Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is open to jointly bidding with San Miguel Corp. for the operation and maintenance of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and Light Rail Transit Line 2, a top executive said Thursday.
“We probably would participate in that. I guess it depends eventually on the terms of reference for the bid that the government will draft,” MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.
“In principle, because we submitted an unsolicited proposal, and the government has decided to bid it out, we will likely participate depending on the terms,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of jointly bidding with San Miguel, Pangilinan said: “I think it might be good for us to reach out to SMC and see what we can do,” he said.
“There are ongoing discussions in other areas with them,” said Pangilinan.
Department of Transportation Undersecretary for planning and project Timothy John Batan earlier said the agency “will act within the month” on the pending proposals from SMC and MPIC to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the MRT-3.
Batan said the direction of the government was to bid out MRT-3 through solicited public private partnership, adding that it would be bundled with LRT Line 2.
The DOTr was aiming to issue the invitation to bid for the project by the second half of 2024.
The agency tapped the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for MRT-3 and International Finance Corp. (IFC) for LRT- 2 O&M privatization.
The government operates MRT-3, while MRTC, owned by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. led by businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, is responsible for the design and construction of the EDSA rail transit system.
MRTC financed the construction of the modern rail system stretching along EDSA from North Ave. in Quezon City to Taft Ave. in Pasay City. The company infused P4.49 billion worth of equity into the project.