officiallrt1

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.

MANILA, Philippines — Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is set to inaugurate on Monday, February 6, the improved Doroteo Jose Station which will serve a daily average of 27,000 passengers interconnecting to LRT-2.

Doroteo Jose station is the pilot for the company’s P500-million Station Improvement Project, which will include the enhancement of passenger exchange and the advertising environment

LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio L. Singson, said, “With the increased number of light rail vehicles and additional commercial trips, the Station Improvement Project is another significant component to improve the efficiency of the LRT-1 system for the safety, comfort and convenience of around 450,000 passengers daily across all 20 stations.”

The Station Improvement Project covers the redesign, structural repair, replacement of lighting fixtures, repainting, restoration of elevators and escalators, and general cleaning of LRT-1 stations. Refurbishment of Doroteo Jose began in December 2015. Other stations have since followed, including EDSA, Central, Gil Puyat, Pedro Gil, United Nations, R. Papa, and Abad Santos.

According to Singson, the stations need to be able to handle the current demand, resulting from operational and engineering efficiencies in progress since the company assumed operations and maintenance of the system in September 2015.

Along with the inauguration of the new Doroteo Jose station, LRMC is also set to open the LRT-1 exhibit that pays tribute to National Artist for Architecture, Architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa . Mañosa designed the LRT-1 stations in the early 1980s, during the time of the train line’s construction.

The exhibit is LRMC’s way of honoring LRT-1’s design legacy as well as educating the public on LRT-1’s roots. It will feature the design sketches of Architect Manosa, a scale model of the train, and news clippings and other information which were culled from the collection of the National Artist himself.

18 January 2017, Manila, PHILIPPINES — Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today said it is ready for increased demand resulting from the Common Station Project, adding that the latter bodes well for the ongoing improvements to increase capacity and improve commuter experience on Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1).

“The Project will mean LRT-1 will be able to service an additional 45,000 LRT-1 commuters or 10% of the current 450,000 average daily ridership,” LRMC President and CEO Rogelio L. Singson disclosed, adding that the existing rail system has already increased ridership by 19 percent and passenger capacity per hour by 26 percent after implementing strategies to increase the number of operational LRVs, complemented with the increase in number of trips daily.

Since assuming operations and maintenance of the 20-kilometer existing rail system from Roosevelt Station in Quezon City to Baclaran Station in Paranaque City in September 2015, monthly ridership has increased from 11.2 million in August 2015 to 13.6 million in December 2016.

Passenger capacity of LRT-1 also increased from 13,500 to 17,000 per hour per direction (northbound/southbound) over the same period, following the increase of light rail vehicles (LRVs) from 77 in September 2015 to 100 in December 2016.

“More importantly, we have implemented traffic management strategies that resulted in increased number of trips, reduced cycle time, and headways,” Singson emphasized.

Singson said that LRT-1 cycle time, the duration it takes for one train to complete one loop, has improved from an average of 118 minutes to 108 minutes by reducing turn back times at both ends (Roosevelt & Baclaran), deployment of train sliders and increased efficiency of traffic management in between stations.

He added that LRT-1 has also improved efficiencies in passenger queueing and headways of four minutes from five to six minutes.

“The Company has also extended train revenue service to serve early morning passengers who queue by the station gates as early as 4:00 AM and for late night shift workers and students who now feel safer and more secure travelling by LRT-1 rather than by jeepneys,” Singson added.

LRMC signed a Concession Agreement with the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority in October 2014 for the operations and maintenance of the existing LRT-1 system and the construction of an additional 12-kilometer Cavite Extension.

LRT-1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today released the adjusted operating hours of the Baclaran-Roosevelt line for the holidays.

On December 24, 25, 31, and January 1, first trips will leave at 5:00 AM. Last trip on December 24 leaves at 8:00 PM, while last trips on December 25 leave Baclaran at 9:30 PM and Roosevelt at 9:50 PM.

