Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said that the railway connecting Cavite and Metro Manila will create more jobs and business opportunities in the south.
Recto, the government's chief economic manager, said that the first phase of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 (South) Cavite extension project will boost economic activity outside Metro Manila.
“The project represents a dramatic shift in transit-oriented development here in the Philippines,” said the finance chief as he credited the benefits brought by the public-private partnership (PPP) program.
The PPP is a partnership between the government and private sector to improve public infrastructure and services in the country.
Government officials, including Recto, recently visited the first phase of the LRT-1 Cavite extension project that involves extending the system by 11.7 kilometers, passing through Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Bacoor, Cavite.
“This is where your taxes go. This is where our borrowings go,” Recto said. “This is a good PPP project because it is equally dividend.”
“Many students who are going to Recto, heading to the University Belt, coming from Parañaque or Cavite, will also benefit from this.,” he added.
The first phase will reduce travel time from Baclaran to Dr. Santos Avenue, Parañaque, from 20-40 minutes to just 14 minutes and is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
The first phase of the project involves the construction of the first five stations.
READ: Mapping the Route: Locating five new LRT-1 Cavite extension stations
“It will not only connect Manila to Cavite but also act as a catalyst for economic activity, creating new opportunities for more jobs and businesses to flourish in Region IV-A or the CALABARZON,” he said.
As of end-April 2024, the national government's outstanding debt stood at P15.02 trillion.