WILL THE MRT FINALLY GET REHABILITATED?

CNN Philippines reported that the private owners of the MRT system  are in talks with the camp of Presumptive President Duterte regarding a much needed  MRT rehabilitation program.

One question that came immediately to my mind was why such rehabilitation initiative was not  implemented during President  Aquino's term.  There must be reasons, which at this point would be not as important  as the measures to be taken to improve the much maligned MRT system.

Halfway through my viewing the CNN Philippines news clip, I saw a familiar face: Mr. Robert Sobrepena.

He is not only the current  Chairman of MRT Holdings, Inc. 

Mr. Sobrepena was  also behind the College Assurance Plan that left many families holding unredeemable educational plans. 

And  in his capacity as Chairman of Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo)-- he was ordered arrested for "estafa" in 2014 for damages worth Ps 1.5 billion for his company's unpaid lease to the state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority from 1998 to 2000.

From Rappler (16June 2014):

"Under the terms of a 1996 lease agreement, the company was supposed to annual rent amounting to P425 million or 5% of gross revenues for the first 5 years of the lease, whichever was higher. This meant that for 1998, 1999, and 2000, the government was supposed to receive P1.275 billion in rental payments.

In 1998, Sobrepeña claimed CJHDevCo’s operations were adversely affected, resulting in losses of P1.445 billion, which was increasing daily. As a result, the agreement was first restructured in 2000.

CJHDevCo, however, concealed the fact that it declared cash dividends totalling P928 million in the years 1998, 1999, and 2000."

Just the same, here's hoping that this time-- under the term of Mayor Duterte, Mr. Sobrepena and his team at MRT Holdings, Inc. will be able to implement their planned MRT rehabilitation program.