Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña on Friday urged the management of LRT 1 and 2, and MRT 3 systems to listen and empathize with commuters and not dismiss their calls to extend train operations beyond their normal operating hours.
Cendaña said the government through the Department of Transportation (DOTr) must hold a dialogue with the commuters and address their pressing transportation needs.
“Every day, commuters, especially BPO workers and night-shift employees, face immense hardships. Extending train hours by even one or two hours can significantly alleviate their struggles, providing them with safe, efficient, and reliable transportation options after long hours of work,” he said.
The Akbayan lawmaker appealed to the DOTr to speak with all stakeholders, and discuss possible options in extending transit line operations, among other reforms to improve the public transportation experience of passengers.
Cendaña recommended that the extension could be applied every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or during weekdays when the volume of passengers is not that high. “There are too many options. If there is a will, there is a way,” he added.
He cited the need for Metro Manila’s rail systems to rise to the standards set by other Asian capitals, such Bangkok, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Singapore, where train services operate until midnight.
“If our neighbors in Asia can keep their trains running until midnight, there is no reason why we can’t. We must learn from their best practices and adapt them to make our public transport system truly serve the people,” he said.
DOTr has earlier rejected the proposals to extend train hours amid public demand for improved public transport.
