‘Automated Guideway Transit Technology has long way to go’

MANILA, Philippines - The Automated Guideway Transit Technology being developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has a long way to go before it can be considered for adoption in the country, according to a Department of Transportation (DOTr) official.

Deo Leo Manalo, operations director of the Metro Rail Transit Corp., said that the DOST has to secure safety and standard certificates before the automated transit can move for recognition by the DOTr.

“As it is now, no. We need the safety certifications and the standards,” Manalo said last Wednesday during the open forum at the Roundtable Discussion on Mass Transportation Program 1.0 AGT organized by the DOST-Metals Industry Research & Development Center at the Platinum Building in the MIRDC compound in Bicutan, Taguig City.

“We cannot take responsibility for using it for public use,” Manalo added.

Manalo pointed out that aside from the safety aspects, the DOST should also make sure that the integration of any AGT lines they will put up with existing public transport systems should also be addressed so that the technology can get permits with the DOTr.

“The functionality, safety and integration are important. These should all be addressed before we can put it in service,” Manalo said.

However, he admitted that there was huge potential for the AGT once it proves its safety and reliability as a mode of public transport.

“There are a lot of applications. It can be a people mover in the airport; we can use it as an underground line to connect NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) 1 and NAIA 3,” Manalo pointed out. “It can be a feeder line for our rail lines (MRT, Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2).”

Herve Laumond, Systra Philippines vice chairman, urged the DOST to pursue research on the system.

Systra Philippines has conducted a feasibility study on the technology for the National Economic and Development Authority.

“There is currently a growing demand for this kind of product,” Laumond said, citing the building of new satellite cities in Metro Manila and other urban centers in the country such as Cebu and Davao that will need efficient public transport systems.

“It’s a pity... If it is not developed quite quickly, you may lose to other products, foreign ones that are much more expensive and will drain your foreign currency reserves,” Laumond said.

“You might miss out on an opportunity to build a railway technology that can even be exported to the world,” he said.

Engineer Robert Dizon, executive director of the MIRDC which is developing the technology, gave assurance that the DOST is still pursuing the necessary R&D.

Dizon said that to fast-track the effort, they were now studying an option to build a bigger line of the AGT, aside from the current two lines at the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the one inside the MIRDC compound in Bicutan.

“We made a proposal to the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) for a three-kilometer test track in Subic (freeport) except that it did not pass,” Dizon said.

Dizon said all that the tests primarily need is a bigger, or longer test track.

The UP Diliman line is 500 meters long, and the one inside the MIRDC compound 370 meters.

“We have done so much but we still need to do so much more,” Dizon said.