The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is preparing to hand over the operations and maintenance of Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 to the private sector through a public-private partnership as the government pushes to expand capacity and modernize one of Metro Manila’s busiest rail systems.

Market consultations for the proposed PPP project are scheduled on 14, 15, and 18 May at the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), marking the next phase of the government’s privatization plans for the rail line.

The consultations form part of the requirements for a competitive solicited tender under the country’s PPP framework.

The Department of Transportation, backed by the ADB and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center, has invited prospective investors and rail operators to participate in discussions covering the project’s technical and operational requirements.

Under the proposal, a private concessionaire will assume responsibility for operating, maintaining, and managing the long-term rehabilitation of MRT-3 while ensuring uninterrupted commuter service.

According to the PPP Center, the government aims to secure approval for the project from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) by September before formally launching the bidding process in October.

The 17-kilometer MRT-3 line runs along EDSA and connects 13 stations linking major business districts and key rail systems including Light Rail Transit Line 1, Light Rail Transit Line 2, Metro Rail Transit Line 7 and the planned Metro Manila Subway.

The rail line served an estimated 400,000 passengers daily in 2025, with ridership reaching as high as 514,000 commuters per day during peak periods.

The planned concession includes the commercial deployment of the Dalian train sets, procurement of additional rolling stock, and retirement of older CKD light rail vehicles currently in service.

The project also covers upgrades to signaling systems, depot facilities, communications infrastructure, power systems, and the operations control center.

The government’s privatization push comes after the completion of MRT-3’s rehabilitation program in 2025, which restored train operating speeds to 60 kilometers per hour and reduced waiting times during peak hours to about 3.5 minutes.

The rehabilitation works included rail replacement, depot modernization, and the overhaul of 72 original CKD trains, alongside upgrades to the line’s signaling and power systems.

Transportation officials are targeting passenger capacity of up to 700,000 daily riders once the expanded train fleet and four-car train configurations are fully deployed.