LRT-1 operator hit for ‘mishandling’ train breakdown

MANILA, Philippines — Netizens criticized the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), private operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 or LRT-1, for allegedly mishandling the disruption of its train trips on Thursday night.

The LRMC said in an advisory that it stopped the operation of the entire rail line while its technicians were “working on the fault of the affected train at 5th Avenue,” referring to an incident wherein a train malfunctioned near the station in Caloocan.

Some passengers claimed that train personnel told them to stay inside the train, which they said lasted for an hour, while technicians worked on the problem.

The stranded passengers said they almost got suffocated and children started crying.

Another passenger claimed that the driver of the troubled train left even when passengers were still inside, adding that technicians were arrogant in answering passenger concerns.

“One of the maintenance personnel out of nowhere emerged and told us ‘Bumaba kayo kung gusto nyo. Choice nyo yan. Mag iingat nalang kayo kasi madaming mga wire sa paligid (You can disembark if you want. It’s your choice. Just be careful of the wires). Then one of the passengers ask ‘maayos na ba?’ (Is it OK now)? He simply answered ‘kung kaya nyo mag antay, di pa alam’ (Wait. We don’t know yet),” wrote the netizen.

Videos uploaded on Facebook showed some passengers forced to walk along the rail line in the rain.

Netizens lambasted the LRMC’s response to the breakdown, saying the incident occurred during the evening rush hour and a heavy downpour in Metro Manila.

The LRMC has yet to respond to the complaints posted on the Facebook and X accounts of LRT-1.

But in an update, the LRMC expressed “our sincere gratitude for the understanding and patience of our valued passengers during this period.” It also thanked passengers “for their continued support.”

Full-line operations of the LRT-1 from Dr. A. Santos to Fernando Poe Jr. station and back resumed at 10:09 p.m., or about 30 minutes before the closure of the rail line.