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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.

Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) and Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) today inaugurated drinking fountains in five LRT-1 stations: Baclaran, Carriedo, Balintawak, Monumento, and Roosevelt.

Now, passengers in the said stations can enjoy potable drinking water available at their convenience.

Maynilad donated the drinking fountains as part of their corporate social responsibility program, GinhaWASH, and their commitment to be partners with LRMC in public service.

“We thank Maynilad for donating the drinking fountains for LRT-1 passengers. This is a welcome addition to LRMC’s ongoing effort to improve the riding experience of the public. We look forward to providing drinking fountains to the rest of the stations, as LRMC and Maynilad work together to ensure the well-being of LRT-1 riders,” said LRMC President and CEO Jesus P. Francisco.

Shown in photo during the inauguration ceremony are (L-R): Maynilad Head of Business Area Operations Christopher J. Lichauco; Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez; LRMC President and CEO Jesus P. Francisco; and LRMC HSEQ Director Val A. Reyes.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – About 450 volunteers from various sectors led by Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) cleaned a portion of the 7-kilometer Estero de Tripa de Gallina (ETG) in Pasay City.

LRMC, the operator of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), led the Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition which included the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the City Government of Pasay, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Pasay City’s Barangays 188, 189, and 190, together with the students and faculty of the City University of Pasay and the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, joined LRMC and government employees in the activity, which engaged stakeholders in addressing river pollution in Metro Manila.

ETG is a seven-kilometer estero that runs through the cities of Makati, Manila, Pasay, and Paranaque. It is one of the 47 tributaries of Pasig River. According to research and water quality assessments done by DENR and LRMC, ETG is no longer able to sustain life, as it has become a catchment for domestic wastes. ETG’s contaminated water then flows out to Pasig River and Manila Bay, two large bodies of water that feed the country’s farmlands that in part, provide the nation’s food.

“Rivers sustain our farmlands, which is the source of the food we eat. We cannot risk serving contaminated food to our own families. This is why it is the responsibility of each one of us to ensure that waters that feed our rivers are clean and safe.” says LRMC President and CEO Jesus P. Francisco.

“This initiative may just be done in one estero, but it reflects a larger social and environmental issue on how Filipinos care for their surroundings and environment,” Francisco addes, “LRMC wants to be able not just to raise awareness, but to engage more Filipinos to take action, and in the process, create advocates for the environment.”

LRMC took over operation and maintenance of LRT-1 in September 2015. It will also be responsible for the construction of the 11.7-kilometer extension from the present end point at Baclaran to the Niog area in Bacoor, Cavite. The extended rail line is expected to help increase the capacity of LRT-1 from 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily and benefit more than four million residents in the southern part of Metro Manila and of Cavite.

LRT-1 operator to spearhead rehab efforts for Estero de Tripa de Gallina under its
Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition initiative

15 September 2016, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today officially sealed its partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and its partner agencies’ Adopt-An-Estero Water Body Program. Through its Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition initiative, LRMC is all set to lead efforts in cleaning and rehabilitating Estero de Tripa de Gallina, which surrounds its headquarters in Pasay City.

The interagency body headed by DENR and LRMC is also composed of the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau, the city government of Pasay, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and the National Capital Region branches of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Health.

“The signing of this agreement signifies the coalition’s united stance to take action in Estero de Tripa de Gallina. We acknowledge the deteriorated condition of the estero and this is why we are working together towards its rehabilitation, for the benefit of the environment and the communities surrounding it,” says LRMC President and CEO Jesus P. Francisco.

Francisco adds that while the impact of the coalition’s efforts in Tripa de Gallina will directly affect the families living along the estero, the effects will also be more far-reaching as Tripa de Gallina is one of the 47 tributaries of Pasig River. “Rivers nourish the farmlands that contain the food we eat, which is why we need to make sure our waterways are always clean. Apart from improving the quality of life of the communities along the estero, the coalition also wants to ensure the safety of our food sources through this initiative.”

Under the agreement, the body will implement a comprehensive program to support the environmental improvement in Estero de Tripa de Gallina, specifically the 0.5-kilometer portion running through the LRMC depot in Pasay City.

Apart from the continuous assessment to monitor the water quality of the estero, the Live for the Rivers Coalition will also conduct symposia with the affected universities and communities to educate them on solid waste management, and a grand clean up day in Tripa de Gallina is also slated on September 24 to move individuals and families to action.

“It will take a lot of work, but we are confident that the coalition is full on in its commitment to improve Tripa de Gallina, and eventually, the quality of waters in our rivers that sustain our food and life,” Francisco concludes.

31 August 2016, MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) passengers can expect less of the track noise and rough ride while onboard the trains as Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) recently commenced the installation of new rails from Baclaran to 5thAvenue stations.

According to LRMC Engineering Director Rudy Chansuyco, “This is also good news for those living in close proximity to the stations as these new set of rails will notably decrease vibrations and lessen noise levels coming from the trains.”

The 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 the LRT-1’s tracks system.

Previous operator Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) completed the first phase of rail replacements along the southbound route last December 2015 on top of the eight kilometers already replaced in previous years.

These rail replacements are part of the systematic upgrades being done by LRMC to improve the facilities and services for the more than 400,000 passengers of LRT-1 daily. LRT-1 trains currently run at 40 kph. In the coming year, once rail replacements are finished, the maximum speed is expected to reach 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.

24 August 2016, MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In this day and age, people are very much attached to their gadgets. Crowds are always fixed to their screens especially while commuting, whether inside the jeep or in trains like LRT1. To address the need of its more than 400,000 everyday commuters to stay online even as they journey around the metro, LRMC recently partnered with Globe Telecom to provide WiFi connection in all LRT1 stations.

With this partnership, all 20 LRT1 stations will soon be powered with Globe Telecom’s connectivity that will enable passengers to connect and keep in touch with loved ones, communicate for work, or surf the web for information.

In photo during the partnership signing at the Globe Towers in Taguig City are (L-R): Globe Telecom Senior Vice President for Program Governance Network Technical Group Joel Agustin; PHAR Managing Director for Asia Prem Bhatia; Globe Telecom President and CEO Ernest Cu; LRMC President and CEO Jesus Francisco; and LRMC Business Development Head Janet Bautista.