MPIC may not revive MRT-3 O&M proposal — Pangilinan

METRO PACIFIC Investments Corp. (MPIC) is unlikely to resubmit its unsolicited proposal for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), its chairman said. 

“Our submission expired. I do not know where we are now, but I think that expired,” MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan told reporters last week. 

Mr. Pangilinan said the company had submitted an unsolicited proposal for the MRT-3 O&M during the tenure of former Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista. 

“For me, we are unlikely to refile our submission to [Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon]. It is difficult [to consider submitting again] because no tariffs are being approved,” Mr. Pangilinan said. 

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey I. Manalo said in January that the Department of Transportation (DoTr) had rejected MPIC’s unsolicited proposal for the MRT-3 project.

Mr. Manalo previously said that the DoTr had informed the proponent of the rejection in accordance with the grounds and procedures outlined in the PPP Code and its implementing rules and regulations. 

In 2024, the Transportation department announced plans to bid out the MRT-3 O&M concession within the first quarter of the year. 

The Sobrepeña-led Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) is set to turn over MRT-3 to the government by July upon the expiration of its build-operate-transfer agreement.

The government previously expressed its intention to privatize MRT-3 before the contract expires this year.

The DoTr said it is carefully evaluating its privatization options for MRT-3, with the Asian Development Bank assisting in assessing whether to pursue a solicited or unsolicited approach for the project.

“To date, PPP Center has not yet received any new/re-submission of the proposal that was returned by DoTr. We do know that DoTr is preparing for a solicited bid for the MRT-3 with the development studies being funded by the Project Development and Monitoring Facility managed by the PPP Center,” Mr. Manalo said in a Viber message on Monday.

MPIC is one of the three key Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc. 

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