QUEZON CITY, April 15 (PIA)--An inter-agency task force, composed of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board - LTFRB (LTFRB), DOTr MRT-3, Land Transportation Office-Philippines (LTO), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the InterAgency Council for Traffic - IACT (i-ACT), started deploying 140 buses amid the maintenance shutdown of the MRT-3 during the Holy Week to ensure the mobility of commuters in Metro Manila.
At least 140 Public Utility Buses (PUBs) will be deployed starting today, April 15 (Holy Monday) to April 17 (Holy Wednesday) and April 20-21 (Black Saturday to Easter Sunday), from 5AM to 9PM, following the MRT-3 route both north- and southbound.
Participating bus units will be particularly identified with proper signage.
Meanwhile, the north and south staging areas will be located at West Avenue cor. EDSA, Quezon City, and Roxas Boulevard cor. EDSA, Pasay City, respectively.
Bus fares will be based on the MRT-3 Fare Matrix provided that the passenger’s destination is anywhere along the MRT-3 line. However, destinations beyond the line will follow the normal bus fares.
Details of the MRT-3 Bus Augmentation Program were finalized during a meeting of government agencies, together with various bus operators and companies, on 10 April 2019 at the LTFRB Central Office in Quezon City.
The concerned agencies, in close coordination with the DOTr Railways Sector, convened to provide commuters with an alternative mode of transportation during the MRT’s weeklong maintenance shutdown.
The meeting was spearheaded by DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark de Leon, and attended by key officials, namely, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Manuel Gonzales, MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Roberto Almadin, LTO NCR Regional Director Clarence Guinto, MRT-3 Human Resource Management Officer Roda Espejo.
Also in attendance were Toll Regulatory Board consultant Alberto Suansing and Samahang Transport Operator ng Pilipinas Managing Director Juliet de Jesus.
Traffic management during the implementation of the MRT-3 Bus Augmentation Program will be handled by the MMDA and i-ACT personnel.
MRT-3 Maintenance Shutdown
The Holy Week shutdown, scheduled this year, from Holy Monday, April 15, to Easter Sunday, April 21, is programmed with maintenance activities that require a longer suspension of operations due to the current degraded condition of the railway.
Some of the major works to be conducted include the replacement of critical turnouts or switches, rail grinding, structural testing, topographic survey and monitoring plan activities for MRT-3 structures.
Preventive and repair activities aim to improve the reliability of the system, which the agency shall implement in parallel with the comprehensive rehabilitation and overhaul of the entire MRT-3 system.
The MRT-3 will resume operations on 22 April, Monday, at 5:30AM. (DOTr/PIA InfoComm)
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