MRT-3 to give free rides from March 28 to April 30 — Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Commuters can ride the newly-rehabilitated Metro Rail Transit Line-3 (MRT-3) for free for more than a month, President Rodrigo Duterte announced Tuesday, as he thanked the partners of the government who made the completion of the project possible.

"I’d like to announce that (Transportation) Secretary (Arthur) Tugade and I decided that the MRT-3 rides will be free, not forever, but from March 28 to April 30, 2022," Duterte said during the inauguration of the MRT-3 rehabilitation project.

Duterte said the train's system would not have returned to its original hybrid design condition without the technical competencies and professional aid of service providers from Sumitomo Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Test Philippines Inc. He also lauded the transportation department for its efforts to improve its services to the public and assured commuters that the MRT-3 would be more accessible.

"The MRT is proof that we are keeping our momentum in improving our national road system, which aims to deliver quality service to the Filipino people and respond to the emergency of a new normal," the president said.

"Secured in our vision to provide the best for the Filipino people, I would like to emphasize that this project is part of the administration’s efforts to improve connectivity and mobility, which is critical in sustaining economic growth and development despite these challenging times," he added.

Duterte said the joint effort of the transportation department and the service providers increased the train speed from 25 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers per hour and improved the time interval between train arrivals from eight to 10 minutes to four minutes. The number of operating units also increased to 18 to 22 trains from 12 to 15 previously, he added.

"This progress will decrease — if not altogether stop — the number of unloading incidents in our stations," Duterte said.

"I want to take this opportunity to promote the rehabilitated MRT-3 to the commuting public and assure our kababayans that service disruptions are a thing (of) the past," he added.

Duterte thanked the Japanese government for its assistance in the project, saying Japan "has always been a friend and an active partner" of the Philippines in its development projects.

Because of the improved train speed, travel time from North Avenue to Taft Avenue will now take only 45 minutes from the previous one hour and 15 minutes, according to a statement posted on the Facebook page of Radio Television Malacañang. Also included in the rehabilitation project are the upgraded signaling, communications and CCTV systems, repair of all station escalators and elevators, and the installation of air conditioning units inside the trains.

Prominent personalities who attended the inauguration include Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, Sen. Christopher Go, Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Aguilar-Abalos, and Japan International Cooperation Agency chief representative Takema Sakamo.