By Veronica Uy
Starting 5 a.m. today, November 16, about 80,000 additional passengers daily are expected to experience faster and more convenient travel from Dr. Santos (Sucat) Station in Parañaque to FPJ (Roosevelt) Station in Quezon City, with the opening of five new stations that extend the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) further south of Metro Manila.
The new line, called LRT-1 Cavite Extension (L1CE) Phase 1 even without a station in Cavite, is expected to significantly cut travel time, offering a smoother and more reliable commute, as well as alleviating road traffic congestion in Metro Manila and adjacent areas.
Fare for end-to-end trip from Dr. Santos to FPJ is P45.
The five new stations of the extension are Redemptorist-Aseana (near the Baclaran Church), MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, and Dr. Santos. They extend from Baclaran Station by about 6.5 kilometers.
Phases 2 and 3 of L1CE are expected to further extend for about 6-km line with additional three stations, two in Las Piñas, and one in the City of Bacoor in Cavite, according to the Philippine office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
JICA provided a soft loan for a part of major components for L1CE, including the supply of 30 train sets of fourth-generation light rail vehicles, expansion of the Baclaran depot in Pasay, and the construction of the Zapote new satellite depot in Cavite.
Once the entire L1CE is completed, it will cater to an estimated 300,000 additional passengers daily serving to a total of 800,000 ridership daily for the entire LRT-1 once fully operational.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday inaugurated Phase 1 of the L1CE, the first railway line partially opened under his administration.
The project, made possible by the public-private partnership (PPP) between the Philippine government and Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), spanned five administrations. The L1CE began under President Joseph Estrada and advanced through the leadership of Presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, Rodrigo Duterte, and now, President Marcos.
“The L1CE Project has been a long time in the making,” President Marcos said during the ceremony in Parañaque City. “We owe this progress to the hard work and dedication of my predecessors; we must recognize their roles in helping make this dream a reality.”
“By serving commuters across Metro Manila, Cavite, and neighboring areas, the whole project creates a smoother, more reliable mode of transport,” President Marcos added.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, JICA Philippines Chief Representative Takema Sakamoto, and other dignitaries also attended the inauguration.
Sakamoto said JICA supports the project because it impacts various concerns such as clean air, climate change, investment environment, job generation, and regional development, among others.
“JICA expresses its 100% support and commits to pursue four points—safe and reliable railway network, urban mobility modernization, modal shift, and livable urban development, with [Japan’s] extensive experience and know-how of Japan’s railway operation,” Sakamoto said.
