MANILA, Philippines —Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has directed MRT-3 maintenance provider Sumitomo Corp. to expedite the testing and compatibility checks of unused Dalian light rail vehicles (LRVs), emphasizing their potential to boost passenger capacity and ease commuter congestion along the railway line.

“The Dalian trains can actually run on MRT-3 tracks, but this needs to be cleared by the current maintenance operator of the MRT-3, which is Sumitomo Corp. of Japan,” Dizon said Thursday.

He said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) was acting in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to find solutions to alleviate the daily burden of Filipino commuters while maintaining safety standards.

Before the 48 Dalian LRVs can be used in daily operations, Dizon said they must first undergo safety checks and fulfill all technical requirements for deployment.

“I’ve spoken to them about this several times already and I gave them a deadline to give me a report and a straight answer: what do we need to make these trains run?” Dizon added.

He also expressed confidence in Sumitomo’s proven safety record, saying he expects the Japanese company to thoroughly evaluate the trains’ compatibility with the MRT-3 system.

“Sumitomo Corp. will meticulously go through their processes and make sure that these trains, if usable, will be used safely for the benefit of our commuters,” Dizon said.