MANILA, Philippines — Metro Rail Transit-3 General Manager Rodolfo Garcia has passed away, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Wednesday night. He was 77.

On its Twitter post, the DOTr paid tribute to Garcia for his contribution to the improvement of the MRT-3 system.

“The entire DOTr family wishes to condole with the bereaved family of Gen. Garcia. Our thoughts and prayers are with you,” the DOTr statement said.

“We acknowledge and highly appreciate Gen. Garcia for sharing his expertise, knowledge, and leadership. We recognize his untiring effort to improve the state of the MRT-3,” it added.

In January, the DOTr said Garcia tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the intensive care unit.

The DOTr added that MRT-3 director for Operations Michael Capati, 36 other office personnel, and six Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries staff also contracted the disease. —/mbmf

MANILA, Philippines —The management of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) has ordered its personnel to put on full personal protective equipment (PPE) with face masks and shields to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) within the depot. 

This, after 36 depot personnel and six workers of the train’s maintenance provider Sumitomo-MHI-TESP contracted COVID-19 prompting the management to place the entire depot under “enhanced access control”. 

All infected personnel were immediately isolated and placed under quarantine.

Under “enhanced access control,” only personnel who test negative in the RT-PCR swab testing will be allowed entry into the depot.

They are required to submit a health declaration form twice daily as part of the monitoring of their individual health conditions.

Also, regular temperature checking is imposed on all entering and exiting employees and those with temperature higher than 37.7 degrees Celsius will not be allowed inside.

All measures are aimed at protecting depot personnel as well as MRT-3 passengers from contracting COVID-19.

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) General Manager Rodolfo Garcia has contracted novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade confirmed on Thursday.

“Tinamaan po ang ating general manager ng MRT-3. Mino-monitor ko kaninang midnight, nandoon siya sa isang ospital sa ICU (intensive care unit),” Tugade said.

The Transportation chief also said that apart from Garcia, MRT-3 director for operations Engr. Michael Capati also tested positive for coronavirus but is already recovering.

The MRT-3 earlier reported that a total of 36 depot personnel have contracted the virus as well as six members of its maintenance provider, Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

All personnel who have tested positive for coronavirus are already in quarantine, the rail management said.

The DOTr earlier assured the public that COVID-19 infections are limited at the MRT-3 depot in Quezon City and that there are no reported cases among its station personnel.

The rail management also ensured that measures are in place to prevent transmission, such as the shifting of employees to a work from home arrangement, with only essential office personnel allowed to report physically at the depot after obtaining negative RT-PCR test results.

Stations personnel are also required to wear full personal protective equipment.

The MRT-3 is also enforcing limited capacity in trains, health screening of entering passengers and personnel, regular disinfection of trains and facilities, as well as the placement of disinfection stations and transport marshals to ensure observance of health and safety protocols.

Passengers are also reminded to strictly observe policies being implemented when riding public utility vehicles. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Joan Nano)