Sunday, February 18, 2018
‘Corruption real cause of traffic gridlocks’
Lawmakers should not allow themselves to be stampeded into approving House Bill (HB) 4334 or the Traffic Crisis Act of 2016 that would give emergency powers to different departments of the government to address the seemingly unsolvable traffic mess.
“Let’s go slow on this bill’s approval. This is not the solution. This would only aggravate the situation since it does not address the real cause of the traffic gridlocks in Metro Manila and other urban cities [and the real cause is]corruption,” Lito Atienza, Buhay party-list representative and senior deputy minority leader, said in a statement over the weekend.
Giving emergency powers that would suspend laws on bidding and procurement, he warned, might only open the floodgate to more corruption.
“Traffic enforcers are not enforcing the law. They are looking the other way and allowing corrupt interests to take precedence over performing their sworn task,” according to Atienza.
He cited as an example the continued proliferation of illegal bus and jeep terminals.
“On several major intersections, they [traffic enforcers]let private motorists wait for 5 to 10 minutes while they give priority to buses and jeepneys coming from the perpendicular roads. Bakit, dahil may lagay ba sa kanila [Why, are they bribed by the bus and jeepney drivers]? … why don’t we install intelligent traffic lights systems that utilize actual road conditions and allow smoother flow of traffic?” Atienza said.
He pointed out that aside from corruption, another cause of the gridlocks is the apparent refusal of authorities to clear alternate routes to alleviate congestion on major roads.
Secondary roads that can serve as alternate routes, Atienza said, are still littered with illegally parked vehicles, basketball courts, and even houses in the middle of the streets.
Aside from the continued presence of so many obstructions on these alternate routes, barangay [villages]are being allowed to put up gates within their communities, closing roads that should be open 24 hours a day to serve as alternate routes, he added.
“Our main mass transport system that serves Metro Manilans, the Metro Rail Transit 3 [MRT 3], has badly deteriorated and continues to bog down everyday, sometimes leaving thousands of commuters with only 3 to 4 working coaches at any shift instead of the needed 15 to 17. How can we expect commuters and motorists to again make sacrifices [when no train authorities have been arrested or punished]. Why has no one been punished for the purchase of 48 trains that are not fit for our rails? Neither the maintenance contractor nor the government officials responsible for this anomalous transaction have been punished. They should be languishing in jail by now. The MRT 3 is the only fast and usable mass transport system we have, it should have been protected from corruption,” Atienza said.
“Instead of asking for emergency powers, the government should do its job and exhaust all means to address the traffic mess in Manila and other urban areas. Efficient and honest-to-goodness enforcement of existing laws is what’s needed. But as long as corruption exists, there will be no solution to this problem. We reiterate our advice to our colleagues, HB 4334 is not the solution. This would only aggravate the problem. President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said, and he is correct in saying that corruption remains one of the biggest problems of the nation,” he added.
“Let’s go slow on this bill’s approval. This is not the solution. This would only aggravate the situation since it does not address the real cause of the traffic gridlocks in Metro Manila and other urban cities [and the real cause is]corruption,” Lito Atienza, Buhay party-list representative and senior deputy minority leader, said in a statement over the weekend.
Giving emergency powers that would suspend laws on bidding and procurement, he warned, might only open the floodgate to more corruption.
“Traffic enforcers are not enforcing the law. They are looking the other way and allowing corrupt interests to take precedence over performing their sworn task,” according to Atienza.
He cited as an example the continued proliferation of illegal bus and jeep terminals.
“On several major intersections, they [traffic enforcers]let private motorists wait for 5 to 10 minutes while they give priority to buses and jeepneys coming from the perpendicular roads. Bakit, dahil may lagay ba sa kanila [Why, are they bribed by the bus and jeepney drivers]? … why don’t we install intelligent traffic lights systems that utilize actual road conditions and allow smoother flow of traffic?” Atienza said.
He pointed out that aside from corruption, another cause of the gridlocks is the apparent refusal of authorities to clear alternate routes to alleviate congestion on major roads.
