Makeover of ‘filthy’ MRT restrooms underway

By: Nestor Corrales - 10 years ago

MRT toilets are now getting a makeover. Photo by the DOTC

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has started the “toilet rehabilitation project” across the 13 stations of the Metro Rail transit (MRT-3).

“One of the basic necessities of an MRT-3 rider are functioning and decent comfort rooms. Alongside our improvement projects for train operations is this toilet rehabilitation project, which responds to the call of our commuters for better passenger comfort and convenience,” said Transportation spokesperson Migs Sagcal said in a statement.

Sagcal said the project began on February 26 and would be completed by September this year.

He said the renovation will cover all 63 comfort rooms of the MRT-3 line, and includes tile replacement, installation of new fixtures, ceiling improvements, repainting, electrical and mechanical upgrades, and plumbing and declogging works.

The rehabilitation, he said, would be done in phases, starting with comfort rooms for male passengers and persons with disability, which would take around four months to complete.

He added that renovations of comfort rooms for female passengers would follow and would be completed in another three months.

The spokesperson said that civil works are now underway at the North Avenue Station, while renovations at other stations will begin in the following weeks.

The MRT-3 has started implementing shortened operations during weekends to give way to repairs.

Sagcal said the replacement of 150 meters’ worth of worn-out rails of the MRT was carried out during last weekend’s repair.

He said shortened trips would continue in the coming weekends to give way to more rail replacement works.

In 2014, a survey conducted by the office of Senator Grace Poe gave the MRT a “failing grade” citing filthy comfort rooms, defective elevators and escalators, and long lines of passengers.

“The MRT-3 management asks the public for patience and understanding while these rehabilitation works are ongoing, citing that this is part of government’s commitment to improve the train system’s facilities and services,” Sagcal said.