MRT-3 to address overcrowding after viral video of Cubao station

The management of Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) said it will address managing large numbers of passengers in its stations after a viral video of overcrowded passengers at the platform of Cubao station last Monday morning. 

According to Mark Salazar’s report in “24 Oras” on Wednesday, the viral video online showed passengers at the platform being forced to squeeze together as more people arrive from the escalator. 

But MRT-3 General Manager Michael Capati said the passengers were told to go up to the platform already even before the train arrived. 

“Hindi po bumagal eh. Ang nangyari lang dito noong tinitingnan namin ‘yung CCTV, two minutes bago dumating ‘yung tren nagpa-akyat na. So dapat dumating na ‘yung tren, nakalabas na ‘yung mga pasahero bago tayo magpapaakyat ng another batch,” he said. 

(It didn't actually slow down. What happened here, based on what we saw on the CCTV, was that they allowed people to go up [to the platform] two minutes before the train arrived. Ideally, the train should have arrived and the [arriving] passengers should have exited before we allowed another batch to go up.)

The MRT-3 management noted that there were 13 trains with three carriages each and four other trains with four carriages each deployed last Monday. 

“Grabe lang talaga ang volume noon January 5,” said Capati. 

(The volume [of passengers] last January 5 was just really huge.) 

Following the overcrowding incident, Capati personally visited the Cubao station where he taught the security personnel of the standard operating procedures to avoid overcrowding at the platform. 

“...Dapat ‘yan kinokontrol niyo, may crowd management kayo. Hindi ‘yung tulad ng nangyari noong nakaraan na dere-derecho sa escalator eh wala na palang pupuntahan doon sa taas,” said Capati. 

(..You should be controlling that; you should have crowd management. It shouldn't be like what happened recently where people just kept going up the escalator even though there was no more space left up there.)

Further, more security personnel will be deployed in MRT-3 stations with a high volume of passengers during rush hours. According to Capati, these are: North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, GMA-Kamuning, and Cubao. 

Some passengers made suggestions on how to improve crowd management in MRT-3 stations. 

“Kapag bumibili ng ticket po, dapat po may special lane for seniors and students po. Kasi minsan po nagkakagulo po yung pagbili ng tickets at hindi na po nakukuha ng mga students yung discounts dahil sa sobrang rami ng tao na naghihintay sa likod po,” one student shared. 

(When buying tickets, there should be a special lane for seniors and students. sometimes the ticket-buying process becomes chaotic and students can no longer get their discounts because of the long line of people waiting behind us.) 

Aside from the incident in Cubao, a video of a massive crowd of passengers queueing at the Ortigas station went viral online. 

But the MRT-3 management admitted that there were lapses in the facilities and service. 

“Alam niyo naman paminsan-minsan, alam niyo naman ang facility natin ay 25 years old na ‘yan kaya kailangan na ayusin rin paminsan-minsan ‘di maiwasan nagkakaproblema,” said Capati. 

(As you know, every now and then—you know our facility is already 25 years old—so it needs to be repaired occasionally; it's inevitable that problems will occur.) 

MRT-3 is hoping that the rehabilitation of 45 carriages will soon be finished. 

“Hopefully po, depende po sa performance ng CRRC Dalian na ma-comply nila lahat ng requirements mapapatakbo po natin ‘yan,” said Capati when asked when will be the carriages be operational. 

(Hopefully, depending on the performance of CRRC Dalian and if they comply with all the requirements, we will be able to get those running.) 

The MRT-3 official also assured that the train stations will be rehabilitated by February. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News