MANILA, Philippines – All hope is not lost for the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) if officials are to be believed.

At least 18 projects have been lined up for much-needed upgrades in the line.

Delays in buying new parts, purchasing additional train cars, and much-needed replacements have resulted in the MRT3 commuters experience daily. (READ: Escudero grills DOTC: Why aren’t you suing MRTC?)

During a hearing Monday, September 1, MRT3 officials said the ideal waiting time for passengers should be around 10 minutes maximum. Currently passengers wait between 30-45 minutes in line (or sometimes even longer) to board the train that traverses much of the length of EDSA.

Officials say the 10-minute wait time can only be achieved once all of the proposed upgrades are completed by late 2016.

These are the projects in store:

In an interview on the sidelines of the hearing, Transportation Secretary Jun Abaya said they would prioritize rail replacement, train overhauls, and the acquisition of traction motors, among others. (READ: Grace Poe rides MRT3, says it’s ‘not a hopeless situation’)

“Halos mabubuo namin ang request ni Administrator Chaneco dahil through an errata, pwede pang baguhin ng konti ang budget natin para maisalpak ang lahat ng kailangan sa 2015 budget,” added Abaya.

(We’ll be able to fulfil all of MRT3 OIC Honorario Chaneco’s requests because through an errata of the budget, we can change it a little just so we can include everything in the 2015 budget.)

Abaya said the department aims to fund and procure all projects between 2014 and 2015 through supplementary budgets and an errata to the department’s existing budget.

The Department of Transportation and Communications is set to present before congress its proposed 2015 budget on Tuesday, September 2. 

The rail replacement – much needed since the MRT3’s supply is running short – was supposedly scheduled for completion by 2015, while the general train overhauling at a cost of P1.16 billion is scheduled between 2015 and 2016.

Traction motors – supposedly one of the major causes of train interruptions – are scheduled to be replaced by 2016.

The acquisition of 48 new train cars, Abaya said, would future-proof the train up until the “early 2020s”; the train line already hit its current designed capacity back in 2003. Currently, the MRT3 is used by over 600,000 passengers daily.

That figure is expected to swell to 800,000 in the next 5 years, and double at 1.2 million come 2025. – Rappler.com