MRT Line 3 (Metro Manila)

MRT Line 3
AnMRTC 3000 classtrain passing theOrtigas Interchangein October 2023
Overview
Native name	Filipino:Ikatlong Linya ng Sistema ng Kalakhang Riles Panlulan ng Maynila
Status	Operational
Owner	Metro Rail Transit Corporation
Line number	3
Locale	Metro Manila,Philippines
Termini	North Avenue Taft Avenue
Stations	13
Website	DOTr-MRT3
Service
Type	Light rapid transit
System	Manila Metro Rail Transit System
Services	1
Operator(s)	Department of Transportation
Depot(s)	North Avenue
Rolling stock	MRTC 3000 class MRTC 3100 class
Daily ridership	357,198 (2023)
Ridership	129,030,158 (2023)
History
Commenced	October 15, 1996(1996-10-15)
Opened	December 15, 1999(1999-12-15)
Completed	July 20, 2000(2000-07-20)
Technical
Line length	16.9 km (10.5 mi)
Number of tracks	Double
Character	Grade separated
Track gauge	1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in)standard gauge
Loading gauge	3,730 mm × 2,600 mm (12 ft 3 in × 8 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius	370 m (1,210 ft) (mainline) 25 m (82 ft) (depot)
Electrification	750 V DCoverhead catenary
Operating speed	60 km/h (37 mph)
Signalling	AlstomCITYFLO 250fixed blockwith subsystems ofEBICAB900ATP,EBI Screen 900CTC,and EBI Lock 950CBI
Maximum incline	4% (mainline) 5% (depotspur line)
Average inter-station distance	1.28 km (0.80 mi)
Route map Quirino Highway MMS Baclaran North Avenue San Jose Del Monte North Avenue Depot Quezon Avenue Lerma - University Avenue 8 FTI NAIA Terminal 3 MMS GMA–Kamuning Recto - Antipolo Araneta Center–Cubao Santolan–Annapolis Quezon City Mandaluyong Ortigas 4 Shaw Boulevard Boni Pasig River Mandaluyong Makati Guadalupe Ayala - Guadelupe 5 Buendia Ayala 5 Magallanes Valenzuela-Gov. Pascual / Tutuban FTI / Alabang / Calamba South Luzon Expressway Makati Pasay Taft Avenue Roosevelt - Baclaran- Niog

TheMetro Rail Transit Line 3,also known as theMRT Line 3,MRT-3,orMetrostar Express,is arapid transitline inMetro Manilain thePhilippines.The line runs in an orbital north to south route following the alignment ofEpifanio de los Santos Avenue(EDSA). Despite its name, the line is more akin to alight rapid transitsystem owing to itstram-likerolling stockwhile having totalgrade separationand high passenger throughput.The line is officially known as theYellow Line.Its current General Manager is Oscar Bongon.

Envisioned in the 1970s and 1980s as part of various feasibility studies, the 13-station, 16.9-kilometer (10.5 mi) line was the second rapid transit line to be built in Metro Manila when it started full operations in 2000. The line is owned by theMetro Rail Transit Corporation(MRTC) under a 25-yearbuild–lease–transferagreement with the Philippine government'sDepartment of Transportation(DOTr), who operates the line.

The line is integrated with the public transit system in Metro Manila, where passengers also take various forms of road-based public transport, such as buses, to and from a station to reach their intended destination. Serving close to 360,000 passengers on a daily basis, the line is the busiest among Metro Manila's three rapid transit lines.Total ridership significantly exceeds its built maximum capacity of 350,000 passengers a day, with various solutions being proposed or implemented to alleviate chronic congestion. Expanding the network's capacity to accommodate the rising number of passengers is currently set on tackling this problem.

History

Early planning

A northbound train leavingShaw Boulevard station

Taft Avenue stationplatform area

In 1973, the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency (OTCA; predecessor of theJapan International Cooperation Agency) presented a plan to construct five subway lines in Metro Manila. The study was known as the Urban Transport Study in the Manila Metropolitan Area. One of the five lines, Line 3, was planned as a 24.3-kilometer (15.1 mi) line alongEpifanio de los Santos Avenue(EDSA), the region's busiest road corridor. The plan would have resolved the traffic problems of Metro Manila and would have taken 15 years to complete.

Another study by JICA was presented in 1976 which included the five lines proposed in 1973. The study recommended heavy rail due to the rising population.

During the construction of the first line of theManila Light Rail Transit Systemin the early 1980s, Electrowatt Engineering Services ofZürichdesigned a comprehensive plan for metro service in Metro Manila. The plan—still used as the basis for planning new metro lines—consisted of a 150-kilometer (93 mi) network of rapid transit lines spanning all major corridors within 20 years.The study integrated the previous 1973 OTCA study, the 1976 JICA study, and the 1977Freeman Fox and Associatesstudy, which was used as the basis for theLRT Line 1.

Development and early delays

The project was restarted as a light rail project in 1989. DOTC planned to construct a light railway transit line alongEDSA,a major thoroughfare in Metropolitan Manila, which would traverse the cities ofQuezon,Mandaluyong,Makati,andPasay.The plan, referred to as EDSA Light Rail Transit III (EDSA LRT III), was intended to provide a mass transit system along EDSA and alleviate the congestion and growing transportation problems in the metropolis. On March 3, 1990, a letter of intent was sent by Eli Levin Enterprises, Inc., represented by Elijahu Levin, to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), nowDepartment of Transportation(DOTr), secretaryOscar Orbos,proposing to construct the EDSA LRT III on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

On July 9, 1990, PresidentCorazon Aquinosigned Republic Act No. 6957, simply known as theBuild-Operate-Transfer(BOT) Law; it took exactly three months later. The government then published an invitation to pre-qualify and bid for the project on February 21, 1991.Five groups responded to the invitation:ABBTrazione of Italy,Hopewell Holdings Ltd.of Hong Kong, Mansteel International of Mandaue, Cebu,Mitsui & Co., Ltd.of Japan, and EDSA LRT Consortium, composed of ten foreign and domestic corporations: namely, Kaiser Engineers International, Inc., ACER Consultants (Far East) Ltd. and Freeman Fox (both later merged withHyder Consulting), Tradeinvest/ČKD Tatraof the Czech and Slovak Federal Republics, TCGI Engineering All Asia Capital and Leasing Corporation,The Salim Groupof Jakarta, E. L. Enterprises, Inc., and A.M. Oreta & Co. Capitol Industrial Construction Group, Inc., and F. F. Cruz & Co., Inc. EDSA LRT Consortium was the sole firm that passed the pre-qualification process, and submitted its proposal to the DOTC on July 16.The Build-lease-Transfer (BLT) agreement was signed on November 7.

On September 22, 1992, DOTC and EDSA LRT Corporation signed a revised and restated BLT Agreement. The new BLT Agreement defined the project coverage in two phases: Phase 1, which spanned 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) betweenNorth Avenue, Quezon CityandTaft Avenue,Pasay,and Phase II, which spanned 5.5 kilometers (3.4 mi) from North Avenue toMonumento,Caloocan.The project was approved by theCabineton January 19, 1993.On May 6 of that same year, the project was launched by PresidentFidel V. Ramos.

