DOTC cancels trips to Bicol, may extend LRT-MRT hours due to Glenda

Published July 15, 2014 11:55am

(Updated 3:18 p.m.) The Department of Transportation and Communications has canceled trips to Bicol on account of Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun) which is expected to make landfall in Albay or Sorsogon Tuesday evening.

In an advisory, the DOTC said the Philippine National Railways' Bicol commuter train trips were canceled Tuesday due to Glenda.

These include trains with routes between Naga and Sipocot for Tuesday.

However, the department also said it may extend the operating hours of both the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) if the situation calls for such a move, radio dzBB reported.

DOTC representatives disclosed these developments at a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council before noon Tuesday.

According to DOTC, the MRT and LRT may have to operate beyond the regular operating hours to help stranded passengers especially those along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue.

LRT Line 1 links Roosevelt in Quezon City and Baclaran in southern Metro Manila. Its weekday last trip is 10 p.m., and 9:30 p.m. during weekends and holidays.

MRT and LRT Line 2 – which links Recto to Santolan – have the same operating hours as the LRT Line1.

Provincial bus

The DOTC also asked provincial bus operators plying the Bicol route cease their normal operations for now.

It also advised passengers taking international flights to be at airports three hours before their scheduled flights due to expected traffic. – Joel Locsin/VS/KG, GMA News

Tags: glenda, rammasun, departmentoftransportationandcommunications