LRT-1 Las Piñas line hurdles resolved

MANILA, Philippines — The Las Piñas line of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 picked up pre-construction progress in July following the resolution of where the LRT-1 station would be located and the payout of financial aid to informal settlers.

LRT-1 regulator Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) is fast-tracking the pre-construction process for the second phase of the Cavite Extension project to make up for lost time.

In July, the LRTA held a coordination meeting to arrange the deed of donation for the right of way of the Las Piñas station, the first of the two stops in the second segment.

The meeting led to the completion of talks with the Villar Group, resulting in the donation of six parcels of land for the Las Piñas station.

The donation has been confirmed. It will take up to six months to turn over the property.

Likewise, the LRTA began the distribution of financial assistance to informal settlers in Bacoor, Cavite.

The payout ensures that families who would be displaced by the LRT-1’s Cavite line are compensated prior to relocation.

Bacoor will host the final station of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, which is expected to reduce travel time to Pasay to just 25 minutes, from 1.5 hours.

The LRTA conducted pre-work inspections to check the underground pipes of Maynilad Water Services Inc. along Fruto Santos and Diego Cera Avenues, both in Las Piñas.

The LRTA also inspected the relocation works for underground lines of connectivity provider PT&T Corp. along C5 Extension.

Metro Pacific Group chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan believes that the completion of the entire line of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension would benefit workers from the south of Mega Manila.

Pangilinan has been pushing for the quick resolution of issues hounding the project.

One of the hurdles had been sorted out when the Villar Group agreed to donate parcels of land to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the Las Piñas station.

Once the donation is completed, the DOTr will turn over the property to the Light Rail Manila Corp., which is tasked to put up the extension as part of the operations and maintenance of the LRT-1.