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'Technical issues' prolong LRT-2 shutdown, tormenting 220,000 passengers

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<h2>Railway management eyes partial opening on Oct. 8 </h2><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9FIacn_khZc?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA — &quot;Technical issues&quot; prevented the re-opening of the LRT-2 on Monday, 3 days after it suspended its operations due to a fire, forcing some 220,000 passengers to find alternative modes of transport, its management said Monday. </p><p>Authorities over the weekend failed to &quot;tune up&quot; the power supply and telecommunication system struck by Thursday&#x27;s <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/03/19/watch-fire-hits-lrt-2-katipunan-station-lrt-1-closes-2-stations">fire</a>, said LRT Authority Spokesperson Atty. Hernando Cabrera. </p><p>&quot;Hanggang ngayong araw, may naiiwan pa rin tayong technical issues pagdating doon sa ating telecommunications system saka sa ating power supply system,&quot; he told radio DZMM. </p><p>(Until today, there are remaining technical issues with our telecommunications system and our power supply system.) </p><p>&quot;Despite our continuous conduct of simulation... hindi namin ma-achieve iyong gusto naming makapagbigay ng kombinyente at safe na biyahe para sa ating mga pasahero. Hangga&#x27;t hindi namin naa-achieve iyon, hindi kami puwedeng mag-operate muna,&quot; he added. </p><p>(Despite our continuous conduct of simulation, our fine-tuning, we were not able to achieve our goal of providing convenient and safe travel to our passengers. Until we achieve that, we cannot operate yet.) </p><div><strong>COMMUTER PLIGHT </strong></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Marami pa ring commuter ang &#x27;di makasakay sa Marcos Highway ngayong Lunes ng umaga dahil sarado ang LRT-2 | Ulat ni <a href="https://twitter.com/LyzaAquinoDZMM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LyzaAquinoDZMM</a> <a href="https://t.co/BYt3DGb9jq">pic.twitter.com/BYt3DGb9jq</a></p>— DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DZMMTeleRadyo/status/1180994977926533120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>In front of the LRT-Anonas station in Marcos Highway, droves of LRT riders scrambled to hail packed buses and jeepneys. </p><p>Among them was Rolly Duran, 58, who ran late for work as he spent some 30 minutes waiting for free bus rides offered by the government</p><p>&quot;Hinihintay ko [ang libreng sakay], wala namang dumadating, matagal yata ang dating. Gusto ko ngang mag-jeep, kahit sabit lang, punong-puno naman,&quot; he told radio DZMM.</p><p>(I&#x27;m waiting, but no bus has arrived. I want to ride a jeepney instead, even cling to its rear, but they&#x27;re already packed with passengers.) </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Ilang senior citizen, pahirapan sa pagsakay sa mga bus na libreng sakay ngayong Lunes ng umaga. Hindi na rin makapag-book sa mga ride hailing apps ang ilang mga pasahero. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/LyzaAquinoDZMM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LyzaAquinoDZMM</a> <a href="https://t.co/HCD9DystTr">pic.twitter.com/HCD9DystTr</a></p>— DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DZMMTeleRadyo/status/1181001921760518145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Radio technologist Micah Tuliao was also stuck in the passenger queue despite leaving home earlier than usual, forcing her to try booking a ride on motorcycle-hailing app Angkas. </p><p>&quot;Sobrang daming taong nag-aabang ng sasakyan so nagbu-book ako ng Angkas... pahirapan sa pag-book,&quot; she said. </p><p>(There are so many people waiting for public vehicles so I&#x27;m trying to book a ride on Angkas but it&#x27;s difficult.) </p><p>Meanwhile, some tricycle drivers lamented the loss of earnings due to the lack of LRT-2 passengers who they bring to nearby universities. </p><p>&quot;Napakabigat po, pero nag-iisip din po kami kung papaano po namin mapapakain ang aming pamilya,&quot; said Alejandro Epil, board member of a tricycle association. </p><p>(It&#x27;s difficult, but we are also thinking about how we can feed our families) </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Mga tricycle driver sa LRT-2 Legarda station, apektado rin sa pagtigil-operasyon ng tren. Konti lang anila ang pasahero nila ngayon. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/jekkipascual?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jekkipascual</a> <a href="https://t.co/kJK3joAXT0">pic.twitter.com/kJK3joAXT0</a></p>— DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DZMMTeleRadyo/status/1180976348141178881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><div><strong>LRT SHUTDOWN: P3.2-M DAILY LOSSES, P340-M REPAIR COST </strong></div><p>The LRT-2 ferries around 200,000 passengers daily, with the rider tally rising to 240,000 on peak days, Cabrera said. </p><p>The railway loses P3.2 million in revenue in each day of shutdown, which will go down to P1.5 million in losses once it partially resumes operations, he said. </p><p>The LRT, he said, may resume partial operations on 8 of its 11 stations, from Recto, Manila to Cubao, Quezon City &quot;hopefully&quot; by Tuesday. </p><p>The Anonas, Katipunan and Santolan stations — located near several universities — may remain closed for <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/04/19/no-lrt-2-operations-in-3-stations-in-the-next-9-months">9 months</a>, as authorities procure P340 million worth of spare parts to replace those gutted by the blaze, the cause of which is still being investigated, said Cabrera.</p><p>Most of the customized parts will be imported from the UK, while some may come from Japan and France, he said. </p><p>The repair of the LRT-2 will not push up fare rates, he said. <br/> <br/><strong>FREE RIDES </strong></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">LRT-2, wala pa ring biyahe ngayong Lunes, Oktubre 7 | via <a href="https://twitter.com/jekkipascual?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jekkipascual</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z2RuFVyKn9">pic.twitter.com/Z2RuFVyKn9</a></p>— DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DZMMTeleRadyo/status/1180971248718946307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Regulators have granted special permits for 89 buses to ferry LRT-passengers. </p><p>The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, meanwhile, has 4 buses offering free rides, said its Task Force for Special Operations, Bong Nebrija. </p><p>Authorities are cautious of deploying more buses to the LRT route because some roads like Anonas are narrow and will experience gridlocks in case of vehicular accidents, he said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/05/19/lrta-to-lrt-2-passengers-look-for-other-transportation-options">LRT-2 passengers told: Look for other transportation options </a></li></ul><div><br/><strong>- With reports from Lyza Aquino and Jekki Pascual, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>"Technical issues" prevented the re-opening of the LRT-2 on Monday, 3 days after it suspended its operations due to a fire, forcing some 220,000 passengers to find alternative modes of transport, its management said Monday. </p>

"Technical issues" prevented the re-opening of the LRT-2 on Monday, 3 days after it suspended its operations due to a fire, forcing some 220,000 passengers to find alternative modes of transport, its management said Monday.

'Technical issues' prolong LRT-2 shutdown, tormenting 220,000 passengers

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'Technical issues' prolong LRT-2 shutdown, tormenting 220,000 passengers

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 07, 2019 09:37 AM PHT

|

Updated Oct 07, 2019 02:39 PM PHT

Read More:

DZMM

commute

transport

train accident

LRT-2

LRT closure

MMDA

Bong Nebrija

LRTA

Hernando Cabrera

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