According to the agreements, the EDSA LRT III will use light rail vehicles from the Czech and Slovak Federal Republics and will have a maximum carrying capacity of 450,000 passengers a day, or 150 million a year to be achieved, through 54 such vehicles operating simultaneously. The EDSA LRT III will run at grade, or street level, on the mid-section of EDSA for a distance of 17.8 kilometers (11.1 mi) fromF.B. Harrison,Pasay, to North Avenue, Quezon City. The system will have its own power facility. It will also have thirteen (13) passenger stations and one depot on 16-hectare (40-acre) government property at North Avenue.

However, construction could not commence, with the project stalled as the Philippine government conducted several investigations into alleged irregularities with the project's contract.TheSupreme Courthad a case barring Eli Levin from implementing the project in March 1994, and the bids were ABB andMitsubishi Corporation,which also wanted to supply contracts.

A year later, the Supreme Court upheld the regularity of the project which paved the way for construction to finally begin during the term of President Ramos.A consortium of local companies, led by Fil-Estate Management was later joined byAyala Land,and 5 others, later formed theMetro Rail Transit Corporation(MRTC) in June 1995 and took over the EDSA LRT Corporation.

Construction and opening

A train atMagallanes stationin 2001.

On March 27, 1996, the unveiling marker was attended by President Ramos and others.The MRTC was subsequently awarded aBuild-Lease-Transfercontract by the DOTC, which meant that the latter would possess ownership of the system after the 25-year concession period. Meanwhile, the DOTC would assume all administrative functions, such as the regulation of fares and operations, leaving the MRTC responsibility over construction and maintenance of the system as well as the procurement of spare parts for trains. MRTC would later transfer the responsibility of maintaining the system to the DOTC in November 2010. In exchange, the DOTC would pay the MRTC monthly fees for a certain number of years to reimburse any incurred costs.

Construction began on October 15 of the same year, with a BLT agreement signed between the Philippine government and the MRTC.An amended turnkey agreement was later signed on September 16, 1997, withSumitomo CorporationandMitsubishi Heavy Industries.Sumitomo and MitsubishisubcontractedEEI Corporation and AsiaKonstrukt for the civil works.A separate agreement was signed with ČKD Dopravní Systémy (ČKD Tatra, now part ofSiemens AG), the leading builder of trams and light rail vehicles for theEastern Bloc,on rolling stock. MRTC also retained the services of ICF Kaiser Engineers and Constructors to provide program management and technical oversight of the services for the design, construction management, and commissioning.MRTC would later sign a maintenance agreement with Sumitomo and Mitsubishi for the maintenance of the line on December 10 of the same year.

During construction, the MRTC oversaw the design, construction, equipping, testing, and commissioning, while the DOTC oversaw technical supervision of the project activities covered by the BLT contract between the DOTC and MRTC. The DOTC also sought the services ofSYSTRA,a French consultant firm, with regards to the technical competence, experience and track record in the construction and operations.

On December 15, 1999, the initial section fromNorth AvenuetoBuendiawas inaugurated by PresidentJoseph Estrada,with all remaining stations opening on July 20, 2000, a little over a month past the original deadline, due to DOTC's inclusion of additional work orders such as the Tramo flover in Pasay leading toNinoy Aquino International Airport.However, ridership was initially far below expectations when the line was still partially open, with passengers complaining of the tickets' steep price and the general lack of connectivity of the stations with other modes of public transportation.Passengers' complaints of high ticket prices pointed to the maximum fare of₱34(equivalent to ₱79.21 in 2021), which at the time was significantly higher than a comparable journey on those lines operated by the LRTA and the PNR or a similar bus ride along EDSA. Although the MRTC projected 300,000–400,000 passengers riding the system daily, in the first month of operation the system saw a ridership of only 40,000 passengers daily (the ridership improved quickly, however, when passengers experienced significantly faster and convenient travel along EDSA, which experience soon spread by word of mouth).The system was also initially criticized as awhite elephant,comparing it to theManila Light Rail Transit Systemand theMetro Manila Skyway.To alleviate passenger complaints, the MRTC later reduced passenger fares to₱15(equivalent to ₱34.95 in 2021), as per the request of then-President Joseph Estrada and a subsequent government subsidy.

During the line's construction in 2000, Pasay residents raised concerns about the line being constructed at ground level, resulting in the closure of several intersections along EDSA, forcing people to take long detours just to cross EDSA. Residents also complained that they were not properly consulted about the line's construction in their area. The MRTC stated that the segment could not be made as an elevated railway due to theair rightsabove the LRT-1 already being awarded to theDepartment of Public Works and Highwaysfor aflyoverin 1996.

Overcrowding and later decline

History and list of maintenance providers

Firm		From	Until
	Sumitomo Corporation Mitsubishi Heavy Industries	December 10, 1997	October 19, 2012
	TES Philippines Inc.
	PH Trams Comm Builders & Technology	October 20, 2012	September 3, 2013
	Autre Porte Technique Global Inc.	September 4, 2013	July 4, 2015
	Schunk Bahn-und Industrietechnik	July 5, 2015	January 7, 2016
	Comm Builders & Technology
	Busan Universal Rail Incorporated	January 8, 2016	November 5, 2017
	Department of Transportation	November 6, 2017	April 30, 2019
	Sumitomo Corporation TES Philippines Incorporated	May 1, 2019	present

MRTC projected a capacity breach in the system by 2002. By 2004, the line had the highest ridership of the three lines, with 400,000 passengers daily.By early 2012, the system was carrying around 550,000 to 600,000 commuters during weekdays and was often badly overcrowded during peak times of access during the day and night. The line operated beyond its original designed capacity from 2004 to 2019.In 2011, Sumitomo, through TES Philippines, issued a warning about the overcrowding situation of the line, in which a failure to immediately upgrade the line's trains and systems would result in damage to the trains and systems.

By October 2012, DOTC removed Sumitomo as the maintenance provider of the line due to the high costs of the contract. With the entry of the joint venture of Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corporation (PH Trams) and Comm Builders & Technology Philippines Corporation (CB&T) as the maintenance provider in 2012,and APT Global in 2013,it marked the start of the deterioration of the line due to poor maintenance by the aforementioned maintenance providers that DOTC appointed. In 2014, there were reported daily incidents and disruptions, and a derailment of one train coach on August 13 of that year.The government of Benigno Aquino III had been planning to buy the line from the MRT Corporation (MRTC), the private concessionaire that built the line, and then bid it out to private bidders. The Aquino government accused the MRTC of neglecting and not improving the services of the line under its watch.

In February 2016, thePhilippine Senatereleased a report stating that DOTC SecretaryJun Abayaand other DOTC officials "may have violated" the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in relation to questionable contracts with the subsequent maintenance providers.In a Senate report where the line's condition was found to be in "poor maintenance" as per studies made by MTR HK, DOTC officials were reported to be involved in graft in relation to questionable contracts, especially those for the maintenance of the line.

The DOTC tried to bid out a three-year maintenance contract in 2014 and 2015, but both biddings failed because no bidders submitted a bid.Through a negotiated procurement,the Busanjoint venture,a joint venture ofBusan Transportation Corporation,Edison Development & Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp Inc., and Castan Corporation, was awarded a three-year maintenance contract by the DOTC. The contract started in January 2016 and was slated to end by January 2019.In 2017, DOTC's succeeding agency, theDepartment of Transportation(DOTr) attributed the operation's disruptions of the rail system to the Busan joint venture, later known asBusan Universal Rail, Inc.(BURI), with DOTr Transport Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez noting 98 service interruptions and 833 passenger unloadings (or average of twice daily) as well as train derailments in April–June 2017.BURI insisted that the disruptions the railway line was experiencing is due to "inherent design and quality concerns" and not to poor maintenance or normal tear or wear. It said that glitches started occurring since 2000, a claim that MRTC dismissed when Sumitomo was maintaining the system.The maintenance contract was terminated on November 6, 2017.