For December 31, last trip is at 7:00 PM. On January 1, last trips leave Baclaran at 9:30 PM and Roosevelt at 9:50 PM.

For December 3 to 23, LRMC has extended LRT-1 operating hours up to 11:00PM. Today is the last day for the extended hours.

Regular weekday schedule, 4:30AM-10:15PM, resumes December 27; while weekend schedule, 5:00AM-9:50PM, resumes January 7.

16 December 2016, Manila, PHILIPPINES — Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation‘s (LRMC) P24-billion loan facility was recently awarded Best Project Finance Deal of 2016 in the 10th Annual Alpha Southeast Asia Best Deal and Solution Awards.

The 15-year loan facility, which was arranged by SB Capital Investment Corporation, First Metro Investment Corporation, and RCBC Capital Corporation, will finance the LRT-1 Cavite extension project and will also be used for the rehabilitation of the existing LRT-1 system. The said loan facility was signed in February this year, together with lending banks Security Bank, Metrobank, and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation.

The award was conferred by Alpha Southeast Asia, the first and only institutional investment publication focused on the Southeast Asia region.

According to LRMC, the LRT-1 Cavite extension project will extend the current endpoint of the system in Baclaran to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite. Under this 11.7-kilometer project, eight more stations will be added: Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Pinas, Zapote, and Niog.

LRMC has also commenced its rehabilitation initiatives for the train line, including the replacement of rails, restoration of elevators and escalators, and the refurbishment of the 20 existing stations.

The award will be presented to LRMC in a regional awards luncheon in Malaysia on January 25, 2017, where other awardees from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam will also be recognized.

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

Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) reported that it has finished 40 percent of the work to replace the 32-year old tracks. As of end-November, the replacement of the northbound tracks from Baclaran Station in Pasay City has already reached Doroteo Jose Station in Manila, covering 10,583 linear meters of rails. The rail replacement project covers 21 kilometers of rail tracks on the northbound route and five kilometers on the southbound route. These replacements will be the final phase to complete the overall rehabilitation of LRT-1’s tracks system. Once rail replacements are finished, LRMC says that LRT-1 trains which currently run at 40 kph, will already be able to run at 60 kph. The replaced rails will also increase the lifespan of the light rail vehicles or LRVs, avoid wear and tear of the rolling stock, and ensure the reliability of the whole train system.

One year since assuming the operations and maintenance of LRT-1, private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has rehabilitated and increased the number of running light rail vehicles (LRVs) to 96 as of end November 2016. LRMC took over the operation and maintenance of the system last September 2015 with only 77 functioning LRVs. Through the work of its engineering team, LRMC was able to restore almost 20 more LRVs, while waiting for the procurement and arrival of 120 more LRVs in 2018. The increased capacity has enabled LRT-1 to accommodate more passengers and deploy up to 30 trains daily.

Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is extending free rides to all Concessionary Beep Card (CBC) holders this Christmas season.

CBC holders can enjoy the free rides on all weekends and holidays from December 3, 2016 to January 8, 2017 in all stations of LRT-1.

To avail of the free rides, CBC holders must be accompanied by at least two family members. The CBC holder can proceed to the teller’s booth in each LRT-1 station to activate his or her free ride.

LRMC also earlier announced that it is extending LRT-1 operating hours to 11PM until December 23 to serve more commuters.

Metro Manila commuters now have until 11PM to catch the last trains of LRT-1. Private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has added seven additional trips every night in keeping with the demand for late night urban transport.

From December 3 to 23, there will be additional northbound trains from Baclaran every 10 minutes after 9:30PM and every 15 minutes after 10:00PM on weekdays. Last train from Baclaran is 11:00PM. From Roosevelt on weekdays, there will be additonal southbound trips at 10:00, 10:10, 10:20, 10:30, 10:45 and 11:00 PM.

On weekends, last trips for Baclaran and Roosevelt will be at 11PM.