Photo credit: Light Rail Manila Corporation
The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension Phase 1 is set to officially launch its operations with 5 new stations on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 5 am.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the LRT 1 Cavite Extension (L1CE) on Friday, Nov. 15, promising to boost the Philippine transportation system.
From the existing Baclaran station, the 5 new stations include Redemptorist-ASEANA Station, Manila International Airport (MIA) Station, Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) Station, Ninoy Aquino Avenue Station, and Dr. Santos Station.
The L1CE Project of Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), is a public-private partnership with the Philippine government and the Bouygues Travaux Publics as its Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) as its contractor.
The new stations running for 6.7 kilometers are anticipated to reduce travel time from Quezon City to Parañaque to less than an hour and accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily.
In his inaugural speech for L1CE, President Marcos acknowledged his predecessors’ efforts in instituting the L1CE project.
“The L1CE Project has been a long time in the making—spanning five administrations, starting with President Estrada, to President Arroyo, President Aquino, President Duterte, and now, to mine,” President Marcos stated.
“We owe this progress to the hard work and dedication of my predecessors; we must recognize their roles in helping making this dream a reality,” he added.
Marcos also reiterated the government’s dedication to enhancing the public transportation network through new rail initiatives, including the MRT-7 and the North-South Commuter Railway, ensuring it remains efficient and up-to-date.
Phase 2 of the L1CE project will see the launch of the Las Piñas and Zapote Stations, while Phase 3 will establish Niog Station in Bacoor, Cavite which are expected to be fully operational by 2031 according to LRMC general manager Enrico Benipayo.
The extension of Line 1 is projected to boost its elevated railway ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers.