MPIC open to partnership for new rail projects

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is open to working with current partners in the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite extension project for two other public-private partnership (PPP) rail projects recently approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board. 

In an interview, MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the infrastructure giant would “most likely” form a consortium and work with existing partners in the LRT-1 extension project, should it decide to bid for the LRT Lines 4 and 6 projects approved by the NEDA Board earlier this month. 

“Most likely yes because in a way these systems are integrated with each other. They’re linked together,” he said. 

The MPIC is part of the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the consortium which bagged the P65 billion contract for the extension of the existing LRT-1 to Niyog, Bacoor in Cavite.

Apart from the construction of the 11.7-kilometer (km) extension of the LRT-1, the LRMC will also be responsible for the rail’s operations and maintenance. 

Other members of the LRMC are Ayala Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings.

Aside from the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, MPIC in partnership with Ayala Corp. also won the P1.72 billion Automatic Fare Collection System which involves the replacement of old magnetic-based tickets of the LRT Lines 1 and 2 and Metro Rail Transit (MRT)  Line 3 with new contactless smart card technology.

Pangilinan said the MPIC is currently studying the LRT 4 and 6 projects.

The P43 billion LRT-4 covers the proposed 11-km rail line running west from the SM City in Taytay to the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and EDSA in Ortigas. 

The proposed right-of-way (ROW)  alignment is along Taytay Diversion Road and Ortigas Avenue with six stations: EDSA (transfer station with the MRT), Meralco Avenue, Pasig, Bonifacio Avenue, L Wood Road, and SM Taytay.

The P65 billion LRT-6 Project meanwhile, is a proposed 19-km railway from Niyog, Bacoor (where the extension of the LRT-1 ends) up to Dasmariñas City in Cavite.

The proposed ROW alignment is along the Aguinaldo Highway with seven stations such as Niyog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue, and Governor’s Drive.

Earlier, Pangilinan said MPIC is also open to partner with Ayala Corp. for the P171 billion South Line of the North-South Railway Project (NSRP). 

The proposed NSRP South Line covers Metro Manila to Legazpi City, Albay, plus a number of existing and proposed branch lines totaling to approximately 653 km.