Solon thanks PBBM for proposed ₱1.17-B funding for LRT-1 Cavite Extension
MANILA, Philippines — Las Piñas Lone District Rep. Mark Anthony Santos has welcomed the Marcos administration's proposed ₱1.17-billion allocation for the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project, saying the additional funding could help push forward a railway project that has faced years of delays.
The proposed allocation is included in the government's 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which puts a much larger ₱197.3 billion toward railway infrastructure nationwide.
Santos thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for supporting the funding increase, as commuters in southern Metro Manila and Cavite continue to wait for the completion of the remaining portions of the LRT-1 extension.
LRT-1 Cavite funding gets a boost
The proposed ₱1.17 billion for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension is higher than the previous allocation of about ₱799.64 million, according to the report welcomed by Santos.
The funding is part of a broader government push to expand and rehabilitate the country's railway network.
Under the proposed 2027 rail budget, the government is seeking:
- ₱123.84 billion for the North-South Commuter Railway;
- ₱67.44 billion for Phase 1 of the Metro Manila Subway;
- ₱1.94 billion for MRT-3 rehabilitation;
- ₱1.17 billion for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension; and
- about ₱603 million for LRT-1 South Extension/Common Station interim operations.
Together, the NSCR and Metro Manila Subway account for the overwhelming majority of the proposed rail allocation.
The Department of Budget and Management has described the larger railway investment as part of efforts to reduce travel and logistics costs, improve mobility and connect more Filipinos to jobs and economic opportunities.
Why the Cavite extension matters
The LRT-1 Cavite Extension is designed to extend the existing rail line southward from Baclaran toward Niog in Bacoor, Cavite.
The full extension is approximately 11.7 kilometers, with the project ultimately adding stations serving communities in Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite.
The first phase of the extension opened to passengers in November 2024, adding five stations: Redemptorist-Aseana, MIA Road, PITX, Ninoy Aquino Avenue and Dr. Santos.
President Marcos inaugurated the first phase on November 15, 2024, with commercial operations beginning the following day. Government officials said the completed portion was expected to accommodate around 80,000 additional passengers daily.
But the remaining sections have proved considerably more difficult.
The Las Piñas bottleneck
One of the biggest obstacles has involved the planned Las Piñas Station and unresolved right-of-way concerns.
Santos has repeatedly called for government agencies to resolve the problems surrounding the project's alignment and property requirements.
In recent months, he has also argued that the C-5 Quirino Flyover is obstructing the railway's original alignment and has urged authorities to consider dismantling portions of the structure to allow construction to proceed.
Santos has estimated that continued redesigns and delays could substantially increase the cost of completing the remaining section.
The lawmaker has also called for greater scrutiny of the project's history, including the decisions that led to changes in the alignment and prolonged right-of-way negotiations.
Government tries to break the deadlock
The Department of Transportation has been working to resolve the remaining right-of-way issues.
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the government had been negotiating with the Villar Group over property needed for the Las Piñas Station.
The negotiations have become a major issue because some of the land involved is reportedly subject to mortgages, creating additional legal and administrative complications.
Lopez has also indicated that the government could proceed toward Zapote and Niog even if the Las Piñas Station issue remains unresolved, although that proposal has drawn criticism from Santos, who argues that bypassing Las Piñas would undermine the purpose of the extension.
Meanwhile, a recent Manila Bulletin report said Lopez expects the Cavite leg of the extension to break ground before the end of 2026, signaling that the government wants to move the stalled project forward.
Bigger railway push under Marcos
The proposed LRT-1 funding comes as the Marcos administration dramatically increases its planned spending on rail transportation.
The ₱197.3-billion proposed 2027 rail budget is more than three times the ₱55.34 billion allocated for rail projects in 2026, according to current reports.
The proposed spending is also higher than the ₱124.12 billion originally proposed for rail transport under the 2026 NEP.
The North-South Commuter Railway would receive the largest share, while the Metro Manila Subway would receive the second-largest allocation.
The government says these investments are intended to reduce congestion, shorten travel times and improve connectivity between major residential and economic centers.
Funding is not the finish line
For commuters, however, the proposed ₱1.17-billion allocation is only one piece of the puzzle.
Because the amount is still part of the proposed 2027 NEP, it must still go through the congressional budget process before becoming an enacted appropriation. The final amount could therefore change during deliberations.
And even with funding secured, the remaining LRT-1 Cavite Extension still faces the practical challenge of completing right-of-way arrangements, resolving alignment issues and clearing other construction obstacles.
That is why Santos' statement carries significance beyond the size of the allocation.
The additional funding could provide fresh momentum for the project—but money alone will not solve the bottlenecks that have kept the railway from reaching Cavite.
For thousands of commuters who have waited years for the promised stations in Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog, the bigger question now is whether the government's latest funding push will finally translate into actual construction.
The money is being lined up. The real test is whether the remaining roadblocks can finally be cleared.