Secondary roads that can serve as alternate routes, Atienza said, are still littered with illegally parked vehicles, basketball courts, and even houses in the middle of the streets.
Aside from the continued presence of so many obstructions on these alternate routes, barangay [villages]are being allowed to put up gates within their communities, closing roads that should be open 24 hours a day to serve as alternate routes, he added.
“Our main mass transport system that serves Metro Manilans, the Metro Rail Transit 3 [MRT 3], has badly deteriorated and continues to bog down everyday, sometimes leaving thousands of commuters with only 3 to 4 working coaches at any shift instead of the needed 15 to 17. How can we expect commuters and motorists to again make sacrifices [when no train authorities have been arrested or punished]. Why has no one been punished for the purchase of 48 trains that are not fit for our rails? Neither the maintenance contractor nor the government officials responsible for this anomalous transaction have been punished. They should be languishing in jail by now. The MRT 3 is the only fast and usable mass transport system we have, it should have been protected from corruption,” Atienza said.
“Instead of asking for emergency powers, the government should do its job and exhaust all means to address the traffic mess in Manila and other urban areas. Efficient and honest-to-goodness enforcement of existing laws is what’s needed. But as long as corruption exists, there will be no solution to this problem. We reiterate our advice to our colleagues, HB 4334 is not the solution. This would only aggravate the problem. President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly said, and he is correct in saying that corruption remains one of the biggest problems of the nation,” he added.
Poe to spill beans on MRT-3 mess
Senator Grace Poe said she will name those who are supposedly responsible for the worsening state of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) as the Senate resumes its investigation on the troubled rail system next week.
The Senate Committee on Public Services, chaired by Poe, will continue probing the MRT-3 mess on February 20, where she will name more personalities who should be blamed for the frequent glitches.
“Sa aming pagdinig, ilalabas na namin talaga yung mga may kasalanan nito kaya tayo nagka-abot-abot sa ganito (In our hearing, we will expose those who should be blamed why it has led to this),” Poe said.
Poe was shocked to have learned that only three MRT-3 trains ran early morning of Wednesday, February 14.
She reiterated that the defective MRT-3 service resulted from the negligence and alleged corruption of concerned officials.
The public services panel in May last year probed the R3.8-billion procurement of light rail vehicles (LRVs) which remain unused due to incompatibilities with the MRT-3 system, where former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officials were grilled.
The DOTC, under then Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, in 2016 purchased 48 LRVs from Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stocks Co. of China.
The coaches, however, were found to be incompatible with the MRT-3’s maintenance facilities and signaling system, and was also found to be too heavy to be supported by existing for rails.
The Senate Committee on Public Services, chaired by Poe, will continue probing the MRT-3 mess on February 20, where she will name more personalities who should be blamed for the frequent glitches.
“Sa aming pagdinig, ilalabas na namin talaga yung mga may kasalanan nito kaya tayo nagka-abot-abot sa ganito (In our hearing, we will expose those who should be blamed why it has led to this),” Poe said.
Poe was shocked to have learned that only three MRT-3 trains ran early morning of Wednesday, February 14.
She reiterated that the defective MRT-3 service resulted from the negligence and alleged corruption of concerned officials.
The public services panel in May last year probed the R3.8-billion procurement of light rail vehicles (LRVs) which remain unused due to incompatibilities with the MRT-3 system, where former Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officials were grilled.
The DOTC, under then Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, in 2016 purchased 48 LRVs from Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stocks Co. of China.
The coaches, however, were found to be incompatible with the MRT-3’s maintenance facilities and signaling system, and was also found to be too heavy to be supported by existing for rails.
Down to 8 trains: How the MRT3 packs 260,000 commuters daily
Working trains are now down to 8. When the unthinkable happens, 260,000 commuters pack themselves into 6 or 7 trains daily
When the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) averaged 7 running trains, it served around 263,000 passengers to various destinations.
