THE Metro Rail Transit-Line 3 (MRT-3) will accommodate more passengers in the evening starting Monday, March 24. 

On Facebook, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the MRT-3 extended its night operations by an hour from Monday to Friday. 

It will also deploy more trains during rush hour for “faster and more convenient travel” for passengers.

The move comes after Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon checked the train commuters’ conditions at the Taft, Ayala, and Shaw Boulevard stations last week. 

Following his inspection, Dizon called for the extension of the MRT-3 operations by at least an hour and additional trains during peak hours to accommodate more passengers, especially Filipino employees in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry who work different shifts.

“‘Yung mga nagta-trabaho sa call center, hindi naman ‘yan 9 to 5 [p.m.] eh. Inaabot ‘yan hanggang gabi,” Dizon told Teleradyo Serbisyo.

“Ang hirap naman po kung wala na silang masasakyan kasi kahit na po gabing-gabi na eh traffic pa rin po sa Edsa [Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue]. So, mas mabuti pong mag-extend na tayo ng oras,” he added.

New closing schedule

Here is the extended closing schedule for each MRT-3 station during weekdays beginning March 24:

Southbound

• North Avenue – 10:25 p.m.
• Quezon Avenue – 10:28 p.m.
• GMA-Kamuning – 10:30 p.m.
• Araneta-Cubao – 10:32 p.m.
• Santolan – 10:37 p.m.
• Ortigas – 10:40 p.m.
• Shaw Boulevard – 10:41 p.m.
• Boni – 10:45 p.m.
• Guadalupe – 10:47 p.m.
• Buendia – 10:48 p.m.
• Ayala – 10:50 p.m.
• Magallanes – 10:53 p.m.

Northbound

• Taft Avenue – 11:04 p.m.
• Magallanes – 11:09 p.m.
• Ayala – 11:10 p.m.
• Buendia – 11:11 p.m.
• Guadalupe – 11:17 p.m.
• Boni – 11:19 p.m.
• Shaw Boulevard – 11:20 p.m.
• Ortigas – 11:23 p.m.
• Santolan – 11:26 p.m.
• Araneta-Cubao – 11:27 p.m.
• GMA-Kamuning – 11:30 p.m.
• Quezon Avenue – 11:32 p.m.

Here is the closing schedule for the weekend:

Southbound

• North Avenue – 9:25 p.m.
• Quezon Avenue – 9:27 p.m.
• GMA-Kamuning – 9:29 p.m.
• Araneta-Cubao – 9:32 p.m.
• Santolan – 9:37 p.m.
• Ortigas – 9:41 p.m.
• Shaw Boulevard – 9:38 p.m.
• Boni – 9:45 p.m.
• Guadalupe – 9:46 p.m.
• Buendia – 9:45 p.m.
• Ayala – 9:50 p.m.
• Magallanes – 9:52 p.m.

Northbound

• Taft Avenue – 10:04 p.m.
• Magallanes – 10:09 p.m.
• Ayala – 10:09 p.m.
• Buendia – 10:10 p.m.
• Guadalupe – 10:17 p.m.
• Boni – 10:19 p.m.
• Shaw Boulevard – 10:19 p.m.
• Ortigas – 10:23 p.m.
• Santolan – 10:26 p.m.
• Araneta-Cubao – 10:29 p.m.
• GMA-Kamuning – 10:30 p.m.
• Quezon Avenue – 10:32 p.m.

Currently, the first MRT train from North Avenue leaves at 4:36 a.m. on weekdays, 4:37 a.m. on Saturdays, and 4:38 a.m. on Sundays.

Meanwhile, the first train departs Taft Avenue at 5:18 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and at 5:19 a.m. on Sundays.