The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday Metro Rail Transit-3 general manager Oscar Bongon was relieved as its general manager after recent incidents, including the malfunctioning of an escalator at the Taft Avenue resulting in the injuries of 10 persons.

This led to Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon to inspect the MRT-3 line, which stretches 16.9 kilometers along EDSA, last Monday. Dizon announced it would deploy more trains during peak hours and extend nighttime operations by one hour.

The Japanese government led the rehabilitation of the important mass transportation line through a loan agreement on 2018 reaching 38 billion yen. A second phase loan agreement of 17.4 billion yen from Japan was inked in 2023.

Malacanang is screening the candidates to head the MRT-3.

"We are told that the list has been submitted to the PMS and we are just waiting to see who could be the next GM of the MRT," Palace Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino in a press briefing. DMS