Pandemic delays raise LRT Extension cost by P4 billion

MANILA, Philippines — Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has spent an additional P4 billion for the Cavite extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) due to construction delays.

In an interview with reporters, LRMC president and CEO Juan Alfonso said the firm shelled out an extra P4 billion to deliver the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, originally estimated to cost P64.92 billion.

He said the LRMC failed to accomplish its target of opening the LRT-1 Cavite Extension to the public by the end of 2021 due to construction delays caused by the pandemic lockdowns.

The first segment of the project from Redemptorist Station to Dr. Santos Station will be opened to commuters toward the close of 2024. LRMC has completed 83 percent of the initial phase of the extension covering both civil works and the rail system.

In particular, LRMC has put up 56 percent of the Redemptorist Station, 61 percent of the Manila International Airport Station, and 51 percent of the Asia World Station. The firm has also finished 55 percent of the Ninoy Aquino Station and 60 percent of the Dr. Santos Station.

Moving forward, LRMC will focus on completing all equipment installation and civil works with the target of commissioning the extended line by the fourth quarter of 2024.

To recoup the additional investment, Alfonso said the LRMC is allowed under the contract to ask the government to pay the amount or extend its concession period as operator.

LRMC took over the operations and maintenance of the LRT-1 in 2015 and was awarded a total of 32 years to run and sustain the railway.

However, Alfonso said it remains uncertain whether the entire LRT-1 Cavite Extension would be operational within the term of the Marcos administration. He explained that construction of the remaining segments can only begin once the government acquires the right of way (ROW) for them.

Alfonso understands how challenging it is for the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) to obtain the ROW for the project, with the relocation of each utility post requiring about P10 million. As such, he said it might be difficult as well to commit a timeline for the completion of the project.

What he can guarantee the LRTA is that LRMC can deliver the extension within three years once it receives the ROW for the stations to be situated in Las Piñas City and Bacoor, Cavite.

The LRT-1 Cavite Extension is expected to increase ridership in the rail line to 800,000 a day, as it will reduce travel time between Pasay City and Cavite to just 25 minutes.