PARAÑAQUE CITY – After three administrations and two decades of waiting, the construction of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension, envisioned to provide a safe and efficient public transportation system between Cavite and Manila finally commenced on Tuesday, May 7.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade led officials from the DOTr, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Light Rail Manila Corp (LRMC) and project partners in witnessing the official start of construction, which took place in a property in San Dionisio village here where a station is expected to rise.
This proves that “totoo ang project na ito (this project is for real),” said Tugade as he addressed issues regarding the supposed two-year gap since the project broke ground in 2017. He cited some matters that needed to be ironed out such as right of way issues, relocation of various utilities, and completion of the acquisition of light rail vehicles (LRVs), among others.
A major infrastructure under the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build Program, the project seeks to provide enhanced mobility and connectivity from Cavite to Greater Manila Area – in line with the Presidential directive to provide a comfortable life for every Filipino.
The project will extend the existing line by 11.7kms, stretching its current 20kms to 32.4kms, and will add eight brand new stations (from its last station in Baclaran, crossing the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas, leading to the city of Bacoor in Cavite. These stations will be located at Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog.
Partial operations, from Baclaran to Dr. Santos station is targeted by the 4th quarter of 2021, Tugade said.
Upon completion, travel time from Baclaran to Cavite will be reduced from 1 hour and 10 minutes to just 25 minutes and is projected to double the average daily ridership from the current 458,000 to 800,000 passengers.
Seen at the event were Senator Cynthia Villar, Parañaque City mayor Edwin L. Olivares, Dept of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, First Pacific Company Limited Managing Director and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, Cavite 2nd District Representative Strike Revilla and embassy officials of Japan, France and Spain. (PNA)
