By Tracy Cabrera
File photo of transportation chief ‘Banoy’ Lopez from DZRH.
DILIMAN, Quezon City — Amid allegations that the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) is operating under risky conditions, Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Atty. Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez assured the riding public of the rail line’s safety, citing the strict technical evaluations the train system undergoes on a routine basis.
In a statement, Lopez rejected the allegations made by Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Eli San Fernando and some MRT employees who claimed that it is unsafe to operate the rail line’s four-car trains since the systems in place were originally designed for three-car trains.
In a video addressed to the DoTr last Friday, March 13, San Fernando met with members of the MRT-3 Employees Association, where it was explained that the four-car trains being operated at MRT-3 were not safe for passenger boarding due to what they described as deficiencies in the system’s design.
However, the DoTr downplayed the concern raised by San Fernando and the train personnel, even as the sectoral lawmaker accused MRT-3 General Manager Mike Capati of allegedly sweeping the issue under the rug.
“The system to make the running of the train safe currently fits the three-car trains. But what General Manager Capati is doing is to run four cars,” the solon said in the video with train employees, where they revealed that six four-car trains are being operated every weekday even though “the signaling systems were not built for four-car trains.”
The employees also observed that the newly procured Dalian trains are not yet ready due to insufficient training of drivers.
MRT Training Section head Engr. Luis Saman Jr. noted that the Dalian trains “cannot yet be used for revenue operations because, first of all, there has not been complete training, and we have not conducted the required eight weeks of testing and training.”
In response, the DoTr disputed the claims, insisting that the allegations were inaccurate. The department said the railway’s signaling system has passed the assessment of French rail consulting firm SYSTRA and “can support four-car trains running from North Avenue to Taft Avenue.”
“The Dalian trains cannot operate without passing assessments, and we continue to coordinate with drivers to ensure their operational readiness and safety preparedness,” Secretary Lopez pointed out.
In closing, Lopez urged the public not to politicize the railway issue, especially amid the recent spike in global oil prices, noting that commuters and motorists should instead be encouraged to use rail lines to save on fuel.
“Now is not the time for politics. The severe crisis facing the entire world is no joke, so we should help the people, especially the commuters,” he concluded.
ia/xf
