MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1, opened comfort rooms across its stations to passengers after acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered that these facilities be made accessible to the commuting public.
Lopez issued the directive after inspecting the Pedro Gil Station, where he found that the comfort room had long been closed, repurposed as storage, and limited only to select individuals, including LRMC employees.
“The operator committed to open all station restrooms. For stations without existing facilities, they will deploy portalets,” Lopez said, citing the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) policy to provide clean and accessible facilities as part of efforts to improve daily commuting.
LRMC President and CEO Enrico Benipayo apologized to passengers and vowed closer coordination with government. “We further commit to work hand-in-hand with our partners in government to improve passenger experience,” he said.
The DOTr noted that LRMC has restored water supply at Baclaran Station and reopened its comfort rooms on Thursday. Repairs at the Dr. Jose Station are set to be completed by Sunday, while sewer line issues at Vito Cruz, Pedro Gil, and UN Avenue Stations are expected to be resolved within three months in coordination with Maynilad.
As a temporary measure, LRMC will deploy two portalets each at the three affected stations.
Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Hernando Cabrera said LRMC has committed to both short-term and long-term solutions to ensure restroom access in all stations.
