Palace to MRT crowd: Patience, more patience

Senator Grace Poe rides the MRT Friday and takes note of the riders’ daily travails ahead of the Senate inquiry this week into the state of the public transport system. PHOTO from Office of Sen. Grace Poe

MANILA, Philippines – Malacanang has apologized again for the difficulties encountered by riders of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), from the long rush-hour queues to the recurring disruptions, amid clamors from netizens for President Aquino and other ranking officials to take the elevated rail line on Edsa and experience these hardships themselves.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte on Saturday maintained that even without taking this “challenge,” government officials were aware of the problems hounding the 15-year-old train system, which is set for upgrades next year with the arrival of more trains from China.

“That is why we are apologizing to our fellow Filipinos who have to take the MRT to get to their places of work. And we are asking for their patience while we are trying to improve the service of the MRT, especially now that we are in the process of procuring new coaches to increase its carrying capacity,” Valte said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

A growing number of social media users have been daring government officials to take the MRT during rush hours without any security personnel and media coverage to make them feel like VIPs.

One official who rode the train last week, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, drew more flak than praise since he rode in the coach reserved for women, the elderly and persons with disabilities. He was also seen with a bodyguard holding an umbrella for him.

In contrast, Senator Grace Poe stood in line and rode the MRT without bodyguards and news crews in tow. Her media relations office and some fellow passengers later posted photos online showing her standing inside the train and holding on to a pole.

While Poe drew her share of online bashers, the neophyte senator came closer to experiencing the travails of a regular MRT commuter, including being inconvenienced by defective tickets and faulty escalators at the stations.

Poe then said she decided to try the MRT experience herself in preparation for a Senate inquiry on Monday on the state of the public transport sector. Nikko Dizon