Capacity expansion

See also:MRTC 3100 class § Controversies

The trains procured under the capacity expansion project in November 2016.

Part of the capacity expansion is the conversion of three-car trains to four-car trains with increased capacity.

Due to the high ridership of the line, a proposal under study by the DOTC and NEDA proposed to double the current capacity by acquiring additional light rail vehicles to accommodate over 520,000 passengers a day.

In January 2014, the DOTC entered into a contract withCNR Dalianfor the procurement of48 light rail vehicles.The trains, commonly referred to as the Dalian trains, were delivered in batches from 2015 to 2017. The introduction of the new trains would have allowed the line to handle over 800,000 passengers.The Dalian trains entered revenue service in May 2016.However, these became a subject of controversy among government officials, citing its incompatibility with the signaling system and weight limits on tracks. Later, it was revealed that several adjustments to the Dalian trains were required prior to revenue run deployment.The train manufacturer CRRC Dalian has agreed to amend the train specifications to match the contract terms at no cost, and will do so in the soonest possible time.Due to the trains undergoing the said adjustments, they were slowly introduced into regular operations, which led to the start of the gradual deployment on October 27, 2018.

Aside from the procurement of the new trains, the capacity expansion project included the upgrading of the ancillary systems such as the power supply, overhead lines, the extension of thepocket tracknearTaft Avenue stationand the modification of the turn back siding north of theNorth Avenue station.The original plan also included the upgrading of the signaling system.These upgrades, except for the upgrades to the Taft Avenue pocket track and the North Avenue turn back siding, would only be realized as part of the line's rehabilitation.

Plans were also laid to increase the number of cars in each train set, from the current three cars to four cars, which also increases the number of passengers being accommodated for each trip, from 1,182 passengers to 1,576.The first mention of this plan was in 2013, during the procurement of the new trains.However, in January 2016, an anonymous railway expert warned that the power supply at that time was not capable of handling four-car operations.Despite this, four-car operations were first tested in a Dalian train in May 2016.After the rehabilitation of the line which included the upgrading of the power supply, a dynamic test run for the use of four-car trains for regular operations was conducted on March 9, 2022.Regular four-car operations began in the same month, initially deploying two trains for daily operations, subsequently increased to four.Although full conversion was initially planned to be achieved by 2023,all trains reverted to the existing 3-car configuration a few months after the months-long free rides ended.

Rehabilitation

A vital aspect of the rehabilitation of the line was the replacement of worn-out rails.

As early as 2011, there were proposals to rehabilitate the line. An unsolicited proposal were made byMetro Pacific Investmentsin 2011 at a cost of₱25.1 billion.Another proposal was presented in 2014 at a cost of₱23.3 billion.In 2017, in the wake of various daily service interruptions in the line,San Miguel Corporationexpressed its interest to rehabilitate the line.That same year, Metro Pacific submitted another₱20 billionproposal to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the line.These proposals however would be rejected by the government.

Following the termination of the maintenance contract with Busan Universal Rail, Inc., the DOTr announced on November 29, 2017, that a government-to-government agreement between the Philippines andJapanwould be signed by the end of that year, paving the way forSumitomo Corporationto return as the maintenance provider of the line. The three-year contract would cover the rehabilitation and maintenance of the line.The₱22 billionproject, partly funded by a₱18 billionloan from theJapan International Cooperation Agency,was approved by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) board of theNational Economic and Development Authority(NEDA) on August 17, 2018.It intended to rehabilitate and upgrade the existing systems and trains, for the line to return to its original high-grade design. The project was part of theBuild! Build! Build!infrastructure program.

On November 8, 2018, the loan agreement for the project was signed,while the rehabilitation and maintenance contract was signed on December 28.The project was initially slated to start by January 2019,but the implementation of a re-enacted government budget for 2019 and finalization of documents caused repeated delays on when the project could start,which only started on May 1, 2019.

Commemorative plaqueto mark the completion of the rehabilitation project atQuezon Avenue station.

Under the 43-month contract, which was undertaken by Sumitomo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (MHIENG; part of theMitsubishi Heavy Industries[MHI] group),and TES Philippines, rehabilitation works were to be done within 26 months.It covers the overhaul of allMRTC Class 3000vehicles,repairs on the escalators and elevators, rail replacement, upgrades on the signaling and communication systems, power supply, overhead systems, maintenance and station equipment.After the rehabilitation, a 17-month maintenance contract will be undertaken by the Japanese firms.The contract was originally slated to end by December 31, 2022, or 43 months after the start of rehabilitation,but was moved to May 31, 2023.

The rehabilitation was originally scheduled to be completed by July 2021. However, delays brought by theCOVID-19 pandemicdelayed its completion to the following December.The project was completed on the aforementioned date, as announced by Transportation SecretaryArthur Tugadeon February 28, 2022.On March 22, PresidentRodrigo Duterteand Secretary Tugade inaugurated the newly rehabilitated line at a completion ceremony held atShaw Boulevard station.As part of its completion, free rides were offered initially for a month to combatinflation,but was extended twice until June 30.

On May 26, 2023, a₱6.9 billionloan was signed by the governments of Japan and the Philippines for the second phase of the project, covering the line's continued maintenance and its connection to theNorth Triangle Common Stationwith the lines that would interchange at that station.Four days later, DOTr and Sumitomo signed a contract to extend the latter's maintenance in the railway line until July 31, 2025.Among the projects included under the new contract is the conversion of the trains used on the line from the present three railcars to four, following the previous test runs for the four-car trains in 2022,and the expansion of the Taft Avenue pocket track to cater longer trains. The program aims to increase the line's ridership capacity to 500,000 passengers a day.

Route

A Class 3000 train approachingAyala station

The lines run along the alignment ofEpifanio de los Santos AvenuefromNorth AvenueinQuezon Cityto the intersection of EDSA andTaft AvenueinPasay.The rails are mostly elevated and erected either over or along the roads covered, with cut and underground sections betweenBuendiaandAyalastations, the only underground stations on the line. The rail line serves the cities ofPasay,Makati,Mandaluyong,San JuanandQuezon City.The line crossesOsmeña HighwayandSouth Luzon Expressway(SLEX) atMagallanes Interchangein Makati.

Stations

The line has 13 stations along its 16.9-kilometer (10.5 mi) route,spaced on average around 1.3 kilometers (0.81 mi) apart.The southern terminus of the line isTaft Avenueat Pasay Rotonda, the intersection betweenEpifanio de los Santos Avenue(EDSA) andTaft Avenue,while the northern terminus is theNorth Avenuealong EDSA in Barangay Bagong Pag-asa,Quezon City.Three stations serve as connecting stations with the lines of theManila Light Rail Transit System(LRT) andPhilippine National Railways(PNR). TheMagallanes stationis near PNR'sEDSAstation, whileAraneta Center–Cubaois indirectly connected to theLRT Line 2station of the same,andTaft Avenueis connected via a covered walkway to theLRT Line 1EDSAstation. No stations are connected to other rapid transit lines within the paid areas, though that is set to change when theNorth Triangle Common Station,which has interchanges to LRT Line 1 andMRT Line 7,opens in 2025.

