The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Board has approved the recommendation to award the Manila LTR Line 1 extension PPP project to the Light Rail Manila Consortium.

Last week the Philippine Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) recommended the awarding of the project to the consortium owned by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (55%), Ayala Corporation (35%) and  Macquarie Group Ltd (10%).

The team was the only bidder when it submitted its proposal in late May. The consortium offered to pay the government P9.35 billion (US$213.2 million) for the right to build, operate, and manage the project.

The NEDA Board chaired by President Benigno Aquino III had approved on June 19 the offer made by the Light Rail Manila Consortium.

The LRT extension project will also lengthen Line 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 km, with a new south endpoint in Niog, Bacoor, Cavite. Approximately 10.5 km of the Cavite Extension System will be elevated and 1.2 km will be at grade level. The extension will serve nearly 4 million residents of Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite.

The LRT-1 expansion project includes the operation and maintenance of the entire LRT-1 system for a 35 year concession period.