'Santi' disrupts LRT-1 operations

Power outages caused by Typhoon Santi (Mirinae) has disrupted the operations of light rail systems in Metro Manila Saturday. Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) head Melquiades Robles said they had to stop operations of LRT Line 1 from Monumento (Caloocan) to Baclaran (Pasay) due to insufficient electricity from the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). "Yung Line 2, Recto papunta Marikina at Pasig, tumatakbo naman . Yun lang Line 1 bibiyahe Monumento to Baclaran pansamantalang suspendido ang operation gawa ng walang kuryente galing Meralco (Our Line 2 from Recto to Pasig and Marikina is working normally. But Line 1 from Monumento to Baclaran is suspended as there is no power from Meralco)," Robles said on dzBB radio. He said the power outage that forced LRT-1 to stop operations hit shortly before 7 a.m. "Sa ngayon wala akong natatanggap na report na nag-stop ng operations (For now we have not received reports that MRT operations had stopped)," she said. Passengers, many of them trying to get a ride to cemeteries for All Saints’ Day, were forced to take buses and jeeps instead. Meralco gave the public two cell phone numbers to send in their reports or complaints through text messages. These are 0920-9292824 and 0917-5592824. “Binabaha ng tawag ang call center namin (Our call centers are swamped)," Meralco External Communications Manager Joe Zaldarriaga said on dzBB radio, referring to their 16211 hotline. He said the power outages were mainly due to winds from Santi affecting Meralco’s power lines. - GMANews.TV