Video by Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines –While he can take the “MRT Rush Hour Challenge” or even the ice bucket challenge inside the MRT at the same time, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said doing both would not help ease the problems of commuting public.
“Actually, walang problema. Ang tanong ko lang dyan, by riding the train or in fact mag-ice challenge ako sa MRT 3 train na rush hour, do I solve the problem by doing that? Do I?” Abaya said in an interview at the Senate when asked about the MRT challenge for government officials.
“Parang I could make a clown of myself but at the end of the day, yung sumasakay ba sa MRT3 matutuwa na nagbuhos ako ng yelo sa MRT-3? I don’t think so. Tingin ko maiinis lang sila…” he said.
Even before the MRT challenge, Abaya rode the MRT3 last week, but he was blasted by netizens who said it was only a publicity stunt. They challenged Abaya to ride the MRT during rush hour sans media.
Last Friday, Senator Grace Poe quietly rode the MRT during the morning rush hour and endured the long queue at the North Ave Station in Quezon City.
DOTC Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Abaya defended his MRT ride, saying he also wanted to be low-key about it but some members of the media learned about his plan.
“Andito ba yung sumama sa media…Ask him, did I direct him to ride with me? Did I? In fact I wanted a low-key way of doing it. That’s my personality. Yun lang, matitinik mga kaibigan nyo…” he said.
“They knew what the situation was. Sila ang nag-abang sa akin, alangan naming itulak ko sya sa MRT 3…Fair game naman tayo, Sports naman tayo, naglilingkod naman tayo sa bayan,” he said.
Despite the comparison between him and Poe, Abaya said he did not feel bad about knowing that he was doing his job.
He said he rode the MRT to check its safety and to show this to the riding public.
“My learning experience in MRT3 is not based on that single ride,” Abaya said, adding that he was in constant communication with the MRT officials to check on the trains and the commuters.
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