MRT Line 3 stations timeline

Date opened	Project	Stations
December 15, 1999	Phase 1	North Avenue–Buendia
July 20, 2000		Ayala–Taft Avenue
2025	—	North Triangle

Legend

†	Existingterminus

List of stations

Name	Distance (km)		Connections	Location
	Between stations	Total
North Triangle	—	—	Interchange withManila LRT Interchange withManila MRT Manila MRT MMSNorth Avenue	Quezon City
North Avenue†	—	0.000	EDSA Carousel 1North Avenue Bus routes 18 33 64SM North EDSA
Quezon Avenue	1.200	1.200	Manila MRT MMSQuezon Avenue EDSA Carousel 1Quezon Avenue Bus routes 6 7 17 34 49Eton Centris
GMA–Kamuning	1.000	2.200	EDSA Carousel 1Kamuning
Araneta Center–Cubao	1.900	4.100	Manila LRT Araneta Center–Cubao Bus routes 3Gateway Mall 51 53 61ACBP
Santolan–Annapolis	1.500	5.600	EDSA Carousel 1Santolan
Ortigas	2.300	7.900	Manila MRT 4EDSA EDSA Carousel 1Ortigas Bus routes 2Robinsons Galleria	Mandaluyong
Shaw Boulevard	0.800	8.700	none
Boni	1.000	9.700
Guadalupe	0.800	10.500	Manila MRT 5Guadalupe EDSA Carousel 1Guadalupe Pasig River Ferry Service Guadalupe Ferry Station	Makati
Buendia	2.000	12.500	EDSA Carousel 1Buendia
Ayala	0.950	13.450	EDSA Carousel 1Ayala BGC Bus EX01NX01WX01L01NR01AX01BA01WE01Ayala Bus routes 10 11 12 38 40 45 46 59One Ayala 62 63Ayala
Magallanes	1.200	14.650	PNR EDSA Bus routes 10 11 12 38 40 45 46 59Magallanes
Taft Avenue†	2.050	16.700	Manila LRT EDSA EDSA Carousel 1Tramo 1Taft Avenue	Pasay
Stations, lines, and/or other transport connections initalicsare either under construction, proposed, unopened, or have been closed.

Operations

The line is open from 4:40 a.m.PHT(UTC+8) until 10:10 p.m. on a daily basis.It operates almost every day of the year unless otherwise announced. Special schedules are announced via thepublic address systemin every station and also in newspapers and other mass media. DuringHoly Week,apublic holiday in the Philippines,the line is closed for annual maintenance, owing to fewer commuters and traffic around the metro, leaving theEDSA Carouselas an alternative mode of transport.Normal operation resumes afterEaster Sunday.During theChristmas season,operating hours are shortened to allow its staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.

It has experimented with extended opening hours, the first of which included 24-hour operations beginning on June 1, 2009 (primarily aimed at serving call center agents and other workers in thebusiness process outsourcingsector).Citing low ridership figures and financial losses, this was suspended after two days, and operations were instead extended from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 am.Operations subsequently returned to the former schedule (5:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. on weekdays, and 5:30 a.m. until 10:00 pm during weekends and holidays) by April 2010, but services were again extended starting March 10, 2014, with trains running on a trial basis from 4:30 am to 11:30 pm in anticipation of major traffic buildup in light of several major road projects beginning in 2014.

Responding to a commuter's concern onX(formerly Twitter) about the limited operating hours at night,theDepartment of Transportation(DOTr) explained in August 2023 the need for timely maintenance works, since any delays would affect other portions of the line for the next trips.The DOTr added that unlike the extensive railway systems of Europe and Japan, where 24-hour operations are possible, the MRT system only consists of one line. The department also claimed that if maintenance is not ensured, the line would "slowly deteriorate".

Station facilities, amenities, and services

Buendia station,one of the stations with anisland platform.

Bridge linking theTaft Avenue stationto the nearbyEDSA LRT station

Station layout and accessibility

The stations have a standard layout, with a platform level and a concourse level.The concourse is usually above the platform, withstairs,escalatorsandelevatorsleading down to the platform level.However, fare gates are located at the platform level in most stations, meaning that commuters will need to exit the paid area to catch a train going in the opposite direction. Switching trains without paying a new fare is only possible at theAraneta Center–Cubao,Boni,Buendia,Ayala,andTaft Avenuestations due to their different layout.

The station platforms have a standard length of 130 meters (426 ft 6 in),designed to accommodate trains with four cars.The stations are also designed to occupy the entire span of EDSA, allowing passengers to safely cross between one end of the road and the other.

Most stations are alsobarrier-freeinside and outside the station, and trains have spaces for passengers usingwheelchairs.With the exception of Buendia and Ayala stations, and the platform level of Taft Avenue and Boni stations, all stations are situated above ground, taking advantage of EDSA's topology.

Stations either haveside platforms,which is the case for most stations, orisland platforms,such as Taft Avenue. Due to the very high patronage of the line, before the pandemic, part of the platform corresponding to the first car of the train is cordoned off for the use ofsenior citizens,pregnant women, children who are below 4 feet (1.2 m) and age seven, and disabled passengers. Since 2021, the first two doors of the first car of the train have been allotted as a priority section for the aforementioned passengers.

The line has a total of 46 escalators and 34 elevators across all 13 stations. Prior to the rehabilitation, only few escalators and elevators were operational. The escalators and elevators were rehabilitated as part of the rehabilitation of the line. The project started in June 2019 and was completed on August 20, 2020.

In February 2012, the line allowedfolding bicyclesto be brought into trains provided that the wheels do not exceed more than 20 inches (51 cm) in diameter.

Platform screen doorswere also planned for each station, with the plans for the platform doors were laid out as early as 2013,however, these plans were delayed until it was reconsidered in 2017.

Shops and services

Some stations are connected at concourse level to nearby buildings, such as shopping malls, for easier accessibility. Inside the concourse of all stations are stalls or shops where people can buy food or drinks. Stalls vary by station, and some have fast food stalls.

Since November 19, 2001, in cooperation with thePhilippine Daily Inquirer,passengers have been offered copies of theInquirer Libre,a free,tabloid-size,Tagalogversion of theInquirer,which is available at all stations.In 2014,Pilipino Mirroralso started distributing free tabloid newspapers.

Safety and security

The line's safety was affirmed in a 2004World Bankpaper prepared byHalcrow,describing the overall state of metro rail transit operations in Manila as being "good".However, since the DOTr took over maintenance of the train system in 2012, the safety and reliability of the system has been questioned, with experts calling it "an accident waiting to happen." While several incidents and accidents were reported between 2012 and 2014, they did not deter commuters from using the system.The Philippine government, meanwhile, continues to assert that the system is safe overall despite those incidents and accidents.

As the line operated significantly above its designed capacity of 350,000 passengers per day from 2004 to 2019,government officials have admitted that capacity and system upgrades are overdue,although the DOTr has never acted on the numerous capacity expansion proposals of the private owners. In the absence of major investment in improving system safety and reliability, DOTr has resorted to experimenting with and implementing other solutions to reduce strain on the system, including crowd management on station platformsand the proposed implementation of peak-hour express train service.However, some of these solutions, such as platform crowd management, are unpopular with passengers.

For safety and security reasons, persons who are visiblyintoxicated,insaneand/or under the influence ofcontrolled substances,persons carrying flammable materials and/or explosives, and persons carrying bulky objects or items over 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) tall and/or wide are prohibited from entering the line.Products intin cansare also prohibited on board, citing the possibility of home-madebombsbeing concealed inside the cans.

