Year: 2017

03 July 2017 – Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) scored another win for its P24 billion project loan facility as it took home the Transport Deal of the Year in the recent Asset Asian Awards 2017 held in Hong Kong.

LRMC’s project deal was recognized in the Triple A Asia Infrastructure Awards, which highlights the importance of investing in infrastructure development to aid in economic growth. The award is given by the Asset Publishing and Research Ltd., a multi-media company serving the elite community of leading corporate and financial decision makers in Asia.

Signed in February 2016 by LRMC together with local banks Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, Security Bank Corporation, and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, the P24 billion loan facility is allotted to finance the construction of the LRT-1 Cavite extension and rehabilitation of the existing LRT-1 system. This 15-year omnibus loan and security agreement is expected to benefit 300,000 more passengers from the southern cities of Manila.

Majority of the loan or P15.3 billion will be used for the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension project, which is expected to finish by 2021. The remaining 8.7 billion will be used for the rehabilitation program of the existing line, which runs from Baclaran in Paranaque City to Roosevelt in Quezon City.

LRMC previously won the 2016 Best Project Finance Deal in Southeast Asia in the 10th Annual Alpha Southeast Asia Best Deal and Solution Awards, and Infrastructure Deal of the Year in Asia Pacific in Project Finance International’s 2016 Annual Awards for the same loan facility.

1 July 2017, Manila, PHILIPPINES — In less than two years after assuming the operations and maintenance of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) achieved another milestone yesterday as it passed the audit of International systems certification body TÜV Rheinland, with a recommendation or certification in Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015).

“This affirms our commitment to deliver quality service to Filipino commuters and set the gold standard in Philippine railway operations and maintenance,” said LRMC President and CEO Rogelio L. Singson at the close of the three-day audit on July 20. “Our employees, shareholders, partners and customers can be assured that the quality of how we manage work process and environmental sustainability reflects this commitment to make commuting in Metro Manila better, more convenient and more and more comfortable every day.”

“Let me say that I am proud to be working with people who are passionate in what they do,” Singson said in his message to LRMC employees. He added: “I am pleased with the team’s focus in making sure that we get the ISO Certification for LRMC soonest. We have never worked together as hard as in this effort.”

ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). Organizations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an organization can use to continuously improve its environmental performance. It is intended for use by an organization seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability.

TÜV Rheinland conducted the Stage 2 certification audit of the operation and maintenance of the LRT-1 existing system comprised of the depot and the 20 stations from Roosevelt to Baclaran from July 18 to 20, 2017. The audit covered the systems, processes and procedures in station and train operations, traffic management, engineering and maintenance, human resource, finance, procurement, legal, information technology, corporate communications and health, safety, environment and quality. (ENDS)

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL)

23 June 2017 – Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today announced that it is also extending the hours and adding more trips to its weekend and holiday operations.

This is following the new timetable that is now being implemented during weekdays in the 20-kilometer train line running from Baclaran to Roosevelt.

According to LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio L. Singson, “This new scheme will aid in enhancing LRT-1’s service by cutting passengers’ waiting time and lessening the crowds on the platforms even on weekends and holidays”.

Under the new timetable, first trip on weekends and holidays will be earlier at 4:30 am, compared to the previous 5:00 am. The number of trips on Saturdays and holidays will increase from 423 to 472, while Sunday trips will increase from 323 to 353.

LRMC shares that the move to extend the hours and add trips on weekends and holidays was also driven by the positive feedback garnered from the current new timetable during weekdays. In the new weekday schedule, LRT-1 service is available as early as 4:30 am and as late as 10:15 pm. Number of daily trips was also increased from 512 to 554.

Dry runs for the new holiday and weekend schedule will be done on June 24 to 25 and July 1 to 2. Full implementation will begin on July 8.

09 June 2017, MANILA – In celebration of the Philippines’ 119th Independence Day, Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today announced that passengers can enjoy free rides on LRT-1 during peak hours on June 12, 2017, Monday. .

