A video on social media went viral, showing heavy passenger congestion at the Ayala Station of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 on Friday (April 10, 2026) morning despite CCTV footage from the station showing otherwise. The MRT-3 advised the public that the video is misleading. (Photo courtesy of MRT-3)
The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) on Friday pushed back against what it described as misleading social media claims showing supposed heavy passenger congestion at Ayala Station, saying its own verification found no unusual buildup of commuters during the time cited in the now-deleted post.
In a statement, MRT-3 management said a video uploaded on social media alleged that a large crowd of passengers was already packed at Ayala Station around 6:30 a.m. on Friday. But after reviewing station reports and closed-circuit television footage, the rail line said the claim did not match actual conditions on the ground.
According to MRT-3, no significant queue or passenger congestion was recorded at Ayala Station during the period in question. Station Base reports also showed that commuter volume across all MRT-3 stations, including Ayala, remained light at that hour.
The agency said it closely reviewed CCTV footage from 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. and found no evidence of overcrowding on the station platform.
The video was posted on Threads by user @itsmerolandogarcia09, but has since been taken down. MRT-3 also pointed to what it called inconsistencies in the uploader’s posts, noting that the same user later shared content suggesting he was along Commonwealth Avenue southbound at around 8:30 a.m., casting doubt on the claim that the video was taken at Ayala Station at 6:30 a.m.
Management added that a similar image of congestion at Ayala Station had already circulated online earlier this week. That incident, which occurred on Wednesday, April 8, was confirmed to be linked to a temporary track issue that caused passenger buildup at around 6:30 p.m.
MRT-3 said it has already reached out to the uploader to clarify the exact circumstances surrounding the viral video, as it called on the public to be more discerning before sharing unverified content online.
The rail line warned that misleading posts can trigger unnecessary alarm among commuters, especially when they involve public transport conditions.
The clarification came after MRT-3 faced an actual service disruption on Wednesday afternoon, when passengers reported delays along the southbound line at around 4:30 p.m. The agency later said the problem stemmed from a technical issue that was resolved by 5:43 p.m., though the disruption overlapped with the evening rush hour and led to a temporary surge in passenger volume.
