Poe to Cavite voters: “LRT south extension will be my priority”

Presidential candidate Grace Poe on Thursday said that LRT south extension will be her priority.
(Facebook photo)

MANILA—If elected, frontrunning presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe on Thursday vowed to give priority to the long-delayed construction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Cavite extension.

”I don’t want to make any promises but what I can assure you is it (LRT south extension) will be pushed through because it is important for you here,” Poe said a in a campaign sortie in Bacoor, Cavite.

In October 2014, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC) signed a concession agreement for the construction of the Php64.9 billion LRT Line 1 extension from Baclaran in Pasay City to Bacoor in Cavite.

The consortium of private companies include the Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), Ayala Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd.

According to the concession agreement, the LRMC will construct the LRT Cavite extension in exchange for, among others, the takeover of the existing LRT 1 facilities and the right to its daily income of around Php7 million each day.

”I know that it was promised a long time ago that there should be LRT going to Bacoor but until now it has not been realized. It’s a long wait already. If given a chance, that’s our priority for a faster transportation,” Poe said, drawing applause from crowd.

Poe is the chairperson of the Senate committee on public services that conducted inquiries into the problems-marred Metro Rail Transit (MRT).

Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla accompanied Poe and her running mate Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero in their first Cavite sortie since the campaign period started last Feb. 9.

Cavite is the second vote-rich province with more than 1.8 million registered voters.

Poe said part of their platforms of government were free lunch for elementary pupils and free education for college students.

She also promised to bring more corporations, manufacturing and service industries in Cavite that would provide more jobs for the Cavitenos.

For his part, Escudero said the Poe administration intends to retain the Cash Conditional Transfer (CCT) program, putting another ‘P’ in the existing 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) to include ‘Pangkabuhayan’ (livelihood).

The 4Ps is a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.

”Our mission is to bring to you our program regarding the establishment of a government with heart, ready to listen, with compassion, and a government that will address first your concerns,” Escudero said.