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Manila’s MRT (EDSA Metro Rail Transit/Blue Line) will be rocked from December 6 to December 8 every 2PM as Rock Ed Philippines presents Rock the Riles 2009. 8 MRT stations would join this activity in order to raise and create awareness among the Filipinos of the United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and for commemorating and seeking justice for the “Maguindanao Martyrs.”

MRT Taft Avenue Station - One of the venues for Rock the Riles 2009

The gigs would simultaneously be held at 8 stations of the MRT representing the 8 MDGs of UN. The stages are at:

• Taft Station – Eradication of Poverty and Hunger
• Quezon Avenue – Universal Primary Education
• Shaw Boulevard Station – Gender Equality
• North Station – Child Mortality
• Boni Station – Maternal Health
• Buendia Station – Combat and prevention of AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
• Cubao Station – Sustainable Environment
• Ayala Station – Global Relation

Performing artists would be Up Dharma Down, Sandwich, Paramita, Radioactive Sago Project, The Ambassadors, Cambio, Imago, Noel Cabangon, Paolo Santos and so much more. There is also a cinemafest dedicated to the late Alexis Tiuseco, one of Philippines’ film critic at Quezon Avenue Station. And visual art exhibit at the North Avenue Station.

It’s also a gathering of artists who would dedicate their performances to the slain media men and innocent lives of the recent Maguindanao massacre. RockEd 2009 seek for justice for those who were slain in one of the worst election-related violence in Philippine history. Donations would be accepted and would be given to the grieving families.

So from Sunday to Wednesday afternoons, the MRT and its stations would be filled with music…for achieving the goals for the Filipino and fighting for justice for the slain innocents. Justice we beg! Rock the Riles!

For more information, log on to their website at: http://www.rockedphilippines.org/

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MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit or MRT-3 on EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue) is going on 24-hour operations starting June 1, a transportation official said.

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Source: Inquirer.net

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It would be my first ranting here at my new blog. It is also the first of the series for how to survive the mass rail transport here in Manila, the capital of the Philippine Islands. Well, what’s the ranting all about? Pathetic maintenance of course.

In 2003, it was my first time riding the new LRT Megatren Line 2 which spans from Manila’s Recto to Pasig’s suburbian Santolan, passing through San Juan and the ever busy business hub of Cubao in Quezon City. It was a relief from the cramped MRT of EDSA as it boasts wider and more comfortable trains. Enough to contain the students (the main market) of U-Belt and other commuters as well.

Boasting modern facilities, they’ve introduced finally (even though MRT planned it first) the vending machine for tickets. More like your favorite softdrinks vendo machine but issues tickets. A relief for the long queues and manpower for LRT. This is the most convenient way (so far) for issuing tickets for the said mass transit. But the first problem though was it was only accepting barya (coins) to purchase tickets. Worse, if your P20 or P50 bills are dilapidated, then like any other vendo machine, it will just spit it out…Kelangan mong magpapalit ng barya sa Passenger Assistance Office booth.Just a tip: If you are to give P50 to purchase ticket into vendo machines, the change may be in denominations of P5 or the heavier P1! Talk about public slot machines!

But because of the growing number of commuters using the new train line, the vendo machines are of pose of high maintenance. Some have broken down and was moved to a corner,  not to be used. Other vendo machines lost their bills receiver. So expect that there are vendo machines that will only accept coins! There are even stations that all vendo machines doesn’t accept bills! What an inconvenience. And because of this, big stations such as Recto and Cubao already established man-powered ticket booths…talk about going back to the age of the dinosaurs! In fairness, they give you bills as for change.

I heard people say, “In the Philippines, is there a thing called maintenance in public property?” The statement raises doubts of maintaining the infrastructure work like it was spanking brand new. Like the vendo machines left in the cold corners of Cubao station, where do our taxes and fares go? I hope our taxes should serve the people of this growing metropolis. Calling LRTA, hope you fix the vendo machines in the LRT stations.