Starting Thursday, July 20, some commuters will experience what the Department of Transportation (DOTr) describes as state-of-the-art trains for the Light Rail Transit 1 as part of the government’s train modernization program.
Only one four-train set of fourth generation light rail vehicles (LRVs) will be deployed on Thursday but DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said additional one train set per week will be deployed until December this year.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. leads the the inauguration of the LRT-1 4th Generation train set at the LRT-1 Depot in Baclaran, Pasay City on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. Joining him are Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sakamoto Takema, Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan. (Noel B. Pabalate)
“The complete deployment of all the train sets on the main line is expected by the fourth quarter of 2024 when the LRT-1 Cavite Extension begins operations,” said Bautista.
He said the new and modern LRT-1 train sets that will be deployed weekly is part of the total 120 LRVs that were procured through a Japan International Cooperation Agency Official Development Assistance (JICA ODA) loan.
Also included in the loan package are the expansion of the existing Baclaran depot in Pasay City, and construction of the new Zapote satellite depot.
Under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the government and Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), the LRT-1 Cavite Extension also involves the extension of the existing line by another 11.7 kilometers.
This includes adding eight new stations with a provision for two more future station and facilities' works.
LRT-1 transformation
The LRT-1 was constructed in the early 1980s and became fully operational in the mid-1980s.
It runs from Baclaran in Parañaque City to Monumento in Caloocan City, and vice versa. It is one of the busiest mass transport systems in the country.
(photo: Noel B. Pabalate)
Bautista said the new LRVs’ advanced features will enhance passenger travel experience in the country’s first elevated rail system.
“These new LRVs, purchased at more than P12.8 billion, are equipped with an advanced passenger information system, a new signaling system and ice-cold air-conditioning – leading to a vastly enhanced passenger experience,” said Bautista.
Manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation, the new Rolling Stock of 30 trainsets at four LRVs per set features a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) that will allow the train operator to easily trouble-shoot and identify possible causes of any operational glitch.
Bautista said the upgraded train's brakes and signaling system will improve operational efficiency by reducing passengers’ waiting time between trains at stations to less than three minutes.
This, he said, is a boost to the soon LRT-1 Cavite Extension.
Fast and more passengers
Bautista said the extended railway will traverse the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas in Metro Manila, and Bacoor City in Cavite at a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour.
This would reduce travel time to just 25 minutes from the current one hour and 10 minutes.
(photo: Noel B. Pabalate)
Bautista said a four-car train set can carry a minimum of 1,388 passengers, which translates to increased daily ridership to 300,000 passengers from the existing 280,000 a day in its first year of full operations.
"The evolution of LRT-1 is not finished. It will continue to upscale in step with advancements in technology," said Bautista.