In late 2000 and early 2001, in response to theRizal Day bombingsand theSeptember 11 attacks,security was increased. Following avandalismincident in May 2021,the number of security personnel deployed across all stations was increased and a patrol car was deployed for added security.After abomb threatincident on September 8, 2023, DOTr formed an inter-agency task force to enhance security across all transportation sectors.Units of thePhilippine National Policeandsecurity policeprovided by private companies can be found in all stations. All stations have a head guard. Some stations may also have a deployed K9 bomb-sniffing dog. The line also employs the use ofclosed-circuit televisioninside all stations to monitor suspicious activities.

Pets have been allowed to ride since July 12, 2021, but these must be placed inside a carrier bag before boarding a train.

Ridership

The original designed ridership of the line is 350,000, yet as the years passed, the number doubled from 450,000 daily passengers in 2006–2007 to 490,000 passengers in 2008 and up to 500,000 passengers from 2010 to 2012, with record numbers reaching as high as 620,000 from 2012 to 2013, before declining to 560,000 in 2014.The high ridership of the line is due to the time consumed when commuting viaEDSA,as well as the speed of the trains reaching up to 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph), and connectivity toMetro Manila's major transport hubs, railway lines, and central business districts, which results to a reduced commuting travel time and an increase in ridership. The daily ridership of the line can reach as much as 300,000 to 500,000 passengers from 2012 to 2016, despite poor maintenance and long lines, causing the government to launch bus services, known as MRT Buses, around its stations, to serve as alternatives for 900,000 to 1 million passengers. In addition to the rising daily ridership that continues to exceed the line's designed capacity, and as the government continues to implement the metro line's capacity expansion project, it aims to reach a ridership of 800,000 daily passengers as all of the new trains from China will be added to its current fleet.

Ridership declined in 2015, with a daily average of 327,314 passengers, which is lower than the 2014 record of 464,871 daily passengers on average. It slightly increased in 2016, to 370,036, and the highest recorded daily ridership was recorded at 517,929 in December of that year. However, ridership started to decline by 2017 due to poor maintenance and daily incidents, which continued through 2018 and 2019. A significant drop in ridership was recorded in 2020 due to capacity limitations brought by theCOVID-19 pandemic,serving 70,000 to 150,000 passengers daily.It previously served almost 40,000 passengers in June 2020,and 150,000 passengers in January 2021.Until February 2022, the line operated at a limited capacity before capacity limitations were removed by March 1, 2022.

Ridership slightly increased in 2021, servicing 136,935 daily passengers on average due to the increased capacity in November 2021.After the completion of the rehabilitation project in 2022, the line offered free rides to commuters in three months. This, in turn, increased the ridership of the line.By the end of the free rides, a total of 28.6 million passengers rode the line. It also recorded a daily average of 318,055 passengers in the same period.By the end of the year, the line carried 98,330,683 passengers, its highest since the rehabilitation, with an average of 273,141.

Statistics

Data from theDepartment of Transportation(DOTr).

Key

†	Highest recorded ridership

Year	Daily average	% change	Annual ridership	% change	Highest single-day ridership
1999	23,057		368,916		39,760 (December 23, 1999)
2000	109,449	374.69	39,401,465	10,580.34	296,969 (December 22, 2000)
2001	250,728	129.08	90,262,148	129.08	391,187 (December 14, 2001)
2002	282,993	12.87	102,443,564	13.50	417,059 (July 1, 2002)
2003	312,043	10.27	112,647,474	9.96	438,809 (December 19, 2003)
2004	338,431	8.46	122,512,169	8.76	452,926 (December 16, 2004)
2005	356,673	5.39	128,758,894	5.10	465,203 (September 7, 2005)
2006	374,436	4.98	135,171,387	4.98	488,733 (December 15, 2006)
2007	395,806	5.71	142,886,057	5.71	539,813 (December 21, 2007)
2008	413,220	4.40	149,585,563	4.69	527,530 (October 15, 2008)
2009	419,728	1.57	151,521,764	1.29	560,637 (September 15, 2009)
2010	424,041	1.03	153,078,770	1.03	552,509 (October 15, 2010)
2011	439,906	3.74	158,806,049	3.74	577,015 (October 14, 2011)
2012	481,918	9.55	174,454,146	9.85	622,880 (August 17, 2012) †
2013	487,696 †	1.20	176,058,278 †	0.92	621,913 (October 25, 2013)
2014	464,871	4.68	167,818,336	4.68	614,807 (February 14, 2014)
2015	327,314	29.59	118,160,484	29.59	455,164 (February 25, 2015)
2016	370,036	13.05	133,952,890	13.37	517,929 (December 16, 2016)
2017	388,233	4.92	140,152,161	4.63	506,001 (February 10, 2017)
2018	289,654	25.39	104,275,362	25.60	390,325 (January 12, 2018)
2019	270,794	6.51	96,932,972	7.04	359,447 (January 25, 2019)
2020	121,839	55.01	31,799,959	67.19	324,803 (January 24, 2020)
2021	136,935	12.39	45,675,884	43.64	223,739 (December 23, 2021)
2022	273,141	99.47	98,330,683	115.28	389,784 (June 17, 2022)
2023	357,198	30.77	129,030,158	31.22	450,298 (August 22, 2023)

Fares and ticketing

The line, like all other lines in Metro Manila, uses a distance-based fare structure, with fares ranging from 13 to 28pesos(24 to 51U.S. cents), depending on the destination. Commuters who ride the line are charged ₱13 ($0.26) for the first two stations, ₱16 ($0.32) for 3–4 stations, ₱20 ($0.41) for 5–7 stations, ₱24 ($0.49) for 8–10 stations and ₱28 ($0.57) for 11 stations or the entire line. Children below 1.02 meters (3 ft 4 in) (the height of a fare gate) may ride for free.

Fares are free of charge every March 8 (International Women's Day;free rides exclusive for women),June 12 (Independence Day),and December 30 (Rizal Day) on limited time slots.

The line, along with theLRT Line 2andPhilippine National Railwayslines also offered free rides to students starting July 1, 2019,but students must register to avail a student pass.However, the free rides for students stopped in 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemicasdistance learningwas implemented as a mode of learning during the pandemic.With the shift towards the return of physical face-to-face classes, a plan to return the free rides to students by August 2022 was announced;however, free rides for students were only limited to theLRT Line 2due to more losses that the government will incur as a consequence of the free rides (Line 2 itself later stopped the free rides after three months due to similar reasons).Instead, the line will offer a 20% farediscountfor students that wish to avail.

Types of tickets

The design of the single journey ticket prior to introduction of Beep card in 2015.

Magnetic tickets (1999–2015)

Two types of tickets exist: a single-journey (one-way) ticket whose cost is dependent on the destination, and a stored-value (multiple-use) ticket for 100 pesos. The 200-peso & 500-peso stored-value tickets were issued in the past, but have since been phased out. The single-journey ticket is valid only on the date of purchase. Meanwhile, the stored-value ticket is valid for three months from date of first use.

The tickets come in several incarnations: these include tickets bearing the portraits of former presidentsJoseph EstradaandGloria Macapagal Arroyo,which have since been phased out, and one bearing the logos of theDOTCand the MRTC. Ticket shortages are common: in 2005, the MRTC was forced to recycle tickets bearing Estrada's portrait to address critical ticket shortages, even resorting to borrowing stored-value tickets from the LRTAand even cutting unusable tickets in half for use as manual passes. Shortages were also reported in 2012,and the DOTC was working on procuring additional tickets in 2014.Because of the ticket shortages, it had become common practice for regular passengers to purchase several stored-value tickets at a time, though ticket shortages still persist.

