Bidding for LRT 1 extension attracts 15 firms

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen companies have expressed interest to participate in the P60-billion extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 by purchasing bid documents, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said.

The DOTC said yesterday the firms that have purchased bid documents for the LRT Line 1 extension project are San Miguel Infrastructure, Macquarie Group, Mitsubishi Corp., DMCI, Hanjin, Sumitomo, Leighton, the Metro Pacific Group, FSG Capital, EFC Enterprises, FF Cruz, Marubeni Corp., BPI Capital, ING Bank and Jorgman Planning.

The bid documents can be acquired from the DOTC office for a non-refundable fee of P50,000.

Other firms interested in the project are given until Aug. 21 to purchase bid documents.

Pre-qualification documents must be submitted to the DOTC office on or before 2 p.m. on Aug. 22.

The project will involve the extension of the 20-kilometer (km) LRT Line 1 to 32.4 kms.

Of the P60 billion approved budget cost of the project, P30 billion will go to the construction works for the extension of LRT Line 1 until Cavite, while the balance, which will come from a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, will be used by the government to purchase train coaches.

The LRT Line 1 runs from Roosevelt station in Quezon City until the Baclaran station in Pasay City.

The extension of the existing railway will involve adding stations which are: Redemptorist, Manila International Airport Road, Asia World, N. Aquino, Dr. Santos, Manuyo Uno, Las Pinas, Zapote, Talaaba, and Niyog in Bacoor.

To participate in the bidding for the project, the firm must be able to provide the design, engineering, construction works as well as completion of the extension of the existing LRT Line 1 until Cavite.

The bidder must likewise be able to operate and maintain the LRT Line 1.

Some 500,000 commuters use the LRT Line 1 everyday.

Upon completion of the extension project, an additional 500,000 daily commuters will benefit from the project given the large number of population in the South of Metro Manila traveling to central business districts in the metropolis.