Category: Business Mirror

MEDICAL Services of America (Philippines) Inc. (MSA-PH) has officially marked a significant expansion of its diagnostic capabilities with the launch of its first sleep study service, in partnership with Our Lady of the Pillar Medical Center (OLPMC) of Imus, Cavite.

The new service is specifically designed to address the growing prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a serious condition that often goes undiagnosed.

By providing gold-standard sleep diagnostics within the hospital’s facility, MSA and OLPMC aim to offer a seamless pathway from identification to treatment, significantly improving the long-term health and quality of life for residents in the region.

The launch was commemorated with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, signaling the start of a collaborative effort to prioritize respiratory and sleep health.

‘Today, through this partnership with Our Lady of the Pillar Medical Center, we are making advanced sleep diagnostics more accessible to patients who need answers, treatment, and ultimately, better lives,’ said Hermie Lim, vice president of sales and business development for MSA-PH.

With this partnership, patients no longer need to travel far to access high-level sleep monitoring. The suite is equipped with specialized technology to monitor breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and heart activity, ensuring that every patient receives a precise diagnosis and a personalized plan for better rest and recovery.

Noli B. Lagasca, MSA-PH vice president for hospital operations, ‘many people suffer from chronic fatigue, loud snoring, or morning headaches without realizing these are symptoms of OSA. This is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night.’

‘Left untreated, OSA can lead to serious health complications such as hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. By undergoing a sleep study, patients receive a precise diagnosis that allows specialists to create a personalized treatment plan, leading to restorative sleep and improved long-term health,’ Lagasca added.

A sleep study is a comprehensive evaluation used to diagnose sleep-related breathing disorders. While a patient sleeps in a comfortable, private suite, specialized sensors record vital data, including brain wave activity to track sleep stages; oxygen levels in the blood; heart rate and rhythm; breathing patterns and airflow; and eye and leg movements. Sleep study is PhilHealth-recognized. Eligible members can avail of a subsidy for the study, provided they have a specialist’s referral and meet the clinical criteria for OSA.

GEN. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., National Police chief, on Tuesday called on all commanders and personnel to remain focused on their mandate of ensuring public safety amid political noise and other issues, particularly on social media.

Nartatez said criticisms and intrigues being spread online should instead serve as motivation and a challenge for the organization to further improve its service and protection for the Filipino people.

‘These intrigues and political noises, including attempts to encourage any of our personnel to engage in partisan politics, are meant to distract us from performing our job well and sustaining our gains on peace and order,’ Nartatez said in a statement.

He said the PNP’s sustained efforts to reduce the crime rate, backed by high public trust and performance ratings, are proof that the organization remains committed to maintaining peace and order across the country.

Nartatez also vowed to continue working closely with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other law enforcement agencies.

‘The PNP remains completely focused on its mandate and other reform measures, including the integration of the policies of the DILG under Secretary [Juanito Victor] Jonvic Remulla on internal reforms and actions that will make the public feel safe,’ he said.

‘We will not allow unverified political talk to distract us from our duty to protect the public,’ he added.

The PNP has intensified its internal cleansing efforts and strengthened coordination with local government units in crime prevention and anti-illegal drug operations.

Among these initiatives is the ‘Safer Cities’ initiative, which has contributed to a sharp decline in crime incidents nationwide, alongside the continuing crackdown on smuggled products that drain the country’s resources. The police organization has also sustained efforts to improve emergency response and increase police visibility in communities, among other initiatives.

Nartatez, likewise, ordered regional and local police units to remain focused on law enforcement operations and public safety efforts, stressing that the organization’s mandate remains unchanged despite political noise surrounding the issue.

‘Our working relationship with Secretary Remulla has been highly professional, collaborative, and anchored on institutional stability,’ Nartatez said. ‘We continue to fully cooperate with the DILG leadership to ensure peace and order nationwide,’ he added.

Nartatez issued the statement amid circulating reports online that Remulla is about to be replaced as DILG secretary amid the government’s failure to arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.

Malacañang on Monday said President Marcos has not lost trust in Remulla.

TONY LASCUÑA reminded everyone that experience and skill reign supreme as the veteran campaigner seized the first-round lead in the highly-competitive International Container Terminal Services Inc. Caliraya Springs Championship with a brilliant eight-under 64 for a two-stroke lead over Angelo Que and Clyde Mondilla in Cavinti on Tuesday.

