MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has announced that Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) will formally assume responsibility for constructing the long-delayed Unified Grand Central Station in Quezon City by May. Acting Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez revealed that this transition will occur through a variation of LRMC's existing concession for the LRT 1 extension rather than a new contract.
“Instead of us paying money, we would just extend the concession by another five years, seven years in order for them to recoup their capital,” Lopez explained in an interview.
This approach aims to provide a more realistic financing structure, allowing LRMC to recover its investments without requiring additional government funds. The Common Station project, originally awarded to a BF Corp.-led consortium in 2019, had its P2.78-billion contract terminated in May 2025 due to persistent delays.
LRMC, a joint venture involving Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Sumitomo Corp., and Macquarie Investments Holdings, will now oversee completion of the station, which is currently 67.98 percent finished. The project's Area A—connecting LRT 1 to MRT 3—was initially targeted for completion as early as 2021.
Lopez indicated that the contract variation must still undergo government approval processes, including review by the Investment Coordination Committee and subsequent elevation to Cabinet-level panels. If approved by mid-May, construction could resume by the third week of that month, with completion projected for the second quarter of 2027.
“We’re targeting the same time with MRT 7 because we’re going after connectivity,” Lopez noted.
Upon completion, the Common Station is expected to serve up to 1.5 million passengers daily, integrating four major rail lines: LRT 1, MRT 3, MRT 7, and eventually the Metro Manila Subway.