MPIC prefers light rail over subway

MANILA, Philippines - Infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is pushing for the development of the country’s rail network through the more viable light rail system rather than the more expensive subway system.

MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said building a light rail system is easier and cheaper rather than the subway system being pursued by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

“Our view there, frankly, is that let’s build a viable light rail system within the city. And then a subway will be the next step.  It’s going to be extremely expensive,” Pangilinan said.

The DOTC is pursuing the P370-billion Mass Transit System Loop project that would connect the cities of Makati, Taguig, and Pasay now pending before the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

The proposed 12-kilometer loop would connect the fast-developing Bonifacio Global City, Makati Central Business District, and the Mall of Asia area in Pasay City. It aims to improve inter-city linkage by providing a higher capacity public transportation system that would facilitate fast and convenient mobility of goods and services.

The mass transit project also intends to address the high volume of vehicular traffic traversing in these major business districts of the Metro.

Given Metro Manila’s current infrastructure, it was also determined that the rail line of approximately 12-kilometer will need to run mostly underground, making this the first subway in the country.

However, Pangilinan said the government should first pursue expanding the light rail network before venturing into the subway system.

“Let’s exhaust all possibilities of a light rail system in the city, and then stage 2, subway. It’s heavier in scope, it’s a heavier system and it can carry more passengers. I think eventually the Philippines should have a subway system. It’s just a question of timing,” he added.

The Aquino administration is looking at increasing urban mass transport ridership to 2.2 million per day by 2016 or 2017 from the current level of 1.2 million per day under the government’s Rail Transport Development Plan.

The DOTC would develop intermodal facilities and at the same time improve transport linkages and efficiency to production and consumption markets.

MPIC has partnered with conglomerate Ayala Corp. to pursue major rail projects in the Philippines. The tandem dubbed as Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) bagged a P65 billion contract to extend the Light Rail Transit line 1 (LRT-1) all the way to Bacoor, Cavite from Baclaran in Pasay City.