With the notorious Caliraya winds taking a rare break beneath dark skies, the stage was set for an exceptional day of golf in the P2.5-million championship.

Lascuña took full advantage of the winter condition in golf and led the charge with a bogey-free round that showcased the caliber of a player who has long dominated the Philippine Golf Tour.

A record five-time Order of Merit winner, Lascuña, 55, not only defied Father Time but also delivered a performance worthy of yet another championship.

‘I feel like young again. I hit all fairways and greens and finished with 28 putts,’ said Lascuña in jest, basking in the glow of his performance, made even more impressive by the lift, clean and place rule in effect due to the fairways’ uneven conditions from summer heat.

Yielding 50-60 yards to the Tour’s revered long hitters, Lascuña relied on his trusted fairway woods and newly acquired Srixon irons to dominate the course.

He birdied four of the first seven holes and added another four on the back nine.

‘It’s been a long time since I shot this low, it’s exhausting but the conditions were great,’ said Lascuña, recalling his last win in adverse weather conditions at Splendido Taal in 2024.

But Que, the reigning Order of Merit winner, and multi-titled Mondilla lurked closely behind with matching 66s and Keanu Jahns entered the mix with a 67, aiming for back-to-back championships after defeating Que by four strokes in this event last year.

The rolling Caliraya layout, known for its challenges, transformed into a scoring paradise under these conditions, yielding 35 under-par rounds and 11 even-par cards.

This raised the stakes significantly for the chase for the top 40 and ties that will advance to the final two rounds of the second leg of the 10-leg circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Que, poised to match Lascuña’s flawless performance, stumbled with a bogey on the tricky par-four 18th but still managed a superb 31-35 round, which included three birdies and an eagle on No. 4, along with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. ‘I didn’t make any mistakes except for the last hole, but that’s golf,’ said Que, eager to remain at the top of the PGT heap for a second straight season. ‘I hit a lot of fairways and greens and made many putts. Good weather always helps produce low scores.’

Mondilla birdied five of his first 12 holes and closed with a birdie-bogey-birdie finish for a 34-32.

‘There were many chances that didn’t go in,’ he said. Jahns also eagled No. 4, notching six birdies but stumbling with a bogey and a double bogey at the par-3 11th. Still, with a five-under, the Fil-German stood just three strokes off Lascuña, alongside Fidel Concepcion, Jeffren Lumbo, Dino Villanueva, and Rupert Zaragosa.

Meanwhile, Koreans Lee Song and Ryoto Furuya led the international charge with 68s, joining Russell Bautista, Gabriel Manotoc, Ivan Monsalve, and Nilo Salahog in a tie for ninth.

Sean Ramos birdied two of the last five holes, leading a tightly contested group at 69 that includes contenders Art Arbole, Jay Bayron, Michael Bibat, Aidric Chan, Jhondie Quibol, and Boni Salahog, making the leaderboard intensely competitive.

For real tho, this is your sign to go out!

Because something’s been cooking across Luzon, and it’s not just your usual lineup. New spots are pulling up, fresh drops are landing, and suddenly, your ‘same old mall run’ just got a major upgrade!

So whether you’re chasing your next food fix, a quick refresh, or just seeing where the day takes you, consider this your cue. There’s a whole wave of new finds waiting for you at SM Supermalls-made even better because they’re All For You.

NORTH LUZON

Aquaflask Concept Store

Hydration is key and we’re here to make it a lifestyle upgrade! The new Aquaflask Concept Store soon to open at the Level 2 of SM City Valenzuela is your go-to for sleek, everyday essentials that keep up with wherever the day takes you.

SOUTH LUZON

Malah Malatang

This is where things start to get interesting. Malah Malatang opens at Level 2 of t, letting you build your own bowl packed with rich, spicy, and savory flavors. It’s giving main character meal energy, every single time. Sukiya

The wait is over-Sukiya is opening soon at the Ground Level of SM City Tanza! Known globally for its signature gyudon bowls, it’s the kind of quick, satisfying comfort food that instantly earns a spot in your regular rotation.

