Ininunsyo ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang magandang balita na mag-aalok ang gobyerno ng libreng sakay sa Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) nang hindi bababa sa isang buwan kasunod ng pagtatapos ng mga gawaing rehabilitasyon.
"I’d like to announce that [Transportation] Secretary [Arthur] Tugade and I decided that the MRT-3 rides will be free—hindi naman (not) forever—but from March 28 to April 30, 2022," ani ni Duterte nitong Martes, Marso 22.
Sinabi ito ni Duterte sa kanyang talumpati sa inagurasyon ng MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project sa Shaw Boulevard Station sa Mandaluyong City kung saan inilabas niya ang marker na nagpapahiwatig ng pagtatapos ng proyekto.
"The MRT 3 is proof that we are keeping our momentum in improving our [railroad] systems, which aims to deliver quality service to the Filipino people and respond to the emergence of the new normal," ani Duterte.
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Sa kanyang talumpati, kinilala ni Duterte ang mga service provider ng MRT-3 na Sumitomo Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, at TES Philippines, Inc. na kinontrata ng rail line management para sa rehabilitation project.
Aniya, "With the joint efforts of these companies and the DOTr, we have increased our train speed from 25 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers per hour while the time interval between train arrivals has improved [from eight to 10 minutes to four minutes]."
"Also, before, we only had 12 to 15 operating units. Now, there are already 18 to 22 trains to serve the people. This progress will decrease—if not altogether stop—the number of unloading incidents in our stations," dagdag pa niya.
Pinasalamatan din niya ang gobyerno ng Japan sa pakikibahagi hindi lamang sa MRT-3 project kundi maging sa iba pang programa ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas.
"As my tenure in office approaches (its) end, I assure the Filipino people that I will give no room for laxity and complacency in public service, even amidst the global challenges that test our strength as catalysts of change," ani Duterte.
Bukod sa pagpapabuti ng bilis ng pagpapatakbo, kasama rin sa natapos na rehabilitation project ang upgraded signaling, communications at CCTV systems, pagkukumpuni ng lahat ng station escalators at elevators, at ang paglalagay ng air conditioning units sa loob ng mga tren.
Alexandria Dennise San Juan
