Light Rail Manila Corp., a consortium led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., on Monday said it is targeting partial operability of the first section of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project by end of 2021.

“The schedule has not change for now. The partial operability of the Phase 1 is end of 2021,” Juan Alfonso, president and chief executive of LRMC told reporters. 

Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers of the 11-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station. 

Asiaworld Station will be located parallel to and right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and will eventually be connected to the Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station. 

The remaining stations from Las Piñas to Niog are scheduled for completion in 2022. 

He said the light rail vehicles (LRVs) will start coming by middle of next year. 

The project is expected to increase LRT-1’s ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 a day and reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite from 1 to 2 hours to only 25 minutes.