MPIC-Ayala consortium mulls bid for LRT-6 PPP

MANILA, Philippines - Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the concessionaire for the Light Rail Transit (LRT)  Line 1 Cavite extension project is looking to participate in the bidding for another public private partnership (PPP) deal.

LRMC president and chief executive officer Jesus Francisco said the company is interested in the P65-billion LRT Line 6.

 “Of course we are interested because it will enhance the economics of our line (Line 1), if that line (Line 6) were to be built,” he said.

The LRT Line 6 covers the construction of a proposed 19-kilometer (km) railway from Niyog, Bacoor (the terminus of the LRT 1 Cavite extension) to Dasmariñas City.

The LRT Line 6 project was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board last month.

PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao said the government is looking to issue the invitation to bidders for the project by December.

LRMC, the joint venture company of the Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd., bagged the P65 billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension, Operation and Maintenance PPP project.

The company assumed operations of the LRT 1 which spans Roosevelt station in Quezon City up to Baclaran station in Pasay City, last Sept. 12.

Under the 32-year cooperation agreement for the project, the LRMC will undertake the construction of the 11.7-km extension from the present end point of LRT 1 at Baclaran to the Niyog area in Bacoor, Cavite.

Francisco said the company would start the construction of the extension of the LRT 1 once it takes substantial delivery of right-of-way.