LRMC on track to start LRT-1 Cavite Extension

MANILA, Philippines — Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) is confident to start construction of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension as planned despite right of way (ROW) issues in some areas.

The consortium originally targeted to start construction works for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project by October.

“We’ve had some challenges in some areas but based on the report we’re getting, we’re starting to move. It’s clear that the project is going to be started quite soon,” LRMC president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso said.

“We’re actually quite confident on the October schedules we’ve given. It looks like they’re achievable right now. We’re working on the permitting process and based on that last update on the timing, schedule is on track,” he said.

Alfonso said LRMC meets with the Department of Public Works and Highways on a weekly basis to help each other clear the right of way. “The sooner we clear it, the better for us,” he said.

Alfonso said majority or more than 50 percent of the right of way have already been cleared.

“When you have right of way it has several stages. The ROW has to be first cleared. After that it has to be certified by the independent consultant and then turned over, so it’s turned over to LRMC as being clear,” he said.

“The areas where we have issues or structures that have to be demolished, we’re working on those now. So I think we’re quite confident that once we start, those will be cleared when it’s time to pass on those areas,” Alfonso said.

LRMC expects the project to be completed by 2021.

Composed of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd., the consortium was awarded the public-private partnership project to operate, maintain, and extend the LRT-1 in 2014.

Alfonso said funding for the extension project would not be a problem as LRMC has already secured a P25-billion loan facility from three banks.

The rest, he said, would be funded by equity from LRMC. For the extension, the consortium is spending some P35 billion.