Dizon: DOTr proceeding with gov't plan to privatize MRT3, LRT2 ops
Amid the recent technical glitches which limited the train trips of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Thursday said the government's is moving forward with its plan to hand over the operations of LRT-2 as well as Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) to the private sector.
'Alam ninyo, hindi ganoon kadaling ayusin itong mga sistemang ito. Ang pangmatagalang solusyon talaga dito ay dapat [privatized] na itong mga sistemang ito kagaya ng LRT-2 at MRT-3. Iyon talaga ang pangmatagalang solusyon dahil habang ang gobyerno ang nag-o-operate nito, limitado tayo ng budget, limitado rin tayo ng ating mga procurement rules. Ibig sabihin niyan, hindi ganoon kabilis ang ability natin na mag-ayos nitong mga sistemang ito kaya iyon talaga ang ultimate solution,' Dizon said at a Palace press briefing.
(You should understand that it is not easy to fix these systems. The long term solution should be to privatize systems such as the LRT-2 and MRT-3. That is the long lasting solution because while government is operating these, we are limited by procurement rules. This means we are hampered in our ability to repair these systems so [privatization] is the ultimate solution.)
The previous leadership of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) had been vocal about privatizing the operations and maintenance of LRT-2 and MRT-3.
The DOTr tapped the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the MRT-3's PPP or public-private partnership plan, and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation for the LRT-2 PPP initiative.
'So, for LRT-2, mayroon tayong planong i-PPP na ito sa susunod na taon. Tinutulungan tayo ng International Finance Cooperation ng World Bank para mabilisan nang ma-PPP ito. Ang MRT-3 naman, tinutulungan tayo ng Asian Development Bank para ma-PPP na rin ito at tuluy-tuloy na rin ang maayos na pag-operate at maintain nitong dalawang luma nang linyang ito,' Dizon said.
'Ang pagkakaalam ko, within [this year] ay masisimulan na natin ang proseso dahil ito ay ibi-bid out natin as a PPP,' he said.
('So, for LRT-2, we have the PPP plan for next year. The International Finance Cooperation of the World Bank is helping us to expedite the PPP. For the MRT-3, the Asian Development Bank is assisting us for the PPP so the operation and maintenance of these two old lines could be improved.
As I understand it, we could start bidding out the PPP within this year.)
The Transportation chief assured the public that there will be no immediate increase in fares once the two railway systems' operations are taken over by the private sector.
'Hindi ibig sabihin na 'pag nag-PPP tayo ay ganoon-ganoon na lang ang pagtaas ng presyo, dahil ang gobyerno pa rin ang magre-regulate sa fares ng mga train natin, kasama na dito ang LRT-2 at MRT-3, kaya makakaasa parin ang mga kababayan natin na hindi naman ganoon magiging kataas ang magiging pamasahe kahit na maging private na ang operator nitong mga train system na ito,' Dizon said.
('The PPP does not mean immediate fare increases, the government will still regulate the fares of our trains, these include LRT-2 and MRT-3, the public can still expect the fares will not be that high even if a private operator takes over these train systems.) —RF, GMA Integrated News
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