Manila, PHILIPPINES – On January 30, 2024, Mr. Jose Lorenzo D. Afable, Deputy Director of our BIM/CIM Office, took the stage as an invited presenter at the DX Seminar held in Manila, Philippines.
[Related Link] Facebook of Department of Transportation – Railway Training Center: https://www.facebook.com/DOTrPRI

Speech by Mr. Afable

Stakeholders group photo:
Center: Mr. Bautista / Minister, DOTr
Center Right: Ms. Lontoc / Vice Minister, DOTr
Right: Mr. Keisuke Fukui / Deputy Director, JICA Philippines Office
Left: Mr. Hagiwara / General Manager, Railway Planning Dept.,
OC Global
Second from left: Mr. Afable / OC Global

The seminar, organized by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) of the Philippines, attracted approximately 150 participants. The event began with an opening address by Minister Bautista, and speeches were delivered by Mr. Keisuke Fukui, Deputy Director of the JICA Philippines Office, and others.
Mr. Afable is involved in the “Philippine Railway Training Center Establishment and Operational Capability Enhancement Support Project” commissioned by JICA, serving as the person in charge of the Digital Transformation (DX) field. He was invited as a presenter based on the recommendation of the DOTr. During his presentation, Mr. Afable discussed the utilization of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and City (Civil) Information Modeling (BIM/CIM) technology to address challenges and reduce costs in railway projects.
Throughout the seminar, three Japanese companies (CAD CENTER CORPORATION, Meiden System Solutions Corporation, and Tsumiki Seisaku Co., Ltd.) collaborated to set up a VR experience booth. They demonstrated the practical application of DX technology in developing training methods by using virtual reality. The booth allowed attendees to experience actual VR technology. The Philippine Railways Institute (PRI), currently under development, plans to train its approximately 15,000 railway operation and maintenance personnel, including those involved in the Manila Subway and the North-South Commuter Line, utilizing DX technologies in their training programs.

VR (Virtual Reality) booth of OC Global

Minister Bautista experiencing VR

In response to the expansion of our business in the railway sector in the Philippines, we established our “Philippine Railway Project Office” in June 2019. Furthermore, in April 2020, to strengthen consulting services related to the operation and maintenance of urban railways, we established our “O&M Office.” Simultaneously, with the aim of enhancing the development and utilization of BIM/CIM technology, we established our “BIM/CIM Office,” specifically focusing on promoting the use of BIM/CIM technology in our Philippine railway projects. We will continue to promote the development of Philippine railway infrastructure projects and support the safe, secure, and efficient operation of urban railway systems in the country through talent development and capability enhancements.

OC Global supports the improvement of infrastructure technology and economic growth in the respective country by collaborating with stakeholders to foster railway talent development.