Commuters can enjoy free rides in all 20 stations of LRT-1 from Baclaran in Paranaque City to Roosevelt in Quezon City from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 5;00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. First trips leave the Baclaran and Roosevelt stations at 4:30AM while last northbound trip from Baclaran leaves at 10:00PM and Roosevelt at 10:15PM.

This special treat to passengers comes following LRMC’s announcement of additional light rail vehicles (LRVs) that will add more trips to shorten passengers’ waiting time.

LRMC is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL)

07 June 2017 MANILA PHILIPPINES—Commuters can expect improved comfort on Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) as private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) recently completed the rehabilitation of additional trains.

While awaiting the procurement of 120 new light rail vehicles (LRVs) by the Philippine Government, LRMC has embarked on a P1-billion program for the restoration of LRVs and improve system reliability. The restoration of 25 LRVs has expanded the current fleet of LRT-1 from 77 when the company took over LRT-1 to 102 LRVs at end-May this year.

LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio L. Singson disclosed, “With the expanded fleet a new train timetable will be implemented increasing the number of trips on weekdays from current 498 to 554 trips daily resulting to shorter queueing time and reduce headway for our passengers. ”

Singson said that a proposal for the new timetable to add more trips has been discussed and welcomed by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Reynaldo Berroya and Deputy Administrator Felix Leyson.

The restoration program included the sourcing of spare parts from the original European manufacturers of the 32-year old Generation 1 trains and the 18-year old Generation 2 trains. “Our engineers have successfully gained the confidence of European spare parts manufacturers such as Alstom, Gerkens, and Knorr Bremse, among others, for the supply of electromechanical parts that were essential to restore LRVs,” Singson said.

“With 102 LRVs available as of May 31, we can now serve the passengers better with increased capacity and shorter waiting time,” Singson explained.

Following the restoration of LRVs, LRMC has also embarked on body repair of 43 Gen 1 trains to further improve passenger comfort. The work included the repair of corroded exterior walls and floorings.  To further improve reliability of the system, full rail replacement of the old system is almost complete ahead of schedule.

31 May 2017, Manila, Philippines — Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is set to deploy additional trips on LRT-1 with a new timetable that will reduce headways and shorten waiting time for commuters along the 20-kilometer line from Baclaran in Paranaque City to Roosevelt in Quezon City.

LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio L. Singson today announced that the new timetable will increase the number of trips on weekdays by 8 percent from the current 512 to 554 trips daily.  “For LRT-1 passengers, more trips mean shorter waiting time and lesser crowding on the platforms,” he explained.

Current schedule for holidays and weekends, he added, will remain the same.

For the new timetable, LRMC will also be increasing the speed limit of 40kph to allow 60kph, along the LRT-1 north extension, or the four-kilometer line from Monumento to Roosevelt Stations only.

Extended hours in the morning and evening, which had been on dry run, will also be made official in the new timetable. From 5:00 AM, first trip from both Baclaran and Roosevelt Stations will be 4:30 AM. Evening extended hours will also be official with the 10:00 PM last trip northbound from Baclaran and 10:15 PM last trip southbound from Roosevelt.

“The extended hours is one innovation that has generated positive feedback from passengers,” Singson said. “Customers have reported that this has made early morning and late night travel safer and more convenient for the night students and late shift workers.”

Recently, LRMC has also restored middle cars for LRT Generation 1 trains, “The number of our light rail vehicles (LRVs) has increased by 34% since we took over  or from only 77  LRVs to 103 LRVs,” Singson added.

Alongside the restoration of additional LRVs, the Company also implemented strategic improvements that resulted in operational efficiencies such as the decentralization of station operations, automation of operational metrics, and improved traffic management.

Singson further disclosed that LRMC has achieved an average daily ridership of 443,000 for the first quarter of 2017, or a six percent year-on-year increase.

04 May 2017, Parañaque City, PHILIPPINES – Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today breaks ground for the pre-construction work on the LRT-1 Cavite Extension to connect the existing line with 20 passenger stations to an 11.7-kilometer alignment with eight passenger stations to be located in Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite.

The new stations will be named Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos Stations in Parañaque City, Las Piñas and Zapote Stations in Las Piñas City and Niog Station in Bacoor, Cavite.

