MANILA, Philippines—”It’s a silly challenge.”This was how presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo rejected a youth group’s dare for him, President Rodrigo Duterte, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority spokesperson Celine Pialago to commute so they could experience the daily plight of commuters. “Whether you commute or drive, one is subjected to the same vexing inconvenience and delay, as well as the loss of precious time,” he added. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2’s commercial operation bogged down last week due to an electrical fire, forcing some 220,000 passengers to find alternative modes of transport. Meanwhile, LRT-1 stopped trips in its two stations due to “mechanical issues” Thursday, October 3, the same day the Metro Rail Transit 3 also suffered a technical glitch. READ: No mass transport crisis yet, says Panelo/kgaADVERTISEMENTRead NextLATEST STORIESMOST READ

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 09, 2019 08:37 UTC