Decade-long Dalian trains delay finally addressed
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sharply criticized the decade-long delay in deploying the Chinese-made Dalian trains for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3). He emphasized that taxpayers waited far too long for a service they had already funded.
“Nearly 50 coaches sat idle for 10 years. That’s wasted money, a wasted decade,” Marcos stated during his recent State of the Nation Address. “But now, we’ve fixed it.”
Initial Dalian trains now operational
Currently, three of the Dalian carriages are running, with plans to roll out more before the year’s end. These 48 light rail vehicles were purchased in 2014 through a ₱3.76-billion contract with China’s CCRC Dalian Co. However, they remained unused due to weight and system compatibility challenges.
After undergoing technical upgrades and receiving safety approvals from independent evaluators including TUV Rheinland and Sumitomo Corp., the government started integrating these trains into service earlier this month, local sources said.
President Marcos personally led the inaugural ride of one refurbished Dalian train at the MRT-3 Santolan-Annapolis station in Quezon City.
Expanded commuter benefits announced
Along with improving rail infrastructure, Marcos revealed enhanced fare discounts and new commuter perks for Filipino families.
He announced that the previous 20 percent fare discount for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and students on LRT and MRT lines has been increased to 50 percent.
Additionally, the “One Plus Three” Family Pass was introduced as a Sunday-only promotion. This allows one paying passenger to bring up to three family members for free on select rail lines, giving families more savings for leisure trips or church visits.
“This gives families some savings when they go out for leisure or attend church,” Marcos explained.
The president also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upgrading existing rail lines while constructing new ones like the North–South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway.
“Expect more of the remaining 45 coaches to be operational by the end of this year,” he added. “The rest will follow in the coming years.”
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