MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has committed to complete the Cavite extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) before the Marcos administration ends its term in 2028.
In an interview with reporters, LRTA administrator Hernando Cabrera said all three portions of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project should be delivered on or before 2028.
As it stands, the first segment of the project is scheduled to be completed next year, with the goal of opening it to the public by September 2024 at the earliest.
Afterward, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) will proceed with the construction of the final three stations of the project to extend LRT-1 up to Bacoor, Cavite. Cabrera said the LRTA hopes to transfer all of the right-of-way (ROW) to LRMC as soon as possible.
“The first phase – the first five stations from Baclaran to Sucat – that’s finished [in terms of ROW]. The construction of the stations is ongoing, the viaduct is completed, but we are hoping to begin its operations by September 2024,” Cabrera said.
“The second phase from Sucat to Niog, Bacoor, there remains less than five percent of ROW that has yet to be acquired. We are hoping to finish all of that soon. We want to deliver it to LRMC so it can start construction,” he added.
Even with the ROW lacking, Cabrera said LRMC has started initial works on the last segment of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension to hit the ground running.
Although it takes a minimum of three years to deliver such an extension, Cabrera said the LRMC appears on track to finish the project before the Marcos administration ends its term.
“Usually it would take another three years to do the final segment of the extension. However, the LRMC is doing everything [prior to civil works] and probably it can complete the last section in less than three years once it starts construction,” Cabrera said.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension project seeks to expand the rail line by eight stations all the way to Bacoor, Cavite. LRMC, the operator of LRT-1, targets to finish the first section made up of five stations–Redemptorist, Manila International Airport, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos– by September 2024.
Afterward, the LRMC will work on the remaining stations of Las Piñas, Zapote and Bacoor.
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, estimated to cost P64.92 billion, will trim travel time from Pasay City to Cavite to 25 minutes, from 1.5 hours at present.