Built for train speed of maximum 80 kilometers per hour and a commercial speed of 60 kilometers per hour, LRMC President and CEO Rogelio L. Singson is optimistic that the LRT-1 Cavite Extension will significantly ease the commute in Metro Manila. “The Cavite Extension will serve an additional 300,000 commuters and will significantly reduce travel time from Bacoor, Cavite to Manila from about two hours to about 40 minutes,” he disclosed.

Further to the convenience of commuters, the design of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension was based on the basic objective of integrating the LRT-1 with other modes of transportation. “We considered the accessibility of the new stations to shops, schools, and offices to better suit passenger flow from residential and commercial areas. LRMC envisions the eight new stations of the LRT-1 to foster a commute that is direct, smooth, and safe for all passengers.”

LRMC signed a Concession Agreement with the Philippine Government in October 2014 to operate and manage LRT-1 and construct the Cavite Extension. Since it assumed operation and management of the LRT-1 in September 2015, LRMC has already worked on the repair of LRVs, bringing the total number of functioning vehicles to 100 in December 2016. Under LRMC, LRT-1 is also undergoing a rail replacement project for the train line’s 33-year-old tracks.

The company’s most recent undertaking is the launch of the new LRT-1 Doroteo Jose station, which is the pilot station under LRMC’s Station Improvement Project. The project involves structural upgrades and new facilities for the 20 existing LRT-1 stations. The second phase of the project which include United Nations, Gil Puyat, Abad Santos, Pedro Gil, and R. Papa stations are set to be unveiled in June 2017, while the whole project is expected to be complete by end of 2017.

Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today announced that LRT-1 will be closed from April 13 to 16 in observance of Holy Week, and to accommodate maintenance works of trains and all 20 stations.

LRT-1 will be closed from April 13 to 16, on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter Sunday. The public is advised to plan ahead and take alternative transportation options during this brief period.

Normal LRT-1 operations will resume on April 17, 2017 at 4:30AM.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the operator of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), has received three awards for its safety and environment campaigns at the 52nd Anvil Awards held at the Makati Shangri-La recently.

LRMC’s safety communication campaign #KaligtasanSaLRT1 was conferred a Gold Anvil under the Public Relations Programs and a Silver Anvil under the Public Relations Tools categories. Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition, LRMC’s effort to rehabilitate Estero de Tripa de Gallina, was also given a Silver Anvil in the Public Relations Programs category.

Communicating safety thru “hugot” lines

As part of the company’s thrust to provide safer, reliable, and comfortable journeys in LRT-1, LRMC’s safety awareness program #KaligtasanSaLRT1 creatively used “hugot” lines to remind passengers to observe safety precautions in the trains and stations. The program utilized different touch points including platform stickers, posters, videographics, and social media to communicate messages of safety and create safety advocates among passengers themselves.

Rehabilitating the longest creek in Metro Manila

LRMC’s Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition engaged stakeholders from the government and the impact barangays in Pasay City, which are directly affected by the pollution in Estero de Tripa de Gallina.

Through LRMC’s partnership with several government agencies including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and its Environmental Management Bureau, the affected barangays, the City University of Pasay, and Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, the Live for the Rivers program was able to conduct information campaigns, mount a cleanup day, and jumpstart projects to sustain the program’s initial efforts to rehabilitate Estero de Tripa de Gallina.

According to LRMC President and CEO Rogelio L. Singson, “We are honored to receive these awards as proof of our unceasing commitment to provide the best service to our passengers and help to our communities. LRMC believes that communication is an effective tool towards nation building, and we would like to thank the Anvil Awards for acknowledging our programs.”

Regional and global recognition

Earlier this year, LRMC was also lauded by two international award-giving bodies for its LRT-1 Cavite extension finance deal. It won Best Project Finance Deal of 2016 in the 10th Alpha Southeast Asia Best Deal and Solution Awards and Asia Pacific Infrastructure Deal of the Year in the 2016 Project Finance International Awards.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Passengers of LRT-1 can now expect a better commute as private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) announced yesterday the completion of the first phase of its P500-million Station Improvement Project.

