DOTr Press Release
MARIKINA – The LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is poised to connect the eastern side of Metro Manila and its adjacent areas with the greater part of the National Capital Region.
The plan was conveyed during the ceremonial track laying and installation of the electromechanical system (EMS) for the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project at the LRT 2 Emerald Station in Marikina last April 16.
Through the east rail extension, the LRT Line 2 – which is currently linked to the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) via Cubao Station and the LRT Line 1 via Recto Station – will fully connect Marikina, Antipolo City in Rizal and other eastern areas to the center of Manila through the Metro Manila Subway via Anonas Station, the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Station via Tutuban Station, and the Port of Manila North Harbor Terminal via the LRT Line 2 West Extension Project.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade noted that transport officials continue to refine infrastructure plans to improve mass transit across the metropolis.
“The Philippines is 20 years behind in infrastructure. This is why your government is working at top speed, without risking quality, to deliver these transport infrastructure projects. For the DOTr, enhancing connectivity and improving mobility of Filipinos are paramount in realizing the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to give the Filipinos a comfortable life,” Secretary Tugade stressed.
DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan likewise appealed to the public to extend patience for the short-term impact of the rail infrastructure projects.
“These developments may bring some inconvenience to the public, but rest assured that this is merely temporary. In the end, the people will gain from the lasting benefits of our mass transit systems. The government and our partners from the private sector are here to usher in the change that the Filipinos deserve,” Undersecretary Batan added.
LRT 2 extension now on its final construction phase
Today’s ceremonial track laying and EMS installation mark the onset of the final phase of construction of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project.
Under this, the LRT Line 2, which currently spans 13.8 kilometers, will have four (4) more kilometers of railway through the addition of two new stations – Emerald Station in Marikina City and Masinag Station in Antipolo City.
Once the stations are completed by the fourth quarter of 2020, travel time from Recto, Manila to Masinag, Antipolo will significantly drop to just 40 minutes, from the usual three hours via bus or jeepney.
The new stations are seen to accommodate an additional 80,000 passengers daily, boosting the rail line’s current daily ridership of 240,000 passengers.
At this morning’s ceremony, Secretary Tugade averred that the east extension project is set to ease commuting woes for those coming from the eastern Greater Manila Area.
“It is a very good celebration indeed because as we celebrate the Holy Week, this will mean the end of the suffering of 240,000 people traveling daily. Pasyon sa pagbiyahe, suffering sa pagbiyahe, ngunit sa tulong ng mga istasyon na ito, sasabihin natin, ‘tapos na, maiibsan na, mababawasan na’,” Secretary Tugade said.
The consortium of Marubeni Philippines Corporation and DM Consunji Inc. will handle the installation of track works and EMS, or Package 3. The PhP 3.1 billion contract was signed in February 2019.
Package 1, which involves the construction of a viaduct, was completed in March 2017. Meanwhile, Package 2, or the construction of Emerald and Masinag stations, is 78 percent finished as of March 2019. In total, the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is already 60 percent completed.
“We laud the workforce of the east extension project. We now look forward to the expedient implementation of this final phase so we can help bring to life the aspirations of the President for the Filipino people,” Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator General Reynaldo Berroya said.
Japanese Government in full support
The rail line’s east extension project is funded by the Philippine Government under a mixed scheme. The General Appropriations Act, or the national budget, financed the Civil Works; whereas Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Japanese Government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded the Trackworks and Electromechanical Systems.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said the extension project is yet another fruit of a longstanding partnership between the two governments.
“I am impressed by the amazing progress of our joint projects with the DOTr under the solid leadership of Secretary Arthur Tugade. Today’s occasion reaffirms Japan’s commitment to the Philippines. It is an excellent example of what we can achieve when our countries work together.”
