The Department of Transportation (DOTr) assured the public that the four-car trains of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) remain safe for commuters, following concerns raised by a lawmaker and some train employees.
The agency said MRT-3’s signaling system is fully capable of supporting four-car train operations between North Avenue and Taft Avenue. Its safety and technical integrity have been validated by international rail consultant SYSTRA, confirming that four-car configurations are safe.
“Tinitiyak ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) na nananatiling ligtas ang MRT-3 para sa lahat ng mga pasahero, taliwas sa sinasabi nilang hindi ligtas sakyan ang four-car trains ng rail line,” the agency said in a statement.
All MRT-3 train sets undergo thorough technical evaluation. The DOTr and maintenance provider Sumitomo Corporation emphasized that commuter safety remains the top priority and will never be compromised.
The statement was issued in response to a March 13 vlog by Kamanggawa Partylist Rep. Eli San Fernando,, which featured members of the MRT-3 Employees Association. In the video, San Fernando alleged that MRT-3 General Manager Michael Capati was covering up supposed safety issues with the train cars.
“Nandito tayo sa harap ng MRT North Avenue Station dahil nakatanggap tayo ng isang nakakabahalang impormasyon na yung MRT ay nagpapatakbo ng mga tren kahit alam naman nila na hindi ‘to safe,” he said.
“At sa halip na tugunan at resolbahin ‘to, eh pinagtatakpan ito mismo ng General Manager ng MRT,” he added.
The DOTr said MRT-3 management had reached out to San Fernando as early as February 13 to explain the technical and safety evaluations confirming the four-car trains are safe.
“Rep. San Fernando’s office officially received this letter on February 18, but MRT-3 received no further response from him,” the agency added.
In turn, San Fernando stood by the claims of the MRT employees, stressing their decades of experience in the system.
“E mga manggagawa na may KARANASAN sa loob ng ilang DEKADA ang mismong nagrereklamo. Sila ang nakakaalam ng mismong kalagayan at operasyon ng MRT kumpara dyan kay GM Capati,” he said in a Facebook post.
