By Andreo Calonzo | GMA News | June 29, 2015
Vice President Jejomar Binay is not helping solve problems problems with the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) by simply criticizing and not presenting solutions, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said Monday.
Echoing President Benigno Aquino III’s earlier responses to Binay’s tirades, Abaya said the vice president never presented recommendations for the MRT when he was still a Cabinet member.
“Vice President Binay never approached us to convey his comments, recommendations, and solutions to rail issues. I have always remained approachable and always kept an open mind for any ideas. Not once did he bother to discuss rail issues with me,” Abaya said in a statement sent to Malacañang reporters.
“MRT issues are technical in nature. Technical issues cannot be solved by political statements,” he added.
In a speech on Saturday, Vice President Binay called the MRT and the Light Rail Transit as “train coffins.”
"Una ko nang sinabi na palpak at manhid ang pamahalaan. Ang pinakamalaking ebidensiya: Ang ating mga tren,” Binay said, referring to his scathing speech against the Aquino administration last week.
Abaya further maintained that his agency has been undertaking “long overdue” repair and rehabilitation efforts for the MRT.
“DOTC has awarded the new rails, the replacement to obsolete elevators, prototype train is arriving in August, the obsolete signaling system is being upgraded, the maintenance provider is about to be replaced,” the Cabinet official said.
Commutes on the aging train lines have often been interrupted by glitches and by a lack of coaches.
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