Duterte Administration To Start Construction Of LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project This December

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, government and Cavite officials and private consortium partner Light Rail Manila Corporation (LMRC) broke ground on Thursday, May 04, for the 11.7-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in San Dionisio, Parañaque City.

The project is expected to significantly reduce travel time and bring a more vibrant economic development to the cities of Las Piňas, Paraňaque and the province of Cavite.

“These mobility and connectivity projects are the platforms which you can be assured of the development in growth of a nation, a community or a barangay,” Secretary Tugade said.

According to Secretary Tugade, the project which was approved by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) in 2011 suffered a “gargantuan delay” for six years before it finally begins construction this December and expected to be completed in 2021.

Secretary Tugade said the realization of the project which establishes track connectivity is a lesson “if you have an honest to goodness well-meaning partnership between the government and the private sector then things will move.”

Once completed, the project will connect the existing 20-passenger stations of LRT-1 to eight more passenger stations Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos Stations in Parañaque City; Las Piñas and Zapote Stations in Las Piñas City and Niog Station in Bacoor City, Cavite.

Secretary Tugade said that the project is proof of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for all right and proper projects that were started to be completed to benefit the Filipino people and the communities.

The Transportation Secretary also requested the LMRC contractor through Vice Chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala to expedite the construction even before the scheduled completion on the last quarter of 2021 “without sacrificing quality of construction and without imputing unreasonable expenses.”

Zobel de Ayala said they hope to contribute to the national agenda in improving the quality of life of millions of the commuting public through the construction, operation and maintenance of a safe, efficient and reliable rail system.

Ayala said since LMRC assumed operation and management of the LRT-1 in September 2015, they have increased the number of function vehicles from 70 to a hundred in December 2016 to serve more than 450,000 daily commuters.

The LRT 1 peak season breached daily ridership of 500,000 multiple times in December last year.

Ayala said the extension project will not only alleviate traffic in the fast developing part of Metro Manila, but will also help improve the efficiency of public transportation, foster access to transport services to over 800,000 daily passengers and catalyze more development opportunities in the area.

He reported that they have started to replace the LRT’s 32-year-old rails starting August last year with target completion by the end of this year, including the repainting, re-designing and restoration of elevators and escalators in some stations with large volume of passengers.

The LRMC Top Executive also assured that their project “will clearly indicate our vision for the entire LRT1 to be a safe, convenient, comfortable riding experience for the public at large.”

He also said that their good partnership with the government has encouraged them “to build more as we proceed,” and pledged continuous support for the government “in whatever way we can.”

Ayala also congratulated former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson and now President and CEO of LMRC “for the dynamism he’s been bringing for the execution of this project.”

Singson, an expert in “build” projects who is sensitive to government procedures and requirements, focuses his attention now to help the country’s rail system describing it as vital but which the country still lacks.

He said the project expects to ease travel to and from Metro Manila with the additional 300,000 daily commuters it could serve and lessens the usual two hours to merely 40 minutes travel time from Bacoor, Cavite to Manila.

Gracing the groundbreaking event were Senator Cynthia Villar; DPWH Secretary Mark Villar; Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla; Bacoor Rep. Strike Revilla; Paranaque Rep. Erick Olivarez; Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra; Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla; former Parañaque Mayor Pablo Olivarez and barangay officials.

Source: Philippine News Agency