DOTr ready to resume “limited” train operations in Metro Manila under GCQ

May 29, 2020

The Department of Transportation ( DOTr) is ready to resume the operations of the railway systems in Metro Manila by Monday, when the metropolis shifts to general community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade told President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night in a televised meeting, however, said the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and the Philippine National Railways will have "limited, gradual and calculated" capacity.

"If we're going to transition from MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) to GCQ, on the first day that we transition and it's put into effect, we can already put into operation our train and rails," he said.

Tugade said the DOTr staff have been preparing the railways and have conducted simulation on how to manage the passengers to ensure that health standards, such as physical distancing, will be followed.

But he added, "Don't expect the train operations to be at 100 percent. As I said, we have to balance our mandate to provide transportation with our responsibility to help (prevent) the spread of the virus."

"Therefore, the capacity will also be limited, gradual and calculated. It will be an average of 10 to 12 percent in LRT and MRT. The capacity for PNR is 35 percent," Tugade said.

He noted that in the case of MRT3, the railway replacement will be completed by September.

Since the operation of MRT3, which traverses Edsa, will be limited, he said the DOTr will implement bus augmentation system.

Under the system, the middle lane on Edsa will be dedicated to 300 to 400 DOTr-deployed buses.

He also said that buses will also be dispatched to ferry passengers in the last three LRT-2 stations that are connected to Cubao-Araneta Station.

The Light Rail Transit Authority suspended the train operation on the last three stations - Anonas, Katipunan and Santolan - after a fire broke out between Katipunan and Anonas Stations last October.

Tugade said that Point-to-Point or P2P buses, transport network service, such as Grab, and taxis will also be allowed to operate under GCQ.

Currently, there is no public transport in Metro Manila, which is still under MECQ. Celerina Monte/DMS