LRMC bets on recent stations, upgrades to lift ridership to 450,000 by year-end

THE Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), operator of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), expects to surpass its pre-pandemic ridership by the top of the 12 months, driven by recent stations and ongoing improvements.

“Straight away, we’re at 440,000 (each day) on average, that’s the corresponding to our pre-covid numbers. By the top of the 12 months, our goal is to hit 450,000 each day ridership,” LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Enrico R. Benipayo told reporters on the sidelines of the corporate’s 10^th anniversary.

Mr. Benipayo said that since LRMC took over operations of LRT-1, the corporate has implemented critical improvements, including the opening of recent stations and the deployment of new-generation train sets.

The opening of the LRT-1 Cavite extension in 2024 is certainly one of the important thing drivers of ridership growth, he added.

In 2019, LRMC’s ridership averaged around 450,000 each day passengers, dropping to 350,000-370,000 in 2023. By November 2024, just before the opening of the Cavite Extension Phase 1, each day ridership stood at 323,000.

The primary phase of the Cavite Extension was projected so as to add roughly 80,000 each day passengers, potentially bringing ridership to about 403,000.

“Last 12 months, we were in a position to open a giant extension, and you’ll notice that the facilities are more inclusive, and more modernized. We’re committing to enhance the older stations of the LRT in the following few years,” he said, noting that these future station improvements will further boost ridership growth.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) holds a 35.8% stake in LRMC through its unit Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., while Sumitomo Corp. owns 19.2% and Macquarie Investments Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. holds 10%. LRMC is a three way partnership of MPIC, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (a unit of Ayala Corp.), Sumitomo, and Macquarie Investments Holdings.

LRMC assumed operations and maintenance of LRT-1 in September 2015 under a P65-billion, 32-year concession agreement with the Light Rail Transit Authority and the Department of Transportation.

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