Press Release
February 4, 2018

POE TO TUGADE: PUBLIC EXPECTS BETTER MRT SERVICES BY END-FEBRUARY

Sen. Grace Poe today said she was expecting better services for long-suffering passengers of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) by the end of this month.

This, after Department of Transportation (DOTr) Sec. Arthur Tugade earlier assured passengers of an improvement in service as brand-new spare parts for the trouble-ridden train system begin arriving.

"Yung sinasabi nila na by the end of February gagaan na ang pagdurusa dahil darating na ang mga parts na in-order nila-- Talagang lahat tayo inip na inip na. Siguro ang magiging deadline natin kay Sec. Tugade ay ang ipinangako nyang by February, gagaan na [ang sitwasyon sa MRT] dahil darating na ang mga parte," Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said in a radio interview on Sunday.

The average number of MRT passengers has significantly dropped due to the continuous decline in the aging train system, even after the DOTr has ordered spare parts to improve MRT's reliability had been ordered as of December last year.

The government took over the maintenance of the MRT after it canceled its contract with the train system's previous maintenance contractor, Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI). The government accused BURI of being remiss in its contractual obligations to procure sufficient spare parts for the trains.

Poe said the government must consider other solutions to address the problems hounding the MRT if it fails to improve its services based on its target.

"Yun ang una niyang siguro, in recent memory, na nasabi nya na definitely. Kapag hindi pa rin, sa tingin ko may problema na tayo. Pag-uusapan na talaga natin ang ibang bagay 'pag nagkataon," Poe said, referring to the recent pronouncements of Tugade.

Poe said the public has yet to see improved services even as the DOTr had promised better services to thousands of MRT commuters. The situation in the busiest train system has worsened, however, from operating below capacity resulting in longer queues in train platforms to daily service disruptions, among several other problems plaguing the elevated railway.

"Matagal na kasi nilang sinasabi sa atin na by December of 2016 [magiging maayos na ang serbisyo]. Ilang extension na yan na iba-ibang dahilan," added Poe.

More importantly, Poe said the DOTr should fasttrack actions for a reliable and efficient maintenance provider for the upkeep of the MRT.

"Talagang urgent 'yan. Pero siyempre kailangan din nila ng ulo. Kailangan nila ng isang magpapatron at magsasabi kung ano ang gagawin, ano ang kailangang i-order, at ano ang kailangang bantayan," said Poe.

Poe also urged the Ombudsman to expedite criminal cases against former Transportation Sec. Joseph Emilio Abaya for entering into disadvantageous contracts over the unusable MRT trains and the inefficient former maintenance provider.

The senator said she was poised to draft another committee report to discuss, in detail, the accountability of Abaya and former Transportation officials on the MRT mess.

"Ayaw natin ng paghihiganti. Ang gusto lang natin ay pananagutan," she said, adding that lawmakers' hands are "tied."

"Ako talaga ay nakikisimpatya sa taumbayan at naiintindihan ko ang inyong kalbaryo. Minsan ko na ring nasubukan yan at tuwing ako'y napapadaan [sa EDSA], nakikita ko ang pila sa MRT araw-araw. Kulang na lang ay paminsan-minsan maluluha ka lalo na kung masama ang panahon. Gustuhin ko man, minsan nakatali ang kamay namin sa lehislatura kasi hindi naman namin sila pwedeng ipakulong. Hindi rin namin sila pwedeng paalisin kasi hindi naman kami ang nag-appoint sa kanila."

"Ang aking serbisyo lamang talaga ay unang-una ay mapanagot--sa pamamagitan ng rekomendasyon--ang mga nagkasala diyan. Pangalawa, hindi sila tigilan sa kanilang responsibilidad na gampanan ang kanilang trabaho kung kalampagin man sila at magrekomenda ng kanilang pananagutan," Poe said.

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