MRT breaks down twice during rush hour

MANILA, Philippines - Operational glitches caused the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) to break down twice during yesterday morning’s rush hour.

Commuters were told to get off a southbound train at the Santolan station at around 5:30 a.m. because the train had a low power supply, which could affect a train’s brakes.

At around 8:30 a.m., commuters were told to alight from another train before it reached the Cubao station due to a “technical problem.”

On Wednesday morning, some passengers were stranded after an MRT train was derailed at the Shaw boulevard station due to a technical problem. 

The MRT also implemented a provisional operation after a defective train was monitored between Cubao and Santolan station during Wednesday afternoon’s rush hour. 

MRT general manager Roman Buenafe has not issued a statement on the glitches.

‘Don’t blame Abaya’

Meanwhile, Senate President Franklin Drilon defended Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya against those calling for him to resign for failing to address the problems of the MRT and the Light Rail Transit.

“No. Abaya is a very decent and competent bureaucrat. Maybe he should just closely monitor and supervise the bureaucracy at the MRT,” he said.

Drilon and Abaya are top officials of the administration-backed Liberal Party.

Apart from the controversies involving the rail lines, Abaya also received flak over the Land Transportation Office (LTO) license plate standardization program.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called for the resignation of Department of Transportation and Communications and LTO officials over defects in the newly designed license plates.