Although it has partnered with private telecommunications companies in experimenting withRFIDtechnology as an alternative ticketing system in the past,these were phased out in 2009.

Beep cards (2015–present)

Main article:Beep (smart card)

Currently, inter-operable beep cards with similar-to-the-previous single-journey and stored-value ticket types are now issued, along with the deployment of brand-new ticketing machines that replaced the barely-used ticketing machines that has been in place since the line's inauguration. The beep, tap-and-go tickets, loadable up to ₱10,000, became available to use in all stations of the line on October 3, 2015.

A shortage of the stored value cards was reported in 2022 due to theglobal chip shortagecaused by theRussian invasion of Ukraine.

Fare adjustment

Adjusting passenger fares was ordered by President Joseph Estrada as a means to boost flagging ridership figures,and the issue of fares both historically and in the present day continues to be a contentious political issue involving officials at even the highest levels of government.

Current fare levels were set on January 4, 2015, as a consequence of DOTr (formerly DOTC) having to increase fares for LRT Line 1 as per their concession agreement with MPIC-Ayala, with fare hikes delayed for several years despite inflation and rising operating costs.Prior to the current fares levels, fares were set on July 15, 2000, under the orders of then President Estrada; this was intended to have the line become competitive against other modes of transport,but had the effect of causing revenue shortfalls which the government shouldered. While originally set to last only until January 2001,the new fare structure persisted due to strong public opposition against increasing fares,especially as ridership increased significantly after lower fares were implemented.In 2022, when the line waived its fares, ridership also increased.These lower fares—which are only slightly more expensive than jeepney fares—ended up being financed through large governmentsubsidiesamounting to around ₱45 per passenger,and which for both the MRTandLRT reached ₱75 billion for the 10-year period between 2004 and 2014.Without subsidies, the cost of a single trip is estimated at ₱60,and a ₱10 increase in fares would yield additional monthly revenues of ₱2–3 billion a month.

Passenger fare subsidies are unpopular outside Metro Manila, with subsidy opponents claiming that their taxes are being used to subsidize Metro Manila commuters without any benefit to the countryside, and that the fare subsidies should be used for infrastructure improvements in the rest of the country.In his 2013State of the Nation Address,PresidentBenigno Aquino IIIclaimed that it would be unfair for non-Metro Manila residents to use their taxes to subsidize the LRT and MRT.However, supporters of the subsidies claimed that the rest of the country benefits economically from efficient transportation in Metro Manila.

In January 2023, a petition was filed for a ₱4–6 fare hike due to a major net loss incurred; in 2022, the incurred revenue was only₱1.11 billionagainst expenditures of roughly₱8.97 billion,resulting in a loss of₱7.86 billion.In the petition, the MRT-3 management said that fare revenues were never enough to compensate the MRTC to cover the initial investment in the construction, operations, and maintenance of the line.The fare hike is now set for the first quarter of 2024.

Rolling stock

MRTC 3000 class

MRTC 3100 class

The line runs light rail vehicles (LRV) in a regular three-car configuration. Four-car trains began operating by March 2022, although most trains remain running in three cars.The DOTr planned to convert all three-car trains to four-car trains by 2023.Two train types run in the line, the latest being those purchased fromCRRC Dalian,under theAquino administration.

The line has a total of 121 light rail vehicles. 73 of which were made in theCzech RepublicbyČKD(now part ofSiemens AG)and were purchased with export financing from theCzech government.One ČKD train car was damaged following a derailment of a train in 2014. Another 48 were made byCRRC DalianinChinathat were purchased at a cost of₱3.8 billion.Trains have a capacity of 1,182 passengers,expandable to 1,576,which is a little bigger than the normal capacity ofLRT Line 1first generation rolling stockthat has a capacity with the same configuration of 1,122 passengers, although trains came withair conditioning.Despite this, it is designed to carry in excess of 23,000 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), and is expandable to accommodate 48,000 passengers per hour per direction.

The plans for new rolling stock has been an issue for the MRT during the Aquino administration under DOTC's leadership of then SecretaryJoseph Emilio Abaya,with plans to acquire 52-second-hand LRVs offered fromMadrid MetroinSpainwith a budget of ₱8.43 billion,along with a proposal fromInekon Tramsin 2013.However, undisclosed issues and train incompatibility issues regarding the project, the project was downgraded to 48 LRVs, with the contract havingCRRC Daliansupply 48 new LRVs. The deployment of the Dalian trains was delayed due to several factors, including weight limits on existing tracks and inconsistencies in production, which has since been corrected. On October 27, 2018, DOTr started the gradual deployment of the 2nd-generation trains.Currently, none of the Dalian trains are in operation as a consequence of restrictions imposed by the line's current maintenance provider,Sumitomo Corporation.

The trains are designed to run at a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour (40 mph), but currently run at an operating speed of 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph), though some areas are limited to 40 km/h (25 mph) liketurnouts.

ThePassenger Assist Railway Display System(PARDS), apassenger information systempowered by LCD screens installed near the ceiling of the train that shows news, advertisements, current train location, arrivals and station layouts, are already installed inside the first-generation trains. PARDS is also installed on trains on LRT lines 1 and 2.

Depot

The line maintains an underground depot in Quezon City nearNorth Avenue station.Above the depot isTriNoma,a shopping mall owned by theAyala Corporation.The depot occupies 84,444 square meters (908,950 sq ft; 8.4444 ha) of space and serves as the center of operations and maintenance. It is connected to the mainline through aspur line.The depot is capable of storing 81 light rail vehicles, with the option to expand to include 40 more vehicles as demand arises.They are parked on nine sets of tracks, which converge onto the spur route and later on to the main network.However, a lot of rail tracks for storage inside the depot owned by MRTC were taken by DOTC (now DOTr) to repair broken rails,as DOTC's previous maintenance provider did not purchase spare rails. These rails have since been replaced during the rehabilitation done along the entire line by Sumitomo.

Other infrastructure

Signaling

Two-aspect signal lights atQuezon Avenue station

The line uses the CITYFLO 250fixed blocksignaling solution supplied byAlstom(formerlyBombardier Transportation),designed forlight rapid transitoperations with on-boardautomatic train protection(ATP) system on trains.Other components includetrain detectionusingtrack circuits,EBI Screen 900centralized traffic control,andcomputer-based interlocking.

Adtranz,later Bombardier Transportation, designed and supplied the original signaling system and maintained it from 2000 to 2012.The firm owns theproprietary rightsto supply new components for the system. In October 2015, Bombardier was awarded the contract to upgrade the system's local control system. The seven-month upgrade replaced the MAN 900local control systemwith the newer EBI Screen 900 system with modern computers andfiber optictechnology.

The previous maintenance providers failed to properly maintain the signaling system and used non-originalspare parts to save costs. This in turn, caused many problems within the system which became among the top three causes of frequent service interruptions.On February 9, 2018, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed amemorandum of understanding(MoU) withoriginal equipment manufacturerBombardier Transportation to upgrade the system and procure the spare parts.Included in the MoU was a two-year maintenance contractthat was later cancelled in May 2019 due to the rehabilitation program which included the maintenance of the signaling system by Sumitomo.

