Super Typhoon Uwan has disrupted rail services in the Bicol Region by partially collapsing a Philippine National Railways bridge in Albay. The Department of Transportation is implementing emergency repairs and alternative transport options to aid affected commuters. Free rides on major rail and bus lines continue in Metro Manila amid the typhoon's aftermath.
Super Typhoon Uwan struck several parts of the Philippines last weekend, severely impacting the Bicol Region and causing significant damage to infrastructure. In Guinobatan, Albay, a bridge on the Philippine National Railways (PNR) line partially collapsed when one of its columns gave way to raging river currents. The structure connects Barangays San Rafael and Maipon and is part of the Naga-Legazpi route, which normally serves around 400 passengers daily.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez has directed the PNR to assess and repair the damage immediately. Videos circulating online show the rail track warped after the pillar failed, prompting the suspension of train operations between Naga in Camarines Sur and Legazpi in Albay until further notice for passenger safety. Engineers will be deployed once weather conditions improve to evaluate the full extent of the destruction and initiate repairs.
To ease the disruption, Lopez instructed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to provide additional public utility vehicles and shuttle services in the affected areas. In Metro Manila, the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2, along with the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, are offering free rides to commuters until today. The Department of Transportation has also introduced free bus services along key routes, including Quiapo-Fairview, Quiapo-Angono, Lawton-Alabang, Roxas Boulevard-Sucat, and Taft-Cubao, with potential extensions based on recovery progress.
Further support measures include the Philippine Ports Authority waiving terminal fees for vehicles transporting aid and rescue equipment to typhoon-hit provinces. The Civil Aeronautics Board has mandated airlines to eliminate cargo fees for humanitarian shipments, while the Toll Regulatory Board requested exemptions for rescue vehicles on expressways. San Miguel Corp., operator of major tollways like the Skyway System, South Luzon Expressway, and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, quickly complied by granting toll-free access to government relief vehicles.