VP Binay highlights MRT woes in ‘true’ SONA

(UPDATED 7:11 p.m.) Vice President Jejomar Binay, in his version of the State of the Nation Address delivered Monday, blamed the Aquino administration for the inconveniences being experienced by commuters of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

"Sa libu-libong sumasakay sa MRT, araw araw ay parusa. Noong 2010, 20 tren at 60 bagon ang tumakbo. Pagkatapos ng limang taon, pitong tren at 21 bagon na lamang ang natira," he said in his speech delivered at the Cavite State University.

Binay also said that four years after P4.5 billion was released for the purchase of new MRT trains, the MRT situation remains the same.

He added the situation worsened even with the Department of Transportation and Communications' (DOTC) P5-billion budget for the complete overhaul of the MRT, the train system that runs from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City.

"Napakahabang pila, sirang escalator, mabahong kubeta, kakaunti at siksikang bagon. At tuwing sasakay ang mga pasahero, ang taimtim nilang dasal, 'Sana huwag magkaaberya. Sana makauwi nang buhay,'" he said

Binay blamed MRT's faulty services to its neophyte maintenance provider, PH Trams Company, which he said is run by people close to Transportation Joseph Emilio Abaya, a known ally of President Benigno Aquino III.

"Bakit naging palpak ang serbisyo? Ito ay dahil pinalitan ang maintenance provider. At ang ipinalit sa kumpanyang Sumitomo [Corp.] na bantog sa buong mundo na may malawak na track record ay ang bagito at walang karanasan na PH Trams Co. Sino ang nasa likod ng PH Trams? Mga kaalyado at kapartido ng dati at  kasalukuyang secretary ng DOTC," he said.

"Totoo ngang sa Daang Matuwid, magkapatid ang kapalpakan at pagnanakaw ng kapartido at kaalyado," he added.

Binay doesn't understand

In a statement, Abaya pointed out that Binay only identified the problems of the MRT but failed to offer solutions in his "true" state of the nation address on Monday.

"Two things are clear from the Vice President’s speech: first, he does not have any solutions at all to MRT-3’s problems; and second, he does not even understand the root of the problem, which is the onerous BLT [Build-Lease-Transfer] contract," he said.

Abaya added that the vice president chose to be blind to reality and lost the "ability to hope for a better situation for the public."

According to the DOTC secretary, some of the realities Binay was blind to included the department's purchase of 48 new train cars.

"In fact, the prototype will arrive this month. This will increase the 15 train sets currently running during peak hours. 15 train sets is equivalent to 45 train cars, which number is nowhere near the seven trains he misleadingly claimed," he said.

Abaya added that the rehabilitation of escalators, elevators, and even toilets are all in progress.
 
"These are only the problems that he identified without offering a solution to," he said.

DOTC has also procured over 7,000 new rail tracks which will replace the worn-out rails over the coming months. It is also about to award the contract to upgrade MRT-3's signaling system.

Other improvement projects such as new radio communication devices and rail grinding machines are also being procured, Abaya said.

'Tell the truth'

As regards the railway's supposedly faulty services because of a neophyte maintenance provider, PH Trams Company, which he said is run by people close to Abaya.

To this, Abaya said that the DOTC has "fully cooperated" in every investigation into the alleged anomalies.  
 
"As brotherly advice to the Vice President, we suggest that he also fully cooperate with investigations into his alleged corruption before the Senate, the House, and the Office of the Ombudsman – and to tell the truth," he said. — KBK/NB, GMA News