The project, which upgrades the stations of Southeast Asia’s first rail transport line, yesterday inaugurated the new LRT-1 Doroteo Jose station in Sta. Cruz, Manila. Doroteo Jose is the interconnecting station of LRT-1 and LRT-2, and serves an average of 27,000 passengers daily.

“Doroteo Jose is just the beginning,” LRMC President and CEO Rogelio L. Singson announced. “We are now working on the rest of the project’s phases and, with the support of our commercial partners, we are hoping to see more enhancements at the other stations by the end of this year.”

According to Singson, the next phase of the project covers United Nations, Gil Puyat, Abad Santos, Pedro Gil, and R. Papa, which will be accomplished in June. By end 2017, LRMC will deliver a wholly refurbished train line, featuring stations that have been renovated and equipped with structural upgrades and new facilities to enhance passenger experience.

Addressing accessibility, safety, security

LRMC worked towards improvements to put LRT-1 at par with global transport standards. From the stations’ entrance to the trains’ platforms, passengers’ accessibility, safety, and security were addressed.

Stations are no longer dimly lit, with the installation of numerous light fixtures in and around the stations. Ceiling and painting works were also done to give the stations a facelift to contribute to a more pleasing environment. Better accessibility is provided with the complete restoration of all elevators and escalators, which now include PWD-friendly features.

Retail spaces for passengers’ convenience

Given the dynamic, fast-paced nature of every Filipino’s commute, LRMC is also closely working with its marketing partner PHAR, to make more conveniences available inside the stations. Through partnerships with different brands, soon, each LRT-1 station will have a mix of food and non-food kiosks, retail spaces, and ATMs to make goods and services readily available for commuters.

However, Singson reiterated that the Station Improvement Project is only the first component of LRMC’s two-way approach in delivering the optimum transport experience to the public. In congruence with the station upgrades, the company is also implementing engineering and operation improvements.

100 LRVs now up and running

LRMC also today announced that as of December 2016, it is already able to deploy a total of 100 light rail vehicles (LRVs), or up to 30 trains per day. This is coming from only 77 back in September 2015, when the company assumed operation and maintenance of the train line, marking a 29.87% increase.

With more LRVs serving a daily average of 420,000 passengers and through the implementation of effective management strategies, cycle time (or time for a train to complete a loop) has improved from 118 minutes to 108 minutes. Efficiencies in passenger queuing have also lessened waiting time for trains from 6 minutes to 4 minutes. Early birds and night shifters also have no worries catching the LRT-1 with service now available as early as 4AM and as late as 10:30PM.

The company revealed that LRT-1 also recorded significant increase in ridership, with the last quarter of 2016 posting a 9-12% boost in comparison with the same timeframe in 2015. In fact, LRT-1 transported more than 500,000 riders in several instances late last year.

Prepping for the future

The replacement of LRT-1’s 32-year-old rails is also underway, with a total of 10,583 meters or 40% already complete. The rail replacement project runs a total of 26 kilometers from Baclaran to 5th Avenue stations, and is targeted to finish by the end of 2017.

Once complete, the new tracks are expected to allow trains to increase their speed from the current 40 kph to 60 kph. They will also decrease the wear and tear of LRVs and improve the reliability of the whole system.

Singson notes that all the improvements are done with the future in mind. “We are working on these improvements given our mandate to extend LRT-1’s service to commuters in Cavite. We want LRT-1 to be ready and able to serve more passengers through the synergy of modern stations and a sound operation backbone. Ultimately, we want to provide commuters with transport service that is at par with the rest of the world,” he says.

LRT-1 Exhibit

Coinciding with the unveiling of the new Doroteo Jose is the opening of the LRT-1 exhibit, featuring the work and vision of National Artist for Architecture, Architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa. He designed the LRT-1 stations in the early 1980s, during the time of the train line’s construction.

The exhibit in Doroteo Jose is aimed to educate students, architecture enthusiasts, and LRT-1 riders on the roots of the train line. Mañosa’s sketches of the LRT-1’s original design are on display, as well as news clippings and information, and a scale model of the train.