A lawmaker is urging the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to dismantle the obstructing portion of the C-5 Quirino Flyover, saying the move could help fast-track the long-delayed multibillion-peso LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project.
Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos said removing part of the ₱300.39-million flyover is the most practical way for the government to move forward with Phase 2 of the railway project, which covers the 3.2-kilometer stretch serving the Las Piñas and Zapote stations.
The third and final phase will extend another 2.4 kilometers to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite.
The neophyte lawmaker said unresolved right-of-way (ROW) issues continue to delay Phase 2, putting at risk the government’s target of completing the railway before the end of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s term in June 2028.
Santos cited the 2019 dismantling of the Tandang Sora Flyover in Quezon City to make way for the MRT-7, saying the government should take the same approach in Las Piñas.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Tandang Sora Flyover was removed because it occupied the exact site of the planned MRT-7 Tandang Sora Station.
Instead of redesigning the railway alignment, the government dismantled the structure to allow the rail project to proceed despite the expected traffic disruption.
“The government dismantled the Tandang Sora Flyover to make way for the MRT-7. It should do the same with the C-5 Quirino Flyover if that is what it takes to complete the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project,” Santos added.
Santos said he has informed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon that the C-5 Quirino Flyover is the main reason behind the changes to the project’s approved 2022 alignment.
He said the flyover, built during the tenure of then DPWH Secretary and now Sen. Mark Villar, physically occupies the space originally intended for the LRT-1 tracks, forcing costly redesigns and additional right-of-way negotiations.
The lawmaker also cited statements by Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) Administrator Hernando Cabrera that the Villar Group’s commitment to provide the land for the proposed Las Piñas Station free of charge has yet to be formalized through the required Right-of-Way Usage Agreement (ROWUA), further delaying the project.
Santos said the government should remove the obstructing portion of the flyover and immediately proceed with the construction of the remaining stations instead of redesigning the railway around the C-5 and Tramo Road intersection.
He warned that repeated redesigns and right-of-way delays are expected to push project costs beyond the original ₱64.915-billion budget.
Based on estimates cited by infrastructure analysts and private contractors in Las Piñas, the remaining 5.5-kilometer stretch from Las Piñas to Niog is expected to cost around ₱30 billion to ₱35 billion, depending on right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, inflation, redesigns, and further construction delays.