MANILA - The third-party audit of the entire MRT-3 system, including the 48 train cars made in China, has been completed but the trains still won't be deployed just yet, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Wednesday.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the results of the audit, conducted by TUV Rheinland, will have to be discussed with representatives of China's Dalian Corp.

The DOTr said the safety audit, which started on January 3 this year, assessed the extent of rehabilitation work that needs to be done on the MRT-3.

It also looked at whether the new Dalian coaches are safe and if they followed the DOTr's terms of reference.

“Is the evaluation showing that the submission is complete and in accordance to the TOR? Answer is no. Is the non-compliance substantive and prejudicial to safety and comfort of passengers? That we will find out during the discussion with Dalian,” said Tugade.

The Dalian trains have been left unused despite the frequent breakdowns of the MRT amid concerns over their safety.

A Senate inquiry claimed that only 29 of the 48 trains had a signaling system installed and that the trains were heavier than what was specified in the original contract.

A railway consultant, however, testified before the senate in February that the Dalian trains were within the allowable weight limit set by the DOTr itself.

• China-made trains within 'allowable' weight for MRT: consultant

A test conducted in April also showed that the trains were within the weight limit, according to Dalian.

• Dalian manufacturer says trains passed initial weigh-load

Meanwhile, Japanese company Sumitomo is expected to resume its role as the maintenance provider of MRT-3 "in the next couple of months," Tugade said.

A loan agreement is planned to be signed this month, to be immediately followed by the mobilization of Sumitomo as maintenance provider of the MRT-3, the DOTr said.