of the Agustines family; and Anglo-Phil Holdings Corp. associated with the Ramos family, owners of National Book Store.

Then It was leased to and operated by the government through the DOTC for 25 years, after which it would be transferred to and fully controlled by the latter.

In 2002, some members of the consortium—the Sobrepeñas and the Agustines group—were having financial difficulties and decided to cash in by tapping the capital markets and packaged their future payments into zero-coupon bonds.

By 2009, the DOTC-MRTC relationship was already becoming acrimonious and MRTC filed an arbitration suit against the Philippines in Singapore because of the delayed rental payments.

President Aquino issued orders to expand the MRT-3 capacity by buying new coaches but the build-lease-transfer agreement gives the owners, MRTC, the right of first refusal.

There is no valid reason fo DOTC to acquire railway facilities for MRT.

The two heads entered into BLT 1997 to construct and maintain the MRT-3.

The BLT Agreement was signed by DOTC and Metro Rail on August 8, 1997 and amended on October 16, 1997. It constitutes a restatement of similar agreements dating back to the first such contract, which was signed on November 7, 1991.

That agreement was restated on April 22, 1992, and the restated agreement was supplemented on May 6, 1993, and amended on July 28, 1994 and May 1996. Another restatement was signed on October 3, 1996. All the terms in those prior agreements were superseded by the provisions of the BLT Agreement.

There was a delay in government paying it's rental. Due to its delay MRTC filed an arbitration suit against the Philippines in Singapore.

Another case was filed against the government for awarding a P3.8-billion ($86.7 million) contract to Chinese company CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Company of China to supply of 48 new light rail vehicles for MRT 3.

Because of the delay, MRTC was not proactive in fixing the maintenance problem of the train's operation.

Plus the fact that government did not allow the buying of additional trains. Imagine squeezing 500,000 commuters daily, above its 350,000 capacity.

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