An unusually big number of commuters stand shoulder-to-shoulder while waiting for their train ride at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT)-3 station on Taft Avenue and Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Pasay City on Thursday morning (March 27, 2014). The commuters, coming from as far as Cavite, are bound for their places of work in Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan and Quezon City. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) — Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday said she will push for a refund for commuters of Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) trains that stops operations.
“Pangako lamang nila sa akin ay titingnan nila yung posibilidad na magkaroon ng tamang pagtrato sa mga pasahero pagdating sa pagbigay ng refund. Sabi ko, ‘magbigay naman kayo ng refund, ano yun, TY nalang na kapag nasira o nasayang lang yung binayad niyo.’ So, magbigay ng refund, tingin ko karapatan yun ng mga mananakay,” she said.
On Monday, Poe initiated a Senate investigation into the current state of the MRT-3 after one of its trains overshot its track last month, leaving at least 30 people injured.
Resource persons from the Department of Transportation and Communications said the MRT system is facing several problems including defective ticket vending machines, old traction motors, broken escalators and elevators and many others.
The Department of Transportation and Communications said service interruptions of the MRT-3 now occur weekly.
Transportation Secretary Jun Abaya said the additional prototype of the new MRT coaches will arrive next year.
Poe noted, however, that a prototype means this will have to be assessed if it would work. “So let’s just hope na gumana ito, sapagkat ang ibig sabihin pala kung prototype pa lang, technically hindi pa tayo talaga nag-o-order.”
What Poe criticized, however, is the awarding of the maintenance contract to a company that has no proven record.
“Ayaw mo naman magkaroon ng duda pero mapapailing ka talaga katulad niyan, bakit ka kukuha ng kumpanya na mag-aalaga ng MRT na parang mas malaki pa yata ang puhunan ng isang medium size na business diba? Parang 500,000 yata ang capitalization… hindi ko na maalala eksakto pero kasi napakababa po at the experience ng kumpanya ay dalawang buwan pa lang silang incorporated so bakit mo ipagkakatiwala ang buhay ng milyun-milyon nating pasahero e hindi ka naman sigurado.”
Poe asked the public to give the government a chance to resolve the problems affecting the MRT-3 system.
“Ako po ay hindi nawawalan ng pag-asa dahil nasa pagkatao naman ni Sec. Abaya ay hindi na matatawaran kaya dapat ay bigyan natin sila ng pagakakataon na mapatunayan ang malasakit ng gobyerno,” she said. (MNS)