Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 29) — Japanese firm Sumitomo Corporation, which originally maintained the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3), is the new maintenance provider for the troubled railway, transportation officials announced Wednesday.
The Philippine government is conducting "high-level discussions" with the Japanese government for "direct engagement" with the Sumitomo and its technical partner, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said in a statement.
Sumitomo and Mitsubishi designed and built the MRT-3 and had maintainted it from the start of operations in 2000 until 2012, when the contract with the companies expired.
"A G2G (government-to-government) agreement is scheduled to be signed before year-end," the DOTr said. "The maintenance and rehabilitation contract is intended to have a term of 3 years, and will include the rehabilitation and restoration of the system to its original performance standards."
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