LRT-1 gets ISO certification

FILE: LRT Photo: Light Rail Transit Authority)

MANILA — Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) operator Light Rail Manila Corporation has been certified compliant for international standards in Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001:2015) as it pursues initiatives to modernize the operations of the railway system.

LRMC’s certification makes LRT-1 the first and only railway system in the country to have achieved the ISO certifications.

“This achievement sends a clear message to our employees, customers and trade partners that LRMC is committed to setting the gold standard in Philippine public transport,” LRMC president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson said in his address during the awarding ceremony held Thursday at the LRT-1 depot in Pasay City.

“The achievements of the LRMC bodes well for the Philippine government’s program to accelerate infrastructure and contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction in Metro Manila through safe, efficient, reliable and comfortable journeys everyday,” he added.

LRMC formally received the certification of its management to global standards from international certification body TUV Rhineland.

TUV Rhineland conducted last June and July its audit on the LRMC’s policies and procedures to promote environmental protection and ensure quality delivery of services.

On Sept.12, 2015, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), a joint venture company of Metro Pacific’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation (MPLRC), Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra), and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. (MIHPL), started a 32-year concession for the operation and maintenance of LRT Line 1 and the construction of a PHP65 billion extension project to Bacoor, Cavite.

Under its concession agreement, the company is obligated to achieve ISO 19001 and ISO 14001 certification within 2 years.

Since taking over the management of the LRT-1, LRMC has completed the replacement of its 32 year old rails which is slated to be commissioned by the last quarter of 2017 and is expected to increase travel speed from 40 kilometers per hour to 60 kilometers per hour by first quarter of next year.

It has also increased the number of light rail vehicles (LRVs) from 77 in 2015 to 104 in June 2017. As a result, LRMC was able to increase LRT-1’s weekday trips to 554 from the previous schedule of 498 decreasing its headway time from 3.75 minutes to 3.33 minutes.

“Since assuming management of LRT-1 in September 2015, LRMC was able to improve efficiencies and introduce innovations that resulted in increased number of trains and trips, reduced passenger waiting time, improved safety and cleanliness of the stations, increased ridership, extended operating hours, increased customer satisfaction – all unprecedented milestones in the 32-year history of Manila’s oldest light rail system,” according to Singson.

LRMC is currently implementing a four year rehabilitation plan spanning from 2016 to 2020 which aims to set the operations of the LRT-1 at par to international standards.

It aims to reduce the waiting time between trains from 4 minutes to 3 minutes and increase system reliability and safety for 400,000-500,000 commuters daily.

LRMC will also work towards the finalization of the common station linking the LRT and the MRT system as it begins the building of the LRT-1 Cavite extension.

For the second phase of its concession (2021-2047), LRMC intends to improve commuting experience from Cavite to Quezon City by reducing headway from 3 minutes to 2.5 minutes.

It eyes for the LRT-1 to serve around 700,000-800,000 commuters daily and expand connectivity through feeder lines to MRT-7 and LRT-6.

The MRT-7 will traverse from North Avenue, Quezon City up to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan while the LRT-6 will traverse from Bacoor to Dasmarinas in Cavite province.  (PNA)