The country has succeeded in establishing a railway system that benefits Filipinos from all walks of life, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday.

Speaking during the inauguration of the PhP77.7-billion LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project (L1CE) Phase 1 in Parañaque City, President Marcos said he understands and supports rail transport because he himself was a train rider for most of his life.

He said commuting in big cities like New York, London, or Paris is a mixed bunch of ridership, noting it’s not only ordinary people going to work who ride trains but also the rich who could afford to buy expensive cars.

“Ngunit ang ginagawa nila sumasakay sila sa tren. Dahil ‘yan ang pinakamabilis, ‘yan ang pinakamaganda, at ‘yan ang pinakamaginhawa na paraan upang makarating sa kanilang pagtatrabahuhan,” the President said.

The L1CE Project, funded through a hybrid Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, involves the construction of an 11.7-kilometer extension to the existing 20.7 km urban rail line, with eight additional stations with a provision for two additional stations traversing the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Bacoor, Cavite.

It involves the procurement of 30 four-car 4th Generation (4G) Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) to be operated across the entire LRT-1 alignment.

Part of the project is the expansion of the existing depot in Baclaran and construction of a new satellite depot in Zapote and Bacoor. | PND