Photo by Mara Jocson
This photo by Mara went viral online. It shows the long line at North Avenue station, March 9.
It is not unusual, most netizens reacted. Those who fall in line and endure the MRT day by day say that this is a common sight especially at the North Avenue station where a lot of foot traffic takes place. A lot of commuters ride this station as well.
There have been efforts made by the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) headed by Joseph Emilio Abaya. They promised improvements to be felt within the first quarter of 2016:
- beep cards
- 48 additional trains to add capacity
- 12 Schindler-brand escalators
- rehabilitation of toilets
Senator Grace Poe, head of the senate subcommittee in public services said that there have been “delays” from the DOTC even when the budget has been released already.
As an MRT commuter, I have personally felt the improvement brought by the beep cards. It eliminates a percentage of traffic when buying and paying for your cards manually through their booths. They also have people who will explain and help you on how to load your cards. I highly recommend purchasing one.
What about you? Have you felt the improvements in the MRT promised by the DOTC? If so, which ones?
