Poe hits MRT-3 management for ‘lack of expertise’

Senator Grace Poe (inset) wants MRT-3 operations to improve before the end of February, as train parts to replace worn out ones begin to arrive. INQUIRER FILES

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) should provide better services to Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) passengers by the end of February, Senator Grace Poe stressed on Sunday, as she lamented the train management’s apparent “lack of expertise.”

This, after DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier assured passengers of an improvement in service as brand-new spare parts for the trouble-ridden train system begin arriving.

“Yung sinasabi nila na by the end of February gagaan na ang pagdurusa dahil darating na ang mga parts na in-order nila… Talagang lahat tayo inip na inip na. Siguro ang magiging deadline natin kay Sec. Tugade ay ang ipinangako nyang by February, gagaan na (ang sitwasyon sa MRT) dahil darating na ang mga parte,” Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said in a radio dzBB interview.

The senator also expressed disappointment over the leadership of the train system.

“Alam mo ang problema talaga ay kapag ang namumuno ng isang korporasyon o ng isang bagay ay hindi naman masyadong naiintindihan. Ngayon yung kanilang pinamumunuan halimbawa, alam naman natin, binigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon—ng ilang buwan dahil bago lamang sila—pero siyempre yun nga ang sinasabi ko dapat yung naghe-head ng katulad niyang sa MRT ay talagang engineer, yung nakakaintindi ‘di ba,” she said.

Poe cited that during a House of Representatives hearing, MRT-3 General Manager Rodolfo Garcia suggested the use Dalian coaches, which she dismissed as not viable.

“Noong nagkaroon ng hearing sa Kongreso, si Mr. Garcia yata ang nagsabi na gamitin na lang ang mga train dito ng Dalian, ‘di ba parang may sinabi siyang ganun,” Poe said.

“Pero actually yung ating impormasyon ukol dito hindi talaga pwedeng gamitin iyon hangga’t hindi naayos para maging compatible dahil unang-una, napakabigat nito para sa riles natin… Pangalawa yung signalling system hindi pa nila naikakabit doon sa mga tren, ‘di ba magbubunggu-bungguan iyan, so talagang hindi pwede,” she added.

According to Poe, the average number of MRT-3 passengers has significantly dropped due to the continuous decline in the aging train system, even after the DOTr has ordered spare parts to improve MRT’s reliability had been ordered as of December last year.

She added that the government took over the maintenance of the MRT after it canceled its contract with the train system’s previous maintenance contractor, Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI). The government accused BURI of being remiss in its contractual obligations to procure sufficient spare parts for the trains, she said.

Poe also urged the Ombudsman to expedite criminal cases against former Transportation Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya for entering into disadvantageous contracts over the unusable MRT trains and the inefficient former maintenance provider.

The senator said she was poised to draft another committee report to discuss, in detail, the accountability of Abaya and former Transportation officials on the MRT mess.

“Ayaw natin ng paghihiganti. Ang gusto lang natin ay pananagutan,” she said, adding that lawmakers’ hands are “tied.”

“Ako talaga ay nakikisimpatya sa taumbayan at naiintindihan ko ang inyong kalbaryo. Minsan ko na ring nasubukan yan at tuwing ako’y napapadaan (sa Edsa), nakikita ko ang pila sa MRT araw-araw,” she added. /cbb