Las Piñas Lone District Representative Mark Anthony Santos has called on Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez to ensure that the land parcel offered by the Villar family for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Cavite Extension carries a clean and unencumbered title prior to formal government acceptance.
Santos emphasized that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) must carry out a comprehensive legal and technical evaluation of the property to confirm it is free from mortgages, liens, adverse claims, or other legal encumbrances that could trigger further delays in the railway project.
“The DOTr must exercise due diligence. Before accepting any donated property, it should first determine whether the title is clean and free from any legal or financial encumbrances that could create additional problems for the government,” Santos said in a statement.
He noted that if the Villar family’s donation is genuine, the government must fully disclose all relevant documentation alongside the property’s legal standing.
“If the Villar family is truly donating the land, then the public deserves full transparency—not only on the existence of a deed of donation or memorandum of agreement, but also on the legal status of the property itself,” he added.
According to Santos, prime commercial lots along the Alabang–Zapote Road and C-5 Extension corridor—where the planned Las Piñas LRT-1 Station is slated for construction—are valued between ₱80,000 and ₱150,000 per square meter.
Given that elevated LRT-1 stations typically require between 1.5 to 3 hectares for access roads, entry points, utility areas, and right-of-way, a one-hectare plot in the area could be worth anywhere from ₱800 million to ₱1.5 billion.
“Using current market values, a one-hectare property (10,000 square meters) in the area could be worth approximately ₱800 million at ₱80,000 per square meter, around ₱1.06 billion at ₱106,000 per square meter, and as much as ₱1.5 billion at ₱150,000 per square meter,” Santos said.
“If the Villar family is indeed donating property of this magnitude to the government, then there should be no reason to withhold the deed of donation, proof of ownership, or other documents showing that the title is clean, transferable, and free from any encumbrances. Full transparency is the only way to remove all doubts and allow the project to finally move forward,” he added.
Santos stressed that verifying the land’s ownership status is vital to avoiding legal disputes and enabling the project to proceed smoothly. While the initial five-station segment from Baclaran to Dr. Santos Station is operational, the final three stations—Las Piñas, Zapote, and Niog—remain pending construction.
The Light Rail Transit Authority previously targeted full project completion before 2028.