(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has announced free Metro Rail Transit-3 rides from March 28 to April 30.
The President made the announcement during a ceremony that marked the completion of the rail system’s massive rehabilitation.
In a statement on Wednesday, March 23, the Department of Transportation said the DOTr Railway sector, the MRT-3 management, and its maintenance provider, Sumitomo-MHI-TESP completed the rehabilitation work last December 2021, two months ahead of schedule.
The department said with the rehabilitation, the MRT-3 now operates at a speed of up to 60 kph from the previous 25 kph.
The number of trains has also increased from 13 to 23.
“Meanwhile, the headway or the waiting time between trains have been reduced from around 10 minutes to as low as 3.5 minutes,” the DOTr said.
The DOTr said under the MRT-3 rehabilitation project, all of its 72 Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) were restored, its rail tracks were replaced and rehabilitated.
Also upgraded were the line’s power supply, overhead catenary system, communications and signaling system, stations, as well as depot facilities and equipment.