Despite the MRT-3 serving as a high-capacity solution to EDSA’s severe congestion, the sustained high volume of private vehicle usage necessitates a deeper behavioral analysis of commuter choices and preferences to enhance public transportation appeal and contribute to a user-centric and efficient transport system. This study utilizes an extended Theory of Planned Behavior, incorporating Past Behavior (PB), Perceived Service Quality, Environmental Concerns (EC), First and Last Mile Connectivity, and Perceived Alternatives (PA), to analyze survey data from 201 commuters via PLS-SEM. The findings uncover a distinct "psychology of pragmatic resilience." Challenging classical theory, Attitude is insignificant in predicting usage. This reflects pagkamatiisin (endurance), as commuters normalize adversity rather than evaluating the system based on satisfaction. Instead, Usage Intention is primarily driven by Perceived Behavioral Control, reinforced by PB and PA. This highlights a reliance on diskarte (strategic coping), where decisions depend on an individual's capability to navigate constraints rather than comfort. Additionally, EC drives Social Norms, framing ridership as a moral responsibility. Ultimately, MRT-3 ridership is sustained by functional resilience, advocating for policies that prioritize operational reliability to support commuter self-efficacy.

Keywords

MRT-3, Commuter Behavior, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Usage Intention, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)