The Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 and 2 will limit their operating hours until January 1.

MRT-3 will only be able to accommodate passengers in North Avenue Station until 7:45 p.m. from Thursday (December 31). The last trip in Taft Avenue Station is at 8:25 p.m.

On January 1, the first trip will open at 6:30 a.m. in North Avenue and Taft Avenue Stations while the last trip is scheduled at 9:30 p.m. and 10:10 p.m. in North and Taft Avenues, respectively.

For passengers at LRT-1, train operations will be until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday while the last trip at LRT-2 is at 7:30 p.m. AAC

MANILA, Philippines – The operations of the Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) has resumed after it was momentarily halted due to the magnitude 6.3-earthquake that struck off Calatagan, Batangas at around 7:34 a.m. Friday and felt in Metro Manila.

In an advisory, the MRT-3 management said the railway operations resumed at 8:32 a.m. but at a slower speed of 50 kilometers per hour (kph) from 60kph at the mainline after checking of tracks.

“Checking of buildings and facilities is ongoing,” the MRT-3 said.

The railway management was forced to suspend train operations for minutes earlier and advised train drivers to stop at the nearest station for precautionary measures.  

Meanwhile, the management of the Light Rail Transit line 2 (LRT-2) said operations resumed around 11 a.m. after it was temporarily suspended due to the quake.

The temblor was also felt in nearby provinces, including Bulacan, Bataan, and Laguna.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the quake was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 109 kilometers.

The following intensities were recorded several areas: 

• Intensity IV – Lemery, and Malvar, Batangas; San Pedro, Laguna; City of Manila; Marikina City; Quezon City; Cainta and Antipolo City, Rizal; Pasig City
• Intensity III – Caloocan City; Tanay, Rizal; San Jose Del Monte City, and Plaridel, Bulacan; Gapan City, Nueva Ecija; Cabangan and Iba, Zambales; Samal,
• Bataan; Valenzuela City; Malabon City
• Intensity II – San Isidro, Nueva Ecija; Alaminos City, Pangasinan
• Instrumental Intensities were also recorded:
• Intensity IV – Bacoor City; Tagaytay City; Carmona, Cavite; Plaridel, Calumpit, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, and Malolos, Bulacan; Guagua, Pampanga; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Las Pinas City
• Intensity III – Talisay, Batangas; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Dagupan City; Quezon City; Pasig City; Muntinlupa City; Marikina City; Cabanatuan City
• Intensity II – Roxas, Oriental Mindoro; Lucban, Quezon; Baler, Aurora; Palayan City
• Intensity I – San Jose, Nueva Ecija; Gumaca, Lopez and Lucena City, Quezon

Phivolcs said there is no reported significant damage from the quake but it is expecting aftershocks.

The Metro Rail Transit 3 trains can now travel at 60 kilometers per hour after completing the rail replacements as part of the railway’s rehabilitation program.

The average travel time between stations has now been cut to 3.5 to 4 minutes from 8 to 9.5 minutes.

Travel time from North Avenue to Taft station has been cut to 50 minutes from the previous 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The rail replacements began in September and were completed ahead of the scheduled completion set in February 2021. It is a part of the MRT-3’s massive rehabilitation program, which is being implemented by its maintenance provider Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from Japan.

MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael Capati said they have been aiming to boost the train speed before the year ends.

“During the first week of December, we have been performing test runs to ascertain the alignment and safety of railway tracks. We are targeting to increase the train operating speed to 60kph in the entire revenue line before this year ends, when all system checks have been performed to ensure compliance to safety standards,” he said in a statement.

He also added that the boost in the train speed will be able to provide passengers a faster, safer, and more reliable public transportation. AAC