Category: Company News

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In observance of the Holy Week, Light Rail Manila Corporation announced that Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) will be closed from March 29 to April 1, particularly on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

The company said that the shutdown will pave the way for comprehensive maintenance works on the trains and system facilities, which serves around 400,000-500,000 commuters daily.

The public is advised to plan ahead and take alternative transportation during this period. Normal operations in LRT-1 will resume on April 2, 2018 at 4:30 AM.

LRT-1 runs from Roosevelt in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay City.

08 FEBRUARY 2018, MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Rail operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) recently signed a P450-million agreement with engineering and industrial company Voith Digital Solutions Austria GmBH and Co KG for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the generation-2 trains of Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1).

According to LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Juan F. Alfonso, Voith will be re-engineering 24 generation-2 light rail vehicles (LRVs) over the next two years of six train sets.

“The rehabilitation of the 24 LRVs will expand capacity which should result in faster travel time because of reduced train headway and queueing time,” Alfonso said. “This is another step that will significantly improve our passengers’ daily commute.”

The project will be the first overhaul of the Generation 2 fleet’s propulsion system since the Philippine Government bought the generation-2 trains from Hyundai and Adtranz Sweden in 1999.

The current fleet of LRT-1 includes 51 generation-1 LRVs bought in 1984, eight generation-2 LRVs bought in 1999, and 44 generation-3 LRVs bought in 2007. Last month, the Department of Transportation signed the procurement of 120 new LRVs for delivery in 2020.

LRMC has already completed the P1 billion rehabilitation program on Generation 1 LRVs, resulting in the increase of the fleet from 77 to 109 LRVs and the number of daily trips from 498 to 554. As such, interval between trains and queueing time have been reduced.

In less than two years since assuming management of LRT-1, LRMC was able to improve efficiencies that increased the number of trains and trips, reduced passenger waiting time, increased ridership, increased customer satisfaction, improved safety and cleanliness of the stations, and the achievement of ISO certifications for quality management and environmental management–all milestones in the 32-year history of Manila’s oldest light rail system.

MANILA, Philippines – In celebration of the love month, LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corporation brings back the LRT-1 love train with a new fun twist. Anchored on the theme #LRT1Love, Love for All, LRMC again transformed one of their trains into a colorful love train to commemorate Valentine’s and remind passengers that love can be expressed in different forms and through different means.

Through this year’s Love Train, LRMC promotes environmental awareness among its passengers who spend most of their time hustling around the bricks and buildings of the metro.

One Generation 3 train which has four light rail vehicles (LRVs) will feature familiar scenes on air, forest, ocean and watershed. These will not only provide a quick change in scenery for the commuters, it will also be an opportunity for LRMC to remind the passengers of the type of love they might have been taking for granted and prompt them to act for nature.

The Love Train is a part of LRMC’s effort in promoting a “feel-good” experience for its passengers through themed trains during Valentines, Christmas and other holidays.

As an added treat, LRMC also invites passengers to share their special Valentine’s greetings on LRMC’s social media pages using the hashtag#LRT1Love and by tagging @officialLRT1 on Twitter and Instagram and Light Rail Manila Corporation page on Facebook. Passengers and their loved ones will get to watch the greetings as they will be flashed on LRT-1 station screens on the weekends of February from 8 AM to 3 PM.

Apart from the Love Train, LRMC has been staying true to its commitment to the environment through its Live for the Rivers Movement Coalition, an ongoing cleanup campaign launched in 2016. The campaign encourages the locals living nearby Metro Manila’s longest creek, Estero de Tripa de Gallina, to be responsible residents and be accountable to the health and cleanliness of the creek. It organizes clean up missions and provides sustainable livelihood program for the communities.

The LRT-1 love train arrived on February 5 for its year-long run to spread love and good vibes.

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)

26 January 2018, Manila, Philippines—The operator of LRT-1, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), announced its record achievement of five million safe man-hours for its employees without a Lost Time Injury (LTI) as of October 31, 2017. The company said that the milestone mirrors the management’s efforts in creating a safe environment for LRT-1 employees.