In the first two weeks of February, 267,000 passengers rode the MRT3 on average as 8 to 9 trains operate daily, based on MRT3 data sent daily to reporters.
The number is not promising. Back in 2017, the MRT3 has an average daily ridership of 463,000 from 20 operational trains.
The train system had 20 running trains daily until November 2017, but this was later adjusted to 15 to ensure the safety of passengers after anomalies with former maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Incorporated's (BURI) performance.
From 15 working trains by the end of 2017, the MRT3 management now scrambles to maintain 10 trains at most to serve the commuting public daily.
But working trains are now down to 8. When the unthinkable happens, 260,000 commuters pack themselves into 6 or 7 trains daily.
February ridership
Less commuters have been using the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) as it suffered almost daily breakdowns since 2018 started.
On February 1, the month opened with 10 working trains at 6 am. By 8 am, it was down to 9. The MRT3 averaged 9 working trains that were able to serve 313,616 passengers that day, despite two glitches that unloaded some 1,800 passengers.
On February 2, the number of trains was down to 8. The MRT3 management was able to keep the same number of operating trains that day, servicing some 286,000 passengers.
On February 6, the train system opened with 7 running trains. The management was able to add another train by 8 am but it was back to 7 trains by 10 am. By 12 noon, 8 trains were up and running again but was down to 7 again in time for the rush hour at 6 pm. It served about 274,000 passengers that day.
On February 8, MRT3 had 6 running trains by 6 am but was later increased to 8 by 7 am. After a glitch involving electrical failure at 10:37 am, the number of operational trains was at 7. The day averaged 8 running trains servicing 278,000 passengers.
On February 12, the MRT3 had only 7 running trains the entire Monday. Ridership was down close to 259,000.
On February 13, it opened with 8 trains at 6 am but went down to 7 at 2 pm. It averaged 7 trains again that day, servicing 263,000 passengers.
On February 14, MRT3 was able to keep 8 trains running the entire day. Ridership was up to 286,000.
The table below shows the daily ridership of the MRT3 vis-a-vis the average number of trains running that day:
As less trains become available in the MRT3, the DOTr deployed point-to-point buses to help augment its operations. (READ: Surviving MRT3: Worst train fails in 2017)
According to the DOTr, 28,825 passengers were served from February 1 to February 13 during the morning rush hour. The buses pick up passengers from North Avenue Station that stops only at either Ortigas and Ayala Stations.
Deteriorating
In a DzRH interview on Thursday, February 15, Transportation Undersecretary TJ Batan acknowledged the worsening problem of the MRT3.
"The condition of the MRT3 is really bad right now. In the past two weeks, we average only 8 to 9 working trains per day. We should have 20 trains per day instead of 8, making the availability of trains really low," Batan said in Filipino.
He attributed the problem to lack of spare parts that can be used to replace the worn-out parts of the 18-year-old train system and the need for a general rehabilitation of trains which should be done every 8 years.
"We found out when we did an inventory after we took over in November 6, 2017, that the spare parts left by the former maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Incorporated (BURI) was not in the right condition needed. This is one of the primary reasons why the number of available trains went down," Batan said.
A portion of the spare parts needed to rehabilitate the trains arrived on Tuesday, February 13.
Batan added that the last general overhaul of MRT3 trains were done in 2007 and 2008. The next general rehabilitation should have been done in 2016 but BURI was able to only overhaul 3 trains when the DOTr terminated its contract.
Since 2018 started, the MRT3 suffered a total of 34 glitches – 22 of which involved electrical failure in the train's motor. (READ: MRT3 suffers almost daily breakdowns since start of 2018)
On February 1, a system audit by engineers from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has already started. JICA is expected to determine all restoration works needed for the train system.
In January, German-based TUV Rheinland was tapped to evaluate the unused MRT3 trains delivered by China-based CRRC Dalian Company Limited.
The MRT3 management is expected to conduct full rehabilitation of its trains from March 28 to 31, promising the public better services after.
When the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) averaged 7 running trains, it served around 263,000 passengers to various destinations.
