Manila: Department of Transportation (DOTr) Acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez has ordered the implementation of all necessary measures to avoid severe congestion on Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) platforms. This directive comes in response to a recent incident that led to significant overcrowding and drew widespread attention on social media.

According to Philippines News Agency, the MRT-3 apologized to its passengers for the severe congestion that occurred on one of its platforms on Monday. The incident, happening at approximately 7:25 a.m., was caused by boarding passengers being allowed onto the train platform despite existing congestion, leading to overcrowding when other passengers arrived.

The MRT management acknowledged the discomfort and safety concerns caused by the situation and took responsibility for the incident. To address these concerns, MRT personnel are enhancing monitoring and coordination efforts on the ground to improve crowd management and ensure a safer and more orderly commute, particularly during peak hours.

Furthermore, the MRT-3 will increase security measures without disrupting passenger flow by installing walkthrough metal detectors at the northbound and southbound entrances of North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, and GMA-Kamuning stations. These detectors aim to ensure commuter safety by enabling early detection of threats or banned items before passengers enter the platform.

Plans are underway to install these walkthrough metal detectors at all MRT-3 stations in the future.