Inquirer Libre still rides the LRT Line 1

LIBRE WILL REMAIN IN LRT1 : INQUIRER CEO Sandy P. Romualdez and LRMC president and CEO Chito Francisco sign the agreement ensuring Inquirer Libre’s distribution in all LRT Line 1 stations. Also in the photo are: Rochelle Gamboa, Head of LRM Corporate Communications, Inquirer COO Rene R. Reinoso, Inquirer Libre editor in chief Chito de la Vega and Carlo Mercado, Inquirer Libre/Bandera sales manager.

THE PHILIPPINE Daily Inquirer and the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) have signed a one-year contract assuring  commuters on Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 from Baclaran, Parañaque City to  Roosevelt in Quezon City of their free copies of Inquirer Libre five days a week.

This was the first agreement between the Inquirer and LRMC, a private company which owns the concession for the operation, maintenance and extension of LRT 1.

LRMC took over the operation and maintenance of LRT Line 1 from the Light Rail Transit Authority and the Department of Transportation and Communications last September. It will operate and maintain LRT 1 for 32 years.

Copies of Inquirer Libre, the country’s No. 1 free newspaper  published by the Inquirer Group, have been distributed daily in the three light rail stations of Metro Manila for over 14 years.

Sandy P. Romualdez, the Inquirer’s  Chief Executive Officer who signed for the group, said: “We are happy to once again renew our partnership with LRT. We are thankful that LRMC saw the value in our partnership and look forward to exploring more ways to serve the commuters.”

“As LRMC works towards the comfort, convenience and safety of the riding public,  LRT 1 passengers can expect better things to come from our partnership with Inquirer Libre. In addition to fast and reliable information about LRT 1 operations, they will also see fun activities that advocate safety in and around trains. I am proud that Inquirer Libre is part of our journey for a riding experience that will get a little bit better every day,” LRMC president and CEO Chito Francisco said.

‘’In addition to fast and reliable information about LRT 1 operations, they will also see fun activities that advocate safety in and around trains. I am proud that Inquirer Libre is part of our journey for a riding experience that will get a little bit better every day,”
Francisco added.

Major step

Rene R. Reinoso, Inquirer COO, witnessed the signing.

“Renewal of the Libre contract is a major step toward sustaining readership awareness among the commuter-riding public and is an opportunity to provide the brand of journalism that the Inquirer is known for across all sections of society,” Reinoso said.

LRMC is a joint venture of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings PTE Ltd.

Last December, the brothers Jaime Augusto and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, chairman and CEO, and president and COO, respectively, of  Ayala Corp., rode the LRT Line 1 train from Buendia to the LRT depot in Pasay City.

At present, LRT Line 1 spans 20.7 kilometers from Baclaran to Roosevelt and serves half a million passengers daily over its 20 stations.

Included in LRMC’s concession agreement is the P65-billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension.

Once completed, LRT 1 will ferry commuters through 32.4 kilometers from Muñoz, Quezon City to Bacoor, Cavite.

Inquirer Libre is also the dominant free daily newspaper on LRT Line 2 and MRT.

Copies of Inquirer Libre are distributed at the entrance of  the 11 stations of LRT 2, which spans from the intersection of Recto and Rizal avenues in Manila to Santolan station along Marcos Highway in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City.

On the MRT, Inquirer Libre is available every morning in all 13 stations of the 16.9-kilometer route from Taft Ave. station at the intersection of Edsa and Taft up to the North Avenue station along Edsa in front of the Trinoma Mall.