Study to extend P65B LRT1 to Dasma out soon

MANILA, Philippines – The feasibility study on extending the Light Rail Transit line 1 (LRT 1) all the way to Dasmariñas, Cavite – as part of the Aquino government’s public private partnership (PPP) scheme – is expected to be completed soon.

According to PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao, the study would help determine the practicality of pushing the government’s largest PPP project up to Dasmariñas, instead of the initial plan to make Bacoor City the last stop.

The Cavite extension project will increase the span of LRT 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 km – with 10 stations, 10.5 kilometers of viaduct, support beams, and 3 intermodal facilities included.

Niog, Bacoor, Cavite, would be the new south endpoint instead of Baclaran. The Cavite Extension System would serve around 4 million residents of Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite province.

Canilao said the feasibility study will be completed in time for the rebidding of the P65 billion LRT 1 Cavite extension project set for April 28.

Rebidding

Six groups have expressed interest in the bidding for the Cavite extension project – conglomerate Ayala Corp. and infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) through Light Rail Manila Consortium, San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) SMC Infra Resources Inc., construction giant DMCI Holdings Inc., Malaysian-owned MTD Philippines Inc., Megawide Construction Corp., and Globalvia Inversiones of Spain. (READ: 6 firms vie for P65-B LRT-1 extension project)

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) declared a failed bidding last August 15, 2013, after only Light Rail Manila Consortium led by MPIC submitted the lone bid. SMC Infra, DMCI, and MTD Philippines backed out due to questions on the project’s feasibility.

Canilao said another Spanish firm is interested to participate in the rebidding of the Cavite extension project.

Last November 21, 2013, the National Economic and Development Authority approved the revised terms for the project including the government’s payment of real property taxes (RPT). This would ensure the integrity of the structure for 2 years, a 5% fare increase upon the project’s completion, and the consent to accept negative bid submissions.

Other issues

In a pre-bid conference held last Monday, February 3, the progress of the government’s right-of-way (ROW) acquisition for the project turned out as a contentious issue. 

DOTC announced that the government already acquired 92.34% of the ROW acquisition requirement for the Baclaran-Dr. Santos segment, 69.2% for the Dr. Santos-Zapote segment, and 84.2% for the Zapote-Niog segment.

DOTC said it is also pushing for the construction of the P1.4 billion common station to connect LRT 1 with the Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT 3), and the future MRT7 in the EDSA-North Avenue area.

The agency also informed the bidding participants of the P2.5 billion Integrated Transport System Southwest Terminal, which will be constructed along Coastal Road and will connect to the LRT1 system. – Rappler.com