The Philippine Department of Transportation and Communications and the PPP Center hired on May 8 the Netherlands-based Rebel Group to prepare a feasibility study for the Manila-Makati-Pasay-Parañaque Mass Transit System.

The project, which would also connect the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and Light Rail Transit system in Metro Manila, could be auctioned off to private sector players by the fourth quarter or early January 2014.

If feasible, the proposal and final structure would need to be approved by Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya, after which it would be presented to the National Economic and Development Authority.

The proposed alignment starts in the C5-32nd roadway in Taguig City and will pass through the Makati City central building district, the LRT1 Buendia station going to the CCP Complex and Mall of Asia and end at Edsa corner Ayala Ave.

The previous week, the DOTC also tapped Canada's CPCS Transcom Ltd. to prepare the feasibility study for the proposed PNR Integrated Luzon Railway project, which was meant to rehabilitate and expand Luzon's train system.

Since the launch in November 2010 of the PPP program, a total of three projects worth roughly P28 billion (US$678 million) have already been awarded:

• Daang Hari-SLEx link road concession 
• NAIA Expressway PPP Project 
• PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP)

Source: RebelGroup