Passengers see little improvement in MRT operations

After the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that more Light Rail Vehicles will be available for the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) after the Holy Week break, there were still long queues of commuters as there were fewer trains than expected on Tuesday.

After a 5:30 a.m., the train line resumed operations on Monday with 15 trains.

However, according to a 24 Oras report by Bernadette Reyes on Tuesday, the MRT-3 started its operations with lesser number of trains. 

But DOTr's media office clarified on Wednesday morning that MRT operations on Tuesday started at 5:30 a.m. with nine trains.

Also it said that the increase in the number of trains is gradual. As of  7:45 on Tuesday, 13 trains were already operational.

Come the Tuesday rush hour, there were long queues at the North Avenue that extended to the stairs and the sidewalk.

At the Araneta Center-Cubao Station, some passengers waited it out while others opted to take the bus.

"Gan'un parin po. Sobrang hirap sumakay... Ang haba na ng pila kaya magbu-bus na lang ako," a commuter said.

But there were other commuters who preferred waiting in line at MRT stations.

"Kasi mas mabilis siya. Unlike pagka-bus traffic pa rin. Di maiiwasan kahit maghintay ka ng MRT, dire-diretso pa rin," said another commuter.

A commuter at the Quezon Avenue seem to be satisfied with the MRT-3 service on Tuesday as the waiting time between trains is shorter.

"Mabilis na po...Noon kasi inaabot kami ng 30 minutes. Ngayon, five to ten minutes nalang," she said. — Margaret Claire Layug/BAP/LBG, GMA News