The Department of Transportation has deployed three extra train sets for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 starting Monday to boost capacity and ease crowding as Metro Manila braces for heavier holiday‑season commuter traffic.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the additional trains will carry around 6,000 more passengers each day, supplementing the line’s current daily ridership of roughly 500,000. The MRT‑3 normally runs between 16 and 19 train sets daily along its route from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City.
While the new trains will give commuters some relief, Dizon noted the expansion is still insufficient to meet growing demand, adding he will discuss further upgrades with the project’s Japanese partners. For rail operators, the deployment marks an immediate capacity boost as they prepare for peak travel volumes expected in the coming months, though longer‑term service improvements remain in the pipeline.
Separately, the transportation chief inspected the upgraded Guadalupe Busway station, which now features wider spaces and better lighting for waiting passengers. Dizon said the improved facilities reflect the government’s focus on prioritizing commuter comfort and convenience. He added only 12 more EDSA Busway stations are left to finish, with construction moving forward to deliver on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of better mass transit along the busy thoroughfare.
Works on EDSA also include road rehabilitation, new sidewalks and wider pedestrian areas, alongside the busway upgrades. The Department of Transportation’s flagship EDSA Busway project is being carried out with support from the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, targeting full completion next year. Official figures show ridership on the busway rose to nearly 66.7 million passengers in 2025, up from about 63 million in 2024, signaling growing reliance on the system as more people shift to public transport.
