Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the dismissal of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) General Manager Oscar Bongon following a string of mishaps, which he said demands a swift response.

Dizon confirmed the removal of Bongon in a radio interview on Tuesday, March 18, as he asserted that the agency now mandates immediate action from its employees.

“Tingin ko lang po talaga ay kailangan natin ng kaunting pagbabago sa ating mga ahensiya, lalong lalo na as mga ahensiyang direktang nakaka-apekto sa pang-araw araw na dinadaanan ng mga kababayan natin,” he said.

(I really believe that we need some changes in our agencies, especially those that directly affect the daily experiences of our fellow citizens.)

The DOTr chief was particularly irked with the escalator malfunction at MRT-3’s Taft Avenue station last March 8, which left 10 passengers injured.

The agency reported that the primary chain of the escalator broke off, leaving concerns about maintenance and overall safety of the railway’s facilities.

While the incident took place on a Saturday, Dizon noted that it was only reopened by Tuesday of the following week, after he directly ordered the repair.

“Hindi ko gusto ‘yung attitude na hindi agad-agad inaaksyunan, at parang dini-delay at hindi nagiging urgent,” the DOTr Secretary stressed.

(I don’t like the attitude of not taking immediate action, as if it’s being delayed and not treated as urgent.)

“Dapat nagkukusa ng ating mga kawani na sila mismo naiisip nila na hindi ito pwedeng maghintay,” he added, noting that this should serve as a message to DOTr employees.

(Our personnel should take the initiative and realize on their own that this cannot wait.)

Early this month, a northbound train temporarily stopped operating for a few hours, with passengers seen opening windows of the train after it lost power near Santolan-Annapolis station.

Also this month, it was reported that one of its trains underwent a “loss of traction” near Cubao station.

Bongon, who was appointed to the post in September last year, is a long-time engineer and executive at MRT-3, serving since 1997.

The general manager’s dismissal comes amid an overhaul of the DOTr, with the newly minted Transportation Secretary already sacking several employees that have been linked to incidents that trended on social media.

According to Dizon, he already has someone in mind on who will be the new MRT-3 head.

However, the DOTr is still waiting for the Office of the President’s (OP) nod of approval.

MRT-3 closing time extension

After Dizon’s inspection on MRT-3 on Monday, March 17, Dizon instructed the operator to extend its evening operations by at least one hour.

He said earlier that extending MRT-3 operations beyond the current 10:30 p.m. closing time would ensure smoother commuting experience for the public, particularly for night-shift workers.

The official also ordered the railway operator to invest in at least two train cars to provide greater access to passengers.

Commuters can expect these changes as early as next week.