An LTI is an injury suffered by an employee on the job that results in a fatality, permanent disability, or time lost from work. The LTI reference is recognized globally as a key indicator of a company’s safety performance.

LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso said that the achievement is attributed to a number of safety programs and projects undertaken since the company assumed operations and maintenance of Manila’s 32-year old rail line.

The programs include a five-part Technical Safety and Awareness Training, which was given to more than 380 employees who undergo the LRMC Basic Safety Induction as part of their onboarding process. Maintenance supervisors and personnel were trained in safely working at heights, electrical, power tools, hand tools, and welding safety, as well as Lockout-tagout (LOTO), which is a safety procedure to ensure that employees are free from unexpected energization or startup of equipment and machinery.

Various workshops on operation-related skills training were also conducted alongside Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), wherein LRMC maintenance staff were certified on forklift and scaffolding safety.

Both announced and unannounced emergency drills are carried out on a regular basis to ensure each one is aware of the safety procedures during specific emergencies. Members of the Emergency Response Team are trained to function as fire brigade when necessary. With help from Bureau of Fire Protection, LRMC conducted two 40-hours training on fire safety. In addition, station supervisors, tellers, and other LRMC personnel were trained with first aid and basic life support.

With regards to safety improvement projects, Alfonso cited the provision of pedestrian walkways to prevent accidental contact with vehicular traffic while walking in the depot premises. Signs are posted at strategic locations of the depot to serve as safety reminders and guidelines. Additionally, concrete pathways were constructed to prevent slip/trip and fall hazards while walking in the depot-stabling yard and connecting line. Everyone is also required to wear a safety vest when walking across the depot tracks.

Leading LRMC’s safety efforts are the 11 members of the Management Committee and 25 other employees who went through a day-long workshop, wherein they pledged their personal commitment to safety. A half-day workshop on safety leadership was also participated by the Management through the Safety Management by Walking Around (SMBWA) that involved a total of 110 Engineering supervisors, engineers, and lead men.

Alfonso stressed that the company recognizes the importance of employee safety and that they will continue to find better ways of managing the risk of injury to LRMC personnel.

16 January, 2018, Manila, Philippines—Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1 ) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) and Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) inaugurated yesterday five additional drinking fountains to bring the total to ten units across ten LRT-1 stations.

Now, more passengers have access to potable water at the Doroteo Jose, Tayuman, R. Papa, United Nations, 5th Avenue, Baclaran, Monumento, Roosevelt, Carriedo, and Balintawak Stations.

“We are very excited to partner with Maynilad for the GinhaWASH program and hopeful to explore more locations for more drinking fountains for our passengers,” said LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso. “We look forward to more partnerships with Maynilad in the future, for a better biyaheng everyday experience for our riding public.”

LRMC and Maynilad both aim to increase access to water, sanitation, and hygiene as part of the station improvements of LRMC for LRT-1. Since taking over last 2015, the private operator has undertaken a P500-million Station Improvement Program which is targeted for completion end-2018.

10 January, 2018, MANILA – LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today disclosed a record ridership for the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, Tuesday.

LRMC reported a 14% increase in throughput from 494,323 passengers on the same day last year, to 565,928 this year. This figure is also higher by 26% over the total ridership of 448,328 in 2016.

LRMC President and Chief Executive Officer Juan F. Alfonso emphasized that despite the record ridership, passenger comfort was not compromised. “The teamwork and customer focus of LRMC team members allowed us to anticipate the surge in passengers and still deliver efficient service,” Alfonso said. “There was zero incident for that day with 96 light rail vehicles (LRVs) comprising 30 trains on the line.”

LRMC also extended the operating hours of LRT-1 last January 9 to accommodate the pilgrims of the Black Nazarene until 11:00 p.m.

Earlier, the private operator reported the completion of rail replacement of the 29-kilometer tracks traversing Roosevelt Station in Quezon City and Baclaran Station in Pasay City. It has also increased the number of daily trips from 498 to 554, with reduced headway, or interval between trains, from five minutes to 3.5 minutes.

In less than two years since assuming management of LRT-1, LRMC has improved efficiencies resulting in increased number of trains and trips, reduced passenger waiting time, improved safety and cleanliness of the stations, increased ridership, extended operating hours, increased customer satisfaction and the achievement of ISO certifications for quality management and environmental management, all unprecedented milestones in the 32-year history of Manila’s oldest light rail system.

Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) today announced that LRT-1 commuters will get free rides on peak hours of January 1, 2018.

From 7:00-9:00 AM and 5:00-7:00 PM on New Year’s Day beepTM stored value card (SVC) holders can use their existing SVC to avail free ride without charge to their purse load, while single journey ticket (SJT) holders shall be issued cards with zero fare amount.

SVC users can proceed directly to the entry gates of origin station and tap-in to enter. Passengers can enter even if current load is zero, as no purse load amount is required in SVCs during the free ride period.

Meanwhile, SJT users can approach any teller’s booth where they will be issued SJT cards.

There will be no SJT issuances over the ticket vending machines (TVM) during the peak hour free ride periods. TVMs in full-service mode during free ride periods will be able to process regular SVC initial purchase and top-up transactions only and will not be considered free and shall be paid by the passenger.

22 December 2017, Manila, Philippines – Following the release of new coins by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), LRT-1 operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) clarified that its Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) have yet to be reconfigured for the new designs and advised the public to double check their five peso coins to avoid inconveniences, especially during the holiday rush.

Passengers may opt to purchase Single Journey Ticket (SJT), Stored Value Card (SVC) or Top-Up SVC through station tellers. They may also exchange their new coins with old ones through the station tellers, LRMC said.

AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the concessionaire of Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) and supplier of the TVMs, has started working on the required calibration of the firmware of its TVMs to process the new five peso coins. The procedure will be conducted in Germany and will take approximately three months before the updated firmware can be deployed in the TVMs.

The five peso coins, which are now in circulation, are expected to be compatible with the existing TVMs by March 2018.

13 December 2017, MANILA, Philiipines – Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) continues to work on improving the safety of passengers on the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) with its Php20-million shift to light-emitting diode (LED) systems on all 20 stations.

“More than the benefits of lower energy cost and the elimination of mercury-containing fluorescent lights, the LED lighting marks a big improvement in illumination quality and thus enhances safety for our passengers,” Chief Operating Officer Rodolfo Chansuyco said.

“So far, we have completed the installation of LEDs at six stations: Doroteo Jose, Abad Santos, R. Papa, Gil Puyat, Pedro Gil and UN Avenue stations,” he added. “The installation will be completed in all stations by end-2018.”

“The lighting system replacement shift is in line with our Biyaheng Better Everyday commitment to the LRT-1 passengers—a step towards a safer and better riding experience for the commuters. This is also our way of ensuring that LRT-1 stations run under environment-friendly operations, with the significant reduction in toxic elements emissions,” Chansuyco explained.

Meanwhile, LRT-1’s 106 light rail vehicles (LRVs) will also be retrofitted with the LED system starting 2018.

LRT-1 is the first and only railway system in the Philippines to have achieved the ISO certifications Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015), following a two-year companywide program to improve operational efficiencies in Manila’s oldest light rail system.

LRMC welcomes the appointment of Mr. Juan F. Alfonso as President and CEO effective 01 December 2017, replacing Mr. Rogelio L. Singson who will step up as Board Director of the LRT-1 operator.

Mr. Alfonso has more than 25 years of working experience in different industries in the Philippines as well as in the United States. Prior to joining LRMC, Mr. Alfonso served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Aseagas Corporation, an Aboitiz Power subsidiary. He also served as the Senior Vice President of the Corporate Services of AP Renewables, Inc., of Aboitiz Power where he was responsible for Accounting, Finance, Legal, HR, and Strategy.

Mr. Alfonso holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University and a Masters in Business Administration (Cum Laude) from F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Alfonso is married with three children.

The Company expressed profound gratitude for the dedication and hard work of Mr. Singson under whose leadership LRMC passed the certifications to ISO 9001:2015 and 14001:2015. He also represented the Company effectively with the Grantors, thereby facilitating the groundbreaking for preliminary works of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension. His study and observations of the passenger traffic and behaviors at LRT-1 stations paved the way for the increased number of trips, reduced queueing time and improved passengers experience. His support of the employees is unwavering.

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)