The 2019–2021 upgrade covered the replacement ofcopper cableswithfiber opticcables,installation of 71 newsignal lights,new interlocking equipment, newpoint machines,newtrack circuits(including tuning units which form part of the circuits),and other wayside equipment.Works continued during the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation byAlstomin January 2021. The upgraded system was commissioned on October 24, 2021.

Tracks

Turnoutand newrailway sleepersnearTaft Avenue station

Thestandard gaugetracks consist of 54-kilogram-per-meter (36 lb/ft) rails designed to theUIC54rail profile,which areweldedtogether to form acontinuous welded rail.Some rails located atturnoutshavefishplatesbolted at the ends of the rail. These are laid on sections of the line withballastedand concrete plinth sections.Sections with track ballast are located on at-grade sections and the underground portion of the line (exceptBuendiaand the turnouts south of the station), while plinth sections are located at elevated sections of the line. The tracks on ballasted sections are supported byconcrete sleepers.The rehabilitation of the line led to the introduction of fiber-reinforcedfoam urethane(FFU)railway sleepers.FFU sleepers are found at the depot and theturnoutsnearTaft Avenue station.

Plans to replace the rail tracks were laid in 2015. Replacement works in certain sections of the line were conducted in February and March of that year.In January 2015, thejoint ventureof Jorgman, Daewoo, and MBTech Group was awarded the₱61.5 millioncontract for the major replacement works. The joint venture supplied 7,296 pieces of 12-meter (39 ft) rails.

By 2014, speed restrictions were imposed due to safety concerns, which downgraded the operating speed from 60 km/h (37 mph) later downgraded to 40 km/h (25 mph),subsequently downgraded to 30 km/h (19 mph).A comprehensive rail replacement program started on November 4, 2019, under Sumitomo's maintenance.4,053 pieces of 18-meter (59 ft) rails assembled byNippon Steel CorporationinFukuokawere used for the replacement program.Rail replacement works were initially suspended during theenhanced community quarantine in Luzon,but works resumed in April 2020 and the replacement was fast-tracked.The replacement program was slated to be completed by February 2021, but was completed five months early, in September 2020.The turnouts near Taft Avenue station were repaired in October and November 2020.The rail replacement was intended to increase the operating speed back to 60 km/h (37 mph) and was achieved on December 7, 2020.

Plans and proposals

Privatization

In November 2022, theDepartment of Transportationsaid that it is considering to privatize the operations and maintenance of the line to enhance efficiency, reduce operating costs, and keep fares affordable. The rail lines assets will remain owned by the government, similar to theLRT Line 1.Such a plan was announced as early as 2017.

Line merge with LRT Line 1

Although Phase 1 of the line (Taft Avenue to North Avenue) has already been built, the original route envisioned by the government was for it to traverse most of EDSA (from Monumento to Taft Avenue), eventually meeting with the LRT Line 1 atMonumentoinCaloocan(Phase 2) to create a seamless rail loop around Metro Manila. The total length of the planned extension was 5 kilometers (3.1 mi).

A study about the integration of Metro Manila's railway network, published by JICA in 2001, proposes the through-operation of both LRT-1 and the MRT-3, which would have interoperability to create a seamless loop around the region. The trains would start from Monumento before turning back to the mainline of LRT 1 at Pasay Rotonda.

The expansion was shelved by then PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyoin favor of theLRT Line 1's extension fromMonumentoto a newcommon stationthat it will share with at North Avenue, thus closing the loop. TheNational Economic and Development Authority,as well as President Arroyo have said that the link at North Avenue is a national priority, since it would not only provide seamless service between the LRT Line 1 and MRT Line 3 but would also help decongest Metro Manila.It is estimated that by 2010, when the extension is completed, some 684,000 commuters would use the line every day from the present 400,000, and traffic congestion on EDSA would be cut by as much as 50%.

Proposals to fully unite LRT-1 and MRT-3 operations and systems have been pitched but has not been pursued so far. Feasibility tests for this proposition included LRT-1 trains visiting MRT 3 depot facilities and running them on the entire line. Even if thestructure gaugeconnecting the two rail lines has been successfully tested,commuters have to go down atFernando Poe Jr. stationof LRT Line 1 and walk over or take a tricycle or jeepney for the 1-kilometer (0.62 mi) distance to the North Avenue station of MRT Line 3.In 2011, theDepartment of Transportation and Communications(precursor to the DOTr), underTransportation SecretaryJose de Jesus,launched an auction for a temporary five-year operations and maintenance contract for the two lines; the bidding was set for July. Over twenty-four companies expressed interest to bid which includedAyala Corporation,Bombardier Transportation,CAF,Metro Pacific,Sumitomo Corporation,Siemens,DMCI Holdings,San Miguel Corporation,and others.De Jesus later resigned from the DOTC in June for personal reasons,and his successor,Mar Roxas,halted the auction process and was later shelved.

The proposal to integrate the LRT Line 1 and MRT Line 3 was revived in June 2024 by Metro Pacific Investments. The company, which holds a majority stake in LRT Line 1 operatorLight Rail Manila Corporation,submitted an unsolicited proposal to integrate the operations of the two lines.It is now under review by DOTr and has been endorsed to the former by the PPP Center, after initially rejecting it due to being incomplete in substance. The proposed line merger will run both LRT-1 and MRT-3 trains on the same track, while resolving outstanding issues such as the Dalian trains, supply chain and potential line expansion.

Southern and western extension

In the 1999 Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study, the line was proposed to extend all the way toNavotas,which is only 10 kilometers (6.2 mi), and another one to the reclamation area (known asBay City) in about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi). The line was also intended to extend all the way toKawit.

In a feasibility study in 2009 and in 2015, launched byJapan International Cooperation Agency,along with the Department of Transportation, the Transport and Traffic Planners (TTPI) Inc.and other Japanese and local railway officials, launched a plan to extend the present MRT line's southern end, by constructing a 2.2-kilometer (1.4 mi) at-grade and underground segment, fromTaft Avenue stationto theSM Mall of Asiacomplex.Plans were also laid out to add another station, by traversing throughMacapagal Boulevardand linking the line to theParañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange,therefore adding another 3.1 kilometers (1.9 mi) to the main line. The study also included a planned 7.2-kilometer (4.5 mi) extension to the northern and western cities of Navotas,Southern Caloocan,andMalabon,which is also included to the planned merging project with theLRT Line 1,and connecting it to theNorth–South Commuter Railway.

Due to the numerous problems surrounding the project, such as right-of-way and cost issues, the government decided to presumably scrap the extension plans, and look for alternatives instead, such as the planned Integrated PasayMonorailproject by the Pasay City LGU andSM Investments,starting from theTaft Avenuestation toSM Mall of Asia.

Makati Loop

In the initial stages of the construction of the transit line, a proposal was formulated for a supplementary rail extension that would traverse fromBuendiatoGil Puyatstations, situated between Ayala and Buendia stations. The sole existing trace of this discontinued proposal is an underground tunnel extending fromBuendiatoAyalastations, taking a rightward trajectory towardsAyala Avenue,before running towardsGil Puyat Avenue.Despite sporadic references, there is presently no intention to reassess or reinstate this abandoned initiative.

Extension to NAIA

In 2000, during the completion of the line, MRTC proposed an idea to build the extension of the line to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), running from Taft Avenue station, then passing alongRoxas Boulevard,and ending at this airport. The project was expected to cost₱500 million.