Café Bom Bom

Right after a good meal, you already know the next move. Café Bom Bom is also landing soon at the 2nd level of SM City Tanza’s foodcourt, bringing in a fresh café option perfect for slow sips, quick catch-ups, or that ‘one more stop’ energy.

Subway

A classic for a reason. Subway is finally opening soon at Level 2 of SM City San Pablo, ready with customizable subs that are quick, filling, and always easy to come back to. U.S. Polo Assn.

And just when you thought you were done, here comes an ultimate vibe fit check. U.S. Polo Assn. arrives at the Ground Level of SM City Rosario, serving clean, classic pieces that pull your whole look together no matter the day, no matter the occasion.

At this point, you already know how it goes.

You came for one thing, stayed for everything else, and somehow found new favorites along the way! That’s just how it hits when there’s always something new to check out.

So go ahead, keep exploring, make that extra stop, and see what else makes it onto your personal ‘must come back’ list. Discover more fresh finds, firsts, and everyday wins only here at your most-loved mall, SM Supermalls-All For You.

Follow @smsupermalls on social media or visit www.smsupermalls.com for the latest updates and events.

A LAWMAKER from the House of Representatives is questioning the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) approval of the P7.8-billion bridge to connect Boracay Island to the Aklan mainland amid massive opposition to the project.

On May 18, 2026, Partylist Rep. Leila M de Lima (Mamayang Liberal) filed House Resolution 1021 asking the House Committee on Public Works and Highways and other appropriate committees to jointly ‘conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the implementation of the proposed Boracay Bridge Project, for the purpose of determining compliance with the consultation requirements under Sections 2(c), 26, and 27 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991, as well as the need for the conduct of a transparent, independent, and science-based environmental impact assessment addressing the project’s effects on Boracay Island’s ecosystem, biodiversity, coastal integrity, and carrying capacity.’

She also urged said House committees to comprehensively review ‘alternative infrastructure and transport solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability, disaster resilience, public health, and the protection of local livelihoods.’ Rep. Romeo S. Momo Sr. (First District, Surigao del Sur) chairs the House committee on Public Works and Highways.

The 2.54-kilometer bridge system is an unsolicited project by San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC), the infrastructure arm of the Ramon S. Ang-led food and beverage giant San Miguel Corp.

BusinessMirror found that the DPWH issued a notice of award for the public-private partnership project to SMHC on the same day Public Works Secretary Vivencio B. Dizon received a referral letter from Malacañang with an attached document from one of the island stakeholders groups expressing opposition to the bridge project.

De Lima noted that aside from private groups on the island opposed to the project such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay, various multi-sectoral organizations, transport groups, environmental advocates, and indigenous Ati community leaders, local governments are also against it. These include the provincial government of Aklan, the municipal government of Malay, and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Aklan Chapter.

According to the lawmaker, stakeholders on the island have opposed the bridge project since 2019, ‘when national government agencies first introduced the concept as part of Boracay’s post-rehabilitation infrastructure initiatives, with critics consistently emphasizing the need to balance connectivity and development with long-term environmental sustainability and preservation of the island’s unique ecological character.’

She added that Dizon has said the stakeholders’ concerns and consultations should be handled by the project proponent, SMHC. She noted that this ‘[raises] questions regarding the extent of the government’s role in ensuring compliance with consultation requirements and accountability in the implementation of national infrastructure projects.’

De Lima underscored the ‘compelling need’ for major infrastructure projects to comply with existing laws, keep to environmental sustainability measures, protect jobs and indigenous communities, at the same time, respect the ‘autonomy and participation rights’ of local government units. She said Section 27 of the LGC ‘expressly provides that no project or program shall be implemented by government authorities unless the required consultations are conducted and prior approval of the concerned sanggunian is obtained.’

She also acknowledged concerns on the possible loss of jobs of workeres and transport operators ‘dependent on the existing water transport system between Caticlan and Boracay, disruption of established livelihood systems, and adverse effects on community-based economic structures that support thousands of Aklanon families.’

TikTok Shop brought together creators, brand partners, and agencies at the TikTok Shop Creator Awards, recognizing individuals and communities that have shaped the platform’s discovery-driven ecosystem. With the number of active TikTok Shop creators doubling year-on-year, the Creator Awards reflects the increasing participation in content-driven commerce and underscores the platform’s continued focus on supporting the evolution of its creator ecosystem through recognition, capability-building, and partnership development.

