PHILIPPINES: A groundbreaking ceremony for a southern extension of Manila metro Line 1 took place on May 4.
The 11·7 km extension to Bacoor in Cavite province is expected to be completed in 2021. Eight stations would open initially, with three more to come later. One new depot is to be built, and the existing Line 1 depot will be enlarged.
Last year Line 1 concessionaire Light Rail Manila Corp awarded a consortium of Bouygues Travaux Publics and Alstom a €450m contract to build the extension. Alstom is supplying signalling and communications, power supplies and trackwork.
LRMC comprises Metro Pacific Investments Corp, Ayala Corp and Macquarie Group. It operates Line 1 under a 65bn peso 32-year PPP contract awarded in 2014.
