<\/p>\n
SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang (seated, right) and KORAIL President and CEO Han Moon Hee seal their deal at the San Miguel Corp. head office in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Standing from left are: South Korea Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa, Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Vice Minister Baek Won Kug, DOTr Senior Undersecretary Giovanni Lopez, and DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n SMC MRT-7 Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation\u2019s (SMC) infrastructure unit, has signed an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Services Agreement with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), South Korea\u2019s national railway operator, to support the next phase of MRT-7 as it moves closer to full operations.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Under the agreement, KORAIL will continue its advisory role \u2014 helping guide the setup of MRT-7\u2019s core operational systems, safety protocols, and maintenance programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n SMC MRT-7 Corp. holds the concession to build, operate, and maintain the MRT-7, which links Metro Manila to Bulacan via Commonwealth Avenue.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The signing ceremony was attended by SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang, KORAIL President and CEO Han Moon Hee, Vice Minister Baek Won Kug of Korea\u2019s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and His Excellency Lee Sang-hwa, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Department of Transportation was represented by Undersecretaries Giovanni Lopez, Timothy John Batan, and Jonathan Ronulo.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n With its extensive experience in running large-scale rail networks, KORAIL will provide technical expertise to ensure a smooth transition from construction to daily operations.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The engagement starts in July 2025, with the first six to 12 months focused on completing pre-operational requirements and stabilizing key systems.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Over the long term, KORAIL will continue to provide technical support for operations and maintenance to help maintain continuity, support knowledge transfer, and apply global best practices throughout the system.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis is a critical step as we move closer to delivering MRT-7 to the public,\u201d said Ang.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe have faced delays \u2014 mostly due to right-of-way issues \u2014 but we have stayed focused. With all trains expected to be running and tested by the end of this year, and full operations targeted for 2026, this partnership with KORAIL brings us closer to our goal,\u201d he added.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n KORAIL operates South Korea\u2019s extensive rail network, including the high-speed KTX system, metropolitan commuter lines, and intercity services. It is recognized globally for its strong track record in safety, technology integration, infrastructure management, and workforce development.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ang acknowledged the DOTr\u2019s active, hands-on role in moving the project forward, led by Secretary Vince Dizon. He credited the department\u2019s leadership and coordination across agencies as instrumental in keeping stakeholders aligned and maintaining steady progress.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis agreement brings together strong public and private sector efforts. At San Miguel, we remain committed to building projects that not only improve everyday life for Filipinos, but also contribute to sustainable growth for our economy,\u201d Ang added.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For the government\u2019s part, Dizon reiterated President Marcos\u2019 instruction to ease the burden of the commuting public by having reliable mass transport systems such as railways.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe prioritize passengers, we focus on the plight of the commuters. We are ensuring that an infrastructure or a transport project such as a railway system is not only safe and efficient but will also provide comfort to commuters and lessen their travel time,\u201d Dizon said in remarks read by Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n KORAIL officials described their renewed partnership with SMC as a \u201clandmark of cooperation and mutual prosperity, enabling the Philippines\u2019 premiere corporation to excel in the new arena of rail.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI am confident that the fusion of KORAIL\u2019s technical expertise with San Miguel\u2019s managerial prowess will make MRT-7 the finest rail in the Philippines,\u201d said KORAIL\u2019s Han.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI am certain that the success of MRT-7 will become a role model for Philippine railway projects and dramatically improve mobility and quality of life for the Filipino people,\u201d he added.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The MRT-7 project is a 22-kilometer elevated railway that will connect North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, with 14 stations.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once operational, it is expected to significantly cut travel time, decongest major road corridors, and improve mobility across Metro Manila and nearby provinces.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" SMC Chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang (seated, right) and KORAIL President and CEO Han Moon Hee seal their deal at the San Miguel Corp.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13313"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13313"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13315,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13313\/revisions\/13315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}