Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1). (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Construction of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension officially started Tuesday, almost five years after the project was awarded to Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC).
Officials, including Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, and re-electionist Senator Cynthia Villar attended the program marking the commencement of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension construction located along C5 Highway in Parañaque City.
Undersecretary for Railways Atty. Timothy John Batan, LRMC President Juan Felipe Alfonso, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada were also present in the event.
“It has been 18 years, 8 months, and 13 days since the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project was approved by the NEDA’s Investment Coordination Committee on August 25, 2000; and it has been 17 years, 3 months, and 16 days since the NEDA Board approved the Implementing Agreement for the project on January 22, 2002,” Batan said.
“Ngayon po, matapos ang halos dalawang dekada at makalipas ang tatlong administrasyon, ay sa wakas, nandito na ang lahat ng kelangan para umusad at matapos ang LRT-1 Cavite Extension,” he added.
Tugade, for his part, said construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension is a dream coming true. He said it took two years since the project groundbreaking in 2017 before the actual work started because of right of way issues, which have now been resolved.
“The dream that was more than two decades ago is a reality today and will soon be a reality by the third quarter of 2021. Our project proponent said we can do partial operability in 2022. As Mr. MVP said, I cannot agree. I want a partial operability by the last quarter of 2021,” Tugade said.
The Cavite Extension project will establish additional stations for LRT-1, namely, Aseana, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog in Cavite. It will cover 11.7 kilometers and expected to accommodate up to 800,000 passengers daily.
Courtesy of Department of Transportation
Officials said operation of the first five new LRT-1 stations is set by end of 2021. They also said the project is anticipated to reduce travel time from Cavite to Baclaran from over an hour to 25 minutes.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension project is carried out with JICA’s assistance. It is part of the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program.
Currently, LRT-1’s stations run from Roosevelt in Quezon City and stops at Baclaran in Parañaque City. LRMC is the operator of LRT-1, which has a daily average ridership of 458,000. /kga