The MRT-3 Has About 13 Stations: North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, GMA Kamuning, Araneta-Cubao, Santolan (Also Known As Santolan-Annapolis), Ortigas, Shaw Boulevard, Boni, Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala, Magallanes, And Taft Avenue. History:
For years now, rapid growth of commuters and vehicles population have plagued Metro Manila, the center of Philippine socio-economic and political activity. Heavy traffic, pollution and all the attendant undesired results are problems that Metro Manila have to contend with daily.

A case in point is on EDSA, a 24-kilometer stretch from MacArthur Highway at Caloocan City in the north of Metro Manila to Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, south of Metro Manila.Considered one of the world's highest volume thoroughfares, EDSA is a semi-circular ring road link with several radial roads leading to the metropolis' social, economical and political centers. The avenue cuts across the cities of Caloocan, Quezon, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay and bounds Pasig City and the town of San Juan.

EDSA's importance to the lives of more than eight million people - or 12 percent of the country's 68 million citizens who live in Metro Manila cannot be underestimated. Added to the metropolis' growing population are the transients and migrants who come to live in Metro Manila in search of opportunities. Every birth, transient or migrant, is a potential commuter who will likely join more than the 2.8 million people already using EDSA.

At the same time, every birth, and transient or migrant, is also a potential car owner likely to occupy 4.6 meters by 2.7 meters, the average car area of street space. The fast pedestrian and vehicle population growth has become a major headache for metropolitan planners who concede that Metro Manila's road, which comprise less than 10 percent of the country's network, cannot adequately accommodate pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Streets in the metropolis expand by less than two percent annually.

Statistics add that traffic has caused the loss of over P15 billion yearly due to lost man-hours, repairs and maintenance and lost fuel. Added to these are unquantifiable discomforts to commuters and vehicle owners undergo when they travel through major streets.

At worse, heavy traffic is taking its toll on the nation's social and economic build-up. Traffic in Metro Manila is expected to nearly resemble nerve-wracking conditions in Bangkok, Thailand and in other parts of the world. Experts agree that a long term solution, beyond just keeping vehicles off the streets, is imperative. One of the solutions that the government sponsored was the establishment of the EDSA MRT3 System. Mission: To provide an adequate, regular and faster mode of transport service along EDSA by operating a safe, efficient and reliable light rail transit system designed to meet the standards of service, quality and customer satisfaction; create opportunities for community development; attain fiscal independence and economic growth; in order to contribute to national stability and prosperity. Vision:

A progressive rail transport system anchored on: Service Pledge: Background:

The Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT3) is the cornerstone of the Department of Transportation & Communication's integrated strategy to alleviate the chronic traffic congestion experience along the EDSA corridor. The Metro Rail system is designed to carry in excess of 23,000 passengers per hour per direction, initially, and is expandable to accommodate 48,000 passengers per hour, per direction.

The DOTC awarded a contract to Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC) to build, lease and transfer the Metro Rail Transit System, under the BOT laws of the Republic of the Philippines. The scheme required the DOTC to hold the franchise and run the system particularly the operation and the collection of fares. The MRTC built the system, maintain the same as to guarantee the availability of the trains at specified headway at specified hours, as well as to procure the required spare parts, the DOTC pays MRTC monthly fees for a certain number of years.

MRTC financed the construction of the EDSA MRT3, a 16.9-kilometer modern rail system to stretch along EDSA's 10.5-meter median from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue, Pasay City.

MRTC infused US$ 190 million (P4.49 billion) in equity into the project.

MRTC obtained financial closing, with the help of international financial consultant JP Morgan, for loans worth US$ 465 million P 12.32 billion) from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, and Japan Export-Import Bank (JEXIM); the Postal Bank of the Czech Republic and Czech Export Credit Agency; and a group of local banks on October 17, 1997.

The loans are backed by the government through a sovereign undertaking, as agreed with the Department of Finance, to cushion risks to investors and creditors. Construction:

MRTC signed on September 16, 1997 an amended turnkey contract with Sumitomo Corporation / Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc., which sub-contracted EEI Corporation for civil works, and another contract with rail vehicle supplier CKD Dopravni System.

The MRTC retained the services of ICF Kaiser Engineers and Constructors, Inc. to provide program management and technical oversight of the services for the design, construction management and commissioning of the MRT3 rail system.

MRTC was responsible for the design, construction of the EDSA rail transit system. This included the supply of the light rail vehicles, track, signaling, communications, power distribution, and the furnishing of other necessary equipment, facilities, and spare parts. MRTC was also responsible for constructing the necessary civil works for the system including fixed guide-ways, passengers stations, power substations, LRV storage depot and maintenance facilities, and other facilities required to make the light rail transit system operational.

During the construction phase, DOTC exercised the technical supervision of the project activities covered by the contract between DOTC and MRTC, and inspected and checked whether the project was constructed in accordance with the approved plans, specifications, standards and costs.

The Department employed the services of SYSTRA, a French consultancy firm, with technical competence, experience and track record in the construction and operation of railway systems.

To enumerate, the following are SYSTRA's role during the EDSA MRT3 Project Implementation;

• Design supervision
• Interfaces coordination with other agencies
• Construction & systems installation supervision
• Traffic management & relocation of utilities implementation
• Transportation system commissioning
• Preparation of operation & training of operating personnel
• Issuance of special studies at DOTC's request (fare study, Sky City building deep excavation reinforcement)
• Assist DOTC during actual operation
• Preparation of draft of letter for the DOTC Project Director's signature
• Preparation & issuance of monthly Project Reports to DOTC including identification of performed activities, schedule, main problems & recommendation
• Participation in claims meeting
• Implementation of Project Control and master filing of all project documents (drawings, calculation sheets, reports, minutes, faxes & internal procedures)
• Assist the DOTC to operate the EDSA MRT System during the first five years of its operation. Trains: (Last)
  The rail project has a fleet of 73 Czech-made modern and air-conditioned rail cars, of which up to 60, in three-car trains, will be operating daily during hours. The trains were built by CKD Doprovni System of Prague, the Czech Republic. The rail vehicles are articulated, eight-axle, three-section cars, designed for single-ended operations.
  
  Each rail car is provided with five double leaf, electronically-operated, plug-sliding doors. The three center doors have an open width of 1,255 millimeters (mm.) while the two end doors, 861 mm. Each train can seat 80 passengers and carry, under crush loading conditions, 394 commuters at any one time. The MRT3 trains can carry 23,000 passengers per hour per direction daily.
  
  The rail coaches are also air and noise pollution-free and run on electricity from MERALCO. 34.5 kilovolts AC Power is provided at the eight traction electrification substations at North Avenue, Kamuning, Santolan Road, Ortigas Avenue, Guadalupe, Ayala Avenue, Magallanes Avenue and Taft Avenue.
  
  The trains run at a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour, enough to cover the rail system's tip in about 30 minutes, including short dwell times of about 25 to 35 seconds in each of the system's 13 stations. They run over standard rail tracks.
  
  Aside from the two revenue tracks, a pocket track is located at the Shaw Blvd. Station for the temporary storage of disabled cars, for temporary storage of cars cut from the train consist during non-peak hours, or for mid-point train turn-backs where scheduling needs or passengers load dictates.
  
• To provide fast and safe transportation to the public
• To provide efficient, courteous and respectful service to the riding public
• To promote and embody the development, national stability, and aspirations of the Philippine Government
• To serve our Senior Citizen and differently-abled persons
• Service Excellence
• Community Development
• Economic Stability.