MANILA — The Philippine Department of Transportation (DoTr) has offered to bidders a contract to improve pedestrian access to the Ortigas station of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), as the rehabilitation of the Metro Manila rail line continues.

In a bid notice dated Oct. 28, the DoTr said the contract price is P57.53 million, with a bid submission deadline of Nov. 24. Award of the contract would follow the evaluation of bids received by that date.

The project covers upgrades to the walkability of pedestrian approaches to the station as well as the construction of a shared bike lane, addressing the segments of a rail commute that take place on foot or by bicycle before passengers reach the platform and after they leave it.

MRT-3 operates along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila's main circumferential thoroughfare, connecting North Avenue in Quezon City with Taft Avenue in Pasay City. The Ortigas station serves the Ortigas Central Business District, which spans the boundary of Mandaluyong and Pasig and is one of the metropolitan area's largest office and commercial hubs.

The station-access works fall under the broader rehabilitation program for MRT-3, which began in 2019 with support from Japanese official development assistance and is intended to restore the line's original design speed, capacity, and reliability. The access works complement that effort by targeting the points at which passengers enter and exit the system.

The contract offering was reported by BusinessWorld. — Ashley Erika O. Jose