Gov’t, firm scramble to help 200,000 passengers get rides daily during LRT 2 suspension

MANILA, Philippines—The shutdown of Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT 2), which at least 200,000 people ride daily, prompted the government and a private company to step in with measures to ease the suffering of commuters relying on the train line.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) offered four buses to give free rides to passengers from the LRT 2 station in Santolan to the one in Cubao from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The MMDA is coordinating with other agencies—Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, Philippine Coast Guard and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

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The LTFRB has given special permits good for six months to five buses and five jeepneys that would ply the Santolan-Cubao route for LRT 2 passengers.

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Ten point-to-point public utility vehicles were also made available from Santolan to Legarda and back to ferry LRT 2 passengers, the LRTA said.

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The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) will also help manage traffic and give help to commuters in Masinag, Emerald, Santolan, Cubao and Legarda LRT 2 stations from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the coming nine months.

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LRT 2 operations ground to a halt on Thursday, Oct. 3, after a fire caused by a power device that tripped between the Santolan and Katipunan stations. Operations remained suspended on Monday, Oct. 7.

READ: LRT-2 suspends operations as power rectifier trips, catches fire

READ: No partial LRT 2 trips from Cubao to Recto on Oct. 7

The Light Rail Transit Authority (LTRA) sees partial operations resuming—from Cubao to Recto stations—by Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Earlier, LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera said three LRT-2 stations — Santolan, Katipunan, and Cubao Anonas — will remain closed for up to nine months during repairs on the train line.

The Cubao station, however, may be opened earlier. No date has been set, though.

Motorcyle taxi-hailing firm Angkas is offering free rides to passengers relying on LRT 2.

George Royeca, head of Angkas regulatory and public affairs office, said on Monday the company was working on the details of the offer. Angkas, he said, was also working with motorcyclists around LRT 2.

In a statement shared by the DOTr, Royeca said Angkas was working on a “long term plan” to deploy riders around the closed LRT 2 stations. /TSB