Passengers will still be able to get a ride during the Holy Week as transportation authorities are set to implement the EDSA Bus Carousel Augmentation Program for commuters affected by the maintenance shutdown of Metro Manila's major railways next week.
Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) Director for Operations Michael J. Capati said public utility buses will be rolled out along the route of the rail line to provide essential workers an alternative means of mobility to go around the city.
According to Capati, the additional buses will be deployed from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning Holy Tuesday, March 30, until Easter Sunday, April 4 -- the scheduled maintenance and rehabilitation of MRT-3.
While the exact number of buses to be deployed was not disclosed, Capati assured the riding public that there will be enough buses to cater to all commuters who need transportation during this period.
The management of MRT, which runs from the North Avenue Station to the Taft Avenue Station, announced on Tuesday, March 23, the schedule of the line’s temporary shutdown.
Capati said this will allow its Japanese maintenance provider, Sumitomo-MHI-TESP to conduct needed repair and maintenance works including the replacement of turnout parts for depot tracks and other remaining works on the guideway.
The MRT-3 will also rehabilitate its power supply and carry out other rehabilitation works, including equipment installation; cable laying/termination; point machine replacement; and the removal, re-installation, and calibration for turnouts, as well as check its communications system during the Holy Week break.
Operations at the MRT-3 will immediately resume on April 5, the management added.
Meanwhile, other railway systems earlier announced their schedule for the Holy Week. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 will both be closed to commuters from March 31 (Holy Wednesday) to April 4 and will resume also on April 5.
The Philippine National Railways (PNR) will also be suspending its operations on April 1 (Maundy Thursday), except for the Calamba-Tutuban route. The railway will then suspend all train operations from April 2 to 3 (Good Friday, Black Saturday).
On Easter Sunday, the PNR will immediately resume operations on the following routes: Tutuban-Alabang and vice versa, Tutuban-Calamba and vice versa, Tutuban-Gov. Pascual and vice versa, Gov. Pascual-Bicutan and vice versa, and Naga-Sipocot and vice versa. The railway will resume normal train operations on Monday, April 5.