THE Light Rail Transit (LRT 1) operator, Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), said on Saturday that it has maintained nonstop service to its riding public despite severe weather conditions that battered Metro Manila and nearby provinces for several weeks last month.
Enrico Benipayo, LRMC president and CEO, said in a statement emailed to The Manila Times that the company has maintained uninterrupted service across the LRT 1 system, serving an average daily ridership of 376,000 in August amid class and work suspensions.
“At LRMC, our commitment to providing a safe, reliable and seamless journey for our passengers is absolute,” Benipayo said.
“By acting swiftly on feedback and continuously upgrading our protocols, we ensure that LRT 1 remains a safe and dependable mobility partner for every Filipino, even during severe weather,” he pointed out.
The top LRMC executive cited an isolated water leak inside one Light Rail Vehicle of a 4th-Generation train set during heavy rainfall, which was traced to a defective air-conditioning unit (ACU) drain line valve that failed prematurely.
The component was immediately replaced, and the train set passed rigorous safety and performance checks before returning to service, he said.
To prevent similar issues, LRMC has increased ACU drain valve inspections from every nine months to every month and is finalizing plans to proactively replace these valves fleet-wide, he added.
During the monsoon season, the LRT operator said water accumulation at its Monumento (Caloocan) station was traced to a clogged storm drain at the adjacent SM City Grand Central Mall, which was resolved immediately following coordination with the mall management.
Moreover, Benipayo said the LRMC has reopened the two pedestrian interconnections at LRT 1 Baclaran Station after extensive retrofitting.
The enhancements, including access stairs to street level, provide safer, smoother and more convenient transfers between LRT 1 and nearby commercial centers, protecting commuters from bad weather and heavy street traffic.
The LRMC head mentioned its partnership with the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority, aligning operations with national transit goals of sustainable, customer-centric mass transportation service. ARLIE CALALO
