Las Piñas Lone District Representative Mark Anthony Santos has called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to halt its ongoing talks with the Villar Group and prioritize the completion of the long-delayed ₱64.9-billion LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project.
Santos criticized the extended timeline of the discussions, noting that the government has spent six years negotiating a proposed Right-of-Way Usage Agreement (ROWUA) for three of the extension’s railway stations, which has only served to stall the infrastructure development.
“Pina-paikot lang nila ang gobyerno at ang taong bayan,” Santos said.
The lawmaker formally requested Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Hernando Cabrera to press pause on the deliberations while key disagreements persist.
“Out of delicadeza, I respectfully urge DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez and Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Hernando Cabrera to suspend further negotiations with the Villar Group while issues affecting the project remain unresolved,” he said.
Santos stressed that the administration should abandon protracted debates and pivot entirely toward finalizing the railway for the sake of the commuting public.
“The time for endless negotiations is over. The DOTr should stop negotiating with the Villar Group and move forward with the construction of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension. The Filipino people have waited long enough for this vital infrastructure project,” he said.
Additionally, the lawmaker urged state agencies to put public welfare first and ensure the LRT-1 Cavite Extension becomes fully operational before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term concludes in 2028.