MRT-3 fires “fast” cleaners in viral video, uploads clip of correct cleaning routine

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(Image: DOTR MRT-3)

After a video depicting a couple of Metro Rail Transit Line’s cleaning personnel hastily disinfecting the train went viral, the maintenance provider of the MRT-3 has decided to relieve said employees.

In a statement issued on Monday, MRT-3 management wrote that their maintenance provider, Sumitomo-MHI-TESP apologizes for the incident and plans to file an administrative case against the two cleaning personnel for “not properly doing their job.” 

https://www.facebook.com/dotrmrt3/posts/2942953689266765

“Meanwhile, we have notified all team members to always observe proper disinfection as they were trained to do. We are also deploying two additional staff to ensure that they are properly supervised,” said Toto Domingo, Administration Manager of TESP.

This pertains to a viral 20-second video posted last Saturday which depicts two MRT-3 cleaners quickly strolling down the train coaches while merely swiping the pole grips and tapping the grab handles with rags.

https://www.facebook.com/justine.obrado/videos/4516473235035134/?t=2

The said video raised concern among social media users, who called the method “lazy” and “irresponsible.” As of writing, the post has garnered more than 36,000 reactions and more than 40,000 shares. 

In response, MRT-3 management posted a video on Monday showing the correct protocols in cleaning the coaches once the train reaches its terminus.

https://www.facebook.com/dotrmrt3/videos/494327244898434/?t=0

MRT-3 said they pattern their cleaning protocols after the “7-minute miracle” cleaning method employed in Japan’s Shinkansen trains, where cleaners are only granted 7 minutes out of the train’s 12-minute stop to disinfect the entire train.

To ensure passengers, Sumitomo shared its plans to deploy additional staff to supervise its disinfection teams and to roll out a re-training of its maintenance personnel “upon the MRT-3 management’s bidding.” MRT-3 management also said that it’s already installing additional CCTVs and realigning other units “to ensure cleaning areas are captured on footage” so that similar incidents do not occur again.

READ: So long, logbooks: MRT-3 is set to have its own contact tracing app

“We assure our passengers that the MRT-3 takes the sanitation and disinfection of its trains seriously and that their health and safety are our top priorities. We are taking all the necessary steps to ensure this incident will never happen again,” said MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael J. Capati.

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