The maintenance providers of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) issued a formal apology following a morning rush-hour technical failure that temporarily halted train operations on Wednesday.
In a joint statement released through the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Sumitomo Corporation and its technical partner, TES Philippines Inc., expressed regret over the service interruption and pledged a full investigation. The companies committed to identifying the root cause of the malfunction and executing corrective protocols to avoid future incidents.
The rail line was forced to implement limited provisional operations at around 5:50 a.m. after a technical problem emerged between the Buendia and Guadalupe stations.
While repairs were underway, train loops were restricted, running only between the North Avenue and Shaw Boulevard stations in both directions.
The service gap prompted Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez to issue a show cause order (SCO) against Sumitomo Corporation and its consultants, legally demanding a formal explanation regarding the breakdown.
Engineers fully restored normal line operations by 6:57 a.m. Following the resumption of regular schedules, MRT-3 management announced at midday that all remaining train rides for the day would be free of charge to compensate passengers for the morning travel delays.
The early disruption caused significant delays for thousands of peak-hour commuters, forcing rail management and technical providers to reassess current line maintenance safety measures.