MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) is adding another station to its Cavite Extension that would cost P3 billion, to be built in an area where commercial developments are starting to boom.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon yesterday announced the expansion of the third segment of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, putting up another stop in the growing district of Bacoor, Cavite, to be called Talaba Station.
Dizon said the project would require P3 billion which the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is financing through its own budget instead of passing over the cost to LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC).
The station, to be located in Barangay Talaba, will stand between the proposed Zapote and Niog Stations. Once the project is delivered, the DOTr will turn over its management to LRMC.
Based on the latest timeline, the second leg of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension is scheduled to open in 2028. The segment covers two stations, namely, Las Piñas and Zapote.
Afterward, LRMC is set to complete the third phase of the project by 2030, providing commuters with a direct line between Quezon City and Cavite.
Dizon said the DOTr is asking the Department of Budget and Management to include funding for the Talaba Station in its expenditure program for next year.
Overall, Dizon said the government is making progress in acquiring the right of way (ROW) for the Las Piñas segment, giving him confidence that it would be opened by 2028.
Further, the DOTr has found a way to resolve the infrastructure overlap in the Cavite section of the project. Originally, the extension was supposed to undergo realignment because a flyover was built in its way.
Dizon said this issue was already addressed through an engineering solution that would no longer require LRMC to adjust the alignment. This gives the concessionaire a clear path to proceeding with the civil works as long as ROW are being transferred to it.
Daily ridership in the LRT-1 is expected to rise to 800,000 once the extension to Bacoor is built, and travel time between Pasay and Cavite will be cut to just 25 minutes.
The LRT-1 is one of the busiest modes of transport in Metro Manila, owned by the government through the Light Rail Transit Authority and managed by LRMC by way of concession.
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