Tolentino urges ‘cashless’ transactions at MRT-3 over COVID-19 concerns

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit Line-3 (MRT-3) should limit interactions between personnel and passengers by implementing cashless transactions once operations resume, a senator said Tuesday after nearly 200 train employees tested positive for the new coronavirus.

“The DOTr [Department of Transportation]…has always been insisting on cashless transactions for jeepneys, point-to-point buses, UV express, and even Grab. Bakit hindi tayo mag-cashless transaction sa MRT?” Senator Francis Tolentino said in an online media interview.

(Why not apply cashless transactions in the MRT).

“Siguro i-minimize yung tellers, magkaroon ng isang sistema na ‘pag pumunta ka ‘don, bayad ka na. If they’re planning to have that implemented amongst jeepneys, bakit hindi ma-implement sa MRT 3? So yun yung nakikita kong mga pagbabago na pwedeng gawin diyan,” he added.

(Maybe we should minimize the number of tellers and implement a system that would enable passengers to make their payments in advance. If they’re planning to have that implemented amongst jeepneys, why not implement it in the MRT-3).

It was in June when train operations resumed at reduced capacity after Metro Manila switched to the less stringent general community quarantine.

But more than a month after the resumption of train operations, the government’s COVID-19 task force approved the temporary closure of MRT-3 operations following the recent surge of infections among its train personnel.

The DOTr said a total of 198 MRT-3 employees have so far contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Of the number, 15 are ticket sellers, three are train drivers, two control center personnel, and one nurse. The 177 others are depot personnel. [ac]