Photo courtesy of DOTR MRT3
A study team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) met with MRT-3 officials on Sept. 9 as part of an assessment aimed at improving public transport connectivity and railway resilience in Metro Manila.
The meeting formed part of a data collection survey examining how rail systems could better respond to operational disruptions, emergencies and coordination challenges among transport operators.
The JICA team, composed of specialists from ALMEC Corporation and Oriental Consultants Global, held discussions with the MRT-3 Management Committee headed by General Manager Michael Capati.
Officials tackled issues involving train and station operations, emergency response procedures, incident management, inter-operator coordination and infrastructure vulnerabilities.
The Japanese team also inspected the MRT-3 Control Center to gain a closer look at the line’s train monitoring systems, operational procedures and emergency protocols.
Capati said MRT-3 would continue working with JICA and make use of assistance provided for the railway system, including support tied to rehabilitation and maintenance.
JICA has previously extended official development assistance for MRT-3 rehabilitation and maintenance, making the agency a long-time development partner of the rail line.
The study team was led by Chika Watanabe and included experts in urban transport, intermodal hub planning, railway operations and project management. Representatives from the Department of Transportation’s railways office also joined the meeting.