DOTr orders MRT3 maintenance provider to explain glitches

The Department of Transportation has ordered the maintenance contractor of the Metro Rail Transit to explain within seven days why the government should not terminate its contract amid glitches bugging the mass transit system.

DOTr Undersecretary Cesar Chavez cited several incidents that the Busan Universal Rail, Inc. (BURI) was not responsibly adhering to the maintenance contract.

He particularly pointed out an incident last Tuesday when one train coach derailed at the North Avenue Station at about 8:15 p.m.

"Mayroon isang mahaba-habang bakal na nalaglag habang umaandar yung isang tren sa turnback, sa pagitan ng SM North at Trinoma ... habang tumatakbo siya ng mabagal. Nalaglag ang bakal malapit sa axel, tumukod, at umangat ang boogie frame at nawala sa riles...," Chavez told radio dzBB.

Chavez said he immediately called up Light Rail Transit Authority administrator Reynaldo Beroya, MRT director for operations Deo Manalo, engineers and an independent consultant to investigate.

Also, he said that DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade was even infuriated upon learning from initial investigations that BURI was irresponsible in handling the MRT.

Chavez added that Tugade became more furious when BURI argued that the derailment was due to lack of grease and humid weather.

"Hindi totoo na kawalan ng grasa at init ng panahon and dahilan... Uminit ang ulo ni Secretary Tugade nung narinig yun." 

The derailment should not have happened in the first place because the MRT just underwent preventive maintenance during the Holy Week, Chavez said.

"Ang nangyari sa MRT pagkatapos ng preventive maintenance ay halos araw-araw na nagkaroon seryosong problema." 

Investigators are still looking into the accountability of the driver [operator] of the train that derailed.

Chavez said the seven-day period starts after BURI has received the notice, which he transmitted to the DOTr General Services Department on April 19.

BURI told GMA News that it will make a reply to the notice.

Contracts under review

Chavez said that last Tuesday's incident has put BURI's almost P4-billion contract under review, also noting that the firm's more than P800-million contract for the total replacement of the signalling system had already been canceled.

Thus, he said, the remaining contracts for the maintenance and general overhaul of the MRT is now under question.

BURI supposedly had purchased spare parts for the MRT and claimed it has successfully installed them on the trains.

But Chavez said, "Hindi timely yung pagbili nila ng spare parts. At the minimum, and masasabi ko, may mga binili sila na spare parts na hindi sapat ang katibayan ng pagkakabili at pagkaka-install." 

Asked if BURI was probably saving on its budget, Chavez said: "Hindi pwedeng magtipid sila sapagkat nasa kontrata na ang sinumang contractor na papasok ng kontrata sa gobyerno ay nire-require natin ng net financial contracting capacity."

BURI has yet to finish the general overhaul of the 43 of the older 72 Czech-made MRT coaches since he assumed his post in October last year, and that train overhaul work only takes at least one month, he said.

"Sa experience ko sa LRT, ang isang bagon maaaring i-general overhaul sa loob ng isang buwan, e 1.5 years na tayo mula ng ibigay 'yan hindi pa tapos."

Chavez noted the train involved in Tuesday's incident was among those scheduled for an overhaul.

"[Pero] masasabi kong safe pa rin ang MRT. Yung nangyari nung nakaraan, yun ay kombinasyon ng mechanical problem at yung anggulo ng accountability ng driver," Chavez said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/LBG, GMA News