Light Rail Manila Corp., a joint venture of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is demanding P300 million in subsidy from the government for the latter’s failure to implement fare adjustment at Light Rail Transit Line 1.
“That’s still pending claims against the grantor [Department of Transportation] so we continue to discuss with the grantor,” LRMC president and chief executive Rogelio Singson said.
“We have suggested that the government will subsidize the P300 million, instead of passing it to the commuters,” he said, adding that the Light Rail Transit Authority was amenable to the proposal.
Singson, however, said the company was still waiting for the decision of the Transportation Department on whether it would subsidize the commuter fares.
Under the concession agreement, a 10-percent fare adjustment was due in August 2016.
LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.
The 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension will connect into the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran station and run in a generally southerly direction to Niyog, Cavite.
It will consist of elevated guideways throughout most of the alignment, except for the guideway section at Zapote which will be located at grade level. It will consist of the satellite depot and new station.
Eight new stations will be provided with three intermodal facilities across Pasay City, Parañaque City, Las Piñas City and Cavite. The new stations are Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote and Niyog. The intermodal facilities shall be located at Dr. Santos, Zapote and Niyog.
LRMC said in less than two years since works began to upgrade Manila’s oldest light rail system, it received the certification of its management systems to global standards by international certification body TÜV Rheinland.
“This achievement sends a clear message to our employees, customers and trade partners that LRMC is committed to setting the gold standard in Philippine public transport,” Singson said.
LRMC is certified compliant for international standards in Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015), following a two-year companywide program to improve operational efficiencies in the 32-year old LRT-1.