LRT-1 glitch adds to commuter woes amid transport strike

The technical glitch at LRT-1 on Thursday worsened the situation for some commuters who were already having a hard time finding a ride on the second day of the transport strike. 

According to Oscar Oida’s report in “24 Oras,” Zinia Navares’ son was running late for Bible school due to the scarcity of available public transport due to the strike. 

“Right now, he’s running late for his Bible school. He cannot go there right away. He’s very late already,” the concerned mother said. 

Zinia had no choice but to spend extra money on other available vehicles just to reach their destination. 

Commuters had a harder time after LRT-1 encountered a problem with its cable wires at the Vito Cruz Station, causing limited operations earlier in the day. 

“I will just look for a jeepney or UV Express available, because I need to get my medical certificate,” a train passenger said, who was on her way to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). 

The LRT-1’s operations returned to normalcy at past 2 p.m. 

Transport strike 

On the other hand, transport group MANIBELA expressed dismay at criticisms from several local officials in Metro Manila regarding their transport strike. 

“To the LGUs, particularly the mayors: yesterday, we felt so sorry for our members. You were cursing them out just because they stopped their trips,” said MANIBELA chairperson Mar Valbuena.

Valbuena did not name the mayors he was referring to. 

“Just because you gave away P5,000 doesn’t give you the right to curse at these poor drivers,” he said.

On the second day of the transport strike, some policemen allegedly told some MANIBELA members to stop their protest. GMA News is reaching out to authorities for a comment. 

“What happened was in Angono, the protest along the roadside had just begun when the police started dispersing it. They were then taken to the police station,” Valbuena alleged.

An investigator from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said they will investigate the protesters’ complaints.

“Maximum tolerance must always be observed. In a democratic country like the Philippines, everyone has the right to express themselves, especially when it is done peacefully,” CHR senior investigator Ronnie Rosero said. 

The three-day transport strike will continue on Friday.

“The rollback should be implemented all at once to reflect the actual prices in the world market,” Valbuena said. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA News