The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) expresses its apology and assures the public that the present Management is actively addressing the issue on defective elevators and escalators of the LRT Line 2 System.
On 7 December 2021, the LRTA, upon the instruction of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade, filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against the involved LRTA officials and private contractors involved in the anomalous purchase of P170.3 million total worth of equipment including the P138-million contract for the supply delivery, installation and commissioning of the conveyance system awarded to Ma-An Construction, Inc. and IFE Elevators, Inc. Joint Venture.
Secretary Tugade also instructed the immediate repair of all defective escalators and elevators and the blacklisting of erring suppliers.
On January 4, 2022, the day of his assumption into office, the new LRTA Administrator Jeremy Regino, and upon the instructions of Sec. Art Tugade, conducted an ocular inspection of the LRT Line 2 System, particularly the non-operational escalators and elevators.
He then called for a meeting with the Engineering Department and Legal Department, and the existing LRT Line 2 maintenance provider, to get the defective station conveyance system operational at the soonest possible time.
Among the options seen are the emergency procurement of need parts and the tasking of the existing LRT Line 2 maintenance provider to undertake the repairs. The Line 2 system has thirteen (13) stations from Recto, Manila to Masinag, Antipolo at the length of 17.69 kilometers.
LRTA assures the public that its present management will do its best to remedy the situation and restore the non-operational stations escalators and elevators for the convenience of LRT-2 commuters, especially amid the pandemic.
LRTA also stresses the importance of continuing anti-corruption efforts and good governance practices to protect the riding public from substandard equipment, and to maintain the safety and reliability of LRT lines.