Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered a full investigation into the morning rush-hour breakdown of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), directing its management and private maintenance provider to explain the disruption that affected thousands of commuters on Wednesday.
Lopez instructed MRT-3 General Manager Michael Capati to submit a detailed report within 24 hours, including justification on why administrative sanctions should not be imposed following the incident.
The technical glitch occurred at around 5:30 am between Buendia and Guadalupe stations, causing delays and long passenger queues during peak morning travel hours. Operations were restored at 6:57 am, but not before significant congestion had built up across the line.
The transport chief also ordered MRT-3 to issue a show-cause directive to maintenance provider Sumitomo Corporation and its consultants to determine the root cause of the malfunction and recommend measures to prevent a repeat of the disruption.
“MRT-3 and Sumitomo must explain why this malfunction occurred. It is a huge inconvenience for passengers who rely on the MRT-3 daily,” Lopez said, stressing the need for reliable and uninterrupted rail service.
To ease commuter inconvenience, Lopez directed the immediate implementation of free rides for MRT-3 passengers for the rest of the day. The Department of Transportation said the cost of the free ride program will be charged to Sumitomo under existing arrangements.
Authorities said the investigation will focus on system reliability and maintenance performance to ensure improved service continuity for daily rail users.