Senior official designated as MRT-3 OIC

Chief of engineering division is MRT3 OIC-director for operations

(Eagle News) — A senior official of the Department of Transportation has assumed the post of officer-in-charge and general manager of the Metro Rail Transit-3, the DOTr announced.

According to the agency, Ofelia D. Astrera  will also serve in her concurrent capacity as the chief of the rail line’s Support Division (Technical Training)/Computer Section/AFCS Office.

Meanwhile, Oscar B. Bongon has assumed the role of OIC-Director for Operations of the rail line, while serving in his concurrent capacity as the Chief of the Engineering Division, the DOTr said.

According to the department, both Astrera and Bongon were part of the core Project Management Office (PMO) of then Department of Transportation and Communications MRT-3 (DOTC MRT-3) in 1997, which saw the coming to fruition of the EDSA MRT-3 project.

Astrera, the DOTr said, handled the PMO’s quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), which meant ensuring the adherence of all of the project’s construction work to agreed standards and specifications.

She became the chief of the Support Division (Technical Training)/Computer Section and AFCS Office of the MRT-3 in 2000.

Bongon, meanwhile, the DOTr said, served in the power supply and overhead and catenary system (OCS) section of the PMO, before going on to head the Maintenance Supervisory, Safety and Security division of the MRT-3 in 2000s.

He also served as the Chief of the Transport Division from 2004 to 2010; Station Division from 2010 to 2016; and Engineering Division from 2017 to date, the DOTr said.

According to the department, both Bongon and Astrera will serve in their officer-in-charge capacity until July 31, or “until a replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first.”