Two conglomerates have expressed interest to join the auction for the P65.09-billion contract to operate and build the LRT Line 1 extension to Dasmariñas from Bacoor, Cavite.
The Public-Private Partnership Center said Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and San Miguel Holdings Corp. purchased pre-qualification documents of the LRT Line 6 PPP project.
Metro Pacific, through the Light Rail Manila Consortium with Ayala Corp. earlier expressed interest in the contract.
“For the convenience of the Cavite commuters, I think that line is very welcome to them and of course we will be interested because it will enhance the economics of our line… if that line will be built,” LRMC president and chief executive Jesus Francisco said.
The Transport Department started inviting companies to pre-qualify and bid for the project on December 21, 2015.
The tentative deadline for interested parties on the submission of pre-qualification documents to the implementing agency’s Bids and Awards Committee is set on March 04, 2016.
The agency said the bid submission for the project is scheduled by September and expected to be awarded between October and December of 2016.
The project is a 19-kilometer railway from Niyog, Bacoor, which is the terminus of the P64.9-billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension to Dasmariñas City.
The proposed LRT Line 6 will have seven stations, namely Niyog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue and Governor’s Drive.
The joint venture of Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.—LRMC–earlier won the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project.
Under the concession, LRMC will assume the operations and maintenance of the existing 20-kilometer LRT1, and construct the 11.7-kilometer extension of the rail line southward from the Baclaran station all the way to Bacoor, Cavite.
The consortium will build eight new stations after Baclaran. These include Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niyog.
The project will increase the span of LRT 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 kms, and provide commuters from Cavite and other parts of Parañaque and Las Piñas access to central Manila.
The project is expected to start by October 15 and should be operational within 54 months, or by May 2019.
Metro Pacific, through Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., owns 55 percent of LRMC, while AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. of Ayala Corp. holds a 35-percent stake. Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Inc. owns remaining 10 percent.
The government will acquire the right-of-way for the project, the satellite depot, and procure 120 light rail vehicles that will be financed through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.