FILE PHOTO. Passengers show their vaccination cards upon entering the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 at Edsa-North Avenue Station to avail of a free ride starting Tuesday to August 20 2021, as the NCR reverts back to ECQ due to the rise of Delta variant COVID-19 cases. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Around 45.6 million commuters rode the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) last year, posting an average daily ridership of 136,935.
“The Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) served a total of 45,675,884 commuters in 2021, recording an average daily ridership of 136,935 for that year,” the management said in a statement Monday.
The following are the monthly ridership in the rail line:
January – 4.1 million commuters
February – 4.1 million commuters
March – 3.9 million commuters
April – 2.2 million commuters
May – 3.5 million commuters
June – 3.7 million commuters
July – 4.2 million commuters
August – 2.9 million commuters
September – 3.3 million commuters
October – 3.9 million commuters
November – 4.4 million commuters
December – 5.5 million commuters
The MRT-3 management noted that the ridership decreased in April due to the modified enhanced community quarantine imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A drop in monthly ridership was recorded in April at 2.2 million as Metro Manila was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ),” the management said.
“The increase in ridership continued in June and July, at 3.7 million and 4.2 million, respectively, as Metro Manila eased to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with restrictions beginning June 16 and to GCQ status on July 15,” it added, noting that it declined in August due to the ECQ.
To recall, MRT-3 increased its train capacity from 30 percent— or 372 passengers in a train set—to 70 percent—or 827 passengers in a train set—starting November 4.
“Hindi po nawala ang MRT-3 sa buong taon ng 2021 upang magbigay-serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan sa kabila ng pandemya,” MRT-3 officer in charge General Manager Assistant Secretary Eymard Eje said.
(MRT-3 provided service to our fellow citizens the whole year round.)
“The continued patronage of our riding public is a testament to how MRT-3 has really transformed from a defective to a reliable, fast, and efficient public transportation that it is now,” he added.
For his part, MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael Capati noted the reduced travel time between North Avenue and Taft Stations from one hour and 15 minutes to 50 minutes.
“Sa taong 2021, naramdaman ng mga pasahero ang mga pagbabagong hatid ng rehabilitasyon ng MRT-3, kung saan naibaba natin ang travel time, at naitaas din ang bilang ng mga napapatakbong tren sa mainline, mula 10-15 noon tungong 17-22 ngayon,” he said.
(In 2021, commuters felt the rehabilitation of MRT-3, wherein travel time lowered and the number of trains in the mainline increased from 10 to 15 to 17 to 22.)
“All the while na-maintain natin yung strict compliance sa COVID-19 health and safety protocols para sa kaligtasan ng mga pasahero,” added Capati.
(All the while maintaining strict compliance to COVID-19 health and safety protocols for the safety of passengers.)