24 July 2012, Madrid – The Philippine delegation to the Manila Metro Line 1 Extension, Maintenance, and Operation Project Investor´s Briefing composed of composed of DOF Undersecretary John Philip Sevilla, DOTC Assistant Secretary Jaime Raphael Feliciano, PPP Executive Director Cosette Canilao, DBP Manager for Banking Investment Nicolas Chua and IFC Counsel Adviser Lulu Baclagon with Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas, Deputy Chief of Mission Celia Anna M. Feria and Commercial Attaché Karen Althea P. Antonio visited the Renfe Operation Center in Madrid on 24 July 2012.
The delegation was received by Mr. José Eladio Tobio Lumbreras – International Project Management Director, and Mr. Javier Lafuente López – Project Technical Manager Eastern Europe.
Renfe representatives guided the Philippine delegation to a walking tour of the Atocha station railway hub – visiting the terminals and platforms of the high speed and suburban trains. Renfe briefed the PH group on the evolution of the high speed train network in Spain as well as on the different models of high speed trains and their respective velocities and destinations.
Moreover, the Philippine delegation had the honor to visit the Cercanías (suburban) network customer service and RENFE operation center in Atocha station. Furthermore, the delegation travelled by train from Atocha station to Sol station, an intermodal station where metro and commuter trains converge. This is the latest station of the suburban train network.