THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said construction of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension is moving forward after the federal government cleared a key right-of-way (RoW) issue along the rail line’s alignment.
Transportation Acting Secretary Giovanni Z. Lopez said the RoW issue affecting the LRT-1 Cavite Extension alignment had been resolved.
The event comes after Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla ordered an investigation into allegations that the Villar siblings were blocking construction of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project.
“Based on the report that we now have, they wish to donate the property as a part of the extension,” Mr. Lopez said.
In June, Senator Mark A. Villar denied allegations that he had caused delays within the project.
Last month, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. directed the DoTr to make sure the LRT-1 Cavite Extension is accomplished by 2028.
The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) has said it goals to finish the acquisition of RoW for Segments 2 and three of the extension inside the 12 months.
Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the LRT-1 operator, opened Phase 1 of the Cavite Extension in 2024, adding five stations to the rail line.
The primary phase prolonged the road by 6.2 kilometers, linking Baclaran Station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque City.
Phases 2 and three, which is able to serve parts of Cavite, include the Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog stations.
Mr. Lopez said a flyover being built along the project’s alignment stays one among the challenges in completing the remaining RoW acquisition.
“There are suggestions about the opportunity of (realignment) of the flyover, but to try this we would wish (further assessments) and traffic study first,” he said, adding that the DoTr is confident the flyover can coexist with the present alignment of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension.
Last 12 months, the DoTr requested a further P3 billion to construct a further station in Bacoor City as a part of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension.
LRMC is a three way partnership of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd. Metro Pacific Light Rail is a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one among three Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside PLDT Inc. and Philex Mining Corp.
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