Transfer of operations from MRTC to LRTA

A new study for the Metro Manila Rail Network has been unveiled by DOTC Undersecretary for Public Information Dante Velasco that LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3 will be placed under the management of theLight Rail Transit Authority(LRTA). This is due to maintenance cost issues for LRT 1's maintenance cost, which is approximately ₱35 million, along with LRT Line 2's ₱25 million and MRT Line 3's ₱54 million maintenance costs. Another reason for this study is for the unification of the lines. According to DOTC Undersecretary for Rails Glicerio Sicat, the transfer was set by the government in June 2011.However, it is unlikely that the private owners, MRTC, will approve this plan.

On January 13, 2011, LRTA Administrator Rafael S. Rodriguez took over asofficer-in-chargeof the line in preparation for the integration of operations of the three lines,but with the entry of a new leadership into the DOTC that year and in 2012, the transfer was deemed not likely to happen; however, in April 2012, a LRT 1 trainset made the first trial journey to the MRT 3 depot.

On May 26, 2014, the line's general manager Al Vitangcol was replaced by LRTA Administrator Honorito Chaneco as officer-in-charge. The move came after Vitangcol was accused by the ambassador of the Czech Republic ofextortionand for awarding the maintenance contract in October 2012 to PH Trams, a company established by Vitangcol's uncle-in-law. Vitangcol was also involved in an attempt to extort $30 million fromInekon Groupin exchange of 48 train vehicles in July 2012.

As the build-lease-transfer contract of the DOTr and MRTC nears its 2025 expiration, the department plans to transfer its management of the line to the LRTA. Such a plan was pitched in July 2023 by Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez, when the department considered privatizing the operations and maintenance and bundling it with that of theLRT Line 2.

North Triangle Common Station

Main article:North Triangle Common Station

On November 21, 2013, the NEDA board, chaired by PresidentBenigno Aquino III,approved the construction of a common station within North Avenue betweenSM City North EDSAandTriNomashopping malls. It is estimated to cost₱1.4 billion.It will feature head-to-head platforms for LRT 1 and MRT 3 trains with a 147.4-meter (484 ft) elevatedwalkalatorto MRT 7.SM Investments Corporation posted 200 million pesos for the naming rights of the common station.This is inconsistent with the original plan of having seamless connectivity to Monumento and is also an unusual arrangement of having two train stations beside each other. However, the project was shelved indefinitely due to disputes over cost, engineering issues and naming rights.The Supreme Court halted the construction of the project in August 2014 after SM Prime Holdings contested the new location near Trinoma.An agreement was later reached under the administration ofPresident Rodrigo Duterteon September 28, 2016, and the common station finally begun construction on September 29, 2017.The station will open in 2025.

Incidents

Passengers unloading from a 3000 class train in 2014 due to a service incident.

During the testing period of the system, the MRT–3 has been prone to numerous disruptions and breakdowns due to technical problems in the overall systems and design since its opening in 1999, due to many factors, such as the humid conditions in the country, lack of accessibility to the stations, and incompatible problems in the rolling stock, causing major adjustments to the system.

However, problems began to arise in 2012, due to poor maintenance causing train glitches, lack of spare parts, and negligence. The system has faced numerous interruptions and accidents. This in turn has caused lower ridership, frequent unloading of passengers and passenger inconvenience.

Among the notable incidents involving the railway line are:

• On November 3, 2012, a MRTC 3000 class train from the Araneta Center-Cubao station caught fire as it approached GMA–Kamuning station, causing passengers to scramble to the exits, and having two women injured. The train caught fire due to electrical short-circuit technical failure.
• On May 8, 2013, a man was killed in an apparent suicide after allegedly jumping in front of an oncoming MRTC 3000 class train at Guadalupe station.
• On March 26, 2014, a southbound MRTC 3000 class train at Guadalupe station suddenly stopped due to the train driver not observing the red light status at the Guadalupe station and accelerated southbound without getting prior clearance from the Control Center, causing theautomatic train protectionsystem to trigger and activate theemergency brakes,resulting in eight injuries.
• On August 13, 2014, a southbound MRTC 3000 class train heading to Taft Avenue station derailed and overshot to the streets. The train first stopped after leaving Magallanes station due to a technical problem. Later on, the train broke down altogether, so another train was used to push the stalled train. During this process, however, the first train became detached from the rails and overshot towardsTaft Avenue.As a result, the train crashed through thebuffer stopand concrete barriers and derailed onto Taft Avenue. At least 38 people were injured. The accident was blamed on two train drivers and two control personnel for failing to follow the proper coordination procedures and protocol.
• On September 2, 2014, a MRTC 3000 class train continued with one of its doors left open after a train door failed to close at the Guadalupe station. The passengers were then evacuated after the train arrived at Boni station.
• On November 14, 2017, an alighting passenger at the Ayala station suddenly fell down to the tracks. The passenger was caught between the first and second cars of the train, and her arm was cut off. Operations were disrupted but was resumed shortly.The injured passenger was then brought to a nearby hospital and her arm was reconnected bysurgeonsthe following day.Following this incident, the government reconsidered the use ofplatform screen doorsin stations to prevent such incident.
• On November 16, 2017, at 11:30 am, at least 140 passengers were evacuated from a train car that detached from a MRTC 3000 class train between the railway lines of Buendia and Ayala Avenue Stations.
• On August 7, 2018, anairconleak caused the inside of a MRTC 3000 class train to flood, prompting passengers inside to open theirumbrellas.The train was removed from service to fix the air conditioning unit and the train involved in the incident returned to service the following day.
• On September 26, 2018, two maintenance vehicles collided between Buendia and Guadalupe stations while doing a routine track maintenance, injuring 7 people. This resulted in a one-hour delay of the deployment of trains, causing long lines at stations.
• On September 6, 2019, an overhead catenary line section snapped at Guadalupe station, causing a power supply glitch in the whole line affecting over 7,000 passengers. Partial operations were implemented from North Avenue station to Shaw Boulevard station. The situation normalized at 5:00 pm.The incident was caused by a defective and old Protection and Control Unit (PTU) that was overdue for replacement, after an investigation was made. Train preparation and daily maintenance were among the factors that failed to prevent this incident.
• On November 4, 2019, at 4:08 pm, a MRTC 3000 class train suddenly emitted smoke while on the northbound track of the line. Around 530 passengers were unloaded. Around two hours after the incident, the operation of the line was back to normal.The fire was caused by a short-circuit in the traction motor.
• On May 9, 2021, two men were arrested for illegally going down to the railway tracks at Quezon Avenue station to take aselfie.
• On May 12, 2021, a MRTC 3000 class train car was vandalized nearTaft Avenue station.An investigation found that an unidentified culprit had cut the perimeter fence near the station, which may have caused the vandalism.
• On October 9, 2021, a MRTC 3000 class train car caught fire near the Guadalupe station. A provisional service was implemented between North Avenue and Shaw Boulevard station, and the site of the incident was declared fire out at 9:51 pm. As a result of the incident, 8 passengers sustained minor injuries.Normal operations resumed the following day.
• On November 21, 2021, a window in a MRTC 3000 class LRV was damaged due to a stoning incident, with one injury reported.The suspect was later identified as a garbage collector and was subsequently arrested and charged.
• On June 12, 2022, two persons fell to their deaths from the EDSA-Taft Avenue (Tramo) flyover, onto the MRT-3 tracks leading to Taft Avenue station, causing an hour-long interruption in services.

External links

• Official website
• MRTC website