MRT 3 could be better managed

Philippine Star reader Peter Daniel Fraginal wrote to say in reaction to previous columns that touched on MRT 3, that in reality, the problem with MRT 3 is lackluster management. He also thinks, "the plan of the MRT management and the Arroyo administration of improving the service by adding new (second hand) coaches is in my opinion misguided and would just present an opportunity for graft and corruption."

Fraginal thinks that if MRT 3 management really wanted to improve the service in MRT, "small tactical/operational procedures and minor procurement could be made to increase the capacity of the MRT 3." Fraginal has taken the trouble to visit MRT station offices and the headquarters at the MRT Depot near SM North and has given them specific suggestions.

For example, Fraginal suggested that the MRT should procure additional hand rails especially in the middle section so that people would be inclined to occupy the middle section and not just converge near the exit where they all hold on to that vertical pole near the doors. Most trains are jam-packed near the entrance but empty in the middle because people have no rails to hold on to.

Fraginal also told MRT 3 management that they should have a systematic and regular way of dispatching trains and not just sending them directly to one station where there are more people and bypassing other stations. People must be made more time conscious and this could be done by letting them know when the next train will arrive. In other countries you can plan to board a particular train at a set time or hour. MRT management should also fix their clocks and let them all be synchronized.

Fraginal also suggested that MRT 3 management should also increase the number of security guards and manpower/janitorial services to keep the premises clean and free from illegal obstructions and vendors. "Illegal vendors have set up permanent structures under the very stairs of the MRT yet the management has been blind or has no will to evict them." Inspections should be moved to the lower ground and cordon the MRT premises so that illegal vendors would not obstruct the passageways and the flow of traffic.

Mr. Fraginal said he has made other suggestions "which I have discussed personally with Mr. Mariano Gui, their public relations officer, but unfortunately my suggestions have just been met with apathy or at the very least, a certain amount of amusement. Mr. Gui told me that it was the first time that someone has written to them and made suggestions on how to improve their service."

And regarding their proposal to procure second hand coaches with Austria, Mr. Fraginal thinks "it is just a stop-gap measure and would not be good in the long run since they would be importing already old trains. The MRT 3 management should look at the long term implications of using second hand infrastructure, facilities and equipment for they would just be repeating what the original planners have overlooked - that the capacity of the MRT is only good until 2010."

I agree with Mr. Fraginal that what we need is a well thought out plan to extend the service life of the MRT and to make its operations more professional, strict, systematic, orderly and safe.

More feedback

Jose Rene C. Roncesvalles wrote to react to recent columns.

This is a follow through on the sentiments of reader Gil Aniban regarding the domestic airport terminal (Philippine Star, July 31, 2006). He is absolutely right in his observations. On my work and personal travels, I have to endure the many inconveniences at the old domestic terminal.

What Mr. Aniban did not mention is the fact that passengers have to pay the same P200 terminal fee as at the NAIA 2 terminal. This is totally unfair since NAIA 2 is at least three times better. It should only be proper that passengers using the domestic terminal should pay less considering the difficulties they have to put up with.

On the MRT issue — the MRT is probably the one of the worst designed rail transport system. One just needs to look at LRT 2 (along Aurora Blvd.) for a simple comparison. Unlike the MRT, a lot of good planning and thinking went into the design process for LRT 2.

Similar thought process was done for the many subway/light rail systems which I have ridden, to include those in Washington DC, Paris, Vancouver, Sydney, Hamburg, San Francisco, and in Seoul, Korea. Having been fortunate to ride these wonderful systems, the MRT ranks as probably the worst I have experienced. The best I would say is the Paris or the DC Metro. Seoul’s system is also very good and it is a system worth emulating considering it is quite near to us to visit and observe.

To digress a little, but this relates to my experience in Korea – "What happened to the Philippines?" my Koreans friends have asked me many times. They remember fondly that Filipino expertise helped them a lot to rebuild their nation in the late fifties and early sixties in the aftermath of the Korean War. Now, Korea virtually belongs to the First World while the Philippines is still wallowing in the Third World. What happened to us?

I know the answer… or at least part of the answer. We must at least curtail the OFW mentality, which the government has been much too eager to promote and propagate. While Korea has inspired, encouraged and motivated their own people to use their know-how and skills for their own Korea to share in nation building. Maybe this is what we need to do and it is not too late. Let the Filipino talents be employed by our nation, for our nation.

With my best. Thank you.

Car plates

A friend of mine bought a Honda CRV from Honda Pasig sometime in June. Today, or over a month after, she still does not have her car plates. In the meantime, she is being harassed in the streets by MMDA and other so-called law enforcers for having no plates.

I e-mailed LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Anneli Lontoc about the problem two weeks ago. She responded that she will look into it. But two weeks after, no response from her. So I emailed her a couple more times and finally got a response and an apology. She said she asked her staff to respond to me and apparently, they ignored her order. That’s the kind of government people we have in that agency, I guess.

Ms. Lontoc denied that there is a shortage of plates, saying they have a three-month inventory. However, it seems they don’t have plates ending in 8, as requested by my friend. Honda belatedly gave the information that the only plates available are those ending in 9 and 0. They should have said so earlier because my friend shouldn’t have been denied use of her new car for a month.

But I do not understand the explanation. How come the only plates available now end in 9 and 0? It is difficult to believe they only produced plates ending in just two numbers if, as Ms. Lontoc wrote me, "We manufacture plate by series, meaning 101-999 per three letter combination."

Something definitely smells here, somehow. Though it did not happen in this case, I have heard of cases wherein the car salesman offered to produce plates quickly for a special fee. There could be an unholy but profitable alliance here between some car salesmen or their liaison with the LTO and some lower level LTO staff in charge of plates.

I still think Ms. Lontoc is one of the better people we have in our bureaucracy. Given that her own staff ignored her order to respond to me quickly, it wouldn’t hurt her to check. She shouldn’t be too trusting, given the reputation of the LTO.

Subway ride

Here’s something I picked up from the web.

The subway car was packed beyond capacity. It was rush hour, and many people were forced to stand. One particularly cramped woman turned to the man behind her and said, "Sir, if you don’t stop poking me with your thing, I’m going to the cops!"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about miss. That’s just my pay check in my pocket," replied the guy.

"Oh really!" she spat. "Then you must really have quite some job, because that’s the fifth raise you’ve had in the last half-hour."

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]