In the first two weeks of February, 267,000 passengers rode the MRT3 on average as 8 to 9 trains operate daily, based on MRT3 data sent daily to reporters.
The number is not promising. Back in 2017, the MRT3 has an average daily ridership of 463,000 from 20 operational trains.
The train system had 20 running trains daily until November 2017, but this was later adjusted to 15 to ensure the safety of passengers after anomalies with former maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Incorporated's (BURI) performance.
From 15 working trains by the end of 2017, the MRT3 management now scrambles to maintain 10 trains at most to serve the commuting public daily.
But working trains are now down to 8. When the unthinkable happens, 260,000 commuters pack themselves into 6 or 7 trains daily.
February ridership
Less commuters have been using the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) as it suffered almost daily breakdowns since 2018 started.
On February 1, the month opened with 10 working trains at 6 am. By 8 am, it was down to 9. The MRT3 averaged 9 working trains that were able to serve 313,616 passengers that day, despite two glitches that unloaded some 1,800 passengers.
On February 2, the number of trains was down to 8. The MRT3 management was able to keep the same number of operating trains that day, servicing some 286,000 passengers.
On February 6, the train system opened with 7 running trains. The management was able to add another train by 8 am but it was back to 7 trains by 10 am. By 12 noon, 8 trains were up and running again but was down to 7 again in time for the rush hour at 6 pm. It served about 274,000 passengers that day.
On February 8, MRT3 had 6 running trains by 6 am but was later increased to 8 by 7 am. After a glitch involving electrical failure at 10:37 am, the number of operational trains was at 7. The day averaged 8 running trains servicing 278,000 passengers.
On February 12, the MRT3 had only 7 running trains the entire Monday. Ridership was down close to 259,000.
On February 13, it opened with 8 trains at 6 am but went down to 7 at 2 pm. It averaged 7 trains again that day, servicing 263,000 passengers.
On February 14, MRT3 was able to keep 8 trains running the entire day. Ridership was up to 286,000.
The table below shows the daily ridership of the MRT3 vis-a-vis the average number of trains running that day:
As less trains become available in the MRT3, the DOTr deployed point-to-point buses to help augment its operations. (READ: Surviving MRT3: Worst train fails in 2017)
According to the DOTr, 28,825 passengers were served from February 1 to February 13 during the morning rush hour. The buses pick up passengers from North Avenue Station that stops only at either Ortigas and Ayala Stations.
Deteriorating
In a DzRH interview on Thursday, February 15, Transportation Undersecretary TJ Batan acknowledged the worsening problem of the MRT3.
"The condition of the MRT3 is really bad right now. In the past two weeks, we average only 8 to 9 working trains per day. We should have 20 trains per day instead of 8, making the availability of trains really low," Batan said in Filipino.
He attributed the problem to lack of spare parts that can be used to replace the worn-out parts of the 18-year-old train system and the need for a general rehabilitation of trains which should be done every 8 years.
"We found out when we did an inventory after we took over in November 6, 2017, that the spare parts left by the former maintenance provider Busan Universal Rail Incorporated (BURI) was not in the right condition needed. This is one of the primary reasons why the number of available trains went down," Batan said.
A portion of the spare parts needed to rehabilitate the trains arrived on Tuesday, February 13.
Batan added that the last general overhaul of MRT3 trains were done in 2007 and 2008. The next general rehabilitation should have been done in 2016 but BURI was able to only overhaul 3 trains when the DOTr terminated its contract.
Since 2018 started, the MRT3 suffered a total of 34 glitches – 22 of which involved electrical failure in the train's motor. (READ: MRT3 suffers almost daily breakdowns since start of 2018)
On February 1, a system audit by engineers from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has already started. JICA is expected to determine all restoration works needed for the train system.
In January, German-based TUV Rheinland was tapped to evaluate the unused MRT3 trains delivered by China-based CRRC Dalian Company Limited.
The MRT3 management is expected to conduct full rehabilitation of its trains from March 28 to 31, promising the public better services after.
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