Dalian to pay cost of adjustments of unused MRT3 trains —Tugade

China's CRRC Dalian Co. should shoulder the cost of adjustments of the 48 unused train cars purchased by the Metrorail Transit Line 3, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade insisted on Sunday.

In post on DOTr's Facebook page on Sunday, Tugade argued that the train cars cannot be used for the MRT3 system because of "variations" in measurements and weight specifications of the wagons from Dalian, and that the Philippine government should not pay a centavo for the adjustments.

“Puwede ho bang mapagamit ‘yung mga tren? Ang sagot, base doon sa evaluation, doon sa audit, ipinapakita ang mga kakulangan doon sa naibigay na bagon at tren. In relation to the details of the terms of reference upon which the bid was awarded, mayroon ‘hong mga variation. May variation sa measurements, may variation sa mga timbang,” said Tugade.

He said this after he met with the Chairman of CRRC Dalian and other senior representatives, as well as with Ambassador Zhao Jianhua of China.

In that meeting, the results of the Independent Audit and Assessment by TUV Rheinland were discussed.

According to Tugade, based on TUV Rheinland’s independent audit, the Dalian trains can still be used if the adjustments identified in the audit are addressed.

Asked how much work is needed to be done on the Dalian trains, he said, “One word —manageable.”

Also, Tugade said that they agreed at the meeting that Dalian must shoulder expenses for the adjustments should the government decide to use the units for the MRT3 system.

“Dahil doon sa pag-uusap na iyon, nagkasundo ‘ho na kung may mga dapat gawin at dapat lamang na gawin, kung gusto natin gamitin, lahat ‘ho ng gastusin na iyon ay i-absorb ng Dalian without a single cent of expense from the Philippine government.”

Details on how CRRC Dalian will make the adjustments is set to be finalized before a high-level government-to-government meeting between the Philippines and China on August 20. —LBG, GMA News