No more long lines at MRT stations by yearend, official says

By yearend, expect no commuters lining up at Metro Rail Transit (MRT ) 3 stations, an official told a Senate hearing on Monday.

Engineer Deo Leo Manalo, director for operations of MRT 3, gave this assurance during the hearing of the Senate committee on public services chaired by Senator Grace Poe.

“By end of the year po, we’re projecting…actually ngayon po, sir, may pila sa peak hours but during off peak, wala na pong pila. But end of the year, sir, sigurado pong mawawala na ‘yung pila,” Manalo said, responding to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s query.

(By the end of the year, we’re projecting…actually now, there are just lines during peak hours, but during off peak, there are no lines. But at the end of the year, we assure there will be no more lines.

“By the end of the year, you’re guaranteeing that mawawala ‘yung pila (the lines will be gone)?” Drilon asked again.

“Yes sir,” Manalo said.

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The MRT 3 official said that the 23 trains that are currently operating can carry about 500,000 passengers a day. But by 2018, he said, more trains will be added and the number of riders would increase to 700,000.

In 2019, Manalo said they expect to have “more efficient operation” and the trains could carry about 800,000 passengers a day.

“So in summary you’re saying from the current 500,00, hopefully by 2019— you will have 800,000 capacity?” Poe asked.

“So right now, these are all up in the air and are wish list because for now, we still have the signaling system to test to make sure there’s no feedback,” she said.

Poe then asked if the projected additional 300,000 passengers in 2019 would mean less people lining at MRT stations.

“Mababawasan po ang pila (There’ll be less lines),” Manalo said.

But the MRT 3 official revised his answer when Drilon directly asked when the long lines of commuters would totally disappear. IDL/rga