THE Department of Transportation apologized to the public after a seat on a Metro Rail Transit Line 3 train billowed smoke, causing 600 passengers to get off between the Cubao and Kamuning stations at 1:20 p.m. Friday.
The passengers were assisted to the nearest station, and regular service resumed at 2:50 p.m. ending the day with 321,397 riders.
The department said an investigation was being conducted, and the findings would be released as soon as possible.
“The Department of Transportation [DOTr] expresses sincere apologies to those who were affected and inconvenienced by the recent smoke incident that occurred last Friday in one of MRT 3’s trains,” the department said in a statement late Saturday.
“The DOTr appeals to the riding public’s understanding while it pushes ahead, in the most expeditious manner, strategies and actions to effectively and sustainably restore and rehabilitate the current MRT 3 system—a system that has deteriorated due to cumulative errors in policy and operational decisions made across several administrations,” it said.
A Maintenance Transition Team was formed after the government terminated the maintenance contract with Busan
Universal Rail Inc. due to its failure to procure the spare parts needed by the aging trains.
A Special Bids and Awards Committee has procured the spare parts with an initial batch set to be delivered in February.
Japan has also committed to provide its assistance for the rehabilitation and maintrenance of the MRT 3.
The department expects to mobilize the MRT’s new maintenance service provider by May 2018.
The department is also pursuing an unsolicited proposal for the 30 year operation and maintenance of the MRT 3 with the original proponent status granted to Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and its proposal soon to be endorsed to the National Economic and Development Authority.
DOTr has also hired the services of independent audit and assessment firm TUV Rheinland to evaluate and make recommendations on the feasibility of using the 48 Light Rail Vehicles that were delivered by Chinese railway firm CCRC Dalian and other components of the MRT 3.
On Sunday, party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles blamed government officials of the past and present administrations—including “an alcoholic one”—for the corruption in the MRT 3.
In an interview on radio dzBB, Nograles called the MRT Line 3 a “rolling stock of corruption.”
Nograles declined to name names, but said the officials were mentioned in a House committee on good government and public accountability report.
Nograles is a member of the committee chaired by Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel.
He said many of the Cabinet officials under the Aquino administration must be held culpable for the repeated breakdowns and glitches, and the poor service of the MRT line 3.
A recent committee hearing, Nograles said, showed out of the 73 total coaches of MRT 3, only one maintained its original parts, while the rest were using “chop-chop” or fake parts.
“The investigation began in September and was terminated last week. And we decided to begin writing and drafting the committee report. I assure you the committee report has nothing but the truth,” he said.
In November last year, the Department of Transportation filed a plunder and graft complaint against former Interior and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas II and former Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya over the alleged anomalous maintenance contract for the MRT 3.
Also charged were former President Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet officials—former Budget secretary Florencio Abad, ex-Finance secretary Cesar Purisima, former Energy secretary Jericho Petilla, ex-Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin, former Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson, former Science and Technology secretary Mario Montejo and former Neda chief Arsenio Balisacan as well as the MRT 3 maintenance contractor, BURI. with PNA