by: John Anthony Yumul
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) Railways sector has been taking action to the mass transport system. Through the Duterte administration’s Build Build Build (BBB) Program, it plans to increase the railway network from 77 to 1,900 km by 2022. The problem facing the project is the Philippines limited resources and experience in building and maintaining railways in which most of the labor comes from foreign contractors. To address the current issue, the BBB program and the DOTr will be partnering with Technical Learning Institutions (universities, colleges, and technical-vocational schools) to produce qualified professionals in railway management and engineering.
The main goal of the program is to establish an association composed of the participating Engineering Universities and Colleges through their representatives to the DOTr. It was suggested that Dr. Manuel M. Muhi, Dean of the College of Engineering in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) will lead the group since PUP has an establish railway program and offers BS Railway Engineering.
Under the general plan of action of the DOTr, they will be providing up to date learning materials and facilitate workshops and seminars to be attended by representative of the TLIs. Qualified employees will be allowed to teach (part-time) and as well to give talks and seminars. The DOTr and the partner Universities will also promote amongst students, careers in the railway industry and provide on the job (OJT) trainings with cooperation of the DOTr.
Currently the Philippines has approximately 80 kilometers of operational railway. The LRT 1 project started in 1981 and was completed in 1984, while, the LRT 2 started in 1997 and was completed in 2004. In 1960, the MRT 3 started and after being privatized and completed, became operational in 2000. Yet the railway network of the Philippines has been in rapid decline and is much to the dismay of the Filipino commuters.
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Engineering is one of the partner Universities. DOTr is currently having a lecture series for faculty professors of these partnered colleges which will serve as an introduction to the railway industry.
The plans of DOTr and partnered Universities is still on process and the agreed association is yet to be established. Further details are to be followed.
Image source: http://dotr.gov.ph
Comments