‘The TikTok Shop Creator Awards highlights how creator-led commerce has evolved beyond content creation into sustained business-building,’ said Franco Aligaen, Marketing Lead of TikTok Shop Philippines. ‘Creators are at the heart of discovery e-commerce, not only redefining how users experience and engage with brands, but building communities around various interests. Bringing together creators across different categories in one space is a testament to how much the ecosystem has grown and how creators have evolved alongside TikTok Shop in the country.’

Other top honorees included:

Miss Dioza (@allaboutdioza), Super Star Creator of the Year. A former educator turned live-selling pioneer, Miss Dioza was recognized for her early role in building the TikTok Shop creator community and her continued mentorship of emerging creators within the ecosystem.

Lierge Perey (@pereylierge), New Star Creator of the Year. Perey is a beauty creator known for her GRWM tutorials and skincare content, as well as her expansion into entrepreneurship through her brand SPOT Contact Lens.

Dani Barretto (@danibarrettop), Celebrity Creator of the Year. Barretto is a mom, podcast host, wellness entrepreneur, and content creator who has used livestreaming to deepen community engagement while growing her business presence on the platform.

Reinalie Morales (@rerefinds_ph), Live Record-Breaker Award, for her consistent high-performing livestreams in the fashion category, known for accessible and trend-driven selling formats.

Nina Ellaine (@ninaellaine), Mega Campaign Champion, noted for her influence in the beauty space and her role in shaping locally driven beauty narratives on the platform as the Founder and CEO of Colourette Cosmetics and Fresh Formula.

M-Commerce Corporation, MCN Agency of the Year.

MCN was recognized for its consistent performance and contribution to scaling live commerce operations across creators and brand partners within the ecosystem.

Beyond the awards, TikTok Shop highlighted ongoing initiatives designed to support creator development and long-term ecosystem growth, including the Joint Business Planning (JBP) program. The initiative is designed to build more structured collaboration with top-performing creators through shared planning, targeted support, and long-term business alignment with top-performing creators.

This shift toward discovery-led commerce is further supported by TikTok Shop’s OnTrend program, which combines highly searched products, creator-led storytelling, and brand partnerships to drive product discovery at scale. By surfacing emerging trends and popular search behaviors, OnTrend enables brands and creators to respond in real time to audience demand, turning content into a driver of both discovery and conversion.

Creators and partners recognized across multiple categories at the TikTok Shop Creator Awards, celebrating excellence in content creation, livestream selling, and digital entrepreneurship.

THE United Broiler Raisers Association (Ubra) urged the government to exclude poultry products from the minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism to enable the implementation of special safeguard (SSG) duties.

Ubra Chairman Elias Jose Inciong called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to remove poultry products from the list of farm goods covered by the MAV scheme, since duties levied for in-quota and out-quota shipments are now equal.

‘The MAV for chicken should no longer exist based on our commitments to the World Trade Organization [WTO] because in 2005, the previous 50 percent levied on [shipments] outside the MAV and 40 percent in-quota became equal,’ he said in a radio interview on Monday.

Inciong explained that excluding poultry from the MAV mechanism will enable shipments to be imposed with SSG, which is a trade mechanism that a country can levy on imports that fall below a trigger price.

‘Even though the tariff rates on chicken [for in-quota and out-quota] are equal, they can avoid the trade remedy called special safeguard duties that can reach P6 to P10 per kilo,’ he added.

The SSG forms part of the Competitiveness Enhancement Measures Fund (CEMF), aimed at boosting domestic industries injured by increased imports. The fund is composed of 50 percent of revenues collected from fees, charges, and safeguard duties on imported goods.

Industry sources said the CEMF consists mostly of SSG duties collected from coffee and poultry imports.

While Inciong welcomed the government’s move to revise the rules governing the MAV, he maintained that poultry should be excluded from the measure.

‘That’s a positive development if the DA is really changing the rules because it means they see that a few are benefiting [from it] and the system is being manipulated,’ he said. The government recently revised the rules for implementing the MAV mechanism, citing the need for transparency and ‘equitable stakeholder participation in the agricultural sector.’

