PHL, Japan move closer to signing a deal on MRT3 rehab

A northbound MRT3 train arrives at the Quezon Avenue Station at 6:09 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. Photo by Victor D. Sollorano, GMA News

The Philippines and Japan have exchanged notes on a government-to-government agreement for Sumitomo Corp. and its technical partner, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,  to take over the maintenance and rehabilitation of glitch-plagued Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3).

“The Japanese government already sent their note verbale to us,” Department of Transportation (DOTr) director for Communications Goddess Hope Libiran told GMA News Online on Thursday.

It was an exchange of notes between the Government of the Philippines, via the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Government of Japan, Libiran noted.

“The GOP, through DFA, issued its note verbale to GOJ last December 28," she said.

The diplomatic note embodies the arrangements between the Philippines and Japan regarding the MRT3 rehabilitation project, Libiran said.

The signing of an agreement between the Philippines and Japan was supposed to take place before the end of 2017.

The New Year holidays got in the way, considering that government offices in Japan closed on Dec. 29, 2017 and resumed normal operation on Jan. 4, 2018.

Libiran said the Transportation department will soon issue a statement on when and where the signing will take place.

The DOTr has terminated the MRT3 maintenance contract with Busan Universal Railways Inc. (BURI) due to “poor performance,” and sought to entice Sumitomo to replace BURI.

Sumitomo and Mitsubishi were the original MRT3 maintenance providers from 2003 to 2012. Sumitomo also designed and built the system from 1998 to 2000. — VDS, GMA News