The eagerly-awaited LRT- 1 Cavite Extension Project today received a big boost, as the first batch of the 120 train cars from Spain and Mexico are now in the country.
This means that AFTER 19 LONG YEARS OF WAITING, THE LRT-1 CAVITE EXTENSION IS FINALLY TURNING INTO REALITY.
During the arrival ceremony held earlier today, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade related how the Duterte Administration strived and pushed hard, to realize this much-needed transport infrastructure project.
“19 years ago, this project was started. So, under the Duterte Administration, we pushed and pushed hard. That is why today, we see the steps of the whole realization of this project–partial operability within this year, by accepting the trains and the cars,” Sec. Tugade said.
He added, “The Duterte administration is making sure that the promises made 19 years ago will materialize, will certainly materialize, and will truly materialize.”
When Secretary Arthur Tugade came in mid-2016, a whopping zero (0) percent has already been certified ‘free and clear’ by an independent consultant for the project’s right of way (ROW)— a dismal percentage, given that the ROW acquisition got its budget from Congress in 2007.
Fortunately, this was resolved, and now, the project is already more than halfway complete!
Further, due to the solid partnership between the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mitsubishi Corporation, and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocariles (CAF) and CMX Consortium, the first batch of train cars that will comprise the 4th Generation Trains to be used for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project from Spain and Mexico are already here!
Meanwhile, during the event, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines H.E Kazuhiko Koshikawa expressed his full commitment and support to the mission and vision of the Duterte administration and the DOTr “I served JICA as an Executive Senior Vice President for four years, so I share this same ardent passion with the DOTr leadership. Now that I’m here in this country, I made it my commitment to work closely with our friends from the Philippine government to achieve these infrastructure goals, together with JICA,” Ambassador Koshikawa said.
Upon completion of the project, the railway line is expected to connect Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite in just 25 MINUTES from 1 hour and 10 minutes!
Under the guidance of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the resolute leadership of both Secretary Tugade and LRTA Administrator Reynaldo Berroya, and the generous cooperation extended by LRMC, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project is finally here.
Other officials present in the event were DOTr Usec. for Railways Timothy John Batan, Usec. for Finance Garry De Guzman, Asec. for Railways Fidel Cruz Jr., Asec for Procurement and Project Implementation Giovanni Lopez, Asec. for Project Implementation – Mindanao Cluster Eymard Eje, PNR General Manager Junn Magno, JICA Senior Representative Kiyo Kawabuchi, Embassy of Spain First Secretary Luis Morales, LRMC President/CEO Juan Felipe Alfonso, MPIC President/CEO Jose Ma. K Lim, MHCPSI President/CEO Jose Manuel M. De Jesus, AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. Chief Financial Officer Marco Duay, Sumitomo General Manager Masanori Honda, and CMX Project Director Ryoji Takeuchi.
Source: Department of Transportation