Among the revisions were the distribution of the quota through a ‘systematic distribution procedure’ that allocates volumes to qualified participants through a raffle-based system.

A midyear redistribution process will be conducted during the first week of June to reallocate surrendered and reverted quotas.

At the recent launch of Philippine Native Trees 404: Rooted and Rising, Federico ‘Piki’ Lopez spoke about forests the way some people speak about inheritance.

Not ownership. Responsibility.

He recalled how his father, Oscar M. Lopez, and the late botanist Leonard Co helped shape his understanding of restoration-not simply as planting trees, but as rebuilding relationships between species, communities and the landscapes that sustain them.

It was not the usual language of Philippine business. There were no slogans about disruption or domination. No chest-thumping about market conquest. The conversation revolved around watersheds, biodiversity, native species and stewardship. The forests were never separate from the business story. Long before sustainability became fashionable corporate vocabulary, the Lopez energy group under Piki Lopez had already begun moving in that direction.

Energy Development Corporation’s BINHI program, launched in 2008, was among the more ambitious private-sector biodiversity initiatives in the country. It was not simply a tree-planting campaign designed for annual reports and ceremonial photographs. BINHI focused on identifying, propagating and reintroducing threatened Philippine native tree species into degraded forests and watersheds.

The philosophy behind it was deceptively simple: reforestation should not mean covering land with whatever grows fastest. It should mean restoring ecological systems using species that actually belong there.

In an age of shortcuts, that is a remarkably patient idea.

Native trees grow slowly. Some take decades to mature. They are not optimized for quarterly results or ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Yet they anchor watersheds, sustain biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems in ways imported monocultures often cannot. A country constantly battered by floods, heat, drought and stronger storms eventually learns that forests are not scenery. They are infrastructure. BINHI treated them that way.

Over the years, the initiative expanded into partnerships with schools, scientists, local governments, environmental groups and indigenous communities. Arboreta and restoration sites were established across the country, helping preserve species that in many areas had nearly vanished from public consciousness altogether.

The environmental thinking did not stop with forests. In 2016, long before decarbonization became standard corporate language, First Gen announced it would no longer invest in new coal-fired power plants. At the time, coal remained the easier commercial path. Much of the region still viewed it as indispensable to economic growth and energy security. Renewable energy was often discussed more as aspiration than inevitability.

The Lopez group moved anyway.

Instead of expanding deeper into coal, it focused on geothermal, hydro, solar, wind and natural gas as a transition fuel. Years later, the decision appears less like branding and more like anticipation. Many of the conversations dominating global business today-energy transition, carbon reduction, climate resilience, regenerative systems-were already shaping the group’s direction years earlier. There is something unusual about business leaders who think in ecological timelines.

Most corporations are trained to think in quarters. Elections think in terms. Markets think in cycles. Forests think in generations.

That may explain why the native trees matter symbolically in understanding Piki Lopez’s leadership style. A person obsessed only with immediate returns rarely spends years discussing biodiversity, watersheds and restoration. Those are concerns that require patience, continuity and a willingness to invest in outcomes one may not fully live to see completed.

The modern economy often rewards speed, extraction and expansion. Ecological thinking asks different questions. What remains after growth? What survives after profit? What kind of systems are being left behind for the next generation to inherit?

The answers are not always found in balance sheets.

Sometimes they are found in forests quietly returning to life.

That is perhaps the strongest thread connecting the environmental initiatives associated with Piki Lopez-from BINHI to decarbonization to watershed restoration. The emphasis was never simply on producing energy. It was on asking what kind of future that energy system was helping create.

In the end, native trees offer their own lesson about stewardship.

You plant them knowing somebody else may someday sit beneath their shade.

SEVENTEEN colleges and universities received P19.25 million in government grants for their innovative projects in the tourism industry.

The grants were awarded on Tuesday morning, May 12, 2026, in a ceremony for the Tourism Start-up Challenge winners hosted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) at a hotel in Quezon City. Top awardees for each island region received P5 million, while 14 regional awardees received P250,000 each.

The national winner for Luzon is Naga College Foundation Inc. whose project ‘GoDare,’ will develop a gamified travel application to promote sustainable tourism, according to DOT briefing documents. Through partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises and local government units, the project aims ‘to support local businesses and provide travelers with unique and engaging experiences.’

Siquijor State College is the national winner for Visayas, which proposed ‘SiquiScan: Smart Destination Management System for Sustainable Tourism in the Island of Siquijor.’ Its project is a QR-based mobile and web platform that ‘provides real-time crowd monitoring, tourism information, emergency assistance, and artificial intelligence-powered assistance for improved destination management.’

The national winner for Mindanao is Ateneo de Davao University for its project ‘Kuyog: Find and Book Local Tour Guides.’ It is a digital travel companion and booking platform that ‘connects tourists with local guides to enhance travel convenience and strengthen community-based tourism.’

In her remarks at the event, DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Development Planning Verna Esmeralda C. Buensuceso said, ‘The proposals we see reflect the needs of the current tourism landscape, and some proposals are focused on digitalization to aid our tourists in making travel easier, seamless, and friction less. And others have prioritized helping local communities develop and barnes their local tourism offerings.’

She recognized the vital role of the youth sector ‘in shaping toruism to address the needs and aspirations of our current generation of travelers, bringing us all a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility to the fore.’

She underscored that, ‘The youth contribute fresh perspectives and flexible approaches that help destinations and businesses remain competitive and responsive to the key market demands on the present day.’

Funds for the grants came from the 40 percent share of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) of the travel taxes collected by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza), the tourism infrastructure and investment promotion arm of the DOT. The 14 regional winners are: Phinma-University of Pangasinan (Ilocos Region), Saint Mary’s University (Cagayan Valley), Aurora State College of University (Central Luzon), Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite (Calabarzon), Occidental Mindoro State College (Mimaropa), Central Philippine University (Western Visayas), Cebu Normal University (Central Visayas), Easter Samar States University-Guiuan Campus (Eastern Visayas), Ateneo de Zamboanga University (Zamboanga Peninsula), Bukidnon State University (Northern Mindanao), Santa Cruz Mission School Inc. (Davao Region), Agusan Del Sur State University (Caraga), University of the Cordilleras (Cordillera Administrative Region), and University of the Philippines-Asian Institute of Tourism (National Capital Region).

The Tourism Start-up Challenge is a joint program of the DOT, Tieza, and CHED, and was launched last September to encourage students enrolled in higher education institutions nationwide to propose tourism-related projects that compete for grants under the Higher Education Development Fund.

According to the DOT, 156 projects were submitted from across the nation, and were then vetted by their respective provinces and regions from January to Febuary this year, before undergoing final evaluations by a board of judges. The board was composed of former Tourism Secretary Dr. Mina Gabor, Dr. Ignacio Cordova of the Our Lady of Fatima University, Chancellor Dr. Benhur Ong of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, former DOT Director for Tourism Development Planning Warner Andrada, and Tourism Attache for Taiwan Dr. Hazel Habito-Javier.

A total of 74 local and international companies from 14 countries have expressed interest in the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) Capacity Expansion, Operations, and Maintenance (CEOM) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project.

The companies participated in a joint market sounding activity organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently at the ADB Headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan described the turnout as a ‘strong indicator’ of the project’s commercial viability, citing the line’s historical ridership of up to 620,000 to 630,000 passengers per day.

‘Itong MRT-3 PPP, it is a very viable and promising project. This is an existing line, and we know that historically, we know ‘yung ridership nito can reach up to 620,000 to 630,000 people a day,’ Batan said. ‘I think that’s the reason, ‘yang viability na ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit sa Market Sounding natin ay napakaraming nag-attend.’

Under the MRT 3 CEOM PPP Project, the winning bidder will take over operations and maintenance of the existing line without service interruption, manage the MRT 3 area in the Common Station, introduce new Dalian trains into commercial service, procure additional rolling stock, and upgrade signaling, depot, power, and communication systems.

Last March, the Department of Finance (DOF) announced that the government secured an P8.2-billion funding from Japan to rehabilitate the MRT-3 to bring back the system’s original condition and improve commuter services.

A statement issued by the DOF indicated that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing the third tranche loan through a financing agreement.

The project will enhance train performance, reduce disruptions and prepare the railway for future expansion through major repairs and upgrades, the DOF said in a statement. All parts of the system will be repaired, renewed or upgraded, including tracks, signaling, power supply, communications and station equipment, it added.