GOVT URGED TO ENSURE MRT SAFETY; ROLLS OUT P2P BUSES ON EDSA

SENATOR Nancy Binay on Friday called on the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Metro Rail Transit-3 to ensure stable operations in the railway line in anticipation of the holiday season rush. Binay said, “It is important that the train systems undergo additional maintenance as MRT-3 is notorious for its mishaps and faces technical glitches on a daily basis.” Binay added that the DoTr and MRT-3 management should also beef up security checks in all train stations to ensure passenger safety. She cited a 2014 study that the Mass Transit Railway of Hong Kong conducted which indicated that the MRT-3 is “at risk of derailment and the track condition requires immediate attention. The report also stressed the need to overhaul all its trains. Meanwhile, the government started to roll out on Friday point-to-point (P2P) buses along EDSA during the rush hours as an alternative to the breakdown-prone MRT-3. Twenty P2P buses were deployed at North Avenue from 6 to 9 a.m. and were escorted by enforcers from the Land Transportation Office or the Highway Patrol Group. The southbound buses would have two stops—the Ortigas and Ayala Avenue stations—and charge P20 and P24 respectively. During the evening rush hours, from 5 to 8 p.m., there will be 20 buses at the Taft Avenue station, while 10 would be onstandby at the Ayala Avenue station. These buses will

QC GOVT HOSPITAL WALL COLLAPSES

A PORTION of the 30- meter wall of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) in Quezon City collapsed at around 10: 30 pm on Thursday night, due to heavy rainfall and sustained winds brought about by Tropical Depression “Salome.” This is the wall near the Department of Health Mimaropa and Calabarzon office. Parked cars near the area were damaged,” administrative officer Jeffrick Parungao said adding that the hospital has no liability for this as the cars were illegally parked in the area. “A lot of vehicles were being towed by the MMDA [ Metro Manila Development Authority]. But after they were towed, two or three would come back,” he added. Damaged were a Toyota Innova, a Fortuner and an Avanza; authorities were able to take them from the rubble in the clearing operation. The Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) said on Friday that it has cleared the area. They also informed Parungao that another 15-meter section of the same wall may also collapse if not repaired. Parungao said they will reconstruct the wall located in P. Tuazon corner Katipunan Avenue Extension with stronger materials. Located in Project 4, QCMMC was founded in 1953 and was formerly known as the Labor Hospital Located in Project 4.