Commuters Hopeful for Better Mass Transport; Ask Admin Not to Forget PNR

The promise of President Rodrirgo Duterte’s administration to prioritize the country’s mass transport system has renewed the hope of some commuters who seek empathy for their grueling commuting experience.

Aware that upgrades in rail systems will take time, Rommel Rio, 23, said Filipino commuters will have to “wait and see” if the Duterte administration will live up its promise.

“I think everything he said was promising. Perhaps we have to wait and see if his administration will deliver. However, I feel like they’re forgetting the PNR (Philippine National Railways),” Rio said.

Rio further said that the administration should also utilize alternative modes of mass transport such as the Point-to-Point (P2P) Bus Service which are meant to encourage private car owners to commute to alleviate traffic.

P2P buses allow shorter travel time, as buses depart on a fixed schedule and travel directly from the terminal to the drop-off point.

He said better railway systems will also help get more cars off the road since “people flock to train stations because they want to avoid traffic from taking the bus.”

The blogger behind the viral article ‘Date a girl who rides the MRT’ expressed confidence that the President, who has been described by Communications Secretary Martin Andanar as “a man of action”, will get things done quickly.

“When President Duterte said that the procurement of additional trains shall be addressed soonest, I considered it done,” 26-year-old Judy Santiago said.

“I am confident that the Duterte administration can do something to finally improve the transport system in Metro Manila because he understands the daily battles of a Filipino commuter,” she added.

Thirty-year-old Aerol Patena said he “appreciated” the President’s plans but wanted him to have elaborated more on the MRT-3 extension that will link North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan.

“I want to know more. I’m hoping that he pursues his plan to increase the number of trains since this will help us commuters arrive at work at the earliest possible time,” Patena said.

“More places to buy tickets will also help reduce long lines. I hope these innovations will happen to encourage the public to avail of our mass transport system,” he added.

Monica Castro, 25, meanwhile had a simple request for the President which was to assure that the rail systems’ maintenance providers are able to minimize glitches.

“We need more knowledgeable personnel for train maintenance,” Castro said. “We don’t want to have glitches every day anymore.”

In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, President Duterte vowed that additional trains will be “addressed soonest” and that train speed will also be increased from 40 kph to 60 kph.

He also wants queuing time from ticketing stations reduced by providing more ticketing stations in public places such as malls and extend the trains’ operating hours. (PNA) BNB/ANP