BUSINESS

P103.6-B MRT-3 deal lures 100 firms

Maria Bernadette Romero · Oct 23, 2026, 11:36 PM

THE Department of Transportation is targeting the bidding for the P103.6-billion Metro Rail Transit Line 3 concession by mid-2027 (around June or July 2027), with an award targeted later that year. — Photograph by aram lascano for DAILY TRIBUNE

About 100 local and international companies have expressed interest in the government’s P103.6-billion MRT-3 concession, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) prepares to open bidding for the railway’s modernization and operations under stricter performance requirements.

The DoTr is targeting the award of the concession by mid-2027, with the private operator expected to meet service standards covering train reliability, punctuality and maintenance.

Tied to actual service delivery and compliance

Unlike traditional concession arrangements, payments to the winning operator will be tied to actual service delivery and compliance with prescribed performance standards.

These include train availability, on-time performance, cleanliness, and proper maintenance of trains and station facilities.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said Friday that the public-private partnership (PPP) would bring in private investment and technical expertise while keeping fare-setting authority with the government.

“Through public-private partnership, we bring in the expertise and investment this line needs. What we need is an operator with extensive experience in running railway systems for the benefit of commuters. And let me make it clear, the DoTr will retain the authority to set fares,” Lopez said.

The concession will cover the replacement of trainsets and modernization of the railway’s signaling system to increase passenger capacity and improve operational efficiency.

MRT-3 a standalone project

Lopez said MRT-3 would be offered as a standalone project and would not be bundled with Light Rail Transit Line 2.

To attract investors, the DOTr, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, has conducted market-sounding activities throughout the year, including engagements in Singapore and Tokyo.

The consultations have drawn interest from about 100 local and foreign companies in the MRT-3 Capacity Expansion, Operations and Maintenance PPP Project.

MRT-3 serves more than 388,000 passengers daily across 13 stations along EDSA.