MRT-3 resumes normal ops, offers free rides after technical issue

MANILA, Philippines—The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) is offering free rides to passengers Tuesday after its train stations resumed normal operations following a technical issue between the interstations of Santolan and Ortigas southbound.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said in a Facebook advisory that normal operation—with a maximum operating speed of 60 kilometers along the line—at the MRT-3 stations has resumed as of 8 a.m. this Tuesday.

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“We will be offering free rides for the whole day. We sincerely apologize again for the inconvenience,” the agency said in the post.

Following the technical glitch, acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez told the INQUIRER that he also instructed Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chair Vigor Mendoza to ask private operators of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) Busway to deploy additional buses to cater to more passengers. 

When asked the number of additional buses to be deployed at the Edsa Busway, Lopez said, “No specific number given yet. But instructed Chairman Vigor to ask the consortium of Edsa busway to deploy more buses.”

The DOTr said in an earlier announcement that a technical issue was discovered between the interstations of Santolan and Ortigas (southbound) at 5:56 a.m. this Tuesday.

“Our maintenance teams are immediately on-site, performing necessary safety checks and actively working to restore full service efficiency as quickly and safely as possible,” the DOTr said.

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With this, the agency implemented provisional service, with five trains running from the Shaw Boulevard Station to Taft Avenue Station, and vice versa, from 6:30 a.m. until its normal operation at 8 a.m. /das/abc