The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Thursday maintained that acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez did not humiliate the station manager of Light Rail Transit-Line 1 (LRT-1) Baclaran Station during an inspection.
This was in reference to Lopez becoming ‘heated’ (a term used by the DOTr itself in Filipino in a recent statement) upon seeing the neglected facilities at the LRT-1 Baclaran station on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Lopez specifically addressed the issues in the LRT-1 facilities to the station manager during the incident.
‘The Acting Secretary did not scold the station manager, but rather his remarks stemmed from his frustration and genuine concern for the welfare of the commuters and his firm expectation that all facilities meet the standards our passengers truly deserve,’ the DOTr said in a statement.
‘In no way was there any intent to humiliate anyone,’ it added.
According to the DOTr, it is the station manager’s responsibility to oversee and ensure that commuters are given fair treatment and their basic needs are met, and that concerns are addressed. As such, any lapses ‘must be met with accountability.’
Furthermore, the DOTr said, Lopez himself also called for equal responsibility from the entire Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) upper management, the private operator of LRT-1, which the LRMC acknowledged and recognized.
‘Our goal remains clear and non-negotiable: to carry out the President’s directive to provide a safe, efficient, and dignified travel experience for every commuter, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities,’ the DOTr said.