Hundreds of thousands of commuters in Metro Manila were stranded Tuesday as operations of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines 1 and 2, the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 and the Philippine National Railway (PNR) were paralyzed due to power disruption caused by Tropical Storm "Basyang."

As of noon Wednesday, LRT lines 1 and 2, MRT 3, and the PNR were still closed to commuters, causing hassle to the riding public, like private and public employees and students who are dependent on mass transportation system.

Based on official records of the LRT Authority and MRT Development Corporation, an average of 750,000 passengers ride the LRT lines 1 and 2 daily while an average of 500,000 commuters ride the MRT 3 every day.

According to LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles, halting the operation of the train system is always a consequence of power disruption and scattered debris during the rainy season.

"It is an inevitable consequence whenever typhoons pass by Metro Manila because of strong winds that disrupt power supply and dismantle billboards and tarpaulins," he said.

But once power supply resumes, Robles said LRTA will have to double check their facilities first before opening the stations to the public.

"We cannot resume operations the moment the power supply resumes. Before opening the lines to our commuters, we have to check first our lines for damages and our tracks for debris and tarpaulins. We have to ensure smooth operation of the system and safety for our passengers," he said.

For his part, PNR Operations Manager Estelito Nierva said fallen trees and debris were also scattered along PNR tracks.

"We'll resume service as soon as our Engineering Department clears the rail track of obstructions and communication lines normalize," he said.