All refurbished Schindler-brand escalators of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) are now open for public use, providing some relief to commuters especially senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is striving to modernize the system through facility upgrades.
The restoration of these conveyance facilities is a step towards long-term progress that will make a valuable difference in the lives of daily commuters.
Rehabilitation project
The P22.11-million project was awarded to Jardine Schindler Elevator Corporation in June 2015, through the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM). The contractor holds proprietary rights to rehabilitate the 12 Schindler-brand escalators as the brand’s exclusive distributor.
The projects to rehabilitate the other batch of escalators, which includes 34 Mitsubishi-brand facilities, and to replace 32 elevators are currently under procurement by the PS-DBM.
Second LRV undergoing static testing 
The second of 48 new light rail vehicles (LRVs) for the MRT-3 system is presently undergoing static testing while dynamic testing, such as checks on acceleration and braking, to ensure the reliability of components is slated later this week.
Two more LRVs will be delivered in February, completing the three-LRV train to be added to the revenue line after all the necessary assessments by the end of March.
The riding public will see a 67 percent-increase in passenger capacity after the delivery of four LRVs per month